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. M

    Why Do Fringes Occur on Lens of Mobile Camera?

    Below is the picture of a Newton rigns experiment but u can see the rings at the lens surface outside the apparatus , what is the reason for these fringes to occur ? The pic was taken with a mobile camera (2MP) 1st explanation :I think this is like two virtual sources of fresnel biprism ...
  2. P

    What is the Unknown Distance in a Lens Equation Problem?

    Homework Statement http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/9489/physicszv8.jpg Homework Equations (1/f) = (1/p) + (1/q) The Attempt at a Solution I tried solving this but I don't know what the original P was so I can't solve for q. How can I solve this?
  3. Saladsamurai

    Any advice on buying a new digital Camera?

    Hey yall. I live in north of Boston and I am headinf down to West Palm Beach Florida for a long overdue vacation with my girlfriend. I have a kodak easy share that is a little clunky since is a few years old. It is a 5 MP and it takes decent shots. I am looking for something slimmer that...
  4. wolram

    Endoscopic Throat Exam: Experiences & Info

    Has anyone had this done to them? it sounds horrible even more so to a person that hates hospitals
  5. wolram

    Digital Camera Software Compatibility with Windows Vista

    I have a digital camera but the software does not support windows vista, i have been to the cameras website but there is not a solution listed, am i sunk or is there a way around it? Thanks.
  6. R

    Find the Perfect Distance for a Mirror Selfie: Usha's Camera Question Answered!

    Usha wants to take a picture of her own image in a plane mirror. At what distance should the camera lens be focussed if it is positioned 2.3 m in front of the mirror? is it 2.3*2 ?... 4.6m ??
  7. I

    How Do You Calculate the Angular Frequency for High-Speed Camera Settings?

    [SOLVED] High Speed Camera Problem Rotational Kinematics So I'm pretty sure I'm just asking someone to point out the obvious for me, but I've been trying to figure out where to start on this problem for way too long. I don't want the answers, just some guidance on how to start in terms of...
  8. A

    Microscope with CCD camera

    Homework Statement A CCD camera with 1024x768 pixels with a pixel pitch of 6 micrometres is positioned at the primary image of a microscope with a x60 objective and a 160mm tube length. The resultant image is viewed on a video monitor with a diagonal size of 43cm and an aspect ratio of 4:3...
  9. M

    Making a simple hi-speed camera

    Just curious... How can you make a simple hi-speed camera or a multiple flash making machine(?)? If there is a way, do tell :biggrin:.
  10. B

    Solving for Minimum Camera Speed to Reach Passenger

    Homework Statement A hot air balloon has just lifted off and is rising at the constant rate of 1.87 m/s. One of the passengers realizes she has left her camera on the ground. A friend picks it up and tosses it straight upward with an initial speed of 11.6 m/s. If the passenger is 2.70m above...
  11. M

    Optics, camera lenses and object height/size

    A camera with a focal length f of 6 cm is used to take the picture of a person who is 180 cm tall, standing at a distance 3 m in front of the camera. How big will the image of that person be on film? How far behind the lens (assumed to be very thin) must the film be placed? I tried using...
  12. A

    Finding Problems with a Thermographic Camera

    Hi, As an electrician I'm tired of lifting floorboards to find problems in domestic propertys and having every fault finding call ending up like an episode of fawlty towers because of inter-connections, ludicrously planned cable runs and all kinds of other appalling wiring practices exhibited...
  13. R

    Camera and Display RGB question

    Hello, I have somewhat of a technical question and was hoping you would be able to help me. I have a display that is 852 (x3) x 600. This means that that there are 852 x 600 of the red, blue and green filtered pixels. Say however that I am looking at a completely red object, thus only red...
  14. S

    Exploring the Effects of Pinhole Size on Image Formation: A Scientific Inquiry

    what kind of image is formed from the pinhole camera when the pinhole is small?what kind of image is formed from several pinholes?what kind of image is formed from a large pinhole? how would i describe these images?
  15. S

    DIY Pinhole Camera: Build Your Own for School Projects!

    how to make a pinhole camera for my school project.any suggestions?
  16. P

    Comparing Camera & Human Eyes: Zoom & Focus

    Is a camera very much like a normal (i.e. perfect vision) eye? If we wear lenses, we will like the camera be able to 'see' focused images very far away or very close which is like zooming in or out with the camera. Some people with eye problems like myopia cannot see a focused image beyond...
  17. P

    Why Does Camera Zoom In When Lens Expands?

    From observation, whenever I want to 'zoom in' in a camera, the lens expands outward. What is the reason behind this? My guess, 'zoom in' => greater magnification => object closer to the focal point of the lens (although greater than the focal lengths since otherwise the image would be...
  18. P

    Why flash of light in a digital camera?

