Premo Cameras, 1914 Informative Summary

Overview:

This catalog, published in 1914 by the Canadian Kodak Company, showcases the Premo line of cameras, emphasizing their ease of use and quality of results. Premo cameras were marketed for tourists and everyday amateur photographers, with a focus on portability, simplicity, and affordability. The catalog highlights the “daylight loading” feature of the Premo Film Pack system, which allowed users to load and unload their cameras in any light.

The catalog also touts the quality of the lenses and shutters used in Premo cameras, ranging from basic meniscus lenses to the advanced Zeiss Kodak Anastigmat. It features several models like the Premo Junior, Premoette Jr., Filmplate Premo, and Premo Nos. 8, 9, and 10. The catalog includes specifications, prices, and descriptions of various accessories like the Kodak Portrait Attachment, Kodak Color Screens, Premo Film Pack Tank, Eastman Plate Tank, Brownie Enlarging Camera, and Premo tripods.

Key findings:

Premo cameras were designed for convenience and ease of use for amateur photographers.
The Premo Film Pack system allowed for daylight loading and unloading.
Premo cameras were offered in a range of sizes and price points to meet different needs and budgets.
Premo cameras were designed to produce high-quality pictures with various lenses and shutters, including the Planatograph and Zeiss Kodak Anastigmat.
Premo cameras offered the option of using film packs or plates.
Premo offered a full range of accessories for cameras, including tanks for developing film and plates, enlarging cameras, tripods, and a variety of lenses.

Learning:

Daylight Loading: The Premo Film Pack system revolutionized photography by enabling users to load and unload their cameras in any light. This eliminated the need for darkrooms and made photography more accessible.
Lens Technology: The catalog showcases the advancement of lens technology, with the introduction of anastigmat lenses, such as the Zeiss Kodak Anastigmat, offering greater sharpness and definition.
Camera Features: The catalog highlights the various features offered in Premo cameras, including focusing scales, ground glass focusing, rising and falling fronts, swing beds, and reversible backs.
Tank Development: Tank development, using the Premo Film Pack Tank and Eastman Plate Tank, offered a simpler and more reliable method of developing film and plates compared to traditional tray development.
Enlarging: The catalog introduces the Brownie Enlarging Camera, making it easier for amateurs to create enlargements from their negatives.

Historical context: The catalog provides a glimpse into the world of photography in 1914. At the time, amateur photography was becoming increasingly popular, and the development of new technologies, like the Premo Film Pack system and anastigmat lenses, made photography more accessible and easier to enjoy.

Facts:

Premo cameras were manufactured for over thirty years. Premo cameras were known for their quality and dependability, built upon a long history of manufacturing experience.
The Kodak Ball Bearing shutter used in several Premo models was a highly regarded shutter type. Its ball-bearing mechanism ensured smooth and precise operation, providing accurate exposures.
Premo Film Pack film was taken from the same stock as Eastman N. C. film. This ensured high-quality results, using the same film stock as the renowned Eastman Kodak Company.
The Planatograph lens was a popular choice for general amateur photography. Known for its sharpness and clarity, the Planatograph lens was designed for all-around photographic use.
The Zeiss Kodak Anastigmat lens was specially designed for hand camera work. This high-speed lens provided superior definition and sharpness, making it ideal for various photographic situations, including snap shots and indoor portraiture.
The Premo Film Pack Adapter allowed any Premo plate camera to take film packs. This flexibility offered the convenience of film packs with the traditional focusing capabilities of plate cameras.
Premo cameras were designed to be compact and light in weight. Their portability made them ideal for travel and everyday use.
The Kodak Automatic shutter was accurate and convenient for time, bulb, instantaneous, and retarded exposures. Its automatic operation provided a range of speed options for different photographic situations.
The Kodak Autotime Scale helped to ensure accurate exposures. This simple-to-use scale automatically indicated the correct settings for diaphragm and shutter speed based on lighting conditions and subject matter.
The Compound shutter offered a combination of automatic and setting modes. This versatile shutter allowed for both time/bulb exposures and precise speed settings, making it suitable for various photography types.
The Premo Film Pack Tank offered simple and reliable film development. This user-friendly tank eliminated the need for complicated procedures and darkrooms, allowing for consistent development results.
The Eastman Plate Tank provided the same benefits of tank development for plates. This system facilitated simple and reliable plate development, further enhancing the convenience and accessibility of photography.
The Brownie Enlarging Camera made enlarging negatives easy and affordable. This simple camera made it possible for amateurs to create high-quality enlargements at home.
Kodak Portrait Attachments allowed for close-up photography, particularly for portraits. This accessory enabled users to take good-sized head and shoulder portraits without requiring a separate lens.
Kodak Color Screens could be used to create special effects. These color filters allowed for various creative effects, enhancing color and contrast in images.
The Premo Film Pack system offered the unique feature of removing individual films for development. This provided flexibility for photographers, allowing them to develop only the desired images without needing to expose all films in the pack.
Premo cameras were offered at moderate prices, making photography accessible to a wider audience. Their affordability made them popular for both casual and more serious amateur photographers.

