The document traces the evolution of the camera from its origins in the 15th century as the camera obscura using a pinhole, to advancements that added a lens for sharper images. Major developments included the first permanent photograph in the early 19th century, the introduction of film and folding cameras, and the creation of the single lens reflex camera. In the late 19th century, roll film and smaller box cameras helped popularize photography. The 20th century saw advancements like flashbulbs and the first 35mm cameras. Digital cameras later replaced film, increasing in quality and capacity.

2. The evolution of...
The Camera

4. 15th Century
Leonardo DaVinci gave the first detailed description of
the ‘camera obscura,’a dark box with a pinhole at one
end and a glass screen at the other. When light shines
through the pinhole an image appears on the screen
(Canadian Georaphic, 2008).

6. 16th and 17th Century
Giovanni Battista della Porta describes in his 1558
book, Natural Magic, the use of a lens instead of a
pinhole in the camera obscura to make images appear
sharper (Canadian Geographics, 2008).
Pinhole Lens

8. Early 19th Century
Joseph Nicéphore Niépce produces the first
permanent image by treating the plates with oil
of lavender, post-exposure. This process takes
eight hours to get a proper exposure.
Later, Charles Chevalier constructs the first
folding camera, which is sleeker, more portable
and it houses a film process in which highly
polished silver-plated copper sheets are
treated with light-sensitive silver-iodide.

10. Mid-19th Century
The wet collodion film process becomes very influential
in camera design. Since the film needs to stay moist
while making the exposure, the camera has to be fitted
with draining channels for the negative material.

12. Mid-19th Century
Bellowed cameras are introduced to allow for
movement and flexibility that the rigid designs did not
allow. Advancements in the construction of the bellows
allow for lenses with greater focal length and the ability
for close-up photography, since the bellows adds
distance to the camera.

14. Mid-19th Century

15. Mid-19th Century
Thomas Sutton, a University of London photography
lecturer, designs the first single lens reflex (SLR)
camera. Through the use of mirrors inside the camera,
the photographer can now get an accurate view of
what will appear in the photograph.

17. Late 19th Century
The construction of film evolves
Dry-plate and roll-film versions of the
SLR camera are created
Around this time, detective cameras,
designed to be hidden in hats,
watches and books, become popular
but the fad doesn’t last long since the
small photos are not practical and the
image quality is very poor.

19. Late 19th Century
Thomas Bolas constructs of one of
the earliest twin lens reflex
cameras. The camera uses one
lens for the viewfinder and the
other for taking the photograph
The Eastman Company
manufactures the Kodak, the first
built-in roll-film box camera, that is
lighter and easier to use, helping to
make the art of photography more
readily available to the masses.

21. Early 20th Century
Oskar Barnack invents the UR- Leica, the prototype of the first 35-
mm Leica camera
The George Eastman Company produces the first autographic roll-
film camera. Autographic film has two layers, the front layer for
recording the image and the back layer for writing information. This
is the first form of photographic data collecting.
The Leica A is introduced and is the first 35-mm camera to gain
commercial success because of its portability, superior
construction and advanced lens quality.

23. Mid 20th Century
Johannes Ostermeier patents first commercially
available flashbulb
Kine introduces the world’s first 35 mm SLR.
Edwin H. Land creates the Polaroid camera.
It is the first camera to produce a positive
image in 60 seconds.
The Nikon F is introduced and is said to be
the first real professional 35-mm SLR and is
used by photojournalists.
Kodak introduces a camera that is fully
automatic. All the user has to do is load the
film cartridges.

25. Late 20th Century
Sony introduces the first commercially
available electronic still camera that records
images onto a minidisk, which can then be
connected to a computer for viewing. While
this camera is not digital, its technology is
the precursor to the digital revolution.
Konica Minolta releases the Maxxum 700 AF
SLR, the world's first true autofocus SLR. A
variety of autofocus lenses are built for the
camera.
Fuji introduces the first disposable camera
which can take about 20 pictures on 35-mm
film.

27. Late 20th Century

28. Late 20th Century
The first camera of the popular Canon EOS series is developed.
The camera includes full electronic control throughout as well as
an all-electronic lens mount.
Kodak introduces the first digital camera. It is an updated version
of the Nikon F-3 with a Kodak 1.3-megapixel image sensor. This
camera is targeted at photojournalists, not mass-market
consumers.
The first digital camera for consumer use is the Apple QuickTake
100. This camera can be connected to a computer using a serial
cable.

30. Present Day
Digital cameras continue to increase in quality and
capacity as technology advances.
A range of professional digital SLRs, point-and-shoot
digital cameras, and models in between, are being
mass produced.

32. Cameras in the Classroom
Cameras are great tools for students to use for
assignments and projects
Students can be more creative with their assignments,
express things they might not be able to express with
words, and have fun being in or taking the pictures

34. Citation
Canadian Geographic Online. 2009. http://
photoclub.canadiangeographic.ca/blogs/close-ups/
archive/2008/09/12/timeline-the-evolution-of-the-
camera.aspx

36. The End