No, photo manipulation did not exist....

.....in any way close to what it does now, 20 or more years ago.... Or should i say, before digital.

I just see it mentioned again and again, in every thread which mentions HDR, fusion, cloning,, etc, etc

Quit trying to make people believe that things were the same 20, 50 or 100 years ago.

Comparing the old film days with digital, is  comparing apples with oranges.