While I was experimenting with Windows Live Movie Maker to make an 'artists impression' of the life and times of Theodor Scheimpflug, I came across the Internet Archive. This is a remarkable library of online content, a real treasure trove of old journals, texts, music, audio recordings and early films. I did know the Archive from my search for Scheimpflug articles, but I didn't know that they had so many early movies. Try this link for a sample of silent films.
The best thing is that you can download the films and save them on your harddisk or use them in a film of your own. I downloaded a 1940's film about the history of aviation and took some scenes from it to use in my Scheimpflug film.
Have a look at the Internet Archive and while you are doing so, see if you can find some old photography magazines. You can read them from cover to cover, download them and search trough them, full text.
Below is a sample of a real old piece of film: Leeds Bridge, filmed by LePrince in 1888.
Aug 7, 2011
Jul 31, 2011
Theodor Scheimpflug File online
Imagine you're back in the year 1900. The automobiles look like carriages without a horse. Most people have never seen one in real life. It is only a couple of years ago that moving images were projected on a wall and if you want to see one, you have to go to a big city a have the luck that a movie theatre is part of the fair.
There are still many white areas on the map of the earth. Flying is only for the birds or the happy few people that are so rich they can afford to fill a balloon with gas and so adventurous they dare to step into the basket.
In this time an Austrian naval officer with the name Theodor Scheimpflug is working hard to realise his dream, his vision. He is building a 8-lens panoramic plate camera and is experimenting with kites to lift the camera some 1000 or 2000 metres in the air. With an electrical device he triggers the 8 shutters and takes 8 photos at the same time of a area of 100 square kilometres or more. Then he invents an instrument to correct the perspective of the photos, so that every object in it is depicted at the same scale, regardless of the angle of the camera when the photo was taken. When that is done he puts the 8 pictures together to form one areal view. It is as accurate as a map. You can even use it as a map.
If you want to read all about it, go to my Theodor Scheimpflug File. There I have gathered all his articles and all the important articles that were written since his death in 1911. It is for the first time that this information can be found in one place. Some of it is available elsewhere in the deep web, but much was scanned from the original paper sources and is available in digital form for the first time.
The Theodor Scheimpflug File also contains more than 40 photographs and illustrations, depicting his life, world and work.
With this file I want to commemorate the 100th dying day of Hauptmann Scheimpflug (August 22). Some photographers still know the Scheimpflug rule, but very few people know what he really achieved. I hope the file will help to change that.
I have spent many hours searching for the documents and photographs, but without the help of some people in Austria I never would have succeeded in bringing it all together. I want to thank them all very much for their kind help.
There are still many white areas on the map of the earth. Flying is only for the birds or the happy few people that are so rich they can afford to fill a balloon with gas and so adventurous they dare to step into the basket.
If you want to read all about it, go to my Theodor Scheimpflug File. There I have gathered all his articles and all the important articles that were written since his death in 1911. It is for the first time that this information can be found in one place. Some of it is available elsewhere in the deep web, but much was scanned from the original paper sources and is available in digital form for the first time.
The Theodor Scheimpflug File also contains more than 40 photographs and illustrations, depicting his life, world and work.
With this file I want to commemorate the 100th dying day of Hauptmann Scheimpflug (August 22). Some photographers still know the Scheimpflug rule, but very few people know what he really achieved. I hope the file will help to change that.
I have spent many hours searching for the documents and photographs, but without the help of some people in Austria I never would have succeeded in bringing it all together. I want to thank them all very much for their kind help.
Jul 23, 2011
eBay watch and more
The old beauties of my last blog sold for lots of $$. The Francois Kinegraphe changed owner for US $ 2857 and the Tom Thumb went for $ 4870. Too much or not enough? I really don't know, but what I do know is that US $ 2800 or even 4800 is not a small sum for the average working horse like myself.
