Amateur Photographer 1939/1940

[lushd]

I bought a few old Amateur Photographer magazines from almost seventy years ago and thought you'd like to see some pictures.

 

[Sparrow]

Is there a “photographing autumn colour” article in the September issue? I’d love to know when that started

 

[Sparrow]

4d that’s 1½ p!!!!!!
😱

 

[lushd]

I didn't get a year's worth so I don't know about the autumn colour. Kodachrome is the only colour film mentioned.

But there is a lot about restrictions imposed by the war and people worrying about getting arrested for taking pictures of the wrong sort of thing. No change there then.

There was also a letter about "circles of confusion" that was almost word for word the same question asked in the letters page a few weeks ago in the modern version. And the format wars are present - lots of discussion about miniature (i.e. 35mm) photography and quality. And a lot of people writing in saying things like "I have a Leica and want know what lens I should buy" and getting the same sort of exasperated response they would get nowadays.

Not a lot has changed, really!

 

[Sparrow]

I’ve been reading it for forty years or so, usually other peoples copies I don’t buy it, it re-cycles every three years with different adverts, those were probably the same letter

 

[lushd]

A Leica IIIa with Elmar 50mm and leather case is quoted as about GBP 45 (used) in several adverts. Does anyone know how this would equate to today's GBP? It strikes me as a great deal of money.

There is also an interesting leading article deriding little Englanders for saying that now we are at war we should not be using German cameras. The editor points out (fairly forecfully) that there are no British rangefinder cameras to buy.

 

[POSTI-Tuomo]

I like that cover: "Snow Crystals; Taken With A Leica".

Care to post that article, please. It intrigues me. 🙂

 

[KoNickon]

Interesting that it used to be called "Amateur Photographer and Cinematographer."

 

[Jocko]

A Leica IIIa with Elmar 50mm and leather case is quoted as about GBP 45 (used) in several adverts. Does anyone know how this would equate to today's GBP? It strikes me as a great deal of money.

this price is very high, and clearly exploits wartime shortages. In simple terms of inflation it would be roughly £1850 today, but that is extremely misleading, as in real terms family incomes now are considerably greater than in 1939, when the average wage stood at around £3.10-4.00 (around £160.00 per week today), at a time when very many families depended on a single income.

It contemporary terms, the price is probably nearer £3,500/$7,000/E5,200.

Cheers, Ian

 

[rbiemer]

Donald,
Thanks for these! I have got a few old photo magazines and they are fascinating to me.
And thanks also for the ad for the ultra rare 1/2 frame Contax!😀
Rob

 

[lushd]

Hi - there's no article, just the cover. I think it's an advertisment really.

 

[lushd]

Blimey - so more than an M8. Luxury goods indeed. No wonder the correspondents to AP all had double barrelled names.

 

[lushd]

Or should that be "half lens"? Tee hee.

 

[lushd]

When I first bought AP in the mid 1970s there was a regular section for home movie enthusiasts. It didn't die until until home video cameras came in. The 1939/40 editions have articles for movie makers too, including stuff on 16mm sound film, which I would have thought would be far too expensive in those days.

 

[POSTI-Tuomo]

Hi - there's no article, just the cover. I think it's an advertisment really.

Oh bugger.

 

[FrankS]

I'll bet that lens flares like crazy, especially if the missing part is facing up.

 

[350D_user]

A Leica IIIa with Elmar 50mm and leather case is quoted as about GBP 45 (used) in several adverts. Does anyone know how this would equate to today's GBP? It strikes me as a great deal of money.

Run it through http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/. 🙂

 

[lushd]

I know - it was what attracted me to that copy.