They are reproductions of what happens over time at a particular location in space. Strip cameras come in many different shapes and sizes and are often designed for specific applications. Among the more common cameras that depend on the strip method to fulfill their objective are certain panoramic cameras such as the Globuscope, the Hulcherama and the vintage Cirkut panoramic camera. More specialized are the photofinish cameras typically used at racetracks and other sports events for determining the winning order in races involving a close finish. Even more specialized are synchroballistic cameras and peripheral cameras.
Most strip cameras are quite expensive because they are specialized.
Because of this the potential for applying these cameras on a more general basis has been slow in gaining popularity. In this article I will describe how to modify inexpensive Polaroid cameras and adapt standard view cameras to exploit this neglected field of photography. In order to make a strip photograph all that is required is to move the film past a narrow slit installed just in front of the film plane while the image of the subject is made to move over the slit. Generally it is desirable to make the film move under the slit at the same rate as the image is moving over it. While 35mm cameras can be adapted to for strip photography by installing either near the film plane or out in front of the lens a narrow vertical slit and then rewinding the film while the shutter is open there is also a way in which one can be more readily experiment with this process using Polaroid materials.