Calypso
The Calypso is a self contained 35mm film camera designed for use under water manufactured in France by Atoms and distributed by Spirotechnique[1] in 1960—1962. It was conceived by the famous marine explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau (1910-1997) and named after the research vessel he was using from 1950.
The camera consists of two main parts being locked together by mounting the lens on the camera and sealed by O-rings. The shutter is of a vertical running metal plate focal plane variety providing at first speeds from 1/30 to 1/1000sec, but a year later from 1/15 to 1/500sec. The camera is operated by a combined wind-on and shutter release lever. The standard lens fitted was a Berthiot 1:3.5 f=35 with knobs on either side for setting focusing distance and lens aperture, suitable for both under and above water photographing. The lens is removed by pulling and twisting it either way in the bayonet mount. For various reasons the design was sold to Nippon Kōgaku (Nikon) who reintroduced it as the Nikonos in 1963.
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