Would you buy a watch that could help you be a better film photographer? What if it’s also just a really nice looking watch?
The Nodus Obscura uses the Sunny 16 rule and a custom bezel to help with exposure calculation.
The Sunny 16 Rule is a straightforward way to gauge daylight exposure using incident light rather than reflected readings. This rule states that on a bright, sunny day, an ISO 100 film shot at f/16 requires a shutter speed of 1/125s. The Obscura adapts this principle, offering settings for various other apertures, ISO’s, and the most common lighting conditions of sunny days and overcast cloudy skies. While night photographers already know they’ll be working with slow shutter speeds, daylight shooters will find the Exposure Gauge on the Obscura an indispensable reference. (From Nodus)
The Obscura features a bronze bezel and crown with a black PVD coating that gradually wears down over time, revealing the warm bronze beneath. This aging process mirrors the way vintage black-paint cameras wear through to their brass bodies with years of use. Designed to develop character, the Obscura will take on a unique patina with wear. (From Nodus)
I think that is cool as heck.
I like vintage watches. I also like well made watches that are built to age and patina in a unique but expected manner are pretty sweet. Priced at $650 bucks and assembled in Los Angeles under a collaboration with Beers and Cameras the Obscura is currently available for pre-order expecting to ship in June 2025! Should I get one? Let me know in the comments.