    When taking photos with a digital camera there is usually a burst of light before the photon is taken. Why is this? Is it because there is usually not enough light reflecting off the object being photographed. It is this reflected light that is what is being recorded on the film inside.
  19. S

    Cheap Infrared Camera for Detecting Human Heat - $30 or Less!

    I need a super cheap (under $30ish) infrared camera for detecting human body heat to confirm the presence of the person, i.e. it doesn't have to record exact temperatures or create clear images, but just record the presence of the person. No visible camera is needed, just infrared. Does anyone...
  20. K

    Physical explanation for camera DOF (depth of field)

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field" stands for the range that is sharp on a photograph. The bigger the diafragma (camera opening) the smaller the range that will be sharp on the picture. A bigger diafragma also means a shorter shutter opening (so the picture doesn't become too...
  21. Cyrus

    Take some pictures at school with my new camera

    ***Warning, if you have dial-up don't open this page. I decided to take some pictures at school with my new camera. My school has a beautiful campus. Here is the brand new Kim engineering building. We did a google search on the chairs in our computer lab and each one costs a grand...
  22. P

    Camera aperture/shutter speed

    camera settings: shutter speed: 15, 30, 60, 125, 250. 500, 1000 aperture f/: 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16. a) which aperture setting likes 8 times more like to enter than f/8? = f/2.8 b) which aperture allows 4 times less light to enter than f/5.6? = f/11 c) which shutter speed permits...
  23. wolram

    Finding the Right Camera for a Computer on a Budget

    I know nothing about cameras, i think i had a box brownie or some such when i was a kid, so what camera can i buy that will work with a computer and does not cost mega bucks?
  24. N

    Hubble's camera goes into safe mode

    http://www.space.com/news/060623_hubble_acs.html
  25. Ivan Seeking

    How can digital camera neutralizing technology prevent unwanted photography?

    http://www.gatech.edu/news-room/release.php?id=1017 Also, regarding the recent conversations about text messaging and cheating on tests, there are cell phone neutralizers as well. They are or will soon be in theaters, restaurants, etc.
  26. B

    What happens when the source of light rays is a mirror?

    As far as I understand, the film inside a photo camera is positioned in such a way that every light ray that hits some spot X on the film comes from a single source on the object being photographed. Here's what I mean: http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/camera-diagram3.gif The various...
  27. P

    What to Look for in an Entry Level Digital Camera?

    Ok, I'm looking for an entry level digital camera, nothing fancy. as low as 3 MP will do, but I've also seen some as much as 6 which are still pretty cheap. I don't really know what to look for in a digi, but I do know that having the biggest lcd possible is a major plus, I definitely want...
  28. G01

    Width of Pinhole Camera Aperture for 12cm Spot Light

    A point source of light 2.0m away from the a pinhole camera creats a 12cm wide spot of light on the screen 1.0 deep inside the camera. How wide is the aperture of the camera. I thought this was a magnification problem, so I set up the equation: h_i = .12m, h_o = x, s_i = 1m, s_o = 2.0m...
  29. J

    Optics: building a camera with quasi-hemispherical recording surface, what lens?

    I make Daguerreotypes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daguerreotype) and I have decided that I want to move from the standard flat-plane photography and make images on silver domes instead. I have domes that are 1.85" in diameter and I want to replicate the effect that a garden gazing ball gives...
  30. V

    Need help W/ Digital Camera Design Project

    Hello, I am currently working on a Design Project for my Senior project, and the aim of this project is the development and construction of an interface between a CMOS camera and a computer. This interface allows a user to get images from the camera, to change some of the properties of the...
  31. N

    Digital video camera lens information

    I am going be so pleased i f anyone can suggest a website where i can find information regarding the following topic: Digital video camera lens.do anyone know a website where i can download a short video regarding fiber optics.
  32. M

    Parachutist drops a camera

    A parachutist descending at a speed of 10m/s drops a camera from an altitude of 50m. How long does it take the camera to reach the ground? Is speed the same thing as velocity in this case? If not, what do I do? I assumed it was the same and went: Vi= 10; a=-9.8; d=50 goes into formula d=Vit...
  33. P

    Vivitar camera and driver problem

    Does anyone have a "Vivitar" camera? I can't seem to download images from my new camera to my computer. Help!? :confused: Pete
  34. J

    Fix My Fuji FinePix S7000 Camera Issues

    My Fuji FinePix S7000 is sometimes showing lines, or purple streaks on the LCD when I take a picture. These lines and streaks are also on the downloaded photo. Is this something that can be fixed, or do I need a new camera? :cry:
  35. brewnog

