A press camera is a
medium or
large formatview camera that was predominantly used by press photographers in the early to mid-20th century. It was largely replaced for
press photography by
35mm film cameras in the 1960s, and subsequently, by digital cameras. The quintessential press camera was the
Speed Graphic.[1] Press cameras are still used as portable and rugged view cameras.
Details
Press cameras were widely used from the 1900s through the early 1960s and commonly have the following features:[2][3]: 48
Some models have both a
focal plane shutter and an
iris lens shutter. The focal plane shutter allows for fast shutter speeds and the use of lenses which do not have an integral shutter (known as a barrel lens),[2] while the iris shutter allows for flash synchronization at any speed. The Graphlex
Speed Graphic models [5] and the
Ihagee Zweiverschluss ("two shutters") Duplex[6] are examples of press cameras that had both focal plane and iris shutters.
The most common sheet film size for press cameras was the 4×5 inch
film format.[1][2] Models have also been produced for the 2.25×3.25 inch format (6×9 cm), 3.25×4.25 inch format and various
120 film formats [3] from 6×6 cm. through 6×12 cm. European press cameras, such as the
Goerz and
Van Neck, used the 9×12cm format, marginally smaller than the 4"×5" format.
The press camera is still used as a portable medium or large format film camera for
photojournalism and among fine art photographers who use it as a low cost, more portable alternative to a
view camera. In news photography, the press camera has been largely supplanted by the smaller formats of
120 film and
135 film, and more recently by
digital cameras. The advantage of the 4×5 inch format over 35 mm format is that the size of the film negative is 16 times that of a 35 mm film negative image.[2][b]
Press cameras were largely superseded by the 6x6cm medium format
Rolleiflex in the early to mid-1960s and later by 35 mm
rangefinder or
single-lens reflex cameras. The smaller formats gained acceptance as film technology advanced and quality of the smaller negatives was deemed acceptable by picture editors. The smaller cameras generally offered lenses with faster maximum apertures and by the nature of their smaller size, were easier to transport and use. The bulk and weight of the camera itself, as well as the size of the film holders (two pictures per film holder), limited the number of exposures photographers could make on an assignment; this was less of an issue with 12 exposures on a roll of 120 film, or 36 exposures on 35 mm film.[8]
Compared to
view cameras, press cameras do not have the range of swing/tilt movements of the front standard, and rarely have back movements because many were fitted with focal plane shutters.[2]
^Field cameras generally were heavier than press cameras and intended to be used on tripods rather than handheld [4]
^Some
professional DSLR cameras have an
image sensor which is the same size as 35mm format (36×24 mm) [7] while most consumer and prosumer digital cameras have significantly smaller
CCDs.
^The Speed Graphic was also available in 5x7 inch format, but usually limited to studio rather than press use due to weight [5]
^Agents for Goerz Anschütz cameras pre-WW1, manufactured the British Anschütz camera from 1919 until 1924 when supplies of Goerz were unavailable.
[1]
References
^
abFellig (Weegee), Arthur (2003). Naked city (Facsimile ed.). [Cambridge, Massachusetts].: Da Capo Press. p. 260.
ISBN0-306-81204-5.
^Atherton, Nigel (2006). An illustrated A to Z of digital photography: people and portraits. Lausanne, Switzerland: AVA Pub. SA/Essentials.
ISBN2-88479-087-X.