Dave-Thanks for a fine review as usual. I do think that you may have missed much of the matter with respect to the 51. It does require a bit of perspective. It was one of the first pens to use a lucite or acyrlic plastic for the section and barrel, as opposed to the celluloid, ebonite, and other materials which were used in or about 1940 for pens. The pen's simple appearance belies the technical sophistication within. Parker took years to develop this pen. The feed, nib, and breather apparatus make this pen unique. It is also important to note that over the years, Parker designated the various models as Marks, so that I believe that at least three or four marks of the Parker 51 exist. The hooded nib was intended to protect against drying, true, but also against accidental damage,etc. Parker may also have intended it to stand out from the conventional wholly external nibs of the time. As o the Lamy 2000, one may regard the Lamy as a bit of a tribute to the Parker,as the Parker preceeded the Lamy by many years. The cap has a patented clutch mechanism, and the metal ring on the body of the pen acts as the anchor for that. The nibs were made to extraordinary levels of precision, requiring special manufacturing techniques in applying the tipping material...I could go on, but it should be clear that the pen has a deceptive simplicity. At their best, the 51s are great writers' pens, comfortable in the hand with a very good ink supply (the aerometric filler is no mere converter, but a device which incorporates a breather tube-and check out the little black finial at the bottom, which required extra steps in manufacturing), and capable of looking very handsome, depending on the level of finish and ornament. I commend you for the review, but would also respectfully suggest that you take a further look at more 51s as time allows.
That commercial was awesome! Also I laughed out loud when you made the joke about people carrying those pen caps, creating an awkward situation for someone who asks to write with the pen. My wife yelled from the kitchen "did you just laugh at a pen joke!?"... apparently she doesn't think its cool to watch pen videos. Oh, as a side note, I was just browsing on instagram wishing Figboot had an instagram to show off the micro shots, and other cool pen pictures. Make that happen!!
I have a 51 Demi in cedar blue, Lustraloy cap with transparent grey jewel, that was made in 1947, and I love it. The filler, which is the plunger type, doesn't fill completely, but it writes well. I think it's beautiful! Do try a few more 51's. I wish I had another!
Given how old they are, 51's can be hit or miss as to how good the nib is at this point. In the last year I picked up a 51 from Peyton Street Pens that is a M and it's the smoothest fountain pen I've ever had. I've had a number of 51's previously that were too scratchy either due to size or abuse. I love the 51 for ease in the hand and awesome history. My 51 is a daily writer.
A black Parker 51 is my main pen for over 15 years. I love its reliability as well as how it writes, and possibly because of it I am these days less forn of steel nibs, although that's what I had used until then, usually on Parker 45and Parker 25's). Regrettably I've lost two more Parker 51s (a grey and a teal) which were my backup pens and I have ordered a burgundy one as my new backup... I also have and love a blue 51 which my dad brought from Korea (he was w/ the Greek expeditionary force in the Korean war) - but this one rarely gets used for fear of loss. Thanks for the review, it is great for the younger generation to get introduced to iconic vintage pens, even if their aesthetics or function may be outdated.
Nice review. Just a small nitpick - the Aerometric filler is not a 'converter'. If the filling mechanism is built into the pen, it is by definition not a converter. A converter is so called because it converts a cartridge pen into a self-filling pen, ie it is a separate removable component. Anyway, keep up the excellent work, the reviews are great (even though you are clearly crazy for not thinking the P51 is the best pen ever made) :)
I use 51 Vacuumatic, c.a. 1948 that I found at a yard sale in Cape May, NJ IN 1984. Cost me $1! It is by far my smoothest writer. Medium nib. It was the only fountain pen that was marketed for it's ability to write through carbon copies. Truly a writing instrument in a class by itself.
Looks like a parker special. These came with the cheaper filling mechanisms, and as far as I remember these were post 60's production. The cap is NOT from that pen. The cap I think is from models made in the 40's, with the "diamond" in the clip. Some models had a blue laquer? in that diamond shape that indicated Parker's lifetime guarantee. Parker was forced to remove the blue diamond sometime in the 40's due to some legal ruling. Another correction, the cap is not lustralloy. It is a rolled gold cap. Lustralloy looked like brushed aluminium (although I'm not sure of the actual metal used). Great pen though. I own several, and I can say they NEVER dry out, never have hard starts, and NEVER let me down. My biggest issue with the P51 is that they a more difficult to clean than your average piston or cartridge filler pen.
