Kaufmanns Posographe (vintage exposure calculator)

[thecornflake]

Came across this earlier. Looks amazing, and there is some lovely terminology used. Not quite sure how accurate it is. However based on a diagram of the workings I think I may be able to make a basic version out of card and test it. I think it may also be interesting to make a smartphone app based on it. Some irony somewhere there I think

I actually found one about to finish on the well known auction site but was outbid by quite a few pounds.

It looks larger than it is, the short side is actually about the length of a clothes pin.

http://www.nzeldes.com/HOC/Posographe.htm

Version with English text -

http://fotophilosophy.wordpress.com/tag/kaufmanns-le-posographe/

 

[Andysnap]

Wow, thats a pretty impressive bit of tech.

Andy

 

[Strapps]

That's fantastic

I wonder if it could be considered the first tablet computer?

 

[thecornflake]

Well based on some dubious diagrams I found I am attempting to construct one out of card, paper fasteners and a lot of swearing. If it actually works I'll be able to work out the effect of each slider on each component and possibly be able to write an app based on it.

 

[Mr Bump]

amazing piece of kit.
I would love to own one of those.

 

[shannensdaddy]

a little piece of tech history

 

[Andysnap]

Well based on some dubious diagrams I found I am attempting to construct one out of card, paper fasteners and a lot of swearing. If it actually works I'll be able to work out the effect of each slider on each component and possibly be able to write an app based on it.

How? What? App you say? Is this possible?......I'm waaaay too old to understand how any of this is doable but I'd be amazed and in awe if it is.

 

[abdoujaparov]

How? What? App you say? Is this possible?......I'm waaaay too old to understand how any of this is doable but I'd be amazed and in awe if it is.

It's basically a mechanical look-up table. You set a few variables, it produces a result - right up a computer's alley.

 

[excalibur2]

Impressive and I suppose in the very old days before sunny 16 or Kodak grey card, how would you know what exposure to use other than by experience.