The Imago Camera, recognized as the world's largest walk-in large format camera, is now for sale following the death of its caretaker and visionary, Susanna Kraus. The massive 47-meter camera, which creates life-sized portraits through direct exposure, has been closed since Kraus's passing and is seeking a new home to continue its unique photographic legacy.
The Imago Camera represents a truly extraordinary piece of photographic equipment that defies conventional camera design. Originally developed in the 1970s by physicist Werner Kraus, Susanna's father, and goldsmith Erhard Hößle, this gigantic analog device measures an impressive 6.85 by 3.9 by 3.55 meters. The camera creates life-sized portraits on 62 by 200 centimeter photographic paper through direct exposure, utilizing a specialized optical system that Kraus developed specifically for this massive device.
The camera's operation is as unique as its size, essentially functioning as a giant selfie machine. Subjects actually enter the camera to have their portraits taken, where they are illuminated by six carefully tuned strobe lights that provide sufficient lighting to expose the photographic paper. A mirror inside the camera shows the composition to the subject, who then triggers the shutter themselves by releasing a mechanism. This creates an unprecedented level of interaction between the photographer and the photographic process.
The camera's history includes a significant period of dormancy before its remarkable revival. After its initial development and use, the Imago was archived, disassembled, and placed in storage in 1976 when the large-format paper required for its operation ceased to be commercially available. For nearly three decades, this unique piece of photographic history remained inactive and forgotten.
Susanna Kraus breathed new life into her father's creation when she rediscovered the giant camera in 2005 and embarked on an ambitious restoration project. Her dedication to reviving the camera extended beyond mere restoration – she successfully convinced Ilford in Switzerland to restart production of the specialized paper necessary for the camera's operation. This achievement was crucial to making the camera functional again, and by 2006, the Imago was back in operation.
Following its restoration, the camera enjoyed a period of exhibition and travel until 2011, when it found a permanent home at the Aufbau Haus on Moritzplatz in Berlin. There, Susanna Kraus operated a photo studio featuring the remarkable camera until her death on March 3, 2025. During this period, the camera continued to serve its original purpose as described on its official website: "The Imago Camera has been used as a self-portrait camera in artistic photography since 1972."
The camera's creators and operators have described it as "a lively, interactive work of art between science, art, craftsmanship, and spectacular self-awareness." They emphasize that it is "a globally unique machine that creates life-size, undistorted portraits without the detour beyond the negative – free of digital processes, in incomparable photographic quality and size." The special photographic environment that the Imago Camera creates allows for what supporters call "an incomparable level of authenticity."
With Susanna Kraus's passing, both the camera studio and the Imago itself have been closed, prompting the search for new ownership. The Aufbau Haus, which housed the camera, is now actively seeking to transfer this piece of photographic history to its next caretaker. According to the official announcement, "The Imago Camera is to be handed over to the next generation of photo-art technology enthusiasts and find a successor. This extraordinary legacy of the history of photography is to be preserved and carried into the future."
The sale represents a historic opportunity, as the camera is being offered for purchase for the first time since its development over 50 years ago. The sale is being conducted through a bidding process managed by Susanna's sons, with Frank Darius handling the transaction on their behalf. The Kraus family is currently accepting offers for the camera, though no specific asking price has been disclosed. The family appears to be considering all reasonable offers as they seek to find the right successor for this unique piece of photographic equipment.
This sale offers an unprecedented opportunity for photography enthusiasts, art institutions, or collectors to acquire a truly one-of-a-kind piece of photographic history that bridges the gap between science, art, and technology in a way that has never been replicated.
