Ilford Prentice User manual

Prenticecamera

Prentice
rollfilmcamera
TheIlfordPrenticeisa foldingcameragiving
eightpicturessize2j"x 3J"onNo.120rollfdm.
Ithasa pressedsteelbodyfinishedincrackle
blackenamel,withallexposedmetalpartsbrightly
chromiumplatedforgoodappearanceandlasting
wear.
ThisIlfordcamerahasbeendesignedtomake
picture-makingtroublefree.Itwillproducefine
resultsalltheyearround.
GetanIlfordSelochromeNo.120rollfilmfrom
yourphotographicdealerandreadthroughthis
bookletwithcameraandfilmbesideyou.
OpeningtheCamera
Pressthereleasecatchonthefrontofthecamera
bodyandpulldownthebaseboarduntiltheside
strutsarefullyextended.Makesurethatthelock-
ingcatchesinthestrutshaveclickedintoposition—
this is most important.
Above:Releasingthecatchtoopenthecamera.
Below : The camera fully open with struts locked firmly.

The Viewfinder
Thebrilliantreflexfinderswivelssothateither
verticalorhorizontalscenesmaybetaken.
Althougheverythingappearssharpinthefinder
thecameramuststillbefocused.Remember
alwaystoreturnthefindertotheuprighttaking
positionasshownonpage15beforeclosingthe
camera.
The Lens
Thelenshasbeenspeciallycomputedforthe
cameraandwillbefoundtogiveexceptionally
clearpictures.Ithastwoaperturesor" stops"
markedf/11andf/16whichcanbeselectedby
movingthestopcontrolleveratthesideofthe
lensandshuttermounting.
The Shutter
Theshuttercanbemadetogiveeitherinstan-
taneousorbrieftimeexposuresbyrotatingthe
blackknurledshuttercontroldisc.Theletters
"I " and" B " behindthesmallwindowjustabove
thelensshowata glancehowtheshutterisset
andtheindicationisrepeatedbya pointerwhich
canbeseenfromabovewhenthecameraisheld
inthetakingposition.Theexposureismadeby
depressingthefiringbuttonwhichreturnstothe
operatingpositionwhenitisreleased.With
theshuttersetto" I",snapshotscanbetakenwith
thecameraheldinthehand; whenusingthe" B "
setting,whichisintendedonlyfortimeexposures,
theshutterremainsopenaslongasthebuttonis
Above : The camera and the viewfinder in the position for
taking horizontal pictures.
Below : Showing the " stop " control lever.

helddownandthecameramustthenbesecurely
placedona firmsupport.
Focusing
Thefocusingscaleisengravedonthetopofthe
shutterabovethelensandthepointermustbe
movedoverthescaletotheapproximatedistance
ofthesubject.Thefocusingrangeisfrom6 ft.
toinfinity,the6 ft.settingbeingusedforhead
andshoulderportraits,the10ft.settingforsmall
groupsandtheinfinitysettingfordistantscenes.
Settingsforsubjectsatintermediatedistances
maybejudged.Alwaysestimatethedistanceas
accuratelyaspossibletoensureclearsharppictures.
Loading the Camera
Slidethespringcatchatthetopofthecamera
inthedirectionofthearrowasshownonpage9
andpullawaytheback.Laythiscarefullyaside.
Youwillseethatthereisanemptyspoolinposition
inthecamerabodyjustbelowthecarryinghandle
andadjacenttothewindingknob.Attheother
endisanemptyspoolholderhingedtothecamera
body.Swingtheholderoutofthebodyandplace
thefull spoolinitsothatthetaperedendofthe
backingpaperispointingtowardstheemptyspool.
Allowtheholdertofallbackintopositioninthe
camerabody.Breakandremovethefilmsealing
bandandpulloutabout6 inchesofthefilmbacking
paper,sothatitpassesoverthespindles,making
surethattheredsideisuppermost.Insertthe
taperedendofthebackingpaperintothewide
slotoftheemptyspoolandgivetwoturnstothe
Viewfromthetopofthecamerashowingtheexposureand
focusingscales.

windingknobtolockthepaperonthespool.
Makesurethatthebackingpaperpassesfreelyand
centrallyoverthespindlesontothetake-upspool.
Nowreplaceandclosethebackofthecamera
makingcertainthatitisengagedatthebottom
andthatthespringcatchisclosed.Turnthe
windingknobuntilthefigure1 appearsinthered
windowontheback.
Setting the Camera
Thecameraisnowreadyforuseexceptforthe
adjustmentoftheapertureandfocusingcontrols,
whichmustbecorrectlysetbeforetakingeach
picture.Theaperture,whichadjuststheamount
oflightreachingthefilm,issetbymeansofthe
stopcontrollever.Thefollowingtableisa useful
guidetothesettingofthiscontrolwhentaking
snapshotsout-of-doors:—
USINGSELOCHROMEROLLFILM
TYPE OF SUBJECT
Beachscenesandland-
scapes
Nearviewsandgroups. .
Close-upportraitsout-
of-doors
WEATHER
CONDITIONS
Bright
Sunlight
f/16
f/16
f/11
Overcast
Sky
f/16
f/11
f/11*
*Inverydull weather, close-up portraits should not
be attempted on Selochrome film ; under-exposure
can beavoided byusing Ilford HP3Roll Film.
Above : Releasing the catch prior to removing the camera
back.
Below : Loading the film.

