John R. Connon of Elora, Ontario and his 360-degree panoramic camera

John R. Connon (1862-1931) was a photographer and inventor who lived in Elora, Ontario, Canada during a time of remarkable innovations in the medium of photography. In 1886, Connon began to develop one of the earliest cameras to be capable of a full 360-degree photographic panorama using a single exposure. His early dedication to the use of flexible roll film, introduced by the Eastman Dry Plate and Film Company in 1885, allowed Connon to invent a camera that was ahead of its time. Through an agreement with C. P. Stirn, of C. P. Stirn's Patent Photographic Concealed Vest Cameras, Connon's design was transformed into the Wonder panoramic camera, further inspiring a succession of full-circle panoramic cameras including the Kodak Cirkut cameras. This thesis explores the history of Connon and his invention while acknowledging the history of this little-known Canadian inventor’s important contribution to the history of photographic technology.