What Year Were Spy Cameras Invented?

Spies and private detectives have used miniature and sub-miniature cameras almost since the invention of photography itself. Because of their small size, these cameras were easy to carry and hide in clothing or bags to photograph people, places and documents. Information from the photos helped individuals, groups, governments and the military know more about their enemies. As photography evolved, inventors introduced spy cameras using the latest technology.

Plate cameras

A tiny wooden camera, one inch by one and two-thirds inches, was made in France in 1865 and was probably the first spy camera, according to Ralph D. Thomas of Thomas Investigative Publications Inc. and the National Association of Investigative Specialists in his "The History And Evolution Of Spy And Investigative Photography." Because the camera used daguerreotypes, or metal plates, to make the photos, only one picture could be taken at a time and exposures took very long.

Black-and-white film cameras

One of the first miniature film cameras was the Ansco Memo Camera of 1927. Good for action and speed photos, it measured 1.5 by 4 by 2 inches. It was quite expensive and not normally purchased by the general public. It was a favorite of private detectives because it could take pictures rapidly in sequence on one roll of film.

Color film cameras

One of the first color-film cameras used in espionage was the Lumiere ELJY Subminiature Camera from France. It appeared in the 1930s and had high-tech features such as a pop-up viewfinder, shutter speeds as short as 1/100 of a second and variable focus. It measured only .9 inches by 1.4 inches.

The Whittaker Company of California made the popular Micro 16 from 1946 to 1950. It was frequently hidden in cigarette packages, used 16 mm color film, and had an adjustable aperture and 90-degree viewfinder.

The well-known and wildly popular Minox spy camera of the 1940s incorporated many professional controls over shutter speed, lens focal length and aperture. It was excellent at document photography and close-ups. It was a state-of-the-art spy camera well into the 1980s.

Many spy-camera makers entered the marketplace during the 1950s. Private detectives and spies of this time also used so-called button cameras, which were disguised as buttons on overcoats. These cameras had to be sewn into the coats by hand. During the Cold War, the Soviets invented the Photosniper camera that used a rifle stock for aiming; surveillance personnel used them to photograph people visiting Soviet embassies around the world.

Polaroid film cameras

Polaroid film, invented by Edwin Land in the late 1950s, revolutionized spy cameras. Spies could produce photographs instantly because the development chemicals processed the film within minutes.

Digital cameras

The advent of digital photography in the late 1980s brought even smaller spy cameras into production. Now videos from microscopic cameras in full color and high resolution can be seen in real time from remote locations.

References

• History of Spy Photography
• Spy Cameras

Resources

• History and photos of spy cameras