Peckham Wray

1955

Admiralty Pattern

Wray (Optical Works) Ltd

Bromley

England

Lens:

f4.5, 135 mm Wray Lustrar, iris diaphragm to f32. Interchangeable bayonet mount. Serial no. 182689 .

Shutter:

Focal plane, speeds 1/15 - 1/800, B. Self-capping. Speed adjustment by varying the slit-width.

Synchro-Compur P, speeds 1 - 1/500, B. Delayed-action. X, M flash synchronisation.

Construction:

Metal body.

Format:

5" x 4" plates or cut-film held in dark slides.

Focusing:

Helical mount on lens to 4 feet.

Attributes:

Reflex viewing through taking lens.
Eye-level frame finder with parallax settings.

Serial Number:

144 .

With:

f6.3, 9" Wray Plustar. Iris diaphragm to f64. Focus to 15 feet. Marked A.P. 8906. Serial no. 171466.
Outfit case.

The camera was designed by Cyril Peckham, chief photographer at Hawker Siddeley, and manufactured by Wray Optical Works. It was originally intended for air-to-air photography but was also used for press work.

The most unusual aspect of the camera is the reflex viewing arrangement. By depressing a button on the front of the camera a cradle holding a small mirror moves down from the top of the camera, part of the image can then be seen in a finder situated on the top of the camera. When the button is released the mirror is drawn up by a strong spring, there is no means of locking the mirror in the down position. Though mechanically different the principle is similar to that used on the Periflex.

This example is marked Admiralty Pattern No. 8901. Telephoto and wide-angle lenses were available.

References & Notes:

BP 728741/1955 (Application date was 1951). BJA 1956, p. 232.

Company Details:

Wray

Early Photography