Photographers were working in New Zealand at least as early as 1848. By 1900, improvements in photographic technology made it possible for many families to own a simple, cheap camera to record their own experiences.
First produced in the 1920s, the earliest Home Movie cameras were bulky and expensive. The introduction of 8mm film in the 1930s simplified filming. However, the use of cine cameras was modest compared to the still cameras, which were much cheaper and did not require the same level of skill.
The Audio-visual collection at MOTAT includes a large array of still and moving picture cameras along with projectors, sound recorders, record and tape players and assorted paraphernalia.
Ranging from the mid-1800s until approximately the 1980s, objects from this collection are on display in a variety of areas around the museum. In particular, the Shutter exhibition and the 1920s HMV shop at the Great North Road site.
