General Information

Serial #

prototype

Part Number

1

Total Parts

5

AKA

camera device for close-up nature photography

Patents

N/A

General Description

Clear, white and opaque grey synthetic [plexiglass ?] frame fitted with silver metal hardware and turned brown wood handgrips. Black synthetic and silver metal components have smooth, pebbled, bright chromed and brushed finishes. Camera has clear glass lenses. Off-white paper lining transparent synthetic tube element bears black and red ink markings. Smooth black adhesive-backed tape [electrical tape ?] used to secure cable releases to handgrip. Black paper (?) bellows fitted to camera lens.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

42.5 cm

Width

40.0 cm

Height

19.5 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Photography

Category

Still cameras

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Christie

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

City

Ottawa

Context

Country

Worldwide

State/Province

Unknown

Period

1976- 1990s.

Canada

Mr. Christie, a chemist by profession, was an enthusiast entomologist and nature photographer. He travelled around the world with Canadian entomologists to take close-up photos of insects. Many of his photographs were acquired by the [Canadian] Dept. of Agriculture and are now digitized. In the 1970s the Museum of Nature exhibited his images. [Ref. 1]

Function

Specific: Designed to facilitate close-up photography of insects.

Technical

It is very challenging for a nature photographer to take a close-up of an insect in its natural habitat. Mr. Christie developed a device. a hand-held camera frame that allowed quick changing of the position of a flash to achieve a greater depth of field at high magnification while taking a photograph of an insect. Mr. Christie patented his device, and intended to produce it commercially, but potential users found it too complicated. The market for the device, which was designed especially for insect photographers, was small and production costs too high for a commercial success. [Ref. 1]

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Markings on camera component include: "TOPCON", "RE SUPER", "TOKYO KOGAKU JAPAN", "Made in Japan" and "4626922". All settings, etc. labelled. "ISO 50 36EX/ 24 Sept/05" printed by hand on adhesive-backed label applied to camera top. "Overhauled/ June/ 84/ Jan. 1985" printed by hand on adhesive-backed label applied to underside of camera. On lens housing: "RE. Auto-Topcor 1:2.8 f=10 cm Tokyo Kogaku Japan 7503466". Markings on camera rail components include "RE Topcor 58mm". Markings on flash unit include "BRAUN", "Braun AG Frankfurt/M/ Hobby F30B/ Made in Japan" and "30008613". All settings, etc. labelled.

Missing

Unknown.

Finish

Clear, white and opaque grey synthetic [plexiglass ?] frame fitted with silver metal hardware and turned brown wood handgrips. Black synthetic and silver metal components have smooth, pebbled, bright chromed and brushed finishes. Camera has clear glass lenses. Off-white paper lining transparent synthetic tube element bears black and red ink markings. Smooth black adhesive-backed tape [electrical tape ?] used to secure cable releases to handgrip. Black paper (?) bellows fitted to camera lens.

Decoration

N/A