Historical information

This camera was designed by William Johnston in 1904. Production began in 1905. There were many versions, the number indicated the length of film which corresponds to the width of the panorama. Originally designed for photography of large groups of people. Later it was used for landscapes. This camera was used by the local Lorne photographer William Anderson who took photographs of visitors and local scenes. William purchased Norman Brown’s photographic business in December 1899 and worked in Lorne until his death in 1948

Physical description

It is a large format rotating panoramic camera. A concertinaed fine leather tube with the adjustable lens is contained in a black wooden leatherette covered rectangular box. On the top is a metal winding handle, a series of weights and a carrying handle. The lens is a Gundlach - Manhattan rapid recto graph. The camera rotates on a geared tripod through 360 degrees with the film driven past the exposure slot by a clock work motor.