The Vitalux system of amateur cinematography reached the market in 1922 some eight years after the first patent was granted to Herman C. Schlicker on 11 April 1914. Schlicker's objective was to get as many images on to an area of film as possible and his method was to arrange 1664 images in a slow helix on an endless belt of Eastman Kodak safety film 5 x 17½ inches. A further patent was granted on 19 February 1918 and in 1924 a patent was granted for a projector.

Schlicker's patents attracted the attention of the Mutual Film Company and a plant was set up to manufacture the camera and projector. Although Schlicker achieved his objective of low film cost the equipment was expensive and the introduction of the Cine-Kodak Model A in 1923 using the new 16mm. film effectively ended any success that the Vitalux system might have enjoyed. Although some commercially produced films were made available the limitations of a two-minute run length and inability to edit the film belt contributed to the demise of the system. The Vitalux company was dissolved in 1927.

Three projectors are currently known and only two sets of camera/projector combinations.