David, my wish is that someday you find your grail vintage. Considering the great variety, I'm sure you'll find one you can love. They don't make writers like vintage any more. The nibs can be amazing & perform better than any modern nib. They do have their challenges, as all pens do. One should consider their age and how people wrote then. They are amazing writing instruments and so many have survived. I'm at the Philadelphia show. My focus this show was vintage. Lots of first time sellers here & some great vintage finds. My best finds, Parker Duofold Toothbrush, a Sheaffer Jade Phone pen with a stub nib & a Lamy Persona in black titanium finish. A Visconti Wall Street is a pen I was interested in. Great show price on LE model from FPH but the balance & feel is not good for me & my experience with Visconti Palladium nibs is not great. If it had the 18k nib I may have acquired it. Looking forward to your review.
I myself had the chance to acquire a Stroesser Matcher Colombes 24 in perfectly mint condition for 8€, in Paris. Piston mechanism, semi flex nib, generous ink flow, never dries. This has become my favorite pen to write with and I own several high end pens. It closely reminds me of my Namiki when it comes to the nib, just much lighter, and not nearly as expensive, so I don't have to constantly worry when using it. BTW, at the same shop I got 3 Parker 51s for 20€ each ;)
The blue was buffed off. Use Testor's 111 and fill with a toothpick. There is a clutch that holds the cap onto the pen body using the channeled ring on the body. That is a special a cheaper model. Take some time at a pen show to learn more. They said electro polish, not electro plating.
The short clip was an intentional feature. Military regs of the time did not allow anything to show below the pocket flap of the uniform shirt. By making the clip shorter soldiers could carry the pen without the clip being seen below the pocket flap.
Hi David , I myself have never tried a 51 although I have tried knock off models which to be honest I did not like that much. One of my favourite older parkers are the 45's which I really do like and like you I am a fan of the urban although I do think they have ruined the looks with the new model which seem to have lost its unique look.Thanks for the review and I hope you someday find the pen your looking for.
matthew Beddow I own both P45 and P51. The P51 is far better... If you get one, I would recommend the aerometric versions. Require almost 0 maintenance over their lifetime. I also have some knockoffs, and IMHO they are junk.
Personally i really dig the vintage look of this pen :P Also the grip looks really comfy... If i could get a broader nib on it i think i might like it a lot!
Not all had "Special" on them and this has a Hoop Filler, which is pretty definitive. No non specials had them as far as I know and some Specials, when parts stock was low used regular P51 parts and gold nibs but the parts swapping never went the other way. This is parts pen made from a Special. The cap is wrong and the black Jewel is from actually from a Special (Specials had polished steel caps with black jewels). Looks to be a frankenpen built around a special.
Also could be a Lusteralloy cap or a Gold Filled Cap, not both. Lusteralloy are frosted steel caps. You seem to be claiming the cap is both, which is confusing
I've been reading up on Parker 51's, and if it's the 51 Special, that's a lower quality and less expensive pen than the regular 51. I have a 1947 51 Demi that I adore, although the plunger filler could use a little work. It fills, but not completely. I think it's a beautiful pen and it writes well. I've just ordered a new-old-stock Super 21, which was a less expensive Parker that resembles a 51, but it hasn't arrived yet. I'd love to have another 51! Edit: I've now received my NOS Parker Super 21, which is very similar in appearance to the 51's, and I love it! It writes very well, right out of the box (after the usual initial flush). At first glance you might mistake it for a 51, but it has a stainless steel nib and the cap doesn't have a clutch. I got it from Peyton Street Pens.
"Not a huge fan of the vintage look". I think this sums up why you like modern pens more. My collection includes both modern and vintage pens. The 1945 Parker Vacumatic 51 is the smoothest writing pen that I own. It features a medium nib which you should try.
It was my understanding that the pen which could fill via cartridges or a converter, the Parker 45, was actually a very big success, and they kept making them until 2006 (based off the info I read on Richard Binder's site). I have one myself actually, and it is very nice. Regardless, a wonderful video. The 51 definitely doesn't appeal to everyone, but there is no denying the position and the legacy it holds in the fountain pen realm.
