Difference between revisions of "Mars Camera"

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(Put back sentence about where the plate is to be exposed. Added link to Patent.)
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The '''Mars camera''' is a '''detective camera''' made in mahogany by [[Emil Wünsche]] of Dresden from 1889 to 1893. It was made for twelve 6x9cm or 9x12cm plates, or ten 12x16.5cm plates.<ref name=nu>[[http://www.photographica.nu/mars203.htm Mars Camera] and a [http://www.photographica.nu/mars203ad.htm contemporary listing of the camera] in a catalogue of Swedish retailer Numa Petersen, at [http://www.photographica.nu www.photographica.nu]</ref> It has a brass bound 130mm f/8 [[Aplanat]] lens, with three apertures in a rotating disc,<ref name=W>[http://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?f=popup&id=210807&_ssl=off#210807 Mars Camera serial no. 6123], sold at the [http://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?id=197083&acat=197083&lang=3 December 2010 Westlicht Photographica Auction] in Vienna. Several excellent photographs, showing features such as the selectable aperture disc and pull-string controls.</ref> and [[Shutter#rotary shutter|rotary shutter]], operated by pull-strings.  
 
The '''Mars camera''' is a '''detective camera''' made in mahogany by [[Emil Wünsche]] of Dresden from 1889 to 1893. It was made for twelve 6x9cm or 9x12cm plates, or ten 12x16.5cm plates.<ref name=nu>[[http://www.photographica.nu/mars203.htm Mars Camera] and a [http://www.photographica.nu/mars203ad.htm contemporary listing of the camera] in a catalogue of Swedish retailer Numa Petersen, at [http://www.photographica.nu www.photographica.nu]</ref> It has a brass bound 130mm f/8 [[Aplanat]] lens, with three apertures in a rotating disc,<ref name=W>[http://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?f=popup&id=210807&_ssl=off#210807 Mars Camera serial no. 6123], sold at the [http://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?id=197083&acat=197083&lang=3 December 2010 Westlicht Photographica Auction] in Vienna. Several excellent photographs, showing features such as the selectable aperture disc and pull-string controls.</ref> and [[Shutter#rotary shutter|rotary shutter]], operated by pull-strings.  
  
The Mars is a [[magazine camera]]: the plates, in metal holders, are stored in the back part of the camera body, under spring pressure (there is a pull-string to relieve this pressure while changing the plate).<ref name=W></ref> The wooden part projecting on top of the camera is a plate-changer. After each exposure, the camera can be turned upside-down, and the holder with the exposed plate falls into the wooden changer. Then the changer is shifted to the back of the body, where the exposed plate falls back into the plate magazine when the camera is turned right-side up again. the changer is then used to move a fresh plate from the magazine to the exposing position. Some examples of the Mars have a dial counter showing the number of plates exposed;<ref name=nu></ref> this was perhaps a late addition or optional feature; it is absent on the example pictured here, and the one cited at Westlicht.<ref name=W></ref>
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The Mars is a [[magazine camera]]: the plates, in metal holders, are stored in the back part of the camera body, under spring pressure (there is a pull-string to relieve this pressure while changing the plate).<ref name=W></ref> The plate at the front of the magazine is in the exposing position. The wooden part projecting on top of the camera is a plate-changer. After each exposure, the camera can be turned upside-down, and the holder with the exposed plate falls into the wooden changer. Then the changer is shifted to the back of the body, where the exposed plate falls back into the plate magazine when the camera is turned right-side up again. The changer is then used to move a fresh plate from the magazine to the exposing position. Some examples of the Mars have a dial counter showing the number of plates exposed;<ref name=nu></ref> this was perhaps a late addition or optional feature; it is not referred to in Wünsche's patent describing the camera,<ref name=Pat>[http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/originalDocument?CC=DE&NR=57138C&KC=C&FT=D&ND=4&DB=worldwide.espacenet.com&locale=en_EP German Patent 57138] ''Photographische Camera mit Plattenwechselvorrichtung'' (Camera with plate-changing device), granted to Emil Wünsche in 1890, at [http://worldwide.espacenet.com/?locale=en_EP Espacenet], the patent search facility of the European Patent Office].</ref> and is absent on the example pictured here and the one cited at Westlicht.<ref name=W></ref>
  
 
There are [[Viewfinder#Watson finder|Watson finders]] for horizontal and vertical orientation.
 
There are [[Viewfinder#Watson finder|Watson finders]] for horizontal and vertical orientation.

Revision as of 17:39, 30 January 2012

The Mars camera is a detective camera made in mahogany by Emil Wünsche of Dresden from 1889 to 1893. It was made for twelve 6x9cm or 9x12cm plates, or ten 12x16.5cm plates.[1] It has a brass bound 130mm f/8 Aplanat lens, with three apertures in a rotating disc,[2] and rotary shutter, operated by pull-strings.

The Mars is a magazine camera: the plates, in metal holders, are stored in the back part of the camera body, under spring pressure (there is a pull-string to relieve this pressure while changing the plate).[2] The plate at the front of the magazine is in the exposing position. The wooden part projecting on top of the camera is a plate-changer. After each exposure, the camera can be turned upside-down, and the holder with the exposed plate falls into the wooden changer. Then the changer is shifted to the back of the body, where the exposed plate falls back into the plate magazine when the camera is turned right-side up again. The changer is then used to move a fresh plate from the magazine to the exposing position. Some examples of the Mars have a dial counter showing the number of plates exposed;[1] this was perhaps a late addition or optional feature; it is not referred to in Wünsche's patent describing the camera,[3] and is absent on the example pictured here and the one cited at Westlicht.[2]

There are Watson finders for horizontal and vertical orientation.

Wünsche later made a leather-covered magazine camera with a more conventional falling-plate changing mechanism, the Mars 99 (apparently in 1895,[4] though the name might well refer to 1899). There was also a stereo camera of similar design to the Mars, the Mars Detektiv-Stereoskop in about 1897.[4]


Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 [Mars Camera and a contemporary listing of the camera in a catalogue of Swedish retailer Numa Petersen, at www.photographica.nu
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Mars Camera serial no. 6123, sold at the December 2010 Westlicht Photographica Auction in Vienna. Several excellent photographs, showing features such as the selectable aperture disc and pull-string controls.
  3. German Patent 57138 Photographische Camera mit Plattenwechselvorrichtung (Camera with plate-changing device), granted to Emil Wünsche in 1890, at Espacenet, the patent search facility of the European Patent Office].
  4. 4.0 4.1 McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). p1018.