Cameras designed for espionage, surveillance, or discreet use have a certain allure. I believe that also appeals to street photographers. Historically, these devices were engineered to be small, concealed, or disguised. It allowed them to capture moments without drawing attention.
For modern street photographers, blending into the environment and capturing candid, undisturbed moments is key. Here, we explore twenty special cameras from the past. Most have a spy-like quality that could inspire or assist today’s street photographers. This is where creativity combines with discretion.
Cover photo by Charley Pangus
1. Minox B (1958)
The Minox B was one of the most iconic spy cameras of the 20th century. Originally developed for espionage purposes, it was known for its tiny size (just a few inches long) and use of 8x11mm film. It captured tiny but sharp images. The Minox B was favored by both spies and civilians due to its ease of concealment and discreet operation.
• Street Potential: Its small size and ease of carrying in a pocket would appeal to modern street photographers. It is a lightweight, unobtrusive option to capture candid scenes without causing a stir.
2. Yashica Atoron (1965)
Another subminiature camera, the Yashica Atoron used 16mm film and was designed for both style and function. Its sleek, modern design made it a popular choice for photographers looking for a compact and portable option. Its ability to focus on small details made it a favorite among those interested in close-up, discreet work.
• Street Potential: The Atoron’s compact size and elegant design make it a great inspiration for street photographers. Especially those who want to combine style with discretion. Its ability to focus on close-up details can be used creatively for street scenes where textures and small interactions matter.
3. Tessina 35 (1957)
The Tessina 35 is a compact twin-lens reflex (TLR) camera that is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Designed by Austrian engineer Rudolph Steineck, it became popular due to its sleek, portable design. Its ability to capture square images on 35mm film was unique. The mirror-reflex design allowed for discrete waist-level shooting.
• Street Potential: With the waist-level viewfinder, photographers could capture subjects without raising the camera to their faces, allowing for more natural, spontaneous shots. This could inspire modern street photographers to consider creative compositions and angles that don’t confront their subjects.
4. Leica IIIf with Elmar 50mm f/3.5 Lens (1950s)
Leica’s legacy in street photography is undeniable. Their If model, often used for covert and journalistic purposes, earned a reputation as a subtle tool without being obtrusive. The Elmar 50mm lens collapsed into the camera body, making the entire package compact—perfect for slipping into a pocket.
• Street Potential: Even today, Leica cameras are often seen as the ultimate street photography tool for their quiet operation, fast shooting, and portability. The IIIf’s compact design and quiet shutter made it ideal for photographers who needed to operate unnoticed.
5. KGB F-21 Ajax (1970s)
The KGB F-21 Ajax was a spy camera used by Soviet agents. It has a unique design that allows it to be hidden in clothing or everyday objects like purses. This tiny, rugged camera shot 18x24mm frames on 35mm film, making it both effective and discreet. It’s one of the cameras often associated with Cold War espionage.
• Street Potential: The camera’s size and placement options (hidden in bags or jackets) could inspire modern street photographers. Think outside the box by experimenting with hidden cameras to capture scenes in ways that feel raw and unposed.
6. Robot Star II (1960s)
The Robot Star II is a compact 35mm camera with a clockwork motorized mechanism that allows for rapid sequential shooting. This made it popular with law enforcement and private investigators. It also offered everyday photographers the ability to capture many images in quick succession without needing to wind the film.
• Street Potential: The ability to shoot many frames rapidly would appeal to street photographers. Best used to capture fast-moving scenes or subtle changes in a subject’s expression or posture.
7. Leica KE-7A (1972)
The Leica KE-7A was a military-grade version of the legendary Leica M4, specifically designed for the U.S. military. It was built to withstand extreme conditions, with a rugged design and weather-resistant seals.
While it was used more for documentation purposes, its stealthy nature and rugged durability would appeal to street photographers operating in harsh environments.
• Street Potential: A tough-as-nails version of an already discreet camera, this Leica model combined durability with discretion, giving it both functional and wild appeal. It was ideal for street photographers who needed to stay incognito in challenging conditions.
8. LeCoultre Compass (1937)
The LeCoultre Compass is one of the most intriguing spy cameras ever made, known for its intricate design and compactness. This Swiss-made camera could shoot 24x36mm negatives on 35mm film, despite being the size of a matchbox. It came with a range of accessories, including a tripod, filters, and even a telephoto lens.
• Street Potential: The Compass’ pocketability, along with its full-featured versatility, could inspire street photographers to look for similar compact cameras with high functionality. In an era of mobile photography, the spirit of the Compass endures in modern devices.
9. Rolleiflex TLR (1929–1970s)
Though not exactly a spy camera, the Rolleiflex Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) was a favorite of legendary street photographer, Vivian Maier. The waist-level viewfinder allowed her to shoot candidly. This was due to not raising the camera to her face, making her less conspicuous in public spaces.
• Street Potential: Modern street photographers might find inspiration in the Rolleiflex’s unobtrusive shooting style. It allows for more natural, undisturbed moments. Its TLR design encouraged looking down rather than straight ahead, changing the dynamic between photographer and subject.
10. Minolta 16 (1957)
The Minolta 16 series was one of the earliest commercially available subminiature cameras. It used 16mm film to capture photos in a tiny, pocketable body. It was marketed as a stylish, discreet camera for everyday use, and its small size made it ideal for spontaneous, covert shots.
• Street Potential: The compact form factor makes the Minolta 16 an ideal inspiration for modern photographers. Small cameras can be carried anywhere, always ready for the right street moment.
Are There Weirder Cameras?
There have been several strange and wild cameras throughout history, designed to be hidden, disguised, or simply used in unconventional ways.
