Photo thanks to Lisa Martzke - [email protected]

The Nemrod Corp. of Spain was noted for producing various underwater equipment, including a beautifully engraved dual hose SCUBA regulator and spearguns. So it was natural for them to produce their own underwater camera too.

Like the Mako Shark underwater camera, the Nemrod Siluro of 1960-62 had the guts of a low cost camera transplanted into a molded plastic housing. The camera featured a fixed focus f/16 lens, prefocused to a distance of 1 to 2 1/2 meters, a flash bulb unit, and a single speed shutter (1/60th second). The camera used 120 film (rather than the now harder to find 620 for the Mako Shark) to take 6x6cm images. You could pressurize the camera interior using the valve (see front) so a stream of bubbles would foretell any leaks before the camera flooded completely. Lead weights helped the camera achieve neutral buoyancy, counteracting the tendency of the camera to float upwards. A battery and capacitor were used to trigger the bulb flash unit. Given a lens speed of f/16, the flash unit would have been useful or essential with all but the fastest film in shallow (bright and clear) waters. Since these cameras were for a specialty (non-mass) market, they command prices circa $100 for the full kit. The Nemrod Siluro underwater roll-film camera used an o-ring sealed casing with a sportsfinder frame, a bulb-flash unit, film advance and shutter-release controls. In essence, an underwater Kodak brownie. See the above links for related medium format cameras and resources.

Photo notes:

Nemrod Siluro Underwater Camera with flash attachment, and instruction booklets. Made by Metzeler, S.A., Barcelona, Spain. This ca. 1960's camera is made of heavy bakelite type plastic and is in excellent condition. This would not only be a super useable camera but also could be for the collector.

[Ed. note: thanks to Tim for sharing this tip...!]
Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2000
From: Tim McCreary [email protected]
To: Robert Monaghan [email protected]
Subject: Re: Nemrod

I found out Nemrod went out of busniess 1 year ago.

Thanks, Ted