I think this pen is more likely from the 40s than 50s. It should have blue diamond but was probably buffed off. I had a 60 years old 51 with original ink sac still working well after all this time. I never had any problems with skipping and hard starts which is more than can be said for ALL Of my Visconti pens including the Homo Sapiens.
(in response to the question for viewers about TV commercials) - What fountain pen companies need to do is get an "in" with the hipsters. So, advertise to the influential hipsters. How exactly? I don't know. Certainly not television commercials. There's the potential of triggering a whole Fountain Pen resurgence. Sales of "old" beers are way up from the popularity of PBR and other crappy beers. And old clothes. Why not old pens?
I am sure you are familiar with Peter Twydle's book Fountain Pens. He mentions on pg. 75 that Parker attempted to relaunch the 51 in 2002 and it failed due to the use of inferior components resulting in easy breakage, etc. You would think that the company would learn from history, or at minimum, its own.
I would like to see a commercial where they say something alone the lines of "Are you tired of throwing away and buying your garbage ballpoint pens? Do you like to look fancy at a low cost? Would you like a smooth writing experience that outdoes all rollerballs and ballpoints? Buy a Pilot Metropolitan today! *Bottle of Iroshizuku not included*"
My grandads 51 doesnt show any line variation AT ALL and thats why i dont actually like it. However, Objectively its the best writing pen I've ever used. Smooth as hell for a steel nib and incredibly consistent. Unfortunately that means that it writes just like my 5 cent rollerball pens.
I don't think vintage pens should be treated with the same scrutiny as modern pens, for obvious reasons. It's very important to consider and compare other pens from the same era. I don't recommend posting vintage pen reviews when you do not have much experience with the fountain pens from the same era - the reviews can be biased. Also, might look like comparing apples with oranges. My two cents.
Just donated to the channel and wanted to say thank you for the great content! Write on! P.S. Sorry I could'nt donate more I'm just a high school kid with a high school job hahahah!
It's a bit annoying that you keep calling the built-in Aerometric filler a "converter". That's not what converter means. I wonder if you would ever review the Sheaffer Triumph vac-fil pens from the 1940s? They were worthy rivals to the 51 in their time, although they seem to be much more overlooked today. It's hard to live in the shadow of a legend, I guess.
![แฉกลโกงงานวัด 2024 [ โกงมั้ยครับ ep.106 ] | DOM](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/taC5dpP3HXA/mqdefault.jpg)
Dave-Thanks for a fine review as usual. I do think that you may have missed much of the matter with respect to the 51. It does require a bit of perspective. It was one of the first pens to use a lucite or acyrlic plastic for the section and barrel, as opposed to the celluloid, ebonite, and other materials which were used in or about 1940 for pens. The pen's simple appearance belies the technical sophistication within. Parker took years to develop this pen. The feed, nib, and breather apparatus make this pen unique. It is also important to note that over the years, Parker designated the various models as Marks, so that I believe that at least three or four marks of the Parker 51 exist. The hooded nib was intended to protect against drying, true, but also against accidental damage,etc. Parker may also have intended it to stand out from the conventional wholly external nibs of the time. As o the Lamy 2000, one may regard the Lamy as a bit of a tribute to the Parker,as the Parker preceeded the Lamy by many years. The cap has a patented clutch mechanism, and the metal ring on the body of the pen acts as the anchor for that. The nibs were made to extraordinary levels of precision, requiring special manufacturing techniques in applying the tipping material...I could go on, but it should be clear that the pen has a deceptive simplicity. At their best, the 51s are great writers' pens, comfortable in the hand with a very good ink supply (the aerometric filler is no mere converter, but a device which incorporates a breather tube-and check out the little black finial at the bottom, which required extra steps in manufacturing), and capable of looking very handsome, depending on the level of finish and ornament. I commend you for the review, but would also respectfully suggest that you take a further look at more 51s as time allows.
I have 4 Parker 51 pens, and they are among my most reliable pens. It is an iconic fountain pen. Thanks for your wonderful video.
Thanks for watching!
My dear father gave me a Parker 51 long ago. The year was 1958. It works perfectly and I still use it every day until now 2023.
My dad is currently using my grandads 51. I think I'll eventually be able to pass it on to MY own grandkids kids if I have them.
I have a full stainless steel 51 and it is just ridiculous. Crazy fine point. Crazy smooth. One of my favorites.
