Lensman: All those moments….  

It is no secret that the HORAGE team are as obsessed with cameras as they are watches. What is the source of this fascination? Why did we feel driven to create a whole series of camera inspired timepieces? 

For us, the synergies are clear; but it’s a healthy habit to step outside your own bubble from time to time to appreciate an unfamiliar perspective. Today’s post is an opportunity to reflect on this story and to remind you of just how formidable our Lensman watch series is, regardless of whether you are a camera nerd or not. 

Let’s start with the obvious: a mechanical watch and camera are both precision instruments made of hundreds, sometimes thousands of individual parts. For the long since ‘obsolete’ mechanical camera (i.e. a film camera requiring no batteries) the sole source of energy is a series of wound steel springs. Sound familiar? This was the case not only for stills cameras but also for those shooting moving images. These cameras needed winding up just like a mechanical watch. It might also not surprise you that some famous camera manufacturers also produced components for watches and clocks in times gone by. 

Human beings are creatures with a strong affinity for all that we see: You could go as far as saying that as a species we have an unhealthy obsession with the visual. Of our five senses vision takes the centre stage, especially when considering the vast scale of human culture and commercial activity. The development of portable, high- quality cameras using the 35mm film format was the catalyst to turn photography into a truly mass-market phenomenon. Prior to this every recorded image witnessed by humans had to painted, drawn or handwritten. 

35mm film also became the standard international material for shooting moving images enabling the explosive growth of cinema, Hollywood and all that went with it. This was the dominant force in western culture for almost 100 years, and it changed the human experience forever. Would it be outlandish to suggest, that both the camera and wristwatch both belong to the small and elite group of humankind’s most defining analogue inventions?  

And now, just a few decades into the digital era we can already experience the curious phenomenon that we simultaneously demand the functionality of modern technology whilst yearning for the simplicity of the past. For most people photography currently takes place through the screen of their smartphone. Yet the aesthetic of ‘retro’ or ‘vintage’ cameras remains extremely strong outside the narrow band of professional photography: we love the style of simple, analogue machines from an era most of us never experienced.  

Such a fascinating juxtaposition is worthy of our full attention. Why not celebrate the contradictions of human nature? Only so can we embrace the clash of tradition and tech found in a flying tourbillion built with hardened titanium and Si3N4 silicon nitride bearings. 

What will come next? As we accelerate towards the AI era at breakneck speed will the craft of bracketing, bokeh and bulb setting completely vanish from our consciousness? 

Lost in time….. 

Are there any other camera nerds out there?  

Tell us about your irrational vintage obsessions! 

What’s your favourite vintage gadget?