1800s "instant camera" on Alexander Armstrongs India

Just watching Ep2 of Alexander Armstrong in India, having his picture taken in Jaipur by a street vendor with a large tripod camera from around 1860.

They were popular "instant cameras" for getting B&W identification pictures for documents. One of those where you lift off the cover from the lens for a second or so.

The vendor developed the picture in a dark room at the rear of the camera and it was all done in a few minutes.

I was astonished at the quality of the image.

He's been taking photos for people with the old gear since 1970, fascinating little piece of the program.

Not seen the episode but sounds just like the Afghan Camera

View: https://youtu.be/18-5xaVfhR8

The first time I read about these was in a 1960s magazine.

It might have been "Amateur Photographer" or one of the monthlies.

I think there was a suggestion that such cameras might have given Dr Land the idea for the Polaroid camera system.

Saw this. I was impressed by his conversion from negative to positive