Rear Window iconic photo: I happened to catch a great Hitchcock movie the other night "Rear Window" with Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly. I'm going to try and attach a jpg of an iconic...

zensu Loc: Montgomery, AL

I happened to catch a great Hitchcock movie the other night "Rear Window" with Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly. I'm going to try and attach a jpg of an iconic photo of the movie showing Jimmy Stuart holding what I think is an Exacta camera and a super telephoto lens below:
Any old photographer/old film buff like me know whether this lens is a 300mm, 400mm, or maybe 600mm?

DickC Loc: NE Washington state

Great capture!!

zensu Loc: Montgomery, AL

DickC wrote:

Great capture!!

It was some other photographers capture, I just copied it off the internet. I think this image was used to create movie posters for advertisement when the movie was released.

Bigmike1 Loc: I am from Gaffney, S.C. but live in Utah.

That lens has got to be at least 600mm. I'm surprised that he could hold it, but then, it looks like he has it propped on something. I'll bet that thing weighed a ton. That's in the days of all metal construction. Whoever took that photo got the perfect shot.

Bigmike1 Loc: I am from Gaffney, S.C. but live in Utah.

Another thought....That movie was about a Peeping Tom. (:

zensu Loc: Montgomery, AL

Bigmike1 wrote:

That lens has got to be at least 600mm. I'm surprised that he could hold it, but then, it looks like he has it propped on something. I'll bet that thing weighed a ton. That's in the days of all metal construction. Whoever took that photo got the perfect shot.

Mr. Stewart has it propped up on his knee. Although Mr. Hitchcock could have had the lens modified to make it lighter weight?

photogeneralist Loc: Lopez Island Washington State

zensu wrote:

I happened to catch a great Hitchcock movie the other night "Rear Window" with Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly. I'm going to try and attach a jpg of an iconic photo of the movie showing Jimmy Stuart holding what I think is an Exacta camera and a super telephoto lens below:
Any old photographer/old film buff like me know whether this lens is a 300mm, 400mm, or maybe 600mm?

It's difficult to say but it looks like my old Vivitar T mount 400mm f/5.6 preset. The photographer preset the desired f stopon one ring, then on another ring viewed, focused and composed wide open, just before actuating the shutter a quick rotation of the second ring would stop at the preset f/stop previousy set via the first ring. The first preset ring limited how far the second ring aperture could be closed.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

zensu wrote:

I happened to catch a great Hitchcock movie the other night "Rear Window" with Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly. I'm going to try and attach a jpg of an iconic photo of the movie showing Jimmy Stuart holding what I think is an Exacta camera and a super telephoto lens below:
Any old photographer/old film buff like me know whether this lens is a 300mm, 400mm, or maybe 600mm?

I liked the movie. It was full of suspense and it was a little creepy that he was such a peeping tom as well.

zensu Loc: Montgomery, AL

jeep_daddy wrote:

I liked the movie. It was full of suspense and it was a little creepy that he was such a peeping tom as well.

They discuss that issue in the movie. Most movie posters in America showed Stewart with binoculars while a few showed the lens/camera in other countries.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

zensu wrote:

They discuss that issue in the movie. Most movie posters in America showed Stewart with binoculars while a few showed the lens/camera in other countries.

I looked to see if I can find that movie playing free anywhere. I'll have to do a little more searching but so far have not seen it playing free anywhere. It's been years since I've seen it.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

zensu wrote:

Mr. Stewart has it propped up on his knee...

And while wearing slippery silk pajamas 😀

twowindsbear

zensu wrote:

I happened to catch a great Hitchcock movie the other night "Rear Window" with Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly. I'm going to try and attach a jpg of an iconic photo of the movie showing Jimmy Stuart holding what I think is an Exacta camera and a super telephoto lens below:
Any old photographer/old film buff like me know whether this lens is a 300mm, 400mm, or maybe 600mm?

Wikipedia says it's a 400mm.

zensu Loc: Montgomery, AL

twowindsbear wrote:

Wikipedia says it's a 400mm.

That was what my SWAG method concluded (scientific wild ass guess).
Bobby

ralf Loc: NJ

Keep in mind that Rear Window (and hence the camera) goes back to 1954. Kudos to anyone who can accurately recall a camera body or lens from 65 years ago...

THaupt

As to the perfect angle for the shot; you can bet it was Hitchcock himself. He famously storyboarded every single frame well in advance of production, and these were detailed, not some rough sketch.