Parker 51 Flighter. A wonderful pen. Congratulations on having such a great pen.
That commercial was awesome! Also I laughed out loud when you made the joke about people carrying those pen caps, creating an awkward situation for someone who asks to write with the pen. My wife yelled from the kitchen "did you just laugh at a pen joke!?"... apparently she doesn't think its cool to watch pen videos. Oh, as a side note, I was just browsing on instagram wishing Figboot had an instagram to show off the micro shots, and other cool pen pictures. Make that happen!!
I have a 51 Demi in cedar blue, Lustraloy cap with transparent grey jewel, that was made in 1947, and I love it. The filler, which is the plunger type, doesn't fill completely, but it writes well. I think it's beautiful!
Do try a few more 51's. I wish I had another!
Given how old they are, 51's can be hit or miss as to how good the nib is at this point. In the last year I picked up a 51 from Peyton Street Pens that is a M and it's the smoothest fountain pen I've ever had. I've had a number of 51's previously that were too scratchy either due to size or abuse. I love the 51 for ease in the hand and awesome history. My 51 is a daily writer.
I have 3 Parkers 51 and they are great! The best pen ever made!!
I very much appreciate you putting the line width measurement!! It is so helpful!
A black Parker 51 is my main pen for over 15 years. I love its reliability as well as how it writes, and possibly because of it I am these days less forn of steel nibs, although that's what I had used until then, usually on Parker 45and Parker 25's). Regrettably I've lost two more Parker 51s (a grey and a teal) which were my backup pens and I have ordered a burgundy one as my new backup... I also have and love a blue 51 which my dad brought from Korea (he was w/ the Greek expeditionary force in the Korean war) - but this one rarely gets used for fear of loss. Thanks for the review, it is great for the younger generation to get introduced to iconic vintage pens, even if their aesthetics or function may be outdated.
Nice review.
Just a small nitpick - the Aerometric filler is not a 'converter'.
If the filling mechanism is built into the pen, it is by definition not a converter.
A converter is so called because it converts a cartridge pen into a self-filling pen, ie it is a separate removable component.
Anyway, keep up the excellent work, the reviews are great (even though you are clearly crazy for not thinking the P51 is the best pen ever made) :)
Thanks for watching!
You are very correct. It is the best pen ever made.
I use 51 Vacuumatic, c.a. 1948 that I found at a yard sale in Cape May, NJ IN 1984. Cost me $1! It is by far my smoothest writer. Medium nib. It was the only fountain pen that was marketed for it's ability to write through carbon copies. Truly a writing instrument in a class by itself.
Wow, did not expect to see where I live in this comment section, no less about a Parker 51. I wish you could find one here now.
I have one of these pens in my hand now (Gold Filled)
It was a gift from my grandfather.
Thank you for this video.
Electro Polishing is a completely different process than plating, nice review.
Michael Bradley - can you explain the electro platting/ polishing? Really hard to understand the difference!
Looks like a parker special. These came with the cheaper filling mechanisms, and as far as I remember these were post 60's production. The cap is NOT from that pen. The cap I think is from models made in the 40's, with the "diamond" in the clip. Some models had a blue laquer? in that diamond shape that indicated Parker's lifetime guarantee. Parker was forced to remove the blue diamond sometime in the 40's due to some legal ruling. Another correction, the cap is not lustralloy. It is a rolled gold cap. Lustralloy looked like brushed aluminium (although I'm not sure of the actual metal used). Great pen though. I own several, and I can say they NEVER dry out, never have hard starts, and NEVER let me down. My biggest issue with the P51 is that they a more difficult to clean than your average piston or cartridge filler pen.
We have commercials foe those pilot ereasable gel pens and they are pretty common.
But unfortunately they're not fountain pens ;(
@@Matto5433 unfortunatly.
The Parker 51, 21, and 45 are basically the only vintage pens I like the look of. I love the slim, streamlined design.
The last pen you teased is absolutely gorgeous!
David, my wish is that someday you find your grail vintage. Considering the great variety, I'm sure you'll find one you can love. They don't make writers like vintage any more. The nibs can be amazing & perform better than any modern nib. They do have their challenges, as all pens do. One should consider their age and how people wrote then. They are amazing writing instruments and so many have survived. I'm at the Philadelphia show. My focus this show was vintage. Lots of first time sellers here & some great vintage finds. My best finds, Parker Duofold Toothbrush, a Sheaffer Jade Phone pen with a stub nib & a Lamy Persona in black titanium finish. A Visconti Wall Street is a pen I was interested in. Great show price on LE model from FPH but the balance & feel is not good for me & my experience with Visconti Palladium nibs is not great. If it had the 18k nib I may have acquired it. Looking forward to your review.