These quirky designs often pushed the boundaries of what was possible in photography, and some of them could easily fit into the toolkit of a modern street photographer for creative or discreet shooting. Here are a few more fascinating cameras that might pique your interest:
11. Gray-Stirn Vest Pocket Camera (1886)
One of the earliest “spy” cameras, the Gray-Stirn Vest Pocket Camera, was designed to be worn under clothing, with a lens protruding through a buttonhole. Its ability to capture images secretly made it a fascinating tool for espionage and candid photography.
For street photographers, this camera represents the importance of being unobtrusive—an essential quality when capturing unguarded moments in public.
• Street Potential: The Gray-Stirn concept could inspire modern photographers to seek more creative ways to integrate their cameras into everyday attire for stealth shooting.
12. Expo Watch Camera (1905)
One of the most peculiar cameras ever made, the Expo Watch Camera was a fully functioning camera disguised as a pocket watch. Measuring only 4.5 cm in diameter, this tiny camera used a circular disk of film to take about six small photos. Despite its tiny size, it was operational and used for discreet photography.
• Street Potential: Wearing a watch that’s also a camera is something straight out of a spy movie! For street photography, this kind of camera could have been used to blend into daily life while taking photos without anyone realizing.
13. The Echo 8 Lighter Camera (1951)
Looking just like a regular cigarette lighter, the Echo 8 was a tiny spy camera. It was developed in Japan in the early 1950s and was designed to take miniature photos using 8mm film. The camera was functional, with a small viewfinder and film advance lever disguised as the lighter’s ignition mechanism.
• Street Potential: The camera was hidden inside a tool people carried daily. It could easily pass as a regular lighter, making it a perfect spy tool. In today’s street photography world, it would be great for ultra-candid moments.
14. Doryu 2-16 Gun Camera (1952)
Looking like a toy gun, the Doryu 2-16 was a Japanese police-issue camera that shot 16mm film. While it was intended to be used for documenting crimes and gathering evidence, it had a bizarre, pistol-shaped design that made it stand out. The camera had a flashbulb on the top, further emphasizing its strange appearance.
• Street Potential: The gun-shaped design made it one of the most unconventional cameras ever created. Though it may not fit into today’s photography scene due to its gun-like shape, it stands out as one of the most bizarre cameras for capturing moments—while looking like you’re aiming a weapon. At least when the police show up, it won’t be for photographing.
15. The Lipstick Camera (1990s)
The Lipstick Camera was a tiny surveillance camera disguised as a tube of lipstick. Originally designed for covert operations and security purposes, this miniature camera was small enough to fit inside everyday objects, allowing users to record videos discreetly. Although primarily used for surveillance, its compact size and concealability made it a useful tool for anyone needing to capture images or videos without drawing attention.
•Street Potential: A camera hidden inside a seemingly ordinary object, like lipstick, takes the concept of discreet photography to the next level. For street photographers, such a design could inspire the use of ultra-compact or disguised cameras to capture candid shots without alerting their subjects.
16. Steineck ABC Wristwatch Camera (1949)
Another wristwatch camera, the Steineck ABC, took small circular photographs on 16mm film. It was designed to look like a regular wristwatch but could take up to eight photos per roll of film. Like the Expo Watch Camera, it was tiny, functional, and designed for covert use.
• Street Potential: The Steineck ABC was fully functional and looked just like a wristwatch, blending into the wearer’s outfit. For modern street photographers, wearing your camera on your wrist would make candid photography easier.
17. Hidden Briefcase Cameras (Cold War Era)
During the Cold War, hidden cameras were designed to be concealed within everyday objects like briefcases, hats, and books. These cameras often had remote triggers or automatic mechanisms to capture photos without needing to touch or reveal the camera.
The briefcase cameras used by spies had lenses embedded in the sides, allowing the user to walk around while snapping photos through the seemingly ordinary briefcase.
• Street Potential: A camera hidden inside a briefcase or other daily object is an ingenious concept that could easily translate to modern wearable or concealed street photography gear.
18. Krasnogorsk F-21 (1940s)
The Krasnogorsk F-21, made by the Soviet Union, was another miniature camera designed for espionage. It could be disguised in a variety of ways, including hidden in a belt buckle, a handbag, or even a coat button. This camera was used extensively by the KGB for covert surveillance.
• Street Potential: The F-21 could be completely disguised as an ordinary object. This makes it perfect for clandestine photography. For street photographers, this offers the wild idea of incorporating cameras into their accessories for truly candid shots.
19. Ticka Watch Camera (1905)
The Ticka Watch Camera was another pocket watch camera but with a twist. It didn’t just look like a watch—it also functioned as one! This camera took circular images on tiny film rolls, and it became quite popular for its compact design.
• Street Potential: A fully functional watch and camera in one—this odd little device would be a modern minimalist photographer’s dream, blending tools seamlessly into one.
20. F-21 Button Camera (1965)
Another Soviet spy tool, the F-21 Button Camera was ingeniously disguised as a button on a coat. It allows the user to operate the camera without drawing attention. The lens was built into a faux button, and the shutter could be triggered using a hidden mechanism, making it the ideal camera for covert operations.
• Street Potential: For street photographers seeking to be completely invisible to their subjects, this design offers a historical precedent for integrating cameras into clothing or everyday objects. With today’s wearable tech, this concept is ripe for creative reinvention.
Final Words
Throughout history, engineers and inventors created cameras that pushed the boundaries of photography, often designed for espionage and covert surveillance. These wild and strange cameras reflect a time when the need for discretion led to incredibly creative designs.
For modern street photographers, these tools offer inspiration for remaining inconspicuous. This is while capturing authentic, unposed moments on the street. From cameras hidden in watches to under-the-vest photography, the legacy of these innovative designs continues to inspire creativity in the art of candid photography.