A some more affordable nicety on eBay is the Vest Pocket Autographic Kodak Special set, with booklet, box and sample photo. The Specials were the models with the better lenses and this one has a focusing F 6.9 Kodak Anastigmat. A very nice set if you want to add a fine VPK to your collection of VPK's or if you want to have a VPK, but not one of the simple ones that you can buy by the dozen. You can buy it now for US $ 200, but international shipping is another $ 40.
The Scheimpflug File is still growing. I have 14 publications by Theodor Scheimpflug now, and that are his complete works about aero-cartography according to the 1956 Festschrift. Of one publication I have only a part. It is a series of letters to the Photographische Korrespondenz of 1908-1909. I will try to get the rest as well.
About Theodor and his work I have 12 documents, with all the important publications included. Even the 90 page Festschrift is there as a PDF.
Then I have 4 Scheimpflug patents and 1 Carpentier patent and an article about the 1914 Fishamend disaster where Gustav Kammerer, technical leader of the Scheimpflug Institute after Theodor's death, was killed in a blimp accident, together with a number of military persons.
I believe this is the most comprehensive collection of digital files on Theodor Scheimpflug. Next week, on August 1, I will make it available online. In August it is 100 years ago that Scheimpflug died, on the 22nd of that month, to be precise.
The Scheimpflug File is still growing. I have 14 publications by Theodor Scheimpflug now, and that are his complete works about aero-cartography according to the 1956 Festschrift. Of one publication I have only a part. It is a series of letters to the Photographische Korrespondenz of 1908-1909. I will try to get the rest as well.
About Theodor and his work I have 12 documents, with all the important publications included. Even the 90 page Festschrift is there as a PDF.
Then I have 4 Scheimpflug patents and 1 Carpentier patent and an article about the 1914 Fishamend disaster where Gustav Kammerer, technical leader of the Scheimpflug Institute after Theodor's death, was killed in a blimp accident, together with a number of military persons.
I believe this is the most comprehensive collection of digital files on Theodor Scheimpflug. Next week, on August 1, I will make it available online. In August it is 100 years ago that Scheimpflug died, on the 22nd of that month, to be precise.
Jul 15, 2011
Old graveyard & old beauties
I had a look again at the photos I made a month ago of the old graveyard in Roermond and discovered some raw material that contained a nice picture. Here's one of them.
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Another rare and very beautiful camera that is for sale at the moment is a Francais Kinegraphe Twin Lens Reflex from about 1887. I would love to have it, but it doesn't fit into my collection of early Kodaks and until that one is complete I do not buy other cameras. Or do I...? Well, this one is tempting... Who will distract me with a fine A Daylight for sale, or a No. 5 Folding Kodet Special?
The Kinegraphe has only 1 and a half day to go, price at the moment for this beauty in wood is US$ 2225 after six bids.
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A second fine and rare camera is a Tom Thumb camera in its wooden box. I don't know much about this one (didn't look for info), but it is a wonderful set. Still 3 days to go and the price is US$ 3450 after one bid.
eBay watch
The original 1888 Kodak with case on eBay sold for a meagre US$ 2000. That is about € 1415 and by far not enough for this camera. What a shame (but luck for the buyer)!
The original 1888 Kodak with case on eBay sold for a meagre US$ 2000. That is about € 1415 and by far not enough for this camera. What a shame (but luck for the buyer)!
Another rare and very beautiful camera that is for sale at the moment is a Francais Kinegraphe Twin Lens Reflex from about 1887. I would love to have it, but it doesn't fit into my collection of early Kodaks and until that one is complete I do not buy other cameras. Or do I...? Well, this one is tempting... Who will distract me with a fine A Daylight for sale, or a No. 5 Folding Kodet Special?The Kinegraphe has only 1 and a half day to go, price at the moment for this beauty in wood is US$ 2225 after six bids.
