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Title |
Discovering Old Cameras 1839-1939 |
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Author |
Robert White |
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Editions |
Shire Classic |
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Year |
1980-2001 |
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Format |
17.4 x 11.2 cm |
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Pages |
88 |
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Price |
6.99 GBP |
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Cover |
 Plastic colors |
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ISBN |
9780747802662 |
A smart booklet dedicated to the collector or camera hystory passionate which wants to act as a first introductory guide and inspiration for further studies. Unfortunately only available in English (for the italian speaking readers), it is anyways well understood and quite full of pictures and can be found normally in flea markets or in-store at derisory prices so it deserves to be taken into account. The volume covers the first century of cameras production history and try to give useful information to the collector or enthusiast who is having to identify a specific model or having to reconstruct its history; starting from the first daguerreotype cameras until the introduction of 35 mm, the information that is provided is of course, given the small size of the book, general type except that in some cases but, nevertheless, more than enough to take the right direction in their research.
For this reason it is undoubtedly useful although not limited to much less definitive. The various timelines that are shown are detailed and act as fundamental input to every search; some of the information on the different types of film rolls are hard to find elsewhere without effort. The book helps to disentangle between the various models and manufacturers taking useful note (where possible) even mergers between different societies. The concluding section is a Glossary which presents useful elements to use as a starting point for various insights. Robert White is a well known name in collections and in the context of historical research on photographic technology, thanks to its collaboration with R.P.S. and with a few magazines but was first and foremost a passionate and enthusiast who wants to have his first smattering on the evolution of a century is facing camera this writing; No one then expect a manual or guide that gives all the answers in its few pages.
Coming to the physical structure of the volume, the format is very practical and its size allow you to keep it in your pants pocket, maybe useful when visiting a flea market or a second hand store and you are facing with an enigmatic camera; the issue is particularly cured and it is obvious the nature of paperback but, given the cost, this is not a particular concern.
There are also online extracts on Google Books repository.