360° photography machine

The 360° camera is a camera capable of taking a complete panoramic photograph (covering the entire area) on a single negative from a certain point.

History

The camera was invented by Sebastião Carvalho Leme,a Brazilian photographer when he lived in Marília, São Paulo. In 1957, a businessman requested a photograph of his buildings at a confluence of three corners, and his interest was to show all the buildings in a single photo — which would necessarily have to be done in 360 degrees.

Using a Rolleiflex camera with a panoramic head, ten negatives were taken which, when enlarged and assembled, resulted in the desired photo.

The challenge arose: Why not take a photograph covering 360 degrees on a single negative?
The invention

Lemos put that challenge on his mind's "agenda" and began to consider a solution to the case. The embryo of an idea emerged. It was, therefore, patented under number 99 271 at the then National Department of Industrial Property (now extinct and succeeded by the National Institute of Industrial Property) on November 26, 1957. A lens was installed in a can of tomato paste, a special internal device (which is the principle of the invention) and a piece of film fixed inside the can. With his hand he turned the objective, thus carrying out the first test to feel the possibilities. The test was carried out in front of the Senai building using the 360° photography system. Once the film was developed, the possibility of taking 360° photos was precariously proven. Once the first prototype was made, already mechanized, confirmation came. Three prototypes were made, taking around a year to perfect.

In the meantime, certain that he had found the solution for taking 360° photos, Leme arranged the patent process that was processed for a few years at the National Department of Industrial Property, during which time the viability of the system and the existence of similar systems were researched, granting The patent was issued on April 23, 1962 under number 61,472. Approximately 20 years after the granting of the patent, a similar system appeared in the United States, without, however, the internal device mentioned above.