A second fine and rare camera is a Tom Thumb camera in its wooden box. I don't know much about this one (didn't look for info), but it is a wonderful set. Still 3 days to go and the price is US$ 3450 after one bid.Jul 4, 2011
Articles I'm looking for
Here's a list of Scheimpflug articles which I am still trying to find in digital or paper version. Most frustrating is that some of them are available as digital file, but only in the USA.
If anyone has access to one of the journals or books, I would appreciate it if s/he would scan the articles and mail them to me. Or download the whole file of a journal and mail it to jerdkamp@hotmail.com.
Die maritime und militärische Bedeutung der Photogrammetrie, in: Mitteilungen aus dem Gebiete des Seewesens, 1898.
http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015073460506 available only in the USA
Über Drachenverwendung zur See, in: Mitteilungen aus dem Gebiete des Seewesens, 1904.
http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015073460431 available only in the USA
Der Photoperspektograph und seine Anwendung, in: Photographische Korrespondenz, vol. 43 (1906), p. 516-531
This volume not found as a digital file.
Qui s’excuse, s’accuse! Zur Verziehung von Zeichnungen auf photographischem Wege, In Sachsen A. Nadherny, in: Photographische Korrespondenz, vol. 45 (1908), p. 360-361, 432-435, 528-530, vol. 46 (1909), p. 42, 119-121.
This volume not found as a digital file.
Photogrammétrie du ballon, Cinquième Conférence de la Commission Internationale pour L’aérostation Scientifique à Milan 1903, Procès-verbeaux des Séances et Mémoires, Strasbourg, 1907, p. 76-95
http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015021075851 available only in the USA
Addition to this blogpost:
See Ake's comment! It works! Thanks!
If anyone has access to one of the journals or books, I would appreciate it if s/he would scan the articles and mail them to me. Or download the whole file of a journal and mail it to jerdkamp@hotmail.com.
Die maritime und militärische Bedeutung der Photogrammetrie, in: Mitteilungen aus dem Gebiete des Seewesens, 1898.
http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015073460506 available only in the USA
Über Drachenverwendung zur See, in: Mitteilungen aus dem Gebiete des Seewesens, 1904.
http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015073460431 available only in the USA
Der Photoperspektograph und seine Anwendung, in: Photographische Korrespondenz, vol. 43 (1906), p. 516-531
This volume not found as a digital file.
Qui s’excuse, s’accuse! Zur Verziehung von Zeichnungen auf photographischem Wege, In Sachsen A. Nadherny, in: Photographische Korrespondenz, vol. 45 (1908), p. 360-361, 432-435, 528-530, vol. 46 (1909), p. 42, 119-121.
This volume not found as a digital file.
Photogrammétrie du ballon, Cinquième Conférence de la Commission Internationale pour L’aérostation Scientifique à Milan 1903, Procès-verbeaux des Séances et Mémoires, Strasbourg, 1907, p. 76-95
http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015021075851 available only in the USA
Addition to this blogpost:
See Ake's comment! It works! Thanks!
Jul 3, 2011
eBay watch and Scheimpflug file
The most interesting early Kodak on eBay at the moment is a nice example of the original 1888 model. It comes with a case and doesn't look too bad. Some scuffing and a chip in the leather on one side. Still 7 days to go. I wonder what it will do.
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In the past week I have added some more articles to the Scheimpflug file, but there are six more articles I would like to get. Three of them are available in digital form, but only in the USA. I asked a person I have had contact with in the past if she could download them for me and mail them. I hope this is going to work. If not, I have another person I can ask to help me. Let's see what is going to happen.
One artice I ordered from the library. There is a good chance that I will get it. Two others were published in Photographische Korrespondenz of 1906 and 1908. Both are not available online, as far as I know.
Also I have tried to get a photo of professor Ernst Mayer, the person from whom Scheimpflug heard of photocartography, but to no avail until now.
So, there's still work to do.
Jun 28, 2011
25th document in Scheimpflug File
Today I added the 25th article to my Scheimpflug File. It is not online yet, but here is a list of documents, just to give you an idea about the contents.
