History of the Camera

Early cameras of the 16th and 17th century were				film was created and patented by Texas
able to project images onto paper or glass but				Instruments. This is however not the same as a
the study of capturing, processing and printing the				digital camera though you don't require film in
images took many more years. Up until the 17th				digital cameras as well. The launch of the digital
century, scientists believed that light was				camera is still many years away.
composed basically of the 'white' that is perceived				1975: Kodak's experiments with digital imaging
by the human eye. It took the research done by				kicked off around the mid seventies but it will
famous physicist Isaac Newton to discover that				take another 20 years before a digital camera for
light is actually composed of a spectrum of colors.				the home consumer market is launched.
While he made a big contribution to the study of				1978 - 1980: Asian players like Konica and Sony
optics (that is at the core of camera advances)				begin to make their mark. The 'point and shoot'
with this discovery, Newton did not actually have				automatic focus camera is launched by Konica
anything to do with camera development per se.				while Sony starts talking about the camcorder and
The early camera that first became a				demonstrates a prototype.
phenomenon was a little more than a pinhole				1981: Sony launches a commercially available
camera and can be traced back to 1558. It was				electronic still camera. Similar to the 1972 invention
called the Camera Obscura. The Camera Obscura				by Texas Instruments, the Sony electronic
was seen as a drawing tool for a clearer and				camera came with a mini disc on which images
realistic portrayal of objects. It was in the early				were recorded and stored. The recorded images
19th century that an invention named the Camera				could be later printed or viewed on a monitor
Lucida was introduced by Cambridge scientist				using a reader device.
William Hyde Wollaston that consisted of an optical				1985: Digital processing technology makes its
device that could help an artist view a distant				entry. Digital imaging and processing is introduced
scene or person or object on a paper surface				by Pixar.
that he or she was using to draw. In other words				1986: The camera industry becomes even more
the artist gets to view a superimposed image of				consumer focused and taps the fun and travel
a subject on paper and this image could be				connotations behind camera usage, with the launch
effectively used to attempt to draw, trace or				of the concept of the disposable single use
paint it. Both the Camera Obscura and the				cameras. Fuji is credited with the development of
Camera Lucida provided an image that was				this concept.
temporary, which could not be lastingly captured				Also in 1986 - 1987, Kodak started taking giant
on to paper for later reference.				strides in digital development. Digital means, the
Studies however continued well into the 1800's on				photographic image is divided into tiny units of
how to actually capture the image onto material.				dots or squares known as pixels. Pixels are the
It was during this time, around 1822 that French				programmable units of an image that can be
researcher Joseph Nicephore Niepce, created the				processed by computers. Each image could be
first photograph by using paper that was coated				made up of millions of pixels. The use of pixels in
with a chemical. The image would not stay				digital technology allows storing large volumes of
permanently on the paper and would disappear				pixels to deliver high definition print quality.
after a short while. Even so, despite the				1990: Kodak introduces Photo CD's. It is a system
short-lived nature of the image, the concept of				of storing photographic images on CD and then
photography was born with this experiment and				viewing them on a computer. With this
paved the way for further study and				development the user-friendly approach of the
development in this field.				camera industry began to take concrete shape.
Capturing images to retain them longer and				1991: Kodak introduces a digital camera targeted
permanently became the next big quest for				at professionals and journalists. Kodak is credited
researchers. Another Frenchman				with the invention of a pixel based camera
Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre partnered with				technology known to us as the digital camera.
Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1829, to develop				Digital cameras don't use film similar to their
the process of creating permanent photographs.				predecessor electronic cameras but the storage
Joseph Niépce died in 1833 but Daguerre				method is entirely different and the final
continued with the work and succeeded in 1837				photograph is of much higher resolution. In a digital
after many long years of experimentation. The				camera photos are recorded and stored in digital
process of capturing photographic images that				form. This digital data can be transferred to a
would not fade away, introduced by Daguerre				computer and processed for printing. Kodak and
came to be known as the 'daguerreotype'.				Canon are well known digital camera
The word 'photography' was coined by scientist				manufacturers and there are also several other
Sir John F.W. Herschel in 1839 and it is actually is				key brands as well.
derived from two Greek words 'photos' meaning				1994: The Apple QuickTake camera, a home use
light and 'graphein' meaning draw.				digital camera is launched. This is followed by the
A slightly more advanced version of the				launch of a clutch of home use digital cameras by
daguerreotype called the Calotype process that				Casio, Kodak and others in quick succession during
makes multiple copies possible using the negative				1995 -'96.
and positive method became available very soon				-->The digital era:
after. In fact, it was during the 1840's that the				The development of digital camera technology is
use of photographic images in advertisements				considered to be linked to the development of
first started and cameras made their mark on				TV and Video technology. The principles of
the power of visual communication. It was not				transmission and recording of audio-visual images
much later, in the 1850's that photographers first				using digital electrical impulses finds use in camera
started experimenting with underwater				imaging as well.
photography of seascapes.				Through the 1990's the developments continued in
Up until 1850, the process of capturing images				camera technology, the focus now shifting to the
was cumbersome requiring upto half an hour of				field of digital imaging which is where the future
