The Nelrod Universal camera was announced in 1955 and was designed and produced by G. H. Williamson (Sales) Ltd of Oxford and marketed by Dawe Instruments. Produced some five years after the Nelrod Press camera this camera was the successor model and according to the BJP 'gives evidence that in this country we still hold pride of place in tailor-made photographic apparatus of precision, in a world largely populated with equally precision mass produced equipment'.

The praise of the camera was fulsome: 'It is, in fact, a feature of this firm that they are prepared, at a surprisingly reasonable price, as the price of this present camera proves, to build just a single camera incorporating whatever special features may be called for, in a skilfully worked out integral design which utilises a very special experience of camera construction, and so ensures freedom from those latent snags which too often develop at an early period in the life of a new, untried model'. The camera cost £200 with its accessories.

The camera featured a coupled rangefinder that was automatically engaged by sliding a cursor into place with three appropriate interchangeable lenses of 13.5cm., 18cm. and 6.8cm. lenses. It had a full range of technical movements including a drop baseboard, forward lens swing, rise and cross front and unlimited side swing. The camera had both focal-plane and Compur shutters. Perhaps the most useful feature at the time was the provision of a flashgun mounting by means of a bayonet mount either at the side or on the top of the camera.