I admit that I'm a photography nut, and have been since I was a kid, lo these many years ago. I came across this in the Digital Photography Newsletter. It's a review of a camera that was made when "snapshots" were in their infancy, 1914.

The picture below was taken by my grandmother using such a camera. That's my uncle in the stroller, and my dad, looking very suspiciously at that new-fangled camera, on the right. I estimate it was taken in 1913.



At any rate, here's the review which really describes amateur photography from that era:

"...the other day, we were dusting the shelves here at the bunker and picked up our grandfather's old camera, a No. 1A Autographic Kodak Junior. What if, just for a laugh, we reviewed that? Might put things in perspective, we thought. Gramp would have been a tot when the $13 Autographic was introduced in 1914 (about $275 in 2009 dollars) but it would have been just the ticket a few years later when he was in high school. We don't recall seeing any Autographic prints in the old family albums, but the handwritten captioning (pretty ingenious in itself) was optional anyway.
It's in remarkably good condition. The bellows is light-proof and the seal skin unblemished. It begs to be unfolded, to have its shutter cocked, to fire away. Apparently you can load it with 120 film but we're not even tempted, no matter how much it begs.
We found the manual and, before we started sneezing, flipped through the instructions.
The manual notes the Junior could be outfitted with one of two lenses. Gramp's is the Double Lens known as the Rapid Rectilinear with more aperture settings than the Single Lens alternative. Just like him, we smiled, to go for the deluxe model.

INSTANTANEOUS EXPOSURE

If you've seen one manual, you've seen one manual. They're all different and in the details lies the distraction. But the Junior's manual stopped us dead in our tracks when it talked about the difference between old-fashioned Time exposures and the newfangled Instantaneous exposures the Junior can capture.
Of course, no one called them Instantaneous exposures. By the time you get to the second section of the manual, Kodak has nicknamed them Snap Shots.
Were we writing for Sunny Sixteen Resource in 1914, we'd certainly wouldn't have to explain the advantage of an Instantaneous exposure. But these days it takes a little historical perspective to appreciate the innovation.
It's enough to realize that what we can capture today in 1/250 second took the earliest photographers minutes, usually timed by keeping an eye on their watch. And when we say minutes, we mean a lot of them. In 1839, it took between 15 and 30 minutes. By 1842, it still took between 10 and 60 seconds. That's a long time for a subject to hold still.
Apart from the speed of the film (the Junior was designed to use only one emulsion), the different exposure types depended on the shutter. "Perfect familiarity with the shutter is essential to successful picture-taking with any camera," the text admonishes. A bit less true today, perhaps, with some digicams keeping that information entirely to themselves.
There's a little lever on a dial above the lens to set the shutter speed. It has markings for T, B, 25, 500 and 100. But they are arranged in a graphically delightful 25 B 50 T 100 sequence with the letters standing much taller than the numerals. Compare that to today's silkscreened but unreadably dark icons on a black body.
For an instantaneous exposure, all you have to do is set the lever at 25 or 50. That represents the shutter speed in fractions of a second (1/25 and 1/50). The 100 setting should only be used "when taking moving objects in bright sunshine." And if you use a 1/100 shutter speed, you must remember to change the "iris diaphragm" (aperture), too. No intelligent auto mode here.
The aperture, which is controlled by a lever at the bottom of the lens, can be set to actual f-stop markings on the fancy lens. The simpler lens uses four numbered settings for the Uniform System rather than the f-stop system, all of which is explained in great detail. Available settings include f7.7, f11, f16, f22, f32 and f45. Not very fast glass, even for a digicam, today.
Kodak apparently felt that simplifying the markings would make the camera easier to use. Like the 50 for 1/50 second, f8 becomes just 8 in the manual. So when it says, "No. 8 is the proper opening for ordinary instantaneous exposures," it means f8, which is not marked on the dial.
"When the sunlight is unusually strong and there are not heavy shadows, such as in views on the seashore or on the water, use diaphragm No. 16," the manual advises. "With light clouds or slightly smoky atmosphere use No. 5 at 50 or No. 8 at 25." And with heavy clouds, "do not attempt instantaneous exposures." Yes, in italics.
The A-116 film it used was pretty slow. ISO 1600 was not an option.
To actually fire the shutter you have two choices: the push-pin or release C. The push-pin is a cable release. Release C is what we call a shutter button.
So once you're all set, you only have to press the push-pin or push down on release C "with a firm quick movement, at the same time be sure to hold the Kodak rigid, as a slight jarring will cause a blurred negative." Some things never change.
"To take instantaneous pictures the objects much be in the broad, open sunlight, but the subject should not. The sun should be behind the back or over the shoulder of the operator." Still good advice.

