Silvano

[Stephen]

In a moment when I must have lost all presence of mind, a few years ago, I bought, very cheap, an underwater camera, but not a Nikonos, but the Spanish Silvano, the amazing bakelite 120 roll film underwater camera, and flash.....



I have never tried the flash out, but I presume it only works above water! The camera exposure is fixed snapshot, and is said to work up to 5m underwater, although I suspect the substantial bakelite body would take higher pressures. It is sealed with a large greased O ring, and O ring seals on the controls.

Finally servicing cleaning it up, and then a test film. Hardly a camera for inconspicuous photos!

Stephen.

[SidW]

Amazing thing, Stephen. I doubt if you'll see much in the Medway at 5m, nor at 1m.

[Stephen]

It's not known as the "Mudway" for nothing!, very slow moving wide tidal estuary, very murky indeed. The 5m limit is amusing, that's quite a pressure, and at that depth the light is very poor even in clear water.

Stephen.

[SuperDeluxe]

That looks like a super find, Stephen. Plus it's a looker!

[philbirch]

Proper Captain Nemo steampunk!

[daveh]

What a brilliant piece of kit. In 1982 we had been on holiday in Spain and were travelling back overland, stopping off in "duty-free" Andorra. The was a camera shop there with every piece of Nikonos equipment you could wish to own, but there wasn't even a glipmse of a Silvano. Presumably by then these cameras had already ceased production.

As an aside, while the prices in "duty-free" Andorra might have been less than in Spain, they were no less than at home so I didn't buy anything, I did quite fancy an underwater camera though. How much simpler it has all got now with just about everything proof cameras which also moving pictures at HD quality in a little box that fits easily in a pocket.

The other thing of note in 1982 is that we sailed back from France, St. Malo to Portsmouth, on 14th June 1982, the day the Falklands War ended. Portsmouth was awash with warships: probably the last time there will be ever be such a collection. I did have photos, and cine film I think, but they are all in the box marked missing.

[der84]

Very nice find Stephen. What a design.