Cameras have undergone an epic journey of 200 years to make it into the smartphone today. While they were once considered a luxury, everyone with a mobile phone has access to a standard camera in today's day and age. The camera's journey and evolution have been rather interesting, starting from the camera obscura to the one embedded in a phone.
Camera Obscura
The camera obscura device consists of a box or room with a pinhole on one side. When light from an external source penetrates the pinhole, it creates a surface inside where the scene is reproduced. However, these images were inverted and reversed, with only color and perspective remaining.
Daguerreotype
After the death of his partner, Louis Daguerre developed the first practical method of photography in 1836. This method, heralded as the daguerreotype, used silver-plated copper treated with iodine vapor to create images.
Gelatin-Dry Plates
Introduced in 1871, these plates changed the worldview of photography. Their invention allowed smaller cameras to take pictures without compromising on quality. It also reduced exposure time, making room for candid photography.
Kodak Cameras
In 1888, cameras began to resemble the ones that we see today. George Eastman was the flag-bearer of Kodak cameras that were compact and affordable and purchased by many households. The film could hold up to 100 pictures.
Brownie Camera
In 1900, Kodak created the iconic Brownie camera, introducing the ‘snapshot’ to consumers.
35 MM Film
In 1913, Oskar Barnack started experimenting with 35 MM film for photography. When his plans materialized after World War 1, the Leica I was highly popular with the public.
Ihagee Exakta
In 1933, this compact new invention changed the way people perceived single lens reflex cameras.
Instant Polaroid Camera
Instant cameras like the Polaroid surfaced in 1948. It used a mechanism that allows users to print and view pictures within minutes.
Digital Cameras
Fuji invented the DS-1P in 1988, giving birth to the digital cameras that we see today, allowing users to store compressed pictures on digital media.
Camera Phone
In 2000, the invention of the camera phone made life easier for users. It embedded a camera into the phone that allowed users to take pictures on the go. People started sharing pictures via MMS, paving the way for innovative improvements along the way.
Cameras have evolved drastically over the years. The union of cameras and phones proved to be wildly successful, making room for smartphones with high megapixel cameras that eliminate the need for a separate device when you can just take pictures with your phone.
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