Obscura

$650.00
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Estimated restock for the second batch of Obscuras is January 2025.
Sign up to the waitlist to get exclusive access.

Designed with Beers and Cameras for analog photographers and built to thrive both in the field and on the wrist, the Obscura is a fusion of horology and photographic utility. Whether you're capturing fleeting moments on film or kicking back at a beachside café, the Obscura is built to be your everyday companion.

This collaboration marks the first timepiece to integrate an exposure gauge complication based on the Sunny 16 Rule, a clever and time-tested method for determining proper exposure without the need for a light meter. Developed from a patented innovation by Beers And Cameras founder Juan Martinez, the Obscura distills this essential photographic principle into an intuitive, wrist-worn tool.

The concept behind the Obscura was first conceived over five years ago and officially patented in June 2024 (Patent No. 12,007,722). Nodus is proud to be the first brand to bring this complication to market, marking an exciting moment in the intersection of horology and photography.

The Obscura is designed and assembled in Los Angeles.

All product lifestyle photography was shot on film using the Exposure Gauge.

Get notified by email when this product is in stock.

Estimated restock for the second batch of Obscuras is January 2025.
Sign up to the waitlist to get exclusive access.

Designed with Beers and Cameras for analog photographers and built to thrive both in the field and on the wrist, the Obscura is a fusion of horology and photographic utility. Whether you're capturing fleeting moments on film or kicking back at a beachside café, the Obscura is built to be your everyday companion.

This collaboration marks the first timepiece to integrate an exposure gauge complication based on the Sunny 16 Rule, a clever and time-tested method for determining proper exposure without the need for a light meter. Developed from a patented innovation by Beers And Cameras founder Juan Martinez, the Obscura distills this essential photographic principle into an intuitive, wrist-worn tool.

The concept behind the Obscura was first conceived over five years ago and officially patented in June 2024 (Patent No. 12,007,722). Nodus is proud to be the first brand to bring this complication to market, marking an exciting moment in the intersection of horology and photography.

The Obscura is designed and assembled in Los Angeles.

All product lifestyle photography was shot on film using the Exposure Gauge.

  • For film photographers, exposure is everything. Many classic cameras lack built-in light meters or automatic exposure modes, requiring users to rely on experience, handheld meters, or mental calculations. The Obscura simplifies this process by expanding on the Sunny 16 Rule via an analogue, mechanical complication, providing quick exposure guidance at a glance.

    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 lighting conditions of sunny day 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.

    How to use the Exposure Gauge:

    1. Turn the bezel indicator clockwise to match your lens aperture with the corresponding value on the chapter ring.

    2. Then, find the correct ISO marker on the dial-ring based on your film speed:
      ISO 100 or +1 (ISO 200)
      ISO 400 or +1 (ISO 800)

    3. The ISO marker points to the corresponding shutter speed.

    4. Based on lighting conditions (sunny or cloudy with minimal shadows), use the shutter speed indicated on the bezel to properly set your camera and make your image.

    Wireframe

  • CASE
    316L surgical-grade stainless steel
    38mm case width x 40mm bezel width X 11.7mm thickness x 47mm lug-to-lug x 20mm lug width

    CROWN
    Screw-down crown
    Made of CuAl5 Bronze with black DLC coating

    GLASS
    Box sapphire crystal
    Blue anti-reflective coating on the underside

    BEZEL
    Bi-directional limited rotation bezel (16 clicks between 12:00 - 4:00)
    Exposure gauge complication
    Bezel inlay made of aluminum
    Bezel grip made of CuAl5 Bronze with black DLC coating

    LUME
    Swiss Super-LumiNova® BGW9 Grade A

    WATER RESISTANCE
    100 meters

    BRACELET
    20mm-16mm taper
    Proprietary Nodus Extension Clasp
    Quick-release springbars

    STRAP
    Black Hybrid TecTuff® Rubber Strap

  • CALIBER: TMI NH38
    ORIGIN: Japan
    JEWELS: 24
    POWER RESERVE: 41 hours
    ANTIMAGNETIC: ≧ 4800 A / m
    ACCURACY: +/- 10 seconds per day (regulated by Nodus)

    Movement

  • All watch orders require a signature upon delivery.

    Please allow up to three business days for your order to be dispatched, excluding special circumstances.

    If you are not satisfied with your purchase, your watch may be returned or exchanged within fourteen (14) days of receiving it.

  • Our watches are assembled and thoroughly inspected in our Los Angeles workshop and are covered by our 24-month international limited warranty.

    Please see our warranty page for more information.