Why Was the Camera Invented?
The camera was developed to create a lasting image of a certain scene. Cameras originally came from the camera obscuras developed by both the ancient Chinese and the ancient Greeks. These devices allowed users to capture images and project them onto a screen, albeit upside-down.
Nicephore Niepce created the first successful photograph of a camera image in the early 19th century. He created a small camera by coating a piece of paper with silver chloride, which would darken when exposed to light. Later, Niepce’s partner would refine his method and create the first practical camera, dubbed the Daguerreotype. This iteration utilized a silver-plated copper sheet treated with iodine vapor. After exposure to light, the image was fixed with a strong solution of salt.
Photographic film was originally discovered by George Eastman who created the first “Kodak” camera in 1888. This camera boasted a fixed-focus lens and a single shutter speed that appealed to consumers due to its low price and ease of use. The film produced by the camera could then be sent back to the Kodak factory for processing.
From there, camera technology progressed to include single-lens reflex cameras, eye-level viewfinders, digital cameras and fully automated cameras. These devices continue to develop to this day.
