What is Camera: Definition and 304 Discussions

A camera is an optical instrument that captures a visual image. At their most basic, cameras are sealed boxes (the camera body) with a small hole (the aperture) that allows light in to capture an image on a light-sensitive surface (usually photographic film or a digital sensor). Cameras have various mechanisms to control how the light falls onto the light-sensitive surface. Lenses focus the light entering the camera, the size of the aperture can be widened or narrowed to let more or less light into the camera, and a shutter mechanism determines the amount of time the photo-sensitive surface is exposed to the light.
The still image camera is the main instrument in the art of photography and captured images may be reproduced later as a part of the process of photography, digital imaging, photographic printing. The similar artistic fields in the moving image camera domain are film, videography, and cinematography.
The word camera comes from camera obscura, which means "dark chamber" and is the Latin name of the original device for projecting an image of external reality onto a flat surface. The modern photographic camera evolved from the camera obscura. The functioning of the camera is very similar to the functioning of the human eye. The first permanent photograph was made in 1825 by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce.

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  1. W

    Calculating Camera Lens Diameter with a Ruler

    Hello guys, I was wondering if you could guess or even calculate the diameter of a camera lens with a picture of a ruler.
  2. S

    Best Camera for deep space object

    I've been trying to find a CCTV night-time camera for use to image deep-space astro objects as well as meteors. The only one I could find is the Water 902 H2 Ultimate. Is there another one that I could use that would be better ? My price range is $200 ~$400, although I could go up to $1000 if...
  3. Yadama

    Mom's New Camera Captures the Night Sky!

    Well today my mother got a pretty nice camera, she's been wanting one for a while and what better way to test it then getting some shots of the moon! This is the best photo she could get, the rest were very shaky and we're probably going to invest in a tripod. I also went out with my cheapy...
  4. Choisai

    Microscope magnification with camera

    I have two lenses for my microscope. The object lens which magnifies 63 X. Then there is my eyepiece lens with f=100 mm which focuses the incoming light at an camera. How can I calculate the total magnification? All calculations so far for the eyepiece involve the 25 cm of the human eye, but now...
  5. C

    Camera Flash Pop Sound: What Causes It?

    Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone knew what causes the popping sound when an external camera flash is fired? Kind regards Cody
  6. M

    Tracing a laser pointer with IR camera

    Hi! a very basic question that probably has a simple answer: would it be possible to trace a laser moving over a generic surface such as a wooden floor with an IR camera? The idea would be to calculate relative movement based on that... If I'm not clear enough feel free to follow up with a...
  7. gfd43tg

    IPhone camera light dispersion

    Hello, I am working on a project where I am trying to take a photo of paper that I insert into a slot of an iPhone cover that I created with a 3D printer. My goal in this stage of design is to be able to take a photo that will disperse the light evenly across so that the lighting is uniform...
  8. Andy Resnick

    Mastering Camera Focusing: Tips & Results

    I'd like to share this tip, regarding focusing. Two of my three lenses are manual focus, so I've had to learn how to focus properly and quickly. When I first got my camera about 4 years ago, my lack of skill in focusing was obvious- at the time, I didn't appreciate how difficult it is to...
  9. Z

    [Building a camera] I would like help developing a function.

    Hello. So, I am building a camera and have ran into a problem that I feel could be solved with a semi-simple function. There is a reel-to-reel system for winding the film from a spool to a dowel of 3/4 inch diameter. I need to know how many turns of this dowel would result in advancing the...
  10. G

    How to Calculate Image Position and Magnification for a Camera Lens?