ThistableissuitableforusefromAprilto
Augustbetween9 a.m.and3 p.m.(G.M.T.)
andduringMarchandSeptemberfrom10a.m.to
2p.m.Duringthewinter,infairlygoodlight,
useHP3rollfilmandsetthestopcontrolas
indicatedinthetable.
Fornearsubjects,thefocusingdistanceisbest
determinedatfirstbypacingoutandallowing3 ft.
foronepace—butyouwillsoonbeabletoestimate
itsufficientlyaccuratelybyeye.Correctfocusing
ensurescrisppinsharppicturesanditiswellworth
alittletroubletoavoidthedisappointmentof
"fuzzy" results.
InstantaneousExposures
Holdthecameralowdownonthechestand
firmlyagainstthebodywiththelefthand(as
shownopposite).Afterfocusingandsettingthe
aperturegentlysqueezethefiringbutton.Take
carenottojerkthecameraorthepicturewillbe
blurred.Aftertakingthepicturewindonthe
filmuntilthefigure2 appearsattheredwindow.
Brief Time Exposures
The" B " settingisusefulforportraitureindoors
andforgeneralinteriorphotographywherethere
isnotsufficientlighttomakeaninstantaneous
exposure.Thesmallaperturef/16shouldthenbe
usedandthecameraheldrockfirmonsomesolid
objectsuchasa table.Forthispurposea hinged
strutisprovidedunderneaththebaseboard.When
seton" B " theshutterremainsopenaslongasthe
How the camera is held for taking instantaneous exposures.

firingbuttonisdepressed.TypicalBriefTime
exposuresaregivenbelow:—
INTERIORPHOTOGRAPHYBY
DAYLIGHTWITHSELOCHROMEFILM
Recommendedexposuretimesatf/16
Showing the tripod leg extended and the camera on a firm
supportfortakingBriefTimeexposures.
WEATHER
CONDI-
TIONS
Intense
Sunlight
Bright
Sunlight
Cloudy—
bright
Dull-
cloudy
Very
dull
COLOUR OF WALLS
Dark
15sec.
30sec.
1min.
2min.
4min.
Medium Light
8sec.
15sec.
30sec.
1mill.
2min.
4sec.
8sec.
15sec.
30sec.
1min.
Thistableissuitableforusebetweenapproxi-
mately9 a.m.and3 p.m.(G.M.T.)duringthe
summermonthsanditcanalsobeusedinwinter
betweenapproximately10.30a.m.and1.30p.m.
iftheindicatedexposuretimesaredoubled.It
assumesthatlightcanentertheroomfreely;
wherethereisonlyonewindow,exposuresshould
beincreasedby50-100percent.Forportraits
within6 feetofa window,giveone-quarterofthe
indicatedexposure.
If HP3 film is used instead of Selochrome, the
exposures recommended above can be halved.

UnloadingtheCamera
Whenthelastpicture(No.8)hasbeentaken,
windonthefilmuntiltheendofthebackingpaper
passestheredwindowandthenopenthecamera
back.Beforeremovingthefilm,foldoverthe
endofthebackingpaperandsealitwiththe
adhesivepaperstripattached; thenpulloutthe
windingknobtoreleasethespool.Theempty
spoolshouldnowbetransferredtothewind-on
endreadyfora newfilmtobeinserted.
Closing the Camera
Pressgentlywiththetwothumbsonthestrut
releasepadsandthebaseboardwillbereleased
fromitserectposition.Pushthebaseboardback
untilitisengagedbymeansofthereleasecatch.
GeneralInstructions
Alwayskeepthecameracleanandfreefrom
dust,insideandout.Makesurethatnopiecesof
paperfromthefilm-sealingstripsremaininside.
Dustonthelensshouldberemovedwitha sable
brushandfingermarkspolishedoffwithIlford
LensCleaningTissue.
Nevertrytotakethecameratopieces.Ithas
beencarefullyadjustedtogivesharpnegatives.
Incaseoftroubletakethecameratoyourphoto-
graphicdealerforrepair.Givethecamerathe
samecareasa watchorclockanddon'tdropitif
youcanhelpit.Whenattheseasidekeepitoff
Above : Showing the thumbs depressing the stmt release
pads in the act of dosing the camera front.
Below : Two alternative carrying cases for the Prentice
camera.

thesand.Sandintheshutterwillpreventitfrom
workingproperly.
Keepthecameraina dryplace.Itshouldnever
beallowedtobecomedamp.
Donotjerkthecamerawhenexposingorthe
picturewillbeblurred.
Trynottoletthesunshineonthelenswhen
makinganexposure.Tobeginwith,itisalways
safesttohavethesunshiningoverone'sshoulder
whentakingpictures.
Aftermakinganexposure,windontothenext
numberimmediately.Thecamerawillthenbe
readyforthenextsubjectanddoubleexposures
willnotoccur.
Loadandunloadthecameraina shadyplace
wheneverpossible,usingtheshadowofthebody
ifnootherscreenisavailable.
Alwaysloadyour
Prenticecamerawith
ILFORD
SELOCHROME
andbesureof
brilliantpictures
ILFORD LIMITED ILFORD LONDON
IPC/A51/SPrintedinEngland