Expert: David Silver - 6/15/2007

Question
Mr. Silver, you requested more information and I hit "reply" so I'm not sure you received it.  My question was about cameras and film available in 1935.  My character in the book I'm writing would have the best equipment available and would use it secretly and in the open.  The story takes place in Kentucky. My reply the second time from you? was that you couldn't answer the question.  Is that correct?  Thanking you in advance.   Rudy

Answer


Hello,

No, no, I rejected the question at first only because I needed more parameters.  Now that you've provided that basic information, I do have an answer for you.

I took a couple days to ponder your situation because I wanted to provide a range of products you could put in the hands of your character.  If 1935 is the year, and your character has the funds and the inclination to handle the most current equipment, I recommend you furnish him with an early Retina 35mm camera, which was made in a Stuttgart, Germany, factory for Eastman Kodak.  Specifically the Type 118 version of the Retina, which was introduced in 1935.  This was a remarkably compact camera that combined the small format of 35mm (which was quickly becoming a favorite among candid photographers) with the tried and true concept of the collapsible bellows.  When the camera was closed up, it was small enough to fit in a shirt pocket!  Still, with the superb lenses it offered (you had a choice of the Kodak Anastigmat, the Schneider Xenar, or the Zeiss Tessar) and Compur shutter (with a full range of speeds from 1 to 1/300 second), in most situations it was capable of results every bit as good as an expenisve Leica or Contax 35mm camera.  The obvious advantage is its size, so it's definitely the "secret" camera, but also an excellent everyday camera because it could be carried easily.  The disadvantage is that the lens was fixed to the camera, you could not change it (whichever one you chose when you bought the camera, they were all 50mm f3.5 lenses) for a wide angle or telephoto lens, and the camera lacked a rangefinder for precise focusing (you had to guess the distance and set the lens accordingly before you shot).  For real precision work, I recommend the character have one of those Leica or Contax 35mm cameras.  I think perhaps the former would have better overall name recognition among the general readership, while the latter would appeal to the more eclectic mentalities.  I say go with the Leica.  Specifically the Leica IIIa (also known as the Model G), which was introduced by Leitz of Germany in 1935.  Now this is a VERY high quality little machine, with a coupled rangefinder that allowed you to focus on the button and a shutter with a range of speeds from 1 to 1/1000 second.  It would most likely come equipped with a Leitz Elmar 5cm f3.5 normal lens, but this could screw off the camera so you could replace it with a range of telephoto and wide angle lenses offered by Leitz.  Okay, if your character needs to make REALLY high quality pitcures, he will need something bigger, and in that case he'd want the press photographer's buddy, the 4 x 5 Speed Graphic made by Folmer Graflex.  Now there is no way that this would ever be used "secretly".  It's a BIG camera for making big 4 x 5 inch negatives, but if he wants to shoot a crime scene and get every little detail, this is the way to go.  Plus you can have him mounting an equally impressive flash handle on the side to use flash bulbs that just about blot out the sun when they fire!  Very period.

Now for film, you have the run of them.  By 1935 there was a great variety of films, providing fast enough speed to stop most action, or slow fine grain film for the ultimate in detail, and even some early infra-red films that could be used in almost complete darkness (but be VERY careful how you portray such a scene...it isn't easy to use!).  Most indoor shots, with most films, and with any of the cameras I've noted, you can attach some sort of flash, although the Speed Graphic would be the most interesting.  For surveillance work, you'd be wanting a fast film and primarily using the Leica with a telephoto lens.  Different situations will require different camera applications.  I think these three cameras, with just about any film you can imagine (although in black & white...don't mess with color), should do it for you.  They are state of the art for the period, they are all a bit different, and they are all undeniably archaic, and therefore fascinating, by today's standards.

Fell free to get back to me if you need more details, or you have trouble doing further research on these cameras.  I can provide images of them if necessary.

Best wishes,

David Silver