    Homework Statement A camera lens has focal length 55mm and an object is 500mm away. Calculate the position of the image and the magnification (or reduction) Homework Equations 1/u + 1/v = 1/f u = Object Distance v = Image Distance f = focal length m = magnification The...
  11. J

    Tension in a catenary curve - Cable Camera

    Hi, my problem is this; I am designing a cable camera system to film downhill pursuits. I need to calculate how much tension is required to hang a cable over a 100m span with no more that 0.5m sag in the middle, when is it fixed at two point, both at the same hight. From the research I have done...
  12. I

    Synchronization of a camera with a rotating shaft

    I wish to synchronize a thermal camera FLIR A300/600 with a test section on a rotating shaft such that whenever the section becomes orthogonal to the line of sight of the camera, an image is clicked by it automatically. The camera uses a TTL pulse input. Being a mechanical engineer, I have...
  13. Tesladude

    How to Create a VGA to Composite Video Converter for RCA Output

    http://m.ebay.com/itm/271230081889?cmd=VIDESC&gxo=true How can I set this module up to have just a single video output so it can work with rca?
  14. G

    Creating homemade motion sensor to camera

    im a student working trying to start a project creating a motion sensor and camera outside my door way, was wondering if anyone had any ideas of how i should get started. i don't want to buy the sensor because i want to learn how to produce the product from scratch, any help would be great
  15. A

    Motorized camera slider - project

    Hello, I'm new to this forum, and I hope you can help me. I'm working on a project to build my own motorized camera slider. Before I buy all the components, I want to be sure about my calculations. Mechanical engineering was never my forte, that's why I'm looking for help on this forum...
  16. B

    Optical design for a tent camera obscura

    Hello all, I've been trying to come up with an optical design to basically form images onto a sheet positioned near the ground, in an old camera-obscura fashion. Hopefully this image helps to visualize. http://www.pinholeblender.com/COimages/mirror.gif I know that I will require a 45...
  17. J

    Camera on Spacecraft Moving Near Speed of Light

    If a spacecraft moving near the speed of light has a camera set up inside observing the people in the spacecraft , and the camera is connected to a computer on Earth so that observers on Earth could watch the video that the camera sends, what would the people on Earth see? Would they see...
  18. L

    DC Power Supply for Wireless Camera

    Hello, I have a little wireless camera that I want to power on a battery. The camera requires 12V ~1 amp DC to run. I am a DIY kind of person and have a few lead acid batteries from work, all of them are 12V DC, but they range from 4.5 amp to 12 amp. I've worked with AC power in the past...
  19. L

    Why Does My Sony Cybershot Dsc-w1 Shut Off When Switching Modes?

    I have a Sony Cybershot Dsc-w1, and it's been acting funny lately. I charged the batteries all the way up and turned it on and it kept shutting back off immediately. There's a dial on top of the camera that changes what you want to do. There's a settings option, film option, still picture...
  20. L

    My camera is showing distortion when object is moving

    I just recorded a girl giving a monologue and every time she moves her arms or her body, she becomes wavy until she stops moving. This is a Canon Vixia HF100, so it's a decent camera. Maybe the room was too dark? Maybe the background was causing a problem? Anyone know what could be causing this...
  21. P

    How to test cutoff frequency of IR filter on camera?

    Modern cell phones seems to come with IR filters on their cameras. I want to do an experiment to figure out what wavelengths these filters allow to pass and which they block. How would I go about doing this? Also, what sort of equipment would I need? I am a university student so I have access...
  22. I

    How to Connect a Live Feed Video Camera for Full Face Helmets - Iron Patriot

    Hey guys, I am making a full face helmet which uses a small hd camera to display a live feed on a 5" hd screen inside. My question is simply, how would i connect the camera to the screen? It only has to display a live feed while the battery is on and not record/store on a HDD. Thanks...
  23. M

    Understanding the Laue Camera: Exploring Reflection Angle Off of Samples

    Hello, I am confused for a laue camera how the angle of reflection off of the sample is 180 -2θ, where θ is the scattering angle. How is the reflection off the sample not just θ?
  24. C

    Brainstorming - how to best hold camera 18 feet above the ground.

    I take high speed videos of tennis strokes for analysis. One of the best and most informative camera vantage points for observing the tennis serve is from above the server. Here is an example of one of the rare high speed videos available taken with the camera above the server...
  25. zoobyshoe

    Which Digital Camera Sensor Size Should I Choose for Sharper Pictures?