Documents about Theodor
- Theodor Scheimpflug, Festschrift zum 150järigen Bestand des Staatlichen Vermessungswesens in Österreich, 1956, 90 pages.
- Theodor Scheimpflug, sein Leben und seinde Arbeiten, von Prof. E. Dolezal, 1911
- Theodor Scheimpflug, his personality and lifework, by H. Mayer, 1994
- Theodor Scheimpflug, by Karl Peucker, 1913. Sonderabdruck aus der Deutschen Rundschau für Geographie.
- Theodor Scheimpflug, article from Foto Objektiv, 1986
- Festschrift des K.u.K. flugtechnischen Vereins anlässlich der Enthüllung der Gedenktafel für weiland K.u.K. Hauptman des Ruhestandes und Kapitän langer Fahrt Theodor Scheimpflug, welche am 6. Dezember 1913, 11 1/2 Uhr vormittags in Wien XVIII, Sternwartestrasse 39 stattgefunden hat. By Josef Viktor Berger, 1913
- Scheimpflugs landvermessung aus der Luft, article by Gustav Kammerer in Internationales Archiv für Photogrammetrie, 1911 - 1913. Go to page 196
- Theodor Scheimpflug, by J. Radford in The British Journal of Photography, 1978
- Hauptmann Theodor Scheimpflugs Aerophotogrammetrie, by J. v. Berger in Photographische Korrespondenz, 1914
- Auszug aus den Qualifikationslisten 1899, 1900, 1901
- Scheimpflug inventory of the Technisches Museum Wien (spring 2011)
- Scheimpflug inventory of the Wiener Stadt- und Landesarchiv (spring 2011
- Die verwendung des Skioptikons zur Herstellung von Karten und Plänen aus Photographien, by Theodor Scheimpflug, 1897. See page 15 in the "Festschrift".
- Über österreichische Versuche, Drachenphotogramma kartographisch zu verwerten, und deren bisherige Resultate, article by Theodor Scheimpflug in Photographische Korrepondenz, 1903.
- Die herstellung von Karten und Plänen auf photographischem Wege, article by Theodor Scheimpflug in Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse, Volume 116, 1906, Wien. Pages 235-266
- Hauptmann Scheinpflugs [sic] Ballonfahrten zum Zwecke photogrammetrischer Terrainaufnahmen, article by Theodor Scheimpflug in Internationales Archiv für Photogrammetrie, I. Band, 1908-1909
- Über orientierung von Ballonaufnahmen, article by Theodor Scheimpflug in Internationales Archiv für Photogrammetrie, II. Band, 1909-1911
- Die Flugtechnik im dienste des Vermessungswesens, article by Theodor Scheimpflug in Buch des Fluges, edited by Hermann Hoernes, 1911
- Erhaltung der Stabilität, wichtigste Formen und Verwendungsarten der Drachen, article by Theodor Scheimpflug in Buch des Fluges, edited by Hermann Hoernes, 1911
- Scheimpflug GB patent 1904, nr. 1196
- Scheimpflug US patent 1904, nr 751.347
- Scheimpflug US patent 1904, nr 752.596
- Scheimpflug HU patent 1917, nr. 77167
- Carpentier patent 1901, nr. 1139
- Article in Wiener Bilder of June 28, 1914 about the Fischamend disaster of June 20th.
The Scheimpflug File will be online from August 1, 2011. That month it is a century ago that Theodor died. If someone would like to receive a PDF of an article I will gladly provide it. Just ask.
Jun 24, 2011
My pretty great-aunt
Not so long ago I received a mail with a scan of an old group portrait with some of my ancestors on it. The sender is a distant relative and she asked whether I had old familie photos I wanted to share. I have some and we started exchanging photos and information. In the meantime I have uploaded them to Flickr, so everyone can admire them.
What I want to share here is a portrait of a great-aunt, who died at an old age some years ago. In her earlier days she was quite a pretty lady, as you can see here. She never married. What a shame, of was it just wise? I hope she never regretted it.
