Houghton Victo Stereo (Triple Victo Stereo)

The Victo Stereo (Triple Victo Stereo) represents a significant early attempt at miniature photography, introduced by Houghton in 1900. This camera is notable primarily for its pioneering use of the 135 format (35mm perforated motion picture film) in still photography, anticipating the format's dominance by several decades. Designed as a stereo camera, it likely captured two side-by-side images on each frame, creating stereoscopic pairs that could be viewed through a separate viewer. Its design would have been relatively simple for its era, featuring body construction typical of pre-WWI cameras, possibly with basic metal or composite materials and a simple shutter mechanism. The introduction of a 35mm camera in 1900 places the Victo Stereo at the very forefront of miniature format experimentation, predating the more famous Leica by over two decades and highlighting Houghton's willingness to innovate with emerging technology. While not achieving widespread commercial success, it stands as an important artifact documenting the early exploration of 35mm film for portable still cameras and the specific application of stereo photography using this format.