    I'm confused about this. I'm looking at two point and shoot cameras. One is 10MP and has a sensor of 1/1.7. The other is 12MP and has a sensor of 1/2.3. According to this wiki article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_sensor_format, the 1/1.7 sensor is physically larger than the...
  26. B

    Which Free Camera App is Compatible with Dropbox for Android Tablets?

    I have an android tablet running ice cream sand witch 4.0 I need a basic camera app that when I take a photo it will let me save it in my pictures folder on the tablet. I am on the play store and need a free app.
  27. S

    Thermo Camera and iridescence, a structural colours

    Dear PF, I am hoping you can help. I am trying to test the the speed that a beetle heats up under standardized conditions. I have buried a small container in crushed ice and place a beetle and thermometer inside. I wait until the thermometer and has reached 0°C, the idea then is to increase...
  28. T

    Camera Specifications computing focal length and f/#

    So I have come across a specification of a narrow field of view camera. The specification states IFOV=30 microrad FOV=2x2 resolution=<.1m at 1 km If I assume a 1K sensor at 9micron pitch and an aperture = 3.7cm I have resolution at .013 m Chip size = 9.2mm Focal length is...
  29. C

    Detection of a Specific Fluorescent Wavelength via iPhone camera

    So in my lab, I am working with fluorescent bacteria, specifically GFPa1 (green fluorescent protein a1) which are excited with around 500nm light and emit around 516 nm. Forgive me if these aren't correct, it isn't essential for this write-up and my notes aren't in front of me. Is there any way...
  30. K

    Correcting camera distance with zoom

    So I have four pinhole type cameras in my experimental setup. All of them have the same magnification and are placed at the same distance away at different locations except one which has a different magnification and zoom. This camera is 72.5% further and has 52.5% less magnification as the rest...
  31. C

    Create photographic camera sensor interference with magnetic fields

    Hello everyone, I'm a photographer and am developing a project in which I'm needing some help. I went to some engineers friends first but they told me Physicians would be the ones who would have the answers I need. I'd like to know how can I interfere in the way my camera's sensor...
  32. Z

    Comparative Analysis of Bionic Eye, Human Eye, and Camera

    Basically I have to make a comparison matrix of the bionic eye, the human eye and the camera. I want to sound scientific so I thought I would check what you guys think I should use as properties in the matrix?? Please thankyou :)
  33. C

    A camera for recording lectures?

    Hi, I was wondering, what would be the smartest solution for recording lectures at university with the following requirements 1. I want the video files to be a small in size as possible (not filling my harddrive to fast) 2. The quality to be good enough so you can see the text on the...
  34. A

    Could domes have had the function of camera obscura but not anymore?

    http://vimeo.com/11789304# i mean seems evident a dome is intended as a camera obscura even oculus in latin means eye but how is it posible that knowledge isn't any more? what sense does it make to put a flat lens in the oculus so there's no effect any more? why they don't put the right...
  35. B

    Camera help - Win7 HomePremiume and picture uploads

    Camera help -- Win7 HomePremiume and picture uploads I have the Canon SD 1000 Camara and Win7 Home Premiume on my Desktop. When I plug the Camara in a windo opens asking me what do I want to do and I click Import Pictures and it works. On my Laptop I am running Win7 HomePremiume the same...
  36. L

    Are Fujifilm Disposable Cameras Good for Resolution and Color Quality?

    Ok, I just got a camera and I haven't used one in like 20 years. I got a fujifilm flash. It was 5$. And I think it's a disposable camera. On the top of the box it says 27 Exp./Poses. Does that mean that's how many pictures I can take with this thing? That's the only number I see on the...
  37. X

    Finding the Equation of a Plane in R3 Using Intersection Points and Distances

    Hello, I have a simple(or not?) math problem: I have equations of 3 lines in R3 trought the origin: line l1: |λ1*x+β1*y+γ1*z=0 |λ2*x+β2*y+γ2*z=0 line l2: |λ3*x+β2*y+γ3*z=0 |λ4*x+β3*y+γ4*z=0 line l3: |λ5*x+β4*y+γ5*z=0 |λ6*x+β5*y+γ6*z=0 I know every λ, β and γ -...
  38. F

