Talk:F24 camera

F24 or F.24 ?
The original author of this article stated (in 2012) "It is widely and erroneously referred to as F.24 or F-24." Whilst this may be correct (or not - see below) to me it comes across as harsh criticism. I offer the slightly softer "it is sometimes referred to as..."

Widely? An internet search today yields the usual confusion of Microsoft edited results, but overall I would query if 'widely' is fully justified. Unfortunately it is the Imperial War Museum who are one of the guilty parties, showing a fine example of a wooden box stencilled F 24, whilst their write up reads "F-24". Oops! https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30004963

Williamson? Surely it should be the "Williamson F24 Camera', even if it was commonly referred to by RAF personnel as simply F24, in the same way that a Spifire is a "Supermarine Spitfire", but it is too late to change the page title now. (Yes, I have noted the outline design was RAE, and that Vinten were also contracted to build examples)

F.24? It might be that even the manufacturers were ambivalent on this matter. Adverts in Flight dated 1957 and 1959 offer later cameras such as the Williamson F96 and F117 models. On the other hand Camera-manual.com offer a 52-page Instruction Manual (dated 1930) clearly headed F.24 - so maybe Williamson changed their designation system over time? I am happy that the article title is correct, but less happy to pour scorn on those that might have alternative names.

Flight 1957 advert https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/295557891656; Flight 1959 advert https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266876819957; 1930 Instruction Manual https://www.camera-manual.com/williamson-f-24-manual-19337 (apologies if these pages are not available in the future; I'm not archiving them)

WendlingCrusader (talk) 12:14, 7 July 2024 (UTC)


 * Footnote; the Science Museum have a copy of an album produced by Williamson (dated 1956) detailing their "F.96" camera. Note - the Science Museum catalogue it as "F96", but the original album itself features embossed gold print clearly showing "F.96 Air Camera", or is that just a printers error?
 * Science Museum ref; WKC/A/1/01
 * https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110073979/album-of-photographs-and-information-for-the-f96-air-reconnaissance-camera WendlingCrusader (talk) 12:27, 7 July 2024 (UTC)