TIME EXPOSURE

Time exposures were leisurely affairs. But they still needed explanation.
Set the shutter to T (for Time). Set the aperture to, well, there's a lot to digest here. Wide open for "all ordinary instantaneous exposures." Stopped down to f8 "when the sun shines." Use f16, as above (strong sunlight with no heavy shadows). Use f32 and f64 "for interiors. Never for instantaneous exposures." You need a one to five second exposure at f128 on cloudy days.
And finally, "Absolute failure will be the result if you use the smallest stop for instantaneous exposures." Absolute, no kidding.
Then press the push-pin to open the shutter. "Time exposure by a watch." And press the push-pin to close the shutter.
Alternately, you could set the shutter to B (for Bulb), recommended for very short time exposures.
"As a general rule," the manual concludes, "make exposures with the cable release instead of with the release C, as the cable release is less likely to jar the camera."

FOCUS

We won't belabor the rest of the capture process, but we do have to point out that focusing wasn't automatic. You had to set the lens to an index plate of distances screwed alongside the lens rail.
"The index plate is marked for 6, 8, 10, 15, 25 and 100 feet. Everything beyond 100 feet is in the 100-feet focus. Nothing nearer than 6 feet can be focused without using a portrait attachment." Super Macro mode wasn't invented yet.
You could frame either a landscape or portrait shot with the Junior. As you would today, you just have to turn the camera on its side. Kodak provided tripod sockets for both orientations, though. Film speeds made them serious about tripods back then.
After the shot, of course, you had to worry about advancing the film to the next frame. But since we spared you the instructions for loading film, we won't bother you with film advance. It involved a key, that's all we'll say.
Portrait advice is freely given in the manual:
"Place the sitter in a chair partly facing the Kodak (which should be located slightly higher than an ordinary table) and turn the face slightly towards the instrument, having the eyes centered on an object at the same level with the lens. Center the image in the finder. For a three-quarter figure the Kodak should be from 6 to 8 feet from the figure; and for a full figure from 8 to 10 feet. The background should form a contrast with the sitter."
The portrait attachment slipped over the "regular lens" to capture "large head and shoulder portraits." The subject could be placed as close as three feet from the lens.

THERE'S MORE

Section IV details using Eastman Flash Sheets ("Pin to a Card and Touch with a Match, That's all there is to using Eastman Flash Sheets") to take photos at night with flash. You'd be well advised to pick up the Kodak Flash Sheet Holder as well, although a piece of cardboard, a pin and a match will do in a pinch.
The manual goes on (as the job did) to discuss camera maintenance (including dusting), film developing, negative printing (this was all black and white) and mounting prints -- all made easier with Kodak products, of course.
And if you needed a little more instruction, there was the Kodak Correspondence College with a tuition of two dollars (the manual was 10 cents), "which includes a handsome cloth bound copy, library edition, of the School Text Book, 'How to Make Good Pictures'." An application form for membership was also included. Hmm, now there's a thought.
You can probably hear the echoes there of today's digicam ecosystem, no doubt. Constants in the education of a photographer, perhaps.
Our short reading of the Junior manual really did make us appreciate the effort Gramp had put into the images he captured and mounted in the photo books we still have today. Every shot must have been a keeper.
No wonder we treasure them still."

I know I do.

To think that some find digital photography somewhat mystifying today? By comparison, you almost needed a Ph.D. to figure out how to operate the cameras of old. I'm grateful that my grandmother figured it out and took that shot reproduced above.

John

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Interesting. I'm afraid that I would have to expose a roll of 120, just for grins.

That's an interesting review. OTOH I think that a lot of old family snapshots were taken with simple box cameras with maybe a "sun, overcast, shade" adjustment and one fixed shutter speed. You know "You push the button, we do the rest" as Kodak used to say. The simpler it was, the more film they sold.

