Aaton (http://www.aaton.com) is a motion picture equipment manufacturer, based in Grenoble, France. Aaton was founded by Eclair engineer Jean-Pierre Beauviala, whose efforts have been primarily focused on making quiet, portable motion picture hardware suitable for impromptu field use, as for documentaries. A theoretical model for all motion picture cameras they have produced is the "cat-on-the-shoulder," a small, light, quiet motion picture camera easily operated by a single cinematographer. Logo for Aaton s. ...

After several initial prototypes, the Aaton LTR 16mm camera became available on the market in the late 1970s. It has been succeeded by several improved models, including the LTR, LTR 54, XTR, X0, and the current offering, the XTRprod. The product line has since expanded, offering a smaller-form-factor 16mm camera (Minima) and a 35mm model (35-III).

Aaton also pioneered the linking of timecode to motion pictures in the acquisition stage. Aatoncode was one of the earliest schemes for encoding a timecode signal in the frame margins of 16mm film, allowing rigorous synchronization of audio and film in post-production.