110 - S.F.O.M., France | WWII Spy Camera

S.F.O.M., France | WWII Spy Camera Estimate: €5,000–6,000 Year: c. 1940 Serial No.: 200 Condition: B- English: French miniature spy camera by Société Française d’Optique et de Mécanique, developed around the outbreak of World War II, reportedly for use by French military intelligence services. This remarkable precision instrument represents one of the most fascinating early developments in clandestine photography. Concealed within an extremely compact, all-metal rectangular body, the camera produces 8 × 11 mm negatives on narrow-gauge roll film, employing an ingenious rack-and-pinion film transport mechanism and a miniature metal focal-plane shutter with speeds ranging from 1/20 to 1/250 of a second. It is fitted with its original 2.8/20 mm taking lens, which focuses down to approximately 30 cm. The sophisticated internal construction incorporates two specially designed removable film cassettes, precision-machined metal components, and an unusually elaborate miniature shutter (fires but is not accurate) and transport mechanism. This particular example is especially remarkable for its completeness, as it retains the original taking lens and both specially designed film cassettes. German: Miniature spy camera by the Société Française d’Optique et de Mécanique, developed around the beginning of World War II for the French military intelligence service. This remarkable precision instrument is among the most fascinating early developments in covert photography. The extremely compact, rectangular, all-metal housing produces 8 × 11 mm negatives on narrow roll film. Film advance is achieved via a sophisticated rack-and-pinion mechanism; it features a miniature metal slit shutter with shutter speeds ranging from 1/20 to 1/250 second. It comes with an original 2.8/20 mm lens, focusable down to approximately 30 cm. The sophisticated internal construction includes two specially developed removable film cassettes, precisely milled metal parts, and an unusually elaborate miniature shutter (which fires, though imprecisely) and film transport mechanism. This particular example is especially remarkable due to its completeness: the original lens and both special film cassettes are present.