Have fun in Philly, Chris. I plan to be researching vintage a well at the next show I attend.
I myself had the chance to acquire a Stroesser Matcher Colombes 24 in perfectly mint condition for 8€, in Paris. Piston mechanism, semi flex nib, generous ink flow, never dries. This has become my favorite pen to write with and I own several high end pens. It closely reminds me of my Namiki when it comes to the nib, just much lighter, and not nearly as expensive, so I don't have to constantly worry when using it. BTW, at the same shop I got 3 Parker 51s for 20€ each ;)
Very interesting channel, Sir. I hope you’ll do a review of the new P51, when it is launched in February.
Thank you, David. I know what you mean about just not syncing with Parkers. I enjoyed the ad and commentary.
I have 13 Parker 51 all the kind it is very very good pen and very beautiful
The blue was buffed off. Use Testor's 111 and fill with a toothpick. There is a clutch that holds the cap onto the pen body using the channeled ring on the body. That is a special a cheaper model. Take some time at a pen show to learn more. They said electro polish, not electro plating.
The short clip was an intentional feature. Military regs of the time did not allow anything to show below the pocket flap of the uniform shirt. By making the clip shorter soldiers could carry the pen without the clip being seen below the pocket flap.
I have one thin writing and one broad writing Parker 51 with Gold filled Caps. Both hooded nibs Best Pens I ever owned.
Hi David , I myself have never tried a 51 although I have tried knock off models which to be honest I did not like that much. One of my favourite older parkers are the 45's which I really do like and like you I am a fan of the urban although I do think they have ruined the looks with the new model which seem to have lost its unique look.Thanks for the review and I hope you someday find the pen your looking for.
matthew Beddow I own both P45 and P51. The P51 is far better... If you get one, I would recommend the aerometric versions. Require almost 0 maintenance over their lifetime. I also have some knockoffs, and IMHO they are junk.
Wow I was just looking through my father's pen collection and he happened to have the gold Parker 51
Thanks for the review!
Personally i really dig the vintage look of this pen :P
Also the grip looks really comfy...
If i could get a broader nib on it i think i might like it a lot!
i do not agree with some of your remarks but I have enjoyed a lot this video, Mr Parker! Well done. Long live Parker 51s!
My desk model 51 has a different reservoir a eye dropper style ,no spring bars , does that mean it’s older?
That looks to be a Parker 51 Special with the wrong cap.
I believe the Special has "Special" engraved on the converter. This converter didn't have that, so I'm not thinking it's on of those.
Not all had "Special" on them and this has a Hoop Filler, which is pretty definitive. No non specials had them as far as I know and some Specials, when parts stock was low used regular P51 parts and gold nibs but the parts swapping never went the other way. This is parts pen made from a Special. The cap is wrong and the black Jewel is from actually from a Special (Specials had polished steel caps with black jewels). Looks to be a frankenpen built around a special.
Also could be a Lusteralloy cap or a Gold Filled Cap, not both. Lusteralloy are frosted steel caps. You seem to be claiming the cap is both, which is confusing
I've been reading up on Parker 51's, and if it's the 51 Special, that's a lower quality and less expensive pen than the regular 51.
I have a 1947 51 Demi that I adore, although the plunger filler could use a little work. It fills, but not completely. I think it's a beautiful pen and it writes well.
I've just ordered a new-old-stock Super 21, which was a less expensive Parker that resembles a 51, but it hasn't arrived yet. I'd love to have another 51!
Edit: I've now received my NOS Parker Super 21, which is very similar in appearance to the 51's, and I love it! It writes very well, right out of the box (after the usual initial flush). At first glance you might mistake it for a 51, but it has a stainless steel nib and the cap doesn't have a clutch. I got it from Peyton Street Pens.
"Not a huge fan of the vintage look".
I think this sums up why you like modern pens more.
My collection includes both modern and vintage pens.
The 1945 Parker Vacumatic 51 is the smoothest writing pen that I own.
