LARGEST PHOTOGRAPH IN WORLD IS TAKEN IN TONOPAH BY CAMERA MANUFACTURED IN THIS CAMP
From June 24 1913 Tonopah Bonanza:
LARGEST PHOTOGRAPH IN WORLD IS TAKEN IN TONOPAH BY CAMERA MANUFACTURED IN THIS CAMP
After laboring for 6 months and incurring an expense of $3000 F. W. Sheelor of Tonopah has constructed the largest panorama camera in the world, and the first picture, which also has the distinction of being the largest ever taken is now on exhibition. The picture is 12 feet 3 inches in length and 25 inches in width and shows a panoramic view of Tonopah district with over 2 miles of territory being clearly defined.
Sheelor is originally from Sisson Calif., and about six months ago started work upon the construction of what he declares to be the largest camera in the world. For a number of years he offered manufacturing firms a fancy price to make such a picture taking machine but the offer was refused. Every piece of the camera was made in Tonopah, except the lens, which was imported from Germany. The progress was necessarily slow, and it was not until a short time ago that the work was completed.
Last Thursday Sheelor carried the camera to the top of mount Brougher. The outfit was conveyed to the mountain top in sections and late in the afternon it was set up and the picture was taken. The sweep of the machine includes views starting below the Extension mine and ending with the old high school building. Practically every mining company in the district is included in the view while every building in the city stands out in prominence. The picture is clear in detail and shows people walking about the streets in every part of town. Two pedestrians are to be observed walking along the railroad track near the Montana mine practically a mile from the point where the view was taken, showint the clear manner in which objects were brought out.
One of the views has been purchased by H H Bacon and is now attracting attention at his place of business. It was inspected by a large number of people yesterday and declared to be a work of art.
Sheelor will leave shortly for Montana where he is under contract to take photographs for several of the leading railroads crossing that state and will probably use his new camera during the trip. The films used in the machine are of special manufacture and are imported from France.
The machine can take a picture 36 feet in length, which means a complete circle. The width will be the same in all pictures, or 25 inches. The mechanism is so adjusted that any fraction of the 36 feet of film can be exposed.
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He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep..to gain that which he cannot lose. Jim Elliot, 1949
Sounds like a very large curciut camera using 25" wide film.
Any examples of the image still in Tonopah? I passed thru there a couple weeks ago and would have stopped if I could have seen one.
Vaughn
Hey, you're not allowed to pass through Tonopah without giving me a holler and saying 'hi'. Yes, the photo is displayed prominently in our museum. Next time we'll go have a look.
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He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep..to gain that which he cannot lose. Jim Elliot, 1949
I thought the largest photograph in the world was much larger, something like 100 feet by 30 feet, and was taken in an aircraft hanger in southern California. The hanger was used as a camera oscura, and the image projected onto light sensitive cloth. I believe the hanger was later torn down, so the photo Jim is referring to may be the world's largest photo made by a non-disposable camera.
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If I had been present at the creation, I would have given some useful hints for the better arrangement of the Universe.
Alfonso the Wise, 1221-1284
I thought the largest photograph in the world was much larger, something like 100 feet by 30 feet, and was taken in an aircraft hanger in southern California. The hanger was used as a camera oscura, and the image projected onto light sensitive cloth. I believe the hanger was later torn down, so the photo Jim is referring to may be the world's largest photo made by a non-disposable camera.
This claim was made in 1913. The hanger thing was pretty recent.
__________________
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep..to gain that which he cannot lose. Jim Elliot, 1949
Missed the line with 1913. Any idea what happened to the camera? Hopefully it's in a museum somewhere.
__________________
If I had been present at the creation, I would have given some useful hints for the better arrangement of the Universe.
Alfonso the Wise, 1221-1284
Missed the line with 1913. Any idea what happened to the camera? Hopefully it's in a museum somewhere.
Caught me up way too late. The camera has been found derelict in Alaska. The foundry that produced it still exists but we believe drawings etc were probably lost in a 1914 fire. The wood patterns for the forgings if used may very well exist if I knew what I was looking for. Fascinating to dream about. 22" roll film from France, now that could be a problem. I'll bet Adox could make us some. Anybody got a 30" Dagor to donate for the cause?
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He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep..to gain that which he cannot lose. Jim Elliot, 1949
Jim
Was this that camera found under the skating rink along with a lot of films -- the ice rink was thawed and the items found.....It was an oversized Cirkuit.
Hey, you're not allowed to pass through Tonopah without giving me a holler and saying 'hi'. Yes, the photo is displayed prominently in our museum. Next time we'll go have a look.
Next time!
I was with the family...I usually don't drop in on folks I don't know when I have the whole crew. We left Utah that morning and were heading to Lee Vining Canyon to set up camp before dark. But we had long break at Catherdral Gorge State Park (Nevada). The boys had a great time running all about and I got a few good photos with my miniature camera (Rolleiflex) -- just developed a roll of 20-year-out-of-date Tech Pan from there. A little extra base fog, but looks fine to me.
Vaughn
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At least with LF landscape, a bad day of photography can be a good day of exercise.
Jim
Was this that camera found under the skating rink along with a lot of films -- the ice rink was thawed and the items found.....It was an oversized Cirkuit.
Hadn't heard the skating rink story. Is that the one Ron Klein has?
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He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep..to gain that which he cannot lose. Jim Elliot, 1949
LARGEST PHOTOGRAPH IN WORLD IS TAKEN IN TONOPAH BY CAMERA MANUFACTURED IN THIS CAMP 
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