Camera that captures images electronically rather than on film. The image is captured by an array of charge-coupled devices (CCDs), stored in the camera's random access memory or a special diskette, and transferred to a computer for modification, long-term storage, or printing out. Since the technology produces a graphics file, the image can be readily edited using suitable software. Models designed and priced for the mass consumer market—as opposed to costly models designed for photojournalism and industrial photography—first became available in 1996. They appeal particularly to users who want to send pictures over the Internet or to crop, combine, enhance, or otherwise modify their photographs.

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