Williamson Type 96 Aerial Camera

Type 96 airborne camera, as used on the Victor & Canberra reconnaisance aircraft. Successor to F52.

The F96 camera was the successor to the F52, it is a medium to high altitude camera which can be used in the vertical or oblique role.

The main advantages are the inclusion of image movement compensation which minimises the effect of aircraft speed; the wider shutter speeds 1/60 second to 1/500 second; the wider variety of lenses - 6 inches, 12 inches, 18 inches, 24 inches, 36 inches and 48 inches and the larger capacity magazines, 250 feet, 500 feet and 1000 feet. The format is 9 inches square and a 9 1/2 inch wide film is used, the camera is pulsed via an intervalometer and a maximum repetition speed of 1.8 seconds per exposure can be achieved. Later versions of the camera had automatic exposure control incorporated.

The camera was used in the Victor reconnaissance aircraft and in the Canberra PR 9.