Submitted by Al …
(Adapted from The Encyclopedia of Photography ©1963)
The camera gun is a device resembling a gun in appearance which combines the features of a regular gun stock, sight, and trigger with the mechanism of the camera’s shutter and viewing system. Designed to duplicate a gun’s ease of handling and aiming accuracy, the camera gun is particularly valuable for use with long telephoto lenses where camera steadiness is essential. The first photographic rifle was invented in 1882 by Etienne-Jules Marey.
The first important commercial use of the camera gun was in the coverage of the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Here it was proven to be more efficient than the cumbersome Big Berthas, especially in covering the fast-moving racing events.
In addition to sports coverage, the camera gun is widely used for photographing birds and animals in the field.
Today, the camera gun has been modified somewhat by the introduction of the shoulder-pod, also known as the shoulder brace. This device is generally of tubular metal construction and is lighter and more flexible than the camera gun prototype. The shoulder-pod fits the body like a rifle butt, and a shutter release trigger is located in the hand grip. Some models are adjustable for both horizontal and vertical shooting.
Another offshoot of the camera gun is the pistol grip. Pistol grips resemble the butt of a pistol and are attached to the camera by the tripod socket. Designed primarily for use with movie cameras, most pistol grips have a built-in shutter release mechanism.
Also of interest, and still widely used, is the camera machine gun. This device, when mounted on and operated from an airplane, makes photographic records while simulating the firing of an actual machine gun. It is designed to train students the technique of aerial gunnery without the danger of real bullets. In wartime, it is used in synchronization with real machine guns to make official photographic record of hits.
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