Difference between revisions of "Red window"

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{{glossary}}
 
{{glossary}}
In 1892 the '''red window''' was introduced by the [[Boston Camera Manufacturing Company]] as a means to control film advance of paper-backed [[rollfilm|roll film]] in the [[No. 2 Bulls-Eye]] camera. Later this became the film advance control device of nearly all cameras for the popular roll film formats [[127 film|127]] (4cm) , [[120 film|120 and 620]] (6cm). The window shows an exposure number that is printed on the film's backing paper. The appearance of the next exposure number in the window means that the film is advanced enough for achieving non-overlapping exposures. Some cameras have an exposure counting window of different color, for example the [[Rollex 20]] (green window), but red was by the most popular, as early black-and-white films were quite insensitive to red light.
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{|class=floatright
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||[http://www.flickr.com/photos/89864432@N00/2239830515/in/pool-camerawiki http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2027/2239830515_c016f92bca.jpg]
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|rowspan=2|[http://www.flickr.com/photos/89864432@N00/2239830517/in/pool-camerawiki http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2163/2239830517_b6faae8264.jpg]
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||Looking through the '''red window''', the number 6 visible is the sixth frame of eight<br/>6&times;9cm exposures per roll of [[120 film]].  For cameras exposing 6&times;6 or 6&times;4.5 images,<br/>the camera's red window would instead align with one of the other rows of printed<br/>numbers, to provide the appropriate frame spacing.
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| colspan=2 align=center| <small>images by {{image author|Uwe Kulick}}</small> {{with permission}}
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|}
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In 1892 the '''red window''' was introduced by the [[Boston Camera Manufacturing Company]] in the [[No. 2 Bulls-Eye]] camera, as a means to control the advance of paper-backed [[rollfilm|roll film]]. Later this simple device became nearly universal for cameras using the popular roll film formats [[127 film|127]] (about 4cm wide) , [[120 film|120 and 620]] (6cm), as well as many older formats such as [[116 film]] which are less known today. The window shows an exposure number that is printed on the film's backing paper. As the photographer winds forward, the appearance of the next exposure number in the window means that the film has advanced enough to avoid overlapping frames.
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Because early black-and-white films were quite insensitive to red light, it became standard for most manufacturers to use a red filter over their exposure counting window—a tradition that persisted even after the arrival of [[panchromatic]] films. Some cameras do have a frame-counter window of different color, for example the [[Rollex 20]] (which uses green).
  
{|class=plainlinks
 
||[http://www.flickr.com/photos/89864432@N00/2239830515/in/pool-camerapedia http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2027/2239830515_c016f92bca.jpg]
 
|rowspan=2|[http://www.flickr.com/photos/89864432@N00/2239830517/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2163/2239830517_b6faae8264.jpg]
 
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||Looking behind a 120 film [[box camera]]'s door: the <br> number visible through the red window is one of the <br> exposure numbers of the eight possible 6&times;9cm <br> exposures. Other number rows are  visible through <br> exp. counting windows of cameras with smaller <br> frame formats for 12 or 16 exposures..
 
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Some cameras use a frame size which is half the standard width. In this case, each number is advanced first to one, then a second window. This was especially common in mid-20th-century cameras for [[127 film]].
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{{Flickr_image
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|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/danagraves/6281203298/in/pool-camerawiki
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|image= http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6098/6281203298_64884b55f5_m.jpg
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|image_align= left
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|image_text= Green "red windows," labeled '''A''' and '''B'''
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|image_by= Dana Graves
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|image_rights= wp
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}}
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{{br}}
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
* [http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/kevins_pages/a02.html red window], drafted on  [http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/kevins_pages Kevin's pages]
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20161024131038/http://silverbased.org:80/load-120-film/ Loading 120 film and using the "red window"] at [http://silverbased.org/ Silverbased] via [http://www.archive.org Internet Archive: The Wayback Machine].
  
  
 
[[Category: Camera parts]]
 
[[Category: Camera parts]]

Latest revision as of 23:53, 18 January 2023

Glossary Terms
2239830515_c016f92bca.jpg 2239830517_b6faae8264.jpg
Looking through the red window, the number 6 visible is the sixth frame of eight
6×9cm exposures per roll of 120 film. For cameras exposing 6×6 or 6×4.5 images,
the camera's red window would instead align with one of the other rows of printed
numbers, to provide the appropriate frame spacing.
images by Uwe Kulick (Image rights)

In 1892 the red window was introduced by the Boston Camera Manufacturing Company in the No. 2 Bulls-Eye camera, as a means to control the advance of paper-backed roll film. Later this simple device became nearly universal for cameras using the popular roll film formats 127 (about 4cm wide) , 120 and 620 (6cm), as well as many older formats such as 116 film which are less known today. The window shows an exposure number that is printed on the film's backing paper. As the photographer winds forward, the appearance of the next exposure number in the window means that the film has advanced enough to avoid overlapping frames.


Because early black-and-white films were quite insensitive to red light, it became standard for most manufacturers to use a red filter over their exposure counting window—a tradition that persisted even after the arrival of panchromatic films. Some cameras do have a frame-counter window of different color, for example the Rollex 20 (which uses green).


Some cameras use a frame size which is half the standard width. In this case, each number is advanced first to one, then a second window. This was especially common in mid-20th-century cameras for 127 film.


Links