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THE ORIGINAL FORM OF 'NEW MICROSCOPE' OF POWELL & LEALAND

MAKER: POWELL & LEALAND

MODEL: 'NEW MICROSCOPE'

DATED: 1843

SIGNED ON THE ARM: 'Powell & Lealand, Makers, London' and also dated '1843'

THIS PAGE: The P & L Soemmering type Camera Lucida

P & L orig microscope with camera lucida

Soemmering Camera LucidaSoemmering Camera LucidaThe Soemmering form of camera lucida was sold by Powell & Lealand for many years. As seen on the left, it came in its own brass can. As shown to the right, to use it, the regular eyepiece cap is removed and the camera installed in its place. The microscope with the camera installed on an eyepiece is positioned in a horizontal position. The highly polished silver reflector of the camera is angled at 45 degrees so as to project the image coming from the eyepiece up while the user is looking down. The reflector is designed to be smaller than the average pupil in a darkened room, so as it allow the user to use the center of their visual field see the image, while at the same time the rest of the retina can visualize the paper. This can also be accomplished by keeping both eyes open as one eye is looking at the camera and the other at the paper. This example has no provision for changing the angle of the reflector. Later examples could swivel to provide fine adjustments in the angle. Such a later example, also by P & L, is on this site.