light exposure. The discovery made in 1851 by				lies. Use-friendly features like software that can
Frederick Scott Archer was a blessing since the				download digital images directly from camera onto
new method termed the Collodion process called				home computers for storing and sharing on the
for just 2-3 seconds of light exposure to capture				internet is the new norm in the market place.
an image.				The camera, the computer, the software industry
Prior to 1871, photographers went through a				and the worldwide web are today irrevocably
development process where they had to coat the				interlinked to empower the user in experiencing
plate with wet chemical each and every time and				the benefits of camera usage to full potential. The
process the image immediately. With the invention				innovation that sparked many an invention in the
the gelatin dry plate silver bromide process by				camera industry found its way into the digital
Richard Leach Maddox, negatives did not have to				world as well and continued among digital camera
be developed immediately. This was an important				manufacturers. During 2001, the Kodak and
discovery since up until then the captured image				Microsoft partnership ensured that digital camera
had to be processed instantly.				manufacturers could use the power of Picture
Kodak created in 1888 by George Eastman has				Transfer Protocol (PTP) standard through
been a modern day pioneer of sorts in cameras				Windows. The digital photo experience is a key
and photography for the masses. George				visual driver in the Internet era. Many of Kodak
Eastman and the scientists who worked with him				digital camera models with EasyShare capabilities
at Kodak developed the photographic film in 1889				are compatible with Windows XP. The Kodak
and made it available in rolls for the mass use of				EasyShare software enables users to transfer
consumers. An important milestone in our				digital camera pictures directly from camera to
entertainment and communication history was the				their computers and then print the pictures or
development of transparent roll film by Eastman.				even email them.
This development led to another key invention -				Manufacturers in a related industry like the printing
the motion picture camera by Thomas Edison's in				industry have adapted their products to be in
1891.				sync with the images created by digital cameras.
-->Modern Times				Cell phone manufacturers have tied up with digital
During the 20th century the pace of technology				camera manufacturers to develop new age
development in cameras and photography				camera phones in recent years. These camera
continued at an accelerated pace much like many				phones can capture images and share the images
other key technology developments. While several				through the cell phone.
key inventions like car, telephone and the				Among the 21st century digital developments are
gramophone record happened in the later half of				the advanced product offerings from digital
the 19th century, it is the last 100 years that saw				cameras manufacturers and these are sure to
major developmental work in many areas of				occupy an important place in the ensuing history
communications technology and as well as in other				of camera development. For instance, the Kodak
fields - TV, aircrafts, PCs, digital technology, digital				Professional DCS Pro SLR/c is a high-end digital
cameras, mobile phones, fax machines and the				camera and the Kodak website calls the DCS Pro
internet, to name a few.				SLR models the most feature-rich digital cameras
In the case of the camera, the developments				on the market. It has an image sensor that can
simplified the whole process of photography,				handle 13.89 million pixels and this makes it the
making it accessible to one and all at affordable				highest resolution digital camera available. High
prices and the camera industry denizens of our				resolution determines the sharpness or level of
times made it into a mass phenomenon. The first				detail in photographic images. This is just a glimpse
mass use camera became available at the turn of				of the capabilities that digital technology places in a
the 20th century and can be traced back to the				user's hands. Digital camera sales figures for 2003
year 1900. There are hundreds of models of				show that the two key players Kodak and Canon
cameras available today both for the amateur as				have recorded impressive growth.
well as the professional and the camera is an				-->What does the future holds for camera users?
important part of any family's repertoire of must				The features offered by digital cameras can be
have gadgets.				quite mind-boggling for the average user and
-->20th century chronology in the history of the				pretty exciting for most pros. Four key ongoing
camera:				camera developments that are likely to further
1913: 35 mm still-camera created				improve the process of photography:
1927: The flash bulb introduced by General Electric				1. Greater resolution from even the simplest, low
Co. (The concept of camera flash existed much				cost camera models
before but was based on the use of a flash light				2. Usage in any type of lighting conditions,
powder that was invented by German				3. Compatibility across a range of software,
researchers)				hardware and image types
1935- 1941: Kodak starts marketing Kodachrome				4. Rich colors and tone
film and subsequently launches Kodacolor negative				While the higher-end digital evolution continues, the
film. Canon released the Hansa Canon in 1936, the				prices of the simple camera have crashed to such
first 35mm focal-plane shutter camera.				an extent that even children and teens are proud
1948: The concept of the Polaroid camera is				owners of uncomplicated cameras. The camera
introduced in the market. American scientist Edwin				and photography interest starts young and this
Land developed the process for instant				creates a truly large audience base for the
photography. Later Polaroid Corporation developed				camera industry.
the 'instant color' film around 1963.				And throughout history, it is evident that the
1957: Frenchman Jaques Yves Cousteau invented				endeavor of researchers and developers has
the first waterproof 35mm camera for				been to make the camera available to a wide
underwater photography named the Calypso Phot.				section of society. Without camera technology
The actual camera was developed by the Belgian				and photography, the other key developments of
airplane technical designer Jean de Wouters based				cinema and TV would have been delayed and
on the blueprint and suggestions given to him by				what a boring place the world would have been
Cousteau.				without TV and films!!
1972: The electronic camera that does not require

Adaptall

History of the Camera