ProPhoto 50 Years Ago

There’s nothing like a dip into the archives to reveal just how much things have changed in the professional photography industry, especially over the last couple of decades. In the early 1970s, medium and large format cameras were considered the only choice for professionals, especially for studio work. And black-and-white film was still in extensive use for many applications. Although colour was no longer thought of as the work of the devil, many pros ran their own darkrooms for processing and printing B&W.

Here’s a selection of what was on the pages of this magazine 50 years ago when it was called Professional Photography In Australia. This is a snapshot of the March/April 1972 issue.

Cover photographs – Attila Kiraly, Canberra

Test Reports / Zoomar lenses for 35mm and medium format SLRs

People And Places / William Gray (Ivanhoe, Victoria) mini portfolio

The Issues / How to succeed in a small business / Improving your image as a professional photographer (apparently no pun intended) / What PR people think of photographers / The future of the IAP (rather appropriate given the recent demise of the AIPP)

The Advertisers / Ilford – Ilford FP4 35mm B&W film ‘Professional Pack’ / Wild (Australia) Pty Ltd – Leica M5 35mm rangefinder /

GCS Photographic Industrial Sales – New Sydney store opens on Elizabeth Street / Photimport – Super-Chromega enlargers and Koni Omega Rapid M 6x6cm camera / Photimport – Sekonic handheld exposure meters / Photimport – Hasselblad 500C/M and 500 EL/M 6x6cm SLRs / Kayell Photographics – Secol protective sleeves for film originals

/ C.R. Kennedy & Company – Kowa 6 6x6cm SLR system / C.R. Kennedy & Company – Pentax 6x7 6x7cm SLR system / C.R. Kennedy & Company – Pentax Super-Multi-Coated Takumar lenses / Group Color Portraits – new postcard print sizes for wedding/portrait

/ Swift & Bleakley – Broncolor studio flash / Kodak Australasia – Kodabromide B&W printing papers / R.H. Wagner & Sons – Manfrotto stands, Hirsch darkroom timers and Balcar studio flash / R.H. Wagners & Sons – Rodenstock large format lenses / Hanimex – Durst colour mixing heads, and the Laborator 138S enlarger / Goodman Brothers – Bowens Rapid 500 portable flash system / R. Gunz (Photographic) – Schneider Kreuznach large format lenses / Polaroid Australia – Polaroid 4x5-inch instant films; B&W Type 55 P/N; Type Type 52, 51and 57; and Polacolor Type 58