It features a medium nib which you should try.
It was my understanding that the pen which could fill via cartridges or a converter, the Parker 45, was actually a very big success, and they kept making them until 2006 (based off the info I read on Richard Binder's site). I have one myself actually, and it is very nice.
Regardless, a wonderful video. The 51 definitely doesn't appeal to everyone, but there is no denying the position and the legacy it holds in the fountain pen realm.
I think this pen is more likely from the 40s than 50s. It should have blue diamond but was probably buffed off. I had a 60 years old 51 with original ink sac still working well after all this time. I never had any problems with skipping and hard starts which is more than can be said for ALL Of my Visconti pens including the Homo Sapiens.
(in response to the question for viewers about TV commercials) - What fountain pen companies need to do is get an "in" with the hipsters. So, advertise to the influential hipsters. How exactly? I don't know. Certainly not television commercials. There's the potential of triggering a whole Fountain Pen resurgence. Sales of "old" beers are way up from the popularity of PBR and other crappy beers. And old clothes. Why not old pens?
Is the parker 51 the greatest pen ever developed
It doesn't quite hit the mark for me personally...but there are a large number of folks who would agree that it was.
hmm that's exactly what IMDB said! Much thanks. You know your stuff!
Connor Donahue Absolutely it was the best pen ever made. I have about two dozen different versions.
Yes
I think mont blanc doesn't make pens anymore . They make writing instruments usually with precious resin.
My first fountain pen was a Parker Urban!
Pelikan is an excellent modern fountain pen.
That orange ink looks wild.
Have you tried a Duofold?
I plan on playing around with one at the next pen show I attend.
What do you edit your videos one in 2021
Adobe Premiere Pro
@@FigbootonPens No I mean what kind of computer
@@thependemicwithbruce2141 A desktop PC
@@FigbootonPens ok thanks
Good job please keep making
I am sure you are familiar with Peter Twydle's book Fountain Pens. He mentions on pg. 75 that Parker attempted to relaunch the 51 in 2002 and it failed due to the use of inferior components resulting in easy breakage, etc. You would think that the company would learn from history, or at minimum, its own.
nice review... so good info as well....glad that i am an owner of one of the parker 51
I noticed in the background there is a wooden box with Chinese characters "特製萬年筆" on it. Is there a Japanese fountain pen inside? :D
Ziyao Ma yes! 😁
I've been lemming after this pen for a while, this was a great review! I loved the extra marketing bits and the ad!
I would like to see a commercial where they say something alone the lines of "Are you tired of throwing away and buying your garbage ballpoint pens? Do you like to look fancy at a low cost? Would you like a smooth writing experience that outdoes all rollerballs and ballpoints? Buy a Pilot Metropolitan today! *Bottle of Iroshizuku not included*"
My grandads 51 doesnt show any line variation AT ALL and thats why i dont actually like it. However, Objectively its the best writing pen I've ever used. Smooth as hell for a steel nib and incredibly consistent.
Unfortunately that means that it writes just like my 5 cent rollerball pens.
I don't think vintage pens should be treated with the same scrutiny as modern pens, for obvious reasons. It's very important to consider and compare other pens from the same era. I don't recommend posting vintage pen reviews when you do not have much experience with the fountain pens from the same era - the reviews can be biased. Also, might look like comparing apples with oranges. My two cents.
I like your videos, very interesting. Thank you
Thanks for watching!
I believe this is a 51 Special.
Just donated to the channel and wanted to say thank you for the great content! Write on!
P.S. Sorry I could'nt donate more I'm just a high school kid with a high school job hahahah!
Thanks!
I have the one with the blue diamond with 1/10 14k gold.
It's a bit annoying that you keep calling the built-in Aerometric filler a "converter". That's not what converter means.
I wonder if you would ever review the Sheaffer Triumph vac-fil pens from the 1940s? They were worthy rivals to the 51 in their time, although they seem to be much more overlooked today. It's hard to live in the shadow of a legend, I guess.
Man how can you not like that vintage look!?
Hellodavidwouldyoupleasementionsometimewhenwllbethenextpenshowandwhereplease thankyou verymuch
The next pen show is in Raleigh...but a Google search for pen shows will give you a complete schedule.
Maybe move your notes closer to the camera lens so you aren't constantly looking so far away from the audience constantly.