Vageeswari camera



Vageeswari cameras were Indian large format cameras. They were the first field camera manufactured in India and were recognised globally. Vageeswari cameras were designed and manufactured by K. Karunakaran, an Alappuzha-based technician.

Cameras were named after the goddess Saraswati. The first camera came with a price tag of Rs 250. It was also used in forensic departments.

History
In 1942, Padmanabhan Nair, a photo studio owner, asked Kunju Kunju Bhagavathar, a musician, to fix his camera's torn bellows. Bhagavathar was able to fix it. Nair then suggested Bhagavathar to make a camera but he declined. However his son, Karunakaran, took on the challenge. He started asking about the details of a camera and even travelled to Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai to learn more about camera's working. He deconstructed an old camera and then put it back together.

In 1946, Karunakaran finally built the first Vageeswari camera. It was on par with foreign cameras and its price was a fraction of foreign camera. They were an instant hit. By 1950, Karunakaran manufactured between 50-100 cameras per month and employed 30 people. By 1960s, he also got orders from Germany and Sri Lanka.

By 1980s, Vageeswari started becoming obsolete as the market started favouring compact cameras. In 1995, manufacturing of the Vageeswari completely stopped. In April 2016, K Karunakaran, aged 90, passed away.

The camera has seen a revival in attention. In 2021, Lokame Tharavsdu exhibition was held where Anu John David, a photographer showcasted Vageeswari cameras and photographs. People like Satheesh Nair are now restoring Vageeswari cameras.

Construction
The body was made of teak. Brass and aluminium knobs as well as Nettlefold screws held the frame together. German lenses were attached to a leather bellow. The cameras were entirely assembled by hand. Eight variants were produced that included small cameras that were used to make a maximum of four passport-size photos.