A Lightning magazine box camera
Category
Photographic technology
Date
1903
Materials
Wood, Leather, Metal, Glass
Measurements
182 x 114 x 205 mm
Order this imageCollection
Fox Talbot Museum, Wiltshire
NT 1524881.1
Summary
A Lightning magazine box camera. The camera is of wooden box construction covered in black leather, with a black leather carrying strap. The top of the camera has a leather carrying strap, a viewfinder and a release lever for the magazine for 12 plates but only 6 metal photographic plate holders remain. The right side has a viewfinder and two catches to secure the back board for loading the magazine and the shutter release bearing a serial number RD NO 26979. The left side is unremarkable except for a tripod mount. There is a slide out chamber containing 3 lenses marked 3 feet, 5 feet and 9 feet and each has the number 272467. The bottom of the camera contains a lift up flap through which the exposed plates are removed and a tripod mount. The back of the camera opens for loading the magazine and inside the back plate is impressed Test Number and British Made and the number 112, in pencil the number 19547. On the front of the camera there is a plate reading " Benetfink Lightning London". Aperture shows 4 settings. The shutter speeds available are 1/25 - 1/100 sec.
Provenance
Part of the Fenton Collection. A gift from British Film Institute in 2017. From 1986-1999, part of BFI collection for the Museum of the Moving Image. BFI purchased collection in 1986 from James Fenton's Museum of Photography, Port Erin, Isle of Man 1976-1986