Which instrument is credited with capturing rapid motion, including motion of birds?

• A. Janssen Photographic Gun
• B. Zoetrope
• C. Kinetoscope
• D. Praxinoscope

Answer: (A)

To study fast motion, you need a device that can snap a rapid sequence of images in a very short time, effectively freezing each moment of motion for analysis. A gun‑shaped photographic device designed for multiple exposures in quick succession—the photographic gun used for chronophotography—lets you record actions like a bird in flight frame by frame. This is what makes it capable of capturing rapid motion.

The other inventions serve different purposes: the zoetrope and praxinoscope are viewing toys that create the illusion of motion by presenting a sequence of images to the eye, rather than capturing those images. The kinetoscope is an individual viewing device for already-made moving pictures, not a tool for photographing rapid motion.