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Camera Obscura
This wooden box-like piece of equipment is known to be what began the evolution of cameras. The naming of this device is due to its usage of light and the ability for it to use it in an inverted fashion. This object dates back to a very early period in history but its use as a craft and as a way to documenting dates back to the early 1800s. It was a very limiting piece of equipment due to its lack of technological advancements, but nonetheless allowed photographers to capture scenic photos. [1] -
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Evolution of the Camera
Technological improvements are one of Cookman's four streams within photojournalism. Advancements in technology allowed photographers to make pictures of a higher technical quality while also being able to work in a diverse range of settings. Each of the following points on this timeline indicate a camera that offered photojournalists new possibilities and greater versatility in their photography. -
Daguerreotype
Invented by Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre, this was officially the first annouced photographic process in the early 1800s. The photograph produced by this process was on a piece of silver or on a piece of copper covered in silver that was eventually fumed with mercury and fixed by a solution with salt, it created a permanent image. [2] -
Kodak
George Eastman founded his company, Kodak, in 1888 and it sparked great changed within the world of photography. The introduction of the kodak camera allowed for more accessibility to this craft and gave the common person the opportunity to document daily life. [3] -
Speed Graphic
The Speed Graphic was introduced in 1912 by the Graflex company. The Speed Graphic came with a variety of film sizes with the most popular one being the 4 by 5 inch. The camera could be handheld, but was still heavy enough for photographers to want to pose thier subjects instead of having candid shots. One of the most famous photographers that used the Speed raphic was New York City press photographer Weegee. The Speed Graphic was used as one of the main press camera from the 20s to the 60s. [4] -
Ermanox
In 1924 the Ermanoc camera was first introduced. The camera is famous not for the camera body, but for the lens. The lenses had large apertures, with speeds of f/2 and f/1.8, making available light photography possible. This camera made it so that photo could be taken at events with low lighting without having to use flash. Dr. Erich Saloman is one of the famous photographers to use the Ermanox and took photos of many politicians and dipolmats. [5] -
Leica
The first 33mm Leica prototype was built by Oskar Barnack in 1913 and was officially produced for mass use in 1925. It was the first practical 33mm cameras and it was lighter than pervious cameras making it able to capture candid events. The photographer was also able to take 36 frames at a time. The viewfinder was also an important innovation because you could hold the camera up to the eye instead of at the waist or on a tripod. The Leica helped to launch modern magazine photography. [6] -
Contax
In 1932, Zeiss Ikon produced the Contax. The Contax had a vertical travel, even blade, metal, focal plane shutter. Shutter speeds could be set, all from the same dial, up to 1/1000 second. The Contax design allowed a higher maximum shutter speed. [7] -
Nikon F
Introduced in April 1959, was Nikon's first SLR camera and was a major shift from the Leica for professional photojournalists. Had interchangeable backs and a viewfinder showing 100% of the image. The Nikon F revolutionized the photographic market, stealing the thunder of German manufactures Leica and Zeiss. Became known as the "hockey puck". [8] -
Canon AE-1
Introduced in April 1976, the AE-1 was a very successful camera worldwide. The development concept of "AE-1" was that anyone could take pictures with high cost performance. The "AE-1" was the world's first 35mm AE SLR camera equipped with the shutter speed-priority TTL mettering and a Central Processing Unit (CPU). [9] -
Minolta Maxxum 7000
The first SLR camera with both an autofocusing system and motor drive built into the camera, rather than into the lens or into a separate accessory as previous cameras had. It used microprocessors in cameras and lenses to offer aperture priority, shutter priority and program modes. It used LCDs to replace many mechanical controls. [10] Eddie Adams had previously praised autofocus cameras, saying "For the first time in my life I like taking pictures, and I know the pictures will be good." [11] -
Kodak Professional DCS
The first DSLR camera, it used a Nikon F3 body with a digital back and a separate digital storage unit, attached to the back with a cable. They cost $20,000 to $25,000 and 987 units were sold from 1991 to 1994. [12] AP photographer Ron Edmonds' 1992 DCS images of presidential candidate Bill Clinton were transmitted through the AP's photo distribution system in 5 minutes. This camera led the AP to collaborate with Kodak in the 1990s to develop other digital cameras for photojournalists. [13] -
iPhone
Though the first iPhone had a mediocre camera, newer models offer high-res still and video recording. Moreover, these files can be disseminated across digital networks in seconds. Though many photojournalists fear "iPhone journalism" renders them obsolete, the ubiquity of smartphones today has also allowed journalists to do their jobs more efficiently. [14] It has also given rise to more citizen journalism, allowing people amid breaking news to provide multimedia on a minute-by-minute basis.[15]
