Re: Who invented the Cirkut camera?

[Steve Shapiro <sgshiya@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

see below --
Subject: Re: Who invented the Cirkut camera?


> Thank you for referring to the Panorama article, Jeff. I should add
however, that the Johnston Patent from 1904 probably does not mark the
beginning of the Cirkut Age. In the patent, Mr. Johnston writes that he has
"invented new and useful Improvements to Panoramic Cameras".  The use of the
word "improvements" indicates that something, perhaps many things, preceded
the 1904 patent.
>
> If we look back in the photographic timeline, we can mark 1888 as the year
flexible film was invented by Hannibal Goodwin and marketed by Eastman
Kodak. Of course, cameras on the order of the Cirkut need flexible film, so
we are looking at the period of between 1888 and 1904 as the period where
Cirkut technology was born. I would speculate that several "embryonic"
Cirkut-type cameras were patented during this time and could be researched
if one had the time and the Patent numbers.
>
> The Patent Office unfortunately, does not have an all-encompassing index
of inventions ( the bad news ), but they did publish such an index on a
yearly basis ( the good news ). Therefore, one could start in 1888 and look
up all the patents for photographic cameras filed each year and then distill
out the panoramic ones from there. ( Usually, but not always, a patent for
panoramic cameras will include the word "panoramic" ). The indexes and the
patent applications are in the custody of the National Archives ( College
Park, MD ) and probably the Patent Office as well. I would do this on my own
if I had the time.
>
> Another wrinkle is the possibility that some key inventions leading up to
the Cirkut Camera were not patented. Last year Bill McBride and myself went
to a museum in Baltimore trying to research Mr. Frederick Mueller who had
invented ( and patented ) a panoramic camera which shot circular images
 this image was featured in the April 1998 issue of Panorama ). We didn't
find that particular camera among their artifacts, but we did find what
appeared to be a one-of-a-kind rotational panoramic camera that shot 10"
film in which the film feed and take-up drum were an integral part of the
camera ( no separate film back ). So there are lots of variables in the
quest ! Mr. Mueller's invention? Who knows...
>
> Anyway, happy hunting to those who venture forth to find "Who Invented the
Cirkut Camera" !
>
> Regards,
>
> Richard
>
Our San Francisco MOMA, according to director David Ross on Charlie Rose the
other night, is goingto feture the Cirkut camera soon.

That's what got me going.

Steve Shapiro