History of Photography. Techniques and Equipment by Camfield and Deirdre Wills.

Exeter, 1980. [Camfield Wills was a founder of the historical section of the Royal Photographic Society. This book includes many illustrations and information not found in histories by U.S. authors, although it includes the history of U.S. developments in the medium.] Cloth, fine with very good or better dust jacket, 188 pages. Summary:

History of Photography: Techniques and Equipment (1980), co-authored by Camfield Wills and Deirdre Wills, is a comprehensive illustrated guide detailing the technological and mechanical evolution of photography from its inception through the mid-twentieth century. Published by Hamlyn in London and issued concurrently by Exeter Books in New York, the 188-page hardcover volume serves as both a historical narrative and an essential reference manual for collectors, historians, and photographic enthusiasts.

The book traces the chronological development of the medium by focusing on the shifting interplay between chemical innovations and hardware engineering. The authors provide thorough overviews of early foundational processes—such as the daguerreotype, calotype, ambrotype, and albumen print—before transitioning into the darkroom advancements of the late nineteenth century, including carbon and bichromate printing methods. Alongside these chemical milestones, the volume documents the evolution of essential optical and physical apparatuses, mapping out early view cameras, developments in focal length lenses, the advent of early exposure meters, and the eventual rise of portable, consumer-oriented equipment.