Miniature Panoramic Camera

On April, 1954 was delivered at GOI in Leningrad a liliput lens called Helios-57 9mm f/3,5, whose weight was a mere 1,5gr but at the same time it showed a sophisticated 6 elements Gauss formula plus a plate glass, able to clutch-out some 85 lines per mm! This jewel of miniaturization was fitted on some micro-spy cameras reportedly used by KGB; one of the most interesting and cute among them is a true panoramic camera with a spring-driven tilting lens (the same Helios-57) fitted into a 12mm diameter drum: a true masterpiece milled from solid aluminum and able to cover 80° on the diagonal of the well-known 8x11mm Minox format; only three exemplars are know to exist and the acution prices boost to very high rate. Compare camera size with Vega film cassete case. One will see the camera miniaturization.Courtesy Mario Cavina:
http://www.luciolepri.it/lc2/marcocavina/articoli_fotografici/Helios_57_micropanoramic_camera/00_pag.htm Image cridits:Westlicht Photographica Auction

Lens is described at: http://www.ussrphoto.com/Wiki/default.asp?ContentID=403&ParentID=2&WikiCatID=27