This was the largest camera on earth at the time of 1900. It was produced with the purpose of taking a panoramic picture of a very large train at that time. Taking a panoramic photo is very difficult and does not capture the correct perspective if multiple shots are taken together. So it was decided to make a large camera capable of taking a single picture that would capture the entire train. The camera, which took a 2.5-minute exposure time, is claimed to be the world’s largest single photograph to date – exhibiting at the Paris 1990 exhibition camp.The story is that in 1899, the Chicago & Alton railroad company produced the steam train “The Alton Limited” which was nearing completion. To preserve that masterpiece, the producers decided to have a panoramic photo. Photographer in Chicago – George R. Lawrence – selected. Lawrence was very famous, had a film studio, had some well-known experimental flash photography, and later became famous for taking aerial photographs of San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake.
At first, Lawrence suggested taking pictures of each part of the ship with multiple shots, then gluing them together into a grand panorama and stitching it together in the printing stage. That idea was rejected on the grounds: “the absolute fidelity of perspective cannot be preserved”. Lawrence proposed another solution, to which Chicago & Alton enthusiastically agreed, “make the biggest camera in the world!”Lawrence planned to make a camera that would fulfill that requirement. Taking an 8×4.5-foot photograph was three times the size of the largest photograph at the time. It takes 75 days to complete this machine.
The body is 6 meters long, weighs 650 kg, the frame material is natural cherry wood, the design has 2 focus screens, the design has 2 focus screens, the black cloth inner rubber connector can be contain 6 men standing inside at the same time. Two Carl Zeiss lenses, which are also the largest lenses ever made, a wide-angle 1676mm and a telephoto 3048mm are used. It takes 15 workers to coordinate with the camera setup. To get the camera to the right location by transport ship.
This photo can compare the height of the camera with a standing man
Worker working inside the camera
From the workshop, the camera had to be disassembled and transported by carriage to the station
Bring the camera on board
The scene of the ship transporting the machine and the crew to the place to set up the machine to take pictures.
Put the camera in a fixed position, is a field near Brighton Park, the train can be seen in the distance
15 photographers to assemble and set up the camera
Install bellow focus
Ready!Exposure for 2.5 minutes, using 10 liters of chemical, Lawrence had a clear image 8 feet wide.
Dismantling the camera after taking the picture The train was described as follows: “No railway vehicle has ever had a uniform and symmetrical design like this one. No wagon has ever been produced with such a uniform and symmetrical design. the same size, shape and modern style as this.No train has ever been made of the same height and length, and only the station made in Alton has been sized to fit locomotives and carriages, add attractive beauty to the ship.”
The picture was displayed in Paris in 1990, many people did not believe that a single camera could produce this image. George R. Lawrence and the railroad company had to go through the authentication process, and it was later recognized as the largest single photograph of its time, and, of course, one speaks of this largest machine, which was used to make Take a lot of pictures of that great panorama. Indeed, when the need to store photos arose, they were determined to fulfill the idea that – at the time – considered very crazy. The human will is terrible, like many other technologies have formed to serve some conquest need, this camera is also an expression.The need for a photo preceded it, prompting a device capable of taking that photo!
Source: indianahistory
