Camera Obscura
Castlehill
Edinburgh
EH1 2LZ
United Kingdom

Tel: 0131 226 3709

There has been a camera obscura on the Outlook Tower in Edinburgh since the year 1853 although the optics of this were replaced in 1947. The new optics were made by Barr & Stroud of Glasgow. The Outlook Tower, which is part of a 17th century building, was originally known as Short's Observatory. It is to be found at the top of the Royal Mile and next to the castle.

The optics in this camera obscura are unusually complex. The lowest lens is 10" in diameter and a doublet. An 81" cylinder above contains a single lens half-way up and a triple 5" diameter lens at the top. The focal length of this lens combination is 337.7" which gives a focal ratio of about F68. The screen is a curved, white-painted table, The optics can be rotated through 360 degrees to give panoramic views of historic Edinburgh.