Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 89.djvu/94

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��Popular Science Monthly

���Above, focussing straight down. As shown at the right, each foot-member of the tripod is attached to a sleeve, the inner end of w'hich is a swinging cam bearing upon a spring attached to the tripod leg. The spring has a felt pad which locks the tripod members together by friction, the lever system (shown closed and open) being used

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��supporting arm the camera automat - icall>- lexels il.sclf and upon releasing the lever remains rigidh' in that [)o- sition. Without requiring an\' ])re\'ious adjustment or setting, as is the case with the cameras generally used, it can .be quickly adapted to any kind of panoramic view to be taken. A horizon- tal panoramic adjustment may be readih' changed to a \-ertical adjustment and \icc versa, while by manipulating the finger-piece the direction of rotation anil the speed at which such rotation takes place may be ada[>ted to i)re\ail- ing conditions in a quick and reliable manner.

��The camera can be mounted in the twinkling of an eye for rapid picture- taking. It can be trained in any direction as accurately and as quickly as a cowboy can draw a gun. If a tripod is not at hand a window-sill, a rock, a saddle-horn, a tree-branch, a knee — in fact, an>-thing stationary may serve as a base for operations.

Where ciiiick action is absolutely imperative, the newspaper photographer can film every stage of an exciting fire rescue, or a riot, or a sinking ship, or an explosion, or a shooting, or, indeed, anything heretofore solely within the compass of the hand or still camera.

The lens adjustments, instead of being in front, are in the rear, so that focussing through a diaphragm according to light conditions may be carried on while the picture is being taken. By means of an ingenious eye-piece the actual image on the film maybe obser\^ed during the process of ex- posure. To appreciate the importance of this, it may be said that it never has been accomplished before in either still or motion cameras. The eye - piece remains closed until the eye is pressed against a light- proof, black velvet rim; the actual image being record- ed on the negative is seen. It is impossible to turn the camera so rapidly in any direction that a blur is produced. The range of tilting and "panoram- ing"permits the operator to turn his lens straight up or straight down beneath the camera itself. This enables the operator to photograph an ant hill or nest one moment and a Zeppelin the next. .Ml friction danger is eliminated so that the film can not be scratched while taking pictures. The camera complete weighs thirty pounds; the old-style apparatus weighs from fifty to sevent>'-five poimds.

The film-containing box has verj'^ little in common with the boxes now used. The camera may lie run at the standard speetl of sixteen pictures a second, or the speed may be doubled or trebled, as desired.

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