Photo Info

Over the years I've come to possess several old cameras and among them is this turn of the century Ansco No. 4 folding pocket camera. Now, folks in the early 1900's must have had some pretty big pockets, 'cause this baby measures 8" x 4.5" and is 2" thick - when closed. At any rate, the patent date stamped into the inside back cover of this piece is dated September 25, 1894 - the camera is in really good shape and the shutter still fires like clockwork. I'm told that it would take size 118 roll film but I don't even want to think about the implications of having such a format processed, as I don't have room these days for a proper darkroom setup. At any rate, I thought more and more as I was shooting this that it looked like an old steam train - and indeed it is an old engine of the camera world. They certainly don't make 'em like this anymore.

Production note: I toyed with the idea of doing this as a quadtone, but the full color version seemed much warmer - so I just left it alone, better to show the real warmth and character of this old piece.

current tune-age: Steve Reich - Different Trains, Kronos Quartet

Camera Data

Canon EOS Digital Rebel | EF 50mm f/1.8 II
10/24/04 | 1 sec. | f/10 | ISO 100