Shorpy: A Whole Lotta Michigan

Shorpy has just posted historical photos of a number of places in Michigan.

The railferry Detroit circa 1905:
http://www.shorpy.com/node/8513

The Olds factory in Lansing circa 1908:
http://www.shorpy.com/node/8514

The Great Lakes Engineering Works in Ecorse circa 1906:
http://www.shorpy.com/node/8516

As always, click on the pictures to enlarge them into the big beautiful detailed prints they really are.

Thanks Al! Off topic, but I have been wondering how is it that most of the Shorpy Pics have that amazing detail? I know nothing about photography/film processing, so please forgive my ignorance... It just seems that the pics taken in 1900 have more detail than pics taken today?

His pictures are truly a masterpiece.

They were taken with what today would be called a "large format" camera, and the negatives were glass plates. 8' x 10" glass plate negatives. Bajillions of grains of emusion on that plate, ergo the detail. when printed on paper you had what was called a contact print--no enlargement required, just a 1 to 1 ratio of negative to print.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 56packman

They were taken with what today would be called a "large format" camera, and the negatives were glass plates. 8' x 10" glass plate negatives. Bajillions of grains of emusion on that plate, ergo the detail. when printed on paper you had what was called a contact print--no enlargement required, just a 1 to 1 ratio of negative to print.

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Thanks Packman for the info!