Nodus Obscura II: The Exposure Gauge Watch for Analog Photographers

The intersection of horology and photography is a space defined by mechanical precision and the manipulation of light. While many brands attempt to capture this spirit through aesthetics alone, the Nodus Obscura II represents a deeper integration of these two worlds. Its core idea is genuinely functional, even if it serves a niche. This is a mechanical sports watch built around an exposure gauge bezel based on the Sunny 16 Rule, aiming straight at film shooters, meterless camera users, and anyone who likes their watch to do something specific beyond telling the time.

Just as importantly, Obscura II is a statement about where enthusiast microbrands are heading in 2026: less homage energy, more proprietary utility, and more confidence in making a watch that does not need mass-market appeal to succeed.

A Calculated Approach to Design and Function

The Obscura’s bezel and chapter ring translate the Sunny 16 Rule into a wrist-based exposure guide. Instead of remembering the relationship between aperture, ISO, lighting conditions, and shutter speed, you align the bezel indicator with your chosen aperture, pick your film speed marker, and read the suggested shutter speed for sunny or overcast daylight conditions.

This is not a replacement for a meter in tricky light, and it does not try to be. It’s meant to be quick, good-enough guidance for daylight shooting, especially with classic cameras that have no built-in meter, unreliable meters, or a workflow where you want to stay in the moment.

Nodus leaned into the photography theme without turning the dial into merch. The Obscura II introduces a darker fumé dial with a grainy texture intended to evoke film grain, while keeping the layout readable. In the images, the turquoise seconds hand adds a flash of energy against the otherwise serious palette, and the applied markers are broad enough to keep the watch sporty rather than delicate.

Nodus is offering the Obscura II in two versions:

Inside is a TMI NH38, a familiar no-date automatic that’s chosen because it is robust, serviceable, and cost-effective, leaning into the charm and ritual of an affordable automatic, with the usual trade-offs in accuracy and set-and-forget convenience.

But nobody should buy the Obscura II because they want movement bragging rights. You buy it because the bezel is the point, and because the rest of the watch is well-specified enough to support that central idea.

It’s tempting to compare the Obscura II to dive watches, because of the silhouette. Functionally, it belongs closer to watches like slide-rule pilots, regatta timers, or compass-bezel field watches: pieces where the bezel exists to do a job.

The difference is that most calculation bezels are universal tools that many owners never use. The Obscura II is the opposite: hyper-specific, instantly meaningful if you shoot film, and basically decorative if you do not.

Pricing, Availability & Where to Get One

The Nodus Obscura II launches in two variants, priced at $650 for the stainless steel version and $725 for the full black DLC model. The under $1,000 segment is crowded with competent mechanical sports watches. What’s rare is a model in this price range that brings a truly differentiated user experience without leaning on nostalgia alone.

In terms of availability, this is being sold on a pre-order style timeline, with shipping scheduled to begin in late March 2026.

The Nodus Obscura II is one of those releases that matters less because it will sell to everyone, and more because it proves a point: microbrands can still innovate where big brands often play it safe. By building a photographer’s exposure gauge into a wearable, legible sports watch, Nodus created something that feels specific, intentional, and refreshingly unconcerned with pleasing the entire internet.

Pick the stainless steel Obscura II if you want the concept in its most wearable, everyday form. Choose the Obscura II DLC if you want the stealth look and a harder-wearing attitude. Either way, the Obscura II is at its best when it is used as intended: not as a gimmick, but as a small mechanical companion to a very analog hobby.