WHAT IS A CIRKUT?

Cirkut cameras are specialized panoramic cameras. Completely analog, they use large, 10” wide rolls of photographic film. No digital! They caused a sensation when introduced in 1904, and quickly became popular among professional photographers, capturing scenic vistas, epic events, and group photographs of conventioneers, workers, soldiers, statesmen and students.

By the time the last Cirkut was manufactured in 1949, only 3,000 to 4,000 Cirkut cameras were produced in total over the 45 years. Today only a small fraction of those remain and most existing Cirkut cameras are now over 100 years old.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

A Cirkut camera operates by rotating on a special geared tripod, while exposing the large-format roll film in synchronization with the rotation. The camera's clockwork motor drives both the rotation of the body and the advancement of the film, ensuring a continuous and even exposure. A narrow slit near the film plane allows only a small section of film to be exposed at any moment. The rotation speed and film advancement are precisely calibrated with a set of numbered gears, enabling the camera to capture seamless panoramic images as it sweeps across the scene.

Group portraits with the #10 Cirkut can include thousands of people and can be up to 12 feet long, although normal practical sizes vary between 3-6 feet in length. Cirkut panoramas are perfect for:

• Unique wedding group portraits

• Corporate events and conferences.

• School functions and groups

• Sports teams and events

• Special interest groups

• Family reunions and gatherings.

A handful of enthusiasts have kept the cameras alive and in 2022, I became one of them. I obtained and restored a 1926 Cirkut #10, capable of images 10” tall and up to 12 feet long. In 2024, I started offering Cirkut portraits for clients. Since then, I’ve captured a growing number of group portraits of 100+ people with my Cirkut and now, I’m excited to bring this rare offering to a wider audience. The process itself is an experience: from the careful orchestration of the group to the moment the 100-year-old spring-driven motor is started, the Cirkut panoramic camera creates an unforgettable moment no digital camera can replicate!

THE PIZZA RUN!

The "Pizza Run" is a playful quirk of the Cirkut panorama, popularized soon after the camera's introduction in the early 1900s. This trick allows participants to appear in the final negative more than once!

Since the Cirkut camera captures the scene in a continuous pan, it records only a narrow slice of the crowd at any given moment. Once the lens has passed one section, quick-footed participants can dash behind the camera to the opposite end of the crowd, positioning themselves to be photographed again before the pan is complete. This adds a lighthearted touch to the Cirkut experience. When I ask the crowd if anyone wants to attempt the Pizza Run, there's usually an awkward silence with no immediate volunteers. But, without fail, someone always makes a last-second dash to pull it off!

You can see in the KPOP group portrait below the three participants at the end of the group appear twice!