    Cause of High-Pitched Sound in Camera Flash Circuits

    What causes the increasingly high-pitched sound emitted by a capacitor charging circuit, such as that found in a camera flash?
  36. N

    What is the best digital camera for normal use under $450?

    hello everyone ... i just need a guidance to the best digital camera for normal uses ( not profssional) .. is it sony ? please specify the model also my budget is around 450 any help will gr8ly b appreciated cheers :smile:
  37. D

    Stargazing Cost-effective digital camera and telescope

    Could anyone suggest good equipment for astrophotography? What is the most cost-effective digital camera and (digital camera compatible) telescope?
  38. W

    Toronto Doctor takes pictures of small intestine with LEDs and camera in a pill

    http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2002/09/04/video_pill020904 sorry if it's not new news , but i just saw it on tv and thought it was very cool..
  39. O

    Photographing a Bird: Solve for Camera Lens Focus

    Hi! I am having trouble with this question: You are trying to photograph a bird sitting on a tree branch, but a tall hedge is blocking your view. However, as the drawing shows, a plane mirror reflects light from the bird into your camera. If x = 4.3 m and y = 4.5 m in the drawing, for what...
  40. A

    Why Does Film Blur with Basic Box Camera? | Explaining Focus

    this is what i would expect from a conical perspective on a flat plane that is how a basic camera works, the farther the film from the hole the bigger the projection of the image but insted the image gets blurry, why? in a close image the center of the picture is closer to the viewer than the...
  41. D

    Calculating a Rotated Vector in 2D with FPS Camera

    Hi! I'm trying to implement a FPS-camera. I need to calculate a new vector from another one, rotated a. This is of cource in 2D. Is this correct: x' = x * ||v|| sin a / y y' = - y ||v|| cos a / x
  42. C

    What Would Happen if You Pointed a Camera at a TV Screen?

    This is probably painfully simple, and is not a 'brain teaser' as such but this seemed like the most suitable forum. My bro and I were having a discussion tonight and we stumbled across a problem that probably lead to more discussion than it is worth, but since we still can't come up with a...
  43. Ivan Seeking

    Candid Camera - Classic Pranks with Peter Funt

    Do we have any Candid Camera fans? This is still running on PAX; in fact I have it on right now. Peter Funt, son of the originator, Allen Funt, hosts the show. He doesn't have the budget that his dad had but the show is still worthy of the name. They have done some great stuff! Right now...
  44. russ_watters

    Are There Better Battery Options for My Nikon Coolpix 3100 Camera?

    There's probably nothing anyone can do to help me, so this is mostly a *****, but I have a Nikon Coolpix 3100, which is a great camera except for the battery life. Now, I know most digital cameras have crappy battery life, but mine is rediculous. What makes me think something can be done about...
  45. A

    XPHow to Transfer Pictures from Olympus C-50 Zoom Camera to Computer

    Hey guys; I'm having an add problem with my digital camera. It's an Olympus C-50 Zoom. I plug it into my USB port, and it says "New Hardware Found", then it shows that it recognizes it as what it is, the digital camera, then it says it found a "USB Mass Storage Device". It shows no errors...
  46. J

    Solving a Camera Lens Problem: Height of Image on Film

    i need some help with this problem anyone want to give it a shot? thanks A camera is supplied with two interchangeable lenses, whose focal lengths are 35.0 and 150.0 mm. A woman whose height is 1.80 m stands 10.00 m in front of the camera. What is the height (including sign) of her image on...
  47. L

    Diffraction limit on resolution on camera lens

    Spy planes fly at extremely high altitudes (24.0 km) to avoid interception. Their cameras are reportedly able to discern features as small as 5.48 cm. What must be the minimum aperture of the camera lens to afford this resolution? (Use lambda = 550 nm.) This problem is unfamiliar to me, I'm...
  48. T

    Opportunity Microscopic Camera Image

    One of the latest images from Opportunity (mib_color1_rgbstretch-B011R1.jpg) shows tiny spheres which are interesting... but did anyone else notice the several objects which seem to exhibit bi-lateral symmetry? In the upper left quadrant of the picture, two objects appear to be identical in...
  49. M

    What is the Equivalent Megapixel Rating of the Human Eye?

    i was just wondering, what is the equivelent megapixel rating of the human eye? i would expect the back of the eye to be around the size of a 35mm negative commonly rated at around 10mp, it can't be any bigger than a 120 film negative which is rated somewhere around 50mp. is there any research...
  50. Greg Bernhardt

    Palace 'ghost' caught on camera

    thoughts on this? http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/12/19/hampton.ghost.ap/index.html
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