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What else is going on? On the top right of this blog you can see a little photo of my original Folding Pocket Kodak with the original instruction booklet AND my newest treasure: the film box from 1906 / 1907 with a unused roll of film for this camera or the No. 1 Panoram.
Nothing Scheimpflug? Well, a bit. I happened to find the digital online version of Photographische Korrespondenz from 1903 and in this Theodor had published his article:
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The article will be available in the Scheimpflug File in August.
What I want to share here is a portrait of a great-aunt, who died at an old age some years ago. In her earlier days she was quite a pretty lady, as you can see here. She never married. What a shame, of was it just wise? I hope she never regretted it.
What else is going on? On the top right of this blog you can see a little photo of my original Folding Pocket Kodak with the original instruction booklet AND my newest treasure: the film box from 1906 / 1907 with a unused roll of film for this camera or the No. 1 Panoram.
Nothing Scheimpflug? Well, a bit. I happened to find the digital online version of Photographische Korrespondenz from 1903 and in this Theodor had published his article:
Jun 19, 2011
Latest addition to my collection
This evening I added a nice item to my collection: a little yellow box with film for the No. 1 Folding Pocket Kodak or No. 1 Panoram. It is not often that I buy things like this, but sometimes I have a go at a rare instruction booklet, a photo made with a Kodak I have, or, like now, a filmbox.
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It will be nice with the original FPK I have, the instruction booklet of the original version, a FPK photo and the rare tripod adapter.
Bidding was exiting until the very last second. If I am correct the last bidder did bid the same amount as I, but s/he waited until the last second and I had bid 15 seconds before the end. Well, it is a good thing to know that I am not the only fool on this planet who was willing to pay much $$ for a box of film that is more than a century over its usable date ;)
Bidding was exiting until the very last second. If I am correct the last bidder did bid the same amount as I, but s/he waited until the last second and I had bid 15 seconds before the end. Well, it is a good thing to know that I am not the only fool on this planet who was willing to pay much $$ for a box of film that is more than a century over its usable date ;)
Jun 12, 2011
Scheimpflug again
The Scheimpflug file is growing steadily. Today I added 38 photos to Flickr, all connected to Theodor. With the QR code in the article in Photohistorisch Tijdschift readers will be able to see them on their smart phone or computer, just by scanning the code. The photos will also be part of the Scheimpflug file on my http://www.kodaksefke.eu/ site. After uploading them to Flickr I embedded them in my site as a slideshow. Also I have started to add photos to a map in Flickr. During the next days I will experiment with this, to see what the possibillities are.
A few days ago I was able to locate a Gustav Kammerer portrait on the net, so I have added that one too. Kammerer was Scheimpflugs assistent and co-worker in the second part of the 1900s. He died in a blimp accident in 1914.
Also I have been searching for a photo of prof. Ernst Mayer (1839-1926), the person from whom Theodor first heard about photogrammetry and who triggered his lifelong interest in the matter. Unfortunately I have not been able to find it until now.
The third person who I am going to trace down is Emmy Neumann, friend of Theodor. I have not much hope of finding a photo, but who knows... I have found the digitized address books of Vienna, and maybe they contain some lead to her. You'll be the first to know!
A few days ago I was able to locate a Gustav Kammerer portrait on the net, so I have added that one too. Kammerer was Scheimpflugs assistent and co-worker in the second part of the 1900s. He died in a blimp accident in 1914.
Also I have been searching for a photo of prof. Ernst Mayer (1839-1926), the person from whom Theodor first heard about photogrammetry and who triggered his lifelong interest in the matter. Unfortunately I have not been able to find it until now.
The third person who I am going to trace down is Emmy Neumann, friend of Theodor. I have not much hope of finding a photo, but who knows... I have found the digitized address books of Vienna, and maybe they contain some lead to her. You'll be the first to know!
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