I've also been into photography since I was a teen in the early 60's - actually started by developing film for the neighborhood folks (in our basement.) I was given an old Voigtlander (remember "say phot-lander") from the mid-30's by a friend back then and had a lot of fun shooting with it - had interchangeable backs (roll & sheet 2.5 x 3.5). Took great pictures too.

Digital makes it all really easy. Here's some shots of that camera which I still have:

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Lou

Wonder what such a camera cost when new?

Probably not cheap being as Voigtlander was a fairly high end
brand. I've got an old Voigtlander portrait lens that according to
the serial number was made in the 1870's. They started making those
in the 1840's.
But the lens I have is missing the rest of the camera.. Used to be a
wood box it attached to..
I wasn't the one that scratched it up around the lettering.. It was
found in an attic by the old guy I used to work with, and I think he
must have done that.. It's a pretty big lens, and was a petzval
portrait lens.
The history of Petzval Lenses

I have a Mamiya RB-67. There ain't no auto anything with that camera. If I set the exposure and f-stop right and focus it correctly, then I get a good photograph. The concept really hasn't changed much in the last 100 years. What I develop is based on my skill alone.

It is sort of like going to the range. Where I put my holes is based on my skill alone. How many here would want a firearm with auto targeting where every shot hits the X ring?

"Autographic" film was invented on by one Henry Jacques Gaisman 1869-1974. (Yes) If you look at the back of those cameras you see a small door/cover. You slid it down, used the stylus that came with the camera to record any information-"Christams, 1914", "Uncle John at the July 4 1915 Party." Which was etched on the negative and came out on the print.
The original Kodak camera of 1888 cost $25-more than a week's pay for most people. It came with film for 100 exposures, you took your pictures, send the camera back to Kodak, they developed and printed your pictures, reloaded your camera.

My only "antique" camera (to my children my 35 mms are) is a Kodak Target Brownie. Shoots 620 film, of which there is little to none.
The interesting thing about that camera is that in 1946 (about the date of manufacture) it cost six dollars.
Today it's worth six dollars.
I would get a really nice digital if they made one I could mount my Minolta lenses on. I don't see a total absence of 35 mm film in my lifetime.

I don't know about Minolta lenses, but most (all if adapted) Nikon lenses from around the 1960's on can be used with any of the current digital SLR's - I know because I have used my 55mm/3.5 Micro Nikkor and 300/4.5 from late 1960's on both my D200 & D700 with great results. Of course, you still must manually focus (remember that?) These lenses can be purchased (used) today for $50-100 (hate to think what I paid if adjusted for inflation!)

You will probably be able to shoot 35mm film for a long time. Not knowing your age (I'm 62) I can only suggest that by ignoring digital, you are missing out on one of the greatest photo revolutions ever - and of course, you can continue to shoot film too - I can understand that.

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Lou

I am a photogrpahy nut and love being such. Most of my interest was acquired back in the late 60's as I was making photos of the ladies in college.

Now I shoot a lot of photos at crime and accident scenes and I get to use my own cameras.

I have 2 Nikon D1, a Nikon F4, a Nikon FE and now a Nikon D3. Plus I have all the lenses Nikon makes other than the medical use and such.

But I also have a Kodak Target and a 616. They are worthless to anyone but me and film is no longer made for them. Even if it were, it would have to be sent off for developing.

If this were an adult site, I would post some of my hobby photos.

Do you also post elsewhere under "dirtyoldman45"?

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Lou

Nope but I would if I knew of the site. Years of being in the right spot at the right time and with professional camera has allowed me to make a lot of photos.

i too have been a photography bug forever...when i retired in 2004 i built a 700 sq.foot photography studio behind my home and opened it as second glance photography studio...oldman45...if you dont know of modelmayhem or one model place..let me know i have a site there...all types of photography there...i use digital nikon equipment however i still use film quite a bit depending on what i'm doing..for film work i use nikon f100 and f5 as well as a hasselblad med.format...how well i remember the cost of a 1800mm portrait lens for the hasselblad...a $3200.00 zeiss lens...fortunately i had a relative that worked for a distributor!....i frequently tell those learning the craft...it's not nearly so much the equipment but rather the knowledge of photography...the great masters frequently used equipment such as crude pinhole cameras as well as very slow films,lens,and cameras....it's a fun hobby and one where you never stop learning!

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