Statistics:

Premo Jr. No. 1A had a weight of 14 ounces. This relatively light weight made it easy to carry around, a common feature of Premo cameras.
Premo Jr. No. 0 had a capacity of 12 exposures without reloading. The Premo Jr. models were designed for ease of use and were convenient for taking a dozen pictures without needing to reload.
Premoette Jr. No. 1 had a dimension of 1½ × 3 × 4¾ in. This extremely compact size made it a very portable camera.
Premoette Jr. Special No. 1 had a maximum shutter speed of 1/300 of a second. This high-speed shutter was designed for challenging photographic situations, such as capturing fast-moving objects.
Film Premo No. 1 had a weight of 19 ounces in the 3¼ × 4¼ size. This model was lightweight and compact, ideal for general amateur photography.
Pocket Premo C had a weight of 21 ounces in the 3¼ × 4¼ size. This camera combined the convenience of film packs with the ground glass focusing of plate cameras, making it a versatile choice for photographers.
Filmplate Premo had a weight of 30 ounces in the 3¼ × 4¼ size. This model offered additional features like rising and sliding fronts and a swing bed, making it a capable instrument for more serious photography.
Filmplate Premo Special had a shutter speed of 1/250 second in the 3¼ × 4¼ size. This fast shutter enabled photographers to capture fast-moving objects and work in challenging lighting conditions.
Premo No. 8 had a weight of 34 ounces in the 3¼ × 5½ size. This camera was primarily designed for plates but could also be used with film packs, offering versatility and convenience for different photographic needs.
Premo No. 9 had a weight of 63 ounces in the 3¼ × 5½ size. This model was well-suited for various photographic applications, offering features like a reversible back, rising and falling front, and a swing bed.
Premo No. 10 had a weight of 5½ lbs in the 5 × 7 size. This model catered to advanced photographers with its comprehensive features and ability to accommodate wide-angle lenses and telephoto attachments.
The Cooke Kodak Anastigmat lens used in the Six-Three Premos worked at a speed of f/6.3. This fast lens provided greater flexibility and allowed for shooting in various light conditions.
The R. O. C. View camera had a bellows draw of 14 inches in the 5 × 7 size. This view camera was designed for general photographic work, providing a moderate bellows draw for versatility.
The Eastman View No. 1 had a bellows draw of 22½ inches in the 5 × 7 size. This view camera offered a longer bellows draw, providing greater versatility for various photographic needs.
The Eastman View No. 2 had a bellows draw of 23 inches in the 5 × 7 size. This camera was designed for professional use, offering exceptional strength and stability for demanding photographic applications.

Terms:

Anastigmat lens: A lens that is corrected for both astigmatism and curvature of field.
Ball bearing shutter: A shutter with leaves mounted on ball bearings for smooth and precise operation.
Compound shutter: A shutter that combines automatic time/bulb exposure with setting options for precise speeds.
Daylight loading: A feature that allows a camera to be loaded and unloaded in any light.
Film pack: A system of pre-loaded film sheets that can be easily inserted and removed from a camera.
Ground glass focusing: A system where the camera’s back is replaced with a ground glass screen, allowing for precise focusing and composition.
Meniscus lens: A lens with one convex and one concave surface, typically used in simpler cameras.
Planatograph lens: A type of lens known for its sharpness and clarity, designed for general photographic use.
Rising and falling front: A feature that allows the front of the camera to move up and down, enabling photographers to control perspective and composition.
Swing bed: A feature that allows the camera bed to tilt, enabling photographers to correct perspective and create interesting angles.

Examples:

The Kodak Portrait Attachment was an accessory that could be used with Premo cameras for taking close-up portraits. This allowed photographers to create good-sized head and shoulder portraits without requiring a separate lens.
The Premo Film Pack Adapter provided the flexibility to use film packs in Premo plate cameras. This enabled photographers to enjoy the convenience of film packs with the traditional focusing capabilities of plate cameras.
The Premo Film Pack Tank offered a simple and reliable method of developing film. This simplified the development process, removing the need for complicated procedures and darkrooms.
The Eastman Plate Tank facilitated the same benefits of tank development for plates. This system made plate development more straightforward and accessible, further enhancing the convenience of photography.
The Brownie Enlarging Camera enabled amateurs to create high-quality enlargements from their negatives. This inexpensive camera made it possible to enlarge images at home, expanding the creative possibilities of photography.
The Premoette Jr. Special was a compact and high-performance camera designed for serious amateur photographers. Its advanced lens and shutter equipment allowed for capturing fast-moving subjects and working in challenging lighting conditions.
The Filmplate Premo Special was another high-performance camera that offered the flexibility to use both film packs and plates. Its advanced lens and shutter equipment made it a capable instrument for a wide range of photographic applications.
The Premo No. 8 was a versatile camera that could be used with both plates and film packs. This provided flexibility and convenience for different photographic needs, whether shooting landscapes, portraits, or everyday subjects.
The Premo No. 9 was a well-equipped camera with features like a reversible back, rising and falling front, and a swing bed. This made it suitable for various photography types, including architecture and landscapes.
The Premo No. 10 was designed for advanced photographers, offering comprehensive features and the ability to accommodate various lenses. This camera catered to those seeking the highest level of control and versatility.

Conclusion: The 1914 Premo Cameras catalog highlights the company’s dedication to providing high-quality, easy-to-use cameras for amateur photographers. The introduction of the Premo Film Pack system, along with advancements in lens technology, made photography more accessible and enjoyable. Premo cameras offered a range of features and price points, ensuring a suitable option for various photographic needs and budgets. The catalog also demonstrates the growing popularity of amateur photography in the early 20th century and how companies like Premo helped to fuel this trend by offering innovative and convenient solutions for photographers of all levels.

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