A time machine and 3 hours on this street

E. von Hoegh · Nov 23, 2012

I've seen that photo somewhere, maybe Shorpy.

But, say they used ASA 12 film and sunny 11 (more realistic at that time and latitude), that would still give f: 22 and 1/2~ sec. If you look, there is motion in that photo.

By 1905, shutters like the Compound, Goerz Sector, B&L Pneumatic, etc. were well developed and all capable of giving speeds of 1/100 sec.or shorter. Focal plane shutters have been around for even longer, capable of speeds of 1/1000 and shorter.

StoneNYC · Nov 23, 2012

I agree with Bill... time may tell, or it may not, I could be a stickler and say "I won't believe it till I see the negative" haha

~Stone

The Noteworthy Ones - Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1 / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic

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bdial · Nov 23, 2012

It doesn't look like a composite to me, even in c1900 DOF and movement were not incompatible;
http://www.brattleborohistoricalsociety.org/historic_photos/view.php?rec_id=723

erikg · Nov 23, 2012

This photograph IS your time machine. So many interesting details. No problem making a picture like this at 1/2 of a second, or 1 second. That's nothing when people are mostly just standing there. They look curious, here's this guy with a big camera up on what, a cart or wagon? The whole operation would be a bit unusual. Maybe they were directed maybe not. Anyway, it's all pretty cool.

E. von Hoegh · Nov 23, 2012

erikg said:
This photograph IS your time machine. So many interesting details. No problem making a picture like this at 1/2 of a second, or 1 second. That's nothing when people are mostly just standing there. They look curious, here's this guy with a big camera up on what, a cart or wagon? The whole operation would be a bit unusual. Maybe they were directed maybe not. Anyway, it's all pretty cool.

I was waiting for someone to point that out.

Bill Burk · Nov 23, 2012

Good examples. Setup for sure with strong direction or intense charisma. I know I couldn't walk up and take a street shot like that.

Here's a possibility. He was keenly aware of his plane of focus, it may be slightly angled so it runs from the fruit boxes on left to the carriage across the street.

I think he may have retouched the luggage on the distant wagon in pencil to make the outlines sharper than they really are.

cliveh · Nov 23, 2012

A camera is probably the nearest we will ever get to a time machine.

Richard S. (rich815) · Nov 24, 2012

StoneNYC said:
Either way I guess we have proven it is POSSIBLE this is a real image. Where did the OP get it?

~Stone

The Noteworthy Ones - Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1 / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do not remember how I originally found it but it is the photo in Wikipedia for "MulberryStreet (Manhattan)":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulberry_Street_(Manhattan)

Richard S. (rich815) · Nov 24, 2012

There's a Full resolution ‎(4,222 by 3,073 pixels, WARNING: file size: 4.43 MB) link if any wants a look:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/NYC_Mulberry_Street_3g04637u.jpg

Bill Burk · Nov 24, 2012

Thanks Richard,

OK I'll concede. One shot.

He used movements only as needed to maintain correct perspective no slanting, sharpness extends from foreground to the "Banca Malzone" sign and directly across the street to the balcony colored green. The zone of focus includes about where the cart colored green stands alone. That isolated sharp element adds to an impression of sharpness where I expected falloff. The distant cart has some sharpness falloff, but the cargo of furniture has a lot of lines which resolve even though not sharp.

A time machine and 3 hours on this street

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