truls
Lifetime Member
Posts: 568
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Post by truls on Feb 6, 2015 14:33:48 GMT -5
At Cameraquest.Strangest thing of camera, a half frame Nikon Fm2. But WHY??
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Post by philbirch on Feb 6, 2015 17:39:04 GMT -5
Police mugshot cameras were often normal ones converted to half frame.
oh thats what the link says.
Vertical images are required for mugshots. This is easier than turning the camera on its side and as a plus, you can get 72+ shots on a film
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mickeyobe
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Resident President
Posts: 7,280
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Post by mickeyobe on Feb 6, 2015 18:16:55 GMT -5
Police mugshot cameras were often normal ones converted to half frame. oh thats what the link says. Vertical images are required for mugshots. This is easier than turning the camera on its side and as a plus, you can get 72+ shots on a film
There must have been a crime wave. Mickey |
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Stephen
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Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Feb 6, 2015 18:32:53 GMT -5
The biggest user of the 1/2 frame format was the Police in the UK, but the camera of choice was the Practica L series, where the changes were swopping around the film transport gears and adding a mask to the shutter, and marking the screen for framing. The process took about an hour. The company was a camera repairer at Tunbridge Wells in Kent.
The Army used them as well, and certain security agencies in "Whitehall", in the name of economy of film. Also made were 22x24 versions to match the Robot format.
Stephen
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Stephen
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Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Feb 6, 2015 18:39:49 GMT -5
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Post by moltogordo on Feb 8, 2015 1:39:46 GMT -5
One of these beauties came up on Ebay about 2 or 3 months ago. They were asking, if I recall, about $4000 US. The Norwegian Police had ordered them, I believe. Several hundred. Apparently Nikon stopped the order because it was costing more to produce than they could possibly make, and only a fraction of the projected number was produced.
I'm a half-frame freak, and the story was right up my alley. The Olympus Pen F and FT series are just fabulous cameras. I have 5, and use them all quite regularly. It was the first SLR I owned. I also have a near mint original Autoreflex that of course has a half-frame switch. But I'd do many strange things to get hold of one of those Nikons!
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