Four different sweep devices based on microwave tubes, avalanche transistors, krytrons, and laser‐triggered spark gaps are treated in detail. These control circuits are developed for picosecond image‐converter cameras and generate sweep pulses providing streak speeds in the range of 107to 5×1010cm/s with maximum time resolution better than 10−12s. Special low‐jitter triggering schemes reduce the jitter to less than 5×10−11s. Some problems arising in the construction and matching of the sweep devices and image‐streak tube are discussed. Comparative parameters of nanosecond switching elements are presented. The results described can be used by other authors involved in streak camera development.