A stylish French-made amphibious camera, the Calypso. Introduced in 1961, it was the world’s first underwater camera made for the general public. It was manufactured by Atoms in France and marketed by Spirotechnique, a company specializing in diving equipment.
Until then, underwater photography relied on waterproof housings, but the Calypso achieved water resistance by sealing the camera body itself with O-rings. Its waterproof rating is 50 meters (please do not test this—definitely not covered by warranty, haha). In the following year, 1962, a technical partnership was formed with Nippon Kogaku, and the camera was renamed the Nikonos and released under Nippon Kogaku’s name.
This example is an early Calypso model with a 1/1000 shutter, featuring a vertically traveling metal shutter curtain. It is an interchangeable-lens camera, compatible through to the Nikonos V. It is fitted with the Berthiot Flor 35mm f3.5 lens, a 4-element, 3-group design. Interchangeable lenses from this era are almost mythical in rarity.
The cool gray leatherette was said to be inspired by a seal, and the logo design is equally beautiful. Not only the camera itself, but also the original box and manuals show an exceptionally refined design and layout. Even today, the camera and its accessories look impossibly cool. France—you’re just not fair. LoL.
This is a piece previously sold by our shop and has now returned to us after being carefully used by its owner. There are minor rub marks on the body corners and on the Calypso nameplate, but otherwise it shows little sign of use and retains a clean overall appearance. It was most likely never used underwater.
In 2022, the lens was professionally cleaned and the camera thoroughly inspected by a specialist. The shutter and all functions operate smoothly, and the Berthiot Flor 35mm lens is in fine condition.
The underwater finder is not included, but the strap, caps, original paperwork, and the original box are present. The manuals are in English. Please note that the original box has tears on both the top and bottom.
Film loading follows a unique procedure: the lens must be removed to release the lock, after which the body shell is pulled upward. The dial-type aperture and focusing controls are charming little gimmicks, yet they were designed for good operability underwater (not tested by us, of course). This same mount system was carried over to later models, all the way up to the Nikonos V.
A hidden masterpiece in camera history, this model reflects both the excellence of its fundamental design and the French spirit of resisting conformity.
Ideal for a collection.
