About Cameras
Cameras allow us to capture life's moments and save them as photographs. Camera technology was the first domino in a long technological evolution that has given us film and high-definition video. Now cameras are a part of our daily lives and are integrated into our cell phones, security systems and businesses.
The Facts
The camera's primary function is to capture an image. Digital and video cameras achieve this with a sensor that captures and stores images as memory. The photographer uses a photographic lens to focus on the image. Cameras control light exposure with an aperture, shutter and a flash. You can expect to see more innovations in cameras as the rise of high-definition and BluRay continue to push technology in the 21st century.
History of
The first camera was called the camera obscura. It was a large contraption that used a dark box and a convex lens. When light was shot into the box it created an image onto paper (or glass). Camera technology dates back to around 1015, first developed by Iraqi scientist Ibn al-Haytham. Johann Zahn transformed the camera obscura into a smaller portable device in 1685. The camera obscura was relatively useless until the development of photography and the collodion wet plate (1850). These wet plates required dark rooms but allowed for permanent photographs.
Evolution
Cameras quickly evolved from large inconvenient contraptions into small and simple boxes. George Eastman, father of Kodak, created an affordable easy-to-use box camera in 1888. It used celluloid film and revolutionized photography. He then produced the Brownie, which could take "snapshots." This marked the birth of film. Competition amongst manufacturers and photographers led to the invention of the 35mm camera and the practical reflex camera. The trend among consumers was convenience, hence the invention of the instant and automated camera. Today's cameras use digital processors and memory cards instead of film.
Type
Digital cameras are the most popular cameras nowadays. They use light-sensitive sensors to take pictures and then save the digitally processed photographs onto memory cards. The technology is now very common and affordable, allowing mobile phone companies to put cameras into cell phones. Movie cameras use strips of film to capture long rapid sequences of photographs. Movies are created when a movie projector plays the images onto a screen, creating an illusion of one continuous frame of motion. Video cameras record motion electronically, allowing for live television broadcasts. Similar to digital cameras, video cameras have image sensors that digitally record visual signals and store them in the form of memory.
Features
When buying a digital camera for personal use, many features and specifications come into play. The image capturing capabilities include image resolution, video resolution, imaging sensor (normally stated in megapixels), sensor type and audio capabilities. The camera's lens can feature digital zoom and auto focus. The flash type can be internal or external. The type of memory can be internal memory, memory sticks, digital cards, compact flash, mini-CDs or disks. Most cameras today feature rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Cameras vary in price from under $100 to tens of thousands of dollars. You can find many websites that do side-by-side camera comparisons of features to help you find the right camera.
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