The Academy is an early magazine hand camera. It consists of a pair of vertically mounted lenses which slide for focusing. Behind the top lens is a ground glass screen. To expose a plate the camera is inverted a brass knob is pulled which opens a shutter to the magazine allowing a plate to drop to the exposing position. After exposure the knob is again pulled (against a spring) and the plate drops back into the magazine which is then moved one position.

In 1887 a New Academy was introduced this had a mirror behind the glass screen making the camera into a twin-lens reflex, the smallest model did not have this improvement which was the subject of a patent by V. Driffield.

Seven models were originally produced:

• No. 1 for 1 ¼" square plates.
• No. 2 for 2" square plates.
• No. 3 for 3 ¼" square plates.
• No. 4 for 3 ¼" x 4 ¼" plates.

Numbers 2, 3 and 4 were available with rectilinear lenses and superior finish, giving models 2A, 3A and 4A. Models except No. 1 had rack and pinion focusing. Several minor variants of the No. 1 exist, the most noticeable being the width of the shutter plate.

The Academy was shown at the RPS exhibition in 1881. A patent by W. Brookes was taken out in 1881, which could be the basis for the camera. The price was £2.10.0.

Benjamin Wyles were photographers and Miniature Painters, the prize medal may refer to the 1875 RPS exhibition where Wyles exhibited several photographs.