Camera [Iloca Stereo Camera and underwater housing]
Maker and role
The Wilhelm Witt Iloca Werk Company, Manufacturer
See full details
Object detail
Accession number
2006.265
Production period
Description
1. Camera: Iloca Stereo camera with twin lenses in front. The back lid runs right through the length of the camera and comes off to load the film.
2. Housing: solid steel casing with a yellow face and a grip on the left hand side. The rubber grip is notched for a good hold by the diver. A screw threaded hole on top allows for the flash unit to be fixed on. The housing has 6 wing-nuts on the back to seal the back cover which has a rubber seal lining to ensure waterproofing. Fixed on the back casing is a "Moray" depth gauge calibrated in feet.
3. Flash unit: consists of a large square glass casing enclosing the flash unit. There are 2 wing-nuts at the back to open it. A long metal hollow tubing emerges from the bottom of the flash unit and ends in a threaded bolt which attaches onto the top of the housing. A white insulated wire runs the entire length of this tubing and ends in a metal jack which plugs into the camera.
4. Stereo viewer: Iloca, Germany, in metal burgundy and light green. There are a pair of viewing lenses in the front which have a double adjustment. A white serrated knob on top, when turned, moves the lenses toward and away from each other. Another white sliding switch on the side pushes the lenses in and out. The green part of the viewer is a cover which opens up to reveal a small bulb and a battery compartment.
5. Box: for the viewer (-4).
6. Filter: pair of light tinted brown filters, round, in a white round plastic box.
7. Box: for filters (-6) marked "Lifa Light Filter" (Made in Germany).
8. Screwdriver - green serrated handle and a small head.
9=11. Part of camera.
12. Box: large wooden carrying case designed to hold all the components and also fitted with a large canvas carry handle. The lid is hinged and fitted with 2 brass latches which lock onto the 2 loops screwed onto the front.
13. Metal, screw knob from camera/stand.
2. Housing: solid steel casing with a yellow face and a grip on the left hand side. The rubber grip is notched for a good hold by the diver. A screw threaded hole on top allows for the flash unit to be fixed on. The housing has 6 wing-nuts on the back to seal the back cover which has a rubber seal lining to ensure waterproofing. Fixed on the back casing is a "Moray" depth gauge calibrated in feet.
3. Flash unit: consists of a large square glass casing enclosing the flash unit. There are 2 wing-nuts at the back to open it. A long metal hollow tubing emerges from the bottom of the flash unit and ends in a threaded bolt which attaches onto the top of the housing. A white insulated wire runs the entire length of this tubing and ends in a metal jack which plugs into the camera.
4. Stereo viewer: Iloca, Germany, in metal burgundy and light green. There are a pair of viewing lenses in the front which have a double adjustment. A white serrated knob on top, when turned, moves the lenses toward and away from each other. Another white sliding switch on the side pushes the lenses in and out. The green part of the viewer is a cover which opens up to reveal a small bulb and a battery compartment.
5. Box: for the viewer (-4).
6. Filter: pair of light tinted brown filters, round, in a white round plastic box.
7. Box: for filters (-6) marked "Lifa Light Filter" (Made in Germany).
8. Screwdriver - green serrated handle and a small head.
9=11. Part of camera.
12. Box: large wooden carrying case designed to hold all the components and also fitted with a large canvas carry handle. The lid is hinged and fitted with 2 brass latches which lock onto the 2 loops screwed onto the front.
13. Metal, screw knob from camera/stand.
Brief History
The donor of this Iloca Stereo camera was a professional photographer and interested in underwater activities, influenced by pioneers including Jacques Cousteau and Hans Hass. In the early 1960s underwater housings for cameras were not obtainable in New Zealand and so the donor’s engineer father developed the housing for this camera. Photographs taken underwater with this camera were published in the New Zealand Herald in May 1963. 1963 is also the year underwater cameras first became commercially available.
Marks
'Iloca Prontor-S' Maker's Mark
'DEPTH // IN FEET // MORAY // DEPTH GUIDE'
'Iloca Stereo' Printed
'LIFA LICHTFILTER // ANTI REFLEX' Printed
'DEPTH // IN FEET // MORAY // DEPTH GUIDE'
'Iloca Stereo' Printed
'LIFA LICHTFILTER // ANTI REFLEX' Printed
Media/Materials
Processed Material/Metal
Processed Material/Glass
Processed Material/Metal/Alloy/Steel
Organic/Vegetal/Plant Extract/Latex/Rubber
Processed Material/Metal
Processed Material/Glass
Processed Material/Metal
Processed Material/Synthetic/Plastic
Processed Material/Paper/Cardboard
Processed Material/Synthetic/Plastic
Processed Material/Paper
Processed Material/Metal
Processed Material/Synthetic/Plastic
Processed Material/Metal
Organic/Vegetal/Wood/Palm wood
Processed Material/Metal/Alloy/Copper Alloy/Brass
Processed Material/Glass
Processed Material/Metal/Alloy/Steel
Organic/Vegetal/Plant Extract/Latex/Rubber
Processed Material/Metal
Processed Material/Glass
Processed Material/Metal
Processed Material/Synthetic/Plastic
Processed Material/Paper/Cardboard
Processed Material/Synthetic/Plastic
Processed Material/Paper
Processed Material/Metal
Processed Material/Synthetic/Plastic
Processed Material/Metal
Organic/Vegetal/Wood/Palm wood
Processed Material/Metal/Alloy/Copper Alloy/Brass
Other name
Stereo Underwater Camera
Credit Line
The Wilhelm Witt Iloca Werk Company. Camera [Iloca Stereo Camera and underwater housing], 2006.265. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
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