    Focusing at infinity for a camera and circles of confusion

    Hello Forum, when a camera is focused at "infinity", everything from infinity on is in focus (acceptable). How is that possible? Every plane that is not in perfect focus has a certain circle of confusion that gets larger (more blurring) as we move away from the best focus plane... Also...
  39. P

    What is a CDD Camera? - FreLon vs Pilatus Detectors

    Hey I was wondering, is a CDD camera(e.g. FreLon detector) the same as an ordinary semiconductor detector (e.g. Pilatus detector). I have searched a little on the CDD camera, and for me it seems like the same thing. Wave Energy -> electron hole pairs -> signal. Or have it something to do...
  40. I

    Camera projection errors measuring length

    So here's the situation, say i record, presuming the camera is perfectly vertical, an object falling next to a ruler. I then find how many pixels that ruler is and from there i can translate how many pixels the object has moved into how far the object has moved. The question is how reliable is...
  41. mesa

    Trillion FPS camera developed at MIT camera can 'watch' the movement of light

    This is nothing short of amazing. MIT figured out a way back in February to view how light 'moves' on, about and through objects. Here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snSIRJ2brEk&feature=related They apparently use multiple staggered high speed cameras to capture the images and...
  42. D

    Are Camera Flashes Deadly? Shocking Truth Behind Fatal Camera Incidents

    killed by camera flash??! i've read a story from somewhere. a guy was trying to take photos using his camera. unfortunately he was standing near a high-voltage substation. once the camera flashed, he was killed immediately. they said that the electric current flows trough the camera flash to...
  43. M

    Infrared as watermark that can be detected by camera even in daylight

    Infrared works perfectly fine as a watermark on still images (infrared LEDs put at the back of the image) and even videos when the surrounding is dark. Is there a way to make it more noticeable even in broad daylight? And let's say, if my surrounding is dimmer and I want to obscure...
  44. Y

    [Android] Camera App crashes when run

    I am working on an android application that will need to take and store pictures. I'm familiar with java but not with the Android APIs. I tried to start by just including the functions for taking and saving an image using the information on the android developers page(Camera | Android...
  45. F

    Camera Flash Circuit Explanation

    These two websites: http://www.increa.com/reverse/dc/ and http://thesignalpath.com/blogs/2011/06/12/camera-flash-circuit-and-nixie-tube-tutorial/ have very similar circuits for a standard camera flash circuit...and overall do a decent job explaining them. There is one question I...
  46. B

    Why is my Camera USB not automatically importing photos on Windows 7?

    I have win7. premiume 64 Bit and a Canan SD1,000 camara. The first time I pluged my Camara in win7. gave me a window on the system tray asking me how I want to import the photos. So I set it up to Automaticly import all photos to a Folder on the Desktop. So now whenever I plug the...
  47. N

    Find Your Perfect Camera for Capturing HD Video and Photos

    I'm looking for a new camera. I don't need anything too fancy, but I'd like to be able to record 1080p video, take decent photos, and preferably the ability to mount it on a vehicle dashboard and/or motorbike handlebars to take videos while driving. Price is not too big an issue, as long as...
  48. F

    Can surrounding temperature affect IR camera results analysis?

    Hello all, I'm currently using an infrared camera to determine the emissivity of a steel. The camera "sees" whatever radiation entering the objective, and calculates the temperature of the steel by assuming it's emissivity is 1. I figured I could use an energy balance to find the emissivity...
  49. P

    What chemical solution to use for cleaning digital camera sensors?

    Since it is impossible to get certain cleaning solutions (in Canada, at least) like "Eclipse" (methanol) and pure isopropyl alcohol (from drug stores) is adulterated with some kind of greasy oils that leave smear marks behind, I would appreciate some help as to what chemical solutions might be...
  50. Andre

    Can a Grizzly Bear Take Better Pictures Than a Tripod?

    Although this is not primary about photography but more about the story with the grizzly bear, these are incredible pictures to enjoy. Compared to the tripod, it looks like a playful adolescent but maybe not a good idea to go find out.
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