The Camera

    The camera is a light tight box.  It's parts include;

1. a light tight box

2. an opening - a pinhole or lens

3. a shutter - device to regulate the entrance of light

4. focusing control

5. a ground glass

6. film (light sensitive material)

A History of Photography by Robert Leggat : Is a complete history of photography.  Robert Leggat also provides us with a complete overview of Photographic Styles, Processes and Movements.  The Daguerreian Society is an organization devoted to the preservation of the technique of the first commercially successful photographic technique, the Daguerreotype.

George Eastman House, in Rochester, NY., the home of the founder of KODAK, is now a museum of photography.

Types of Film Cameras

35mm

35mm SLR (Single Lens Reflex) Camera - Below is the Nikon FM2, manual 35mm SLR Camera.

35mm Rangefinder Camera - Below is the Leica M6 35mm rangefinder camera.

35mm disposable / simple camera - Below is an example of a disposable camera by Kodak.

Roll Film

Roll Film SLR Camera - Below is an illustration of one of the many high quality professional SLR roll film cameras produced by Hasselblad. 

Roll Film TLR (Twin Lens Reflex) Camera - Although in limited use today the Rolliflex and other TLRs were used extensively in the 1950's, 60's and 70's.  

Roll Film Panoramic Camera - The Fuji GX617 is a good example of a roll film panoramic camera.

Sheet Film

Sheet film View Cameras

"Field" View Sheet Film Camera -  Field view or flat bed cameras like the Wista 4X5 shown below are very light and portable.  The example below is made of metal but many photographers also like to use hardwood versions produced by various manufacturers.

"Studio" View (Rail) Sheet Film Camera - The example below is an 8"x10" Toyo.

Instant

Poloroid - Below is the Polaroid One Step, from the company that produced the first commercial instant film camera.

Types of Lenses

Pinhole - The simplest of all types of openings for a camera.  Not a lens at all but rather a small round opening the size of a pinhole that will flip the image onto a surface within an otherwise darkened box/

Normal - Below is a Nikon 50mm f1.4 lens.

Wide Angle - A lens of shorter than normal focal length.

Below is a Nikon 15mm f3.5 Super Wide Angle Lens

Telephoto - A lens of greater than normal focal length that allows the viewer to see - closer - distant subjects that the viewer can see with the naked eye. See below

  Nikon 400mm f2.8 lens.

Telescopic -  A lens of extremely long focal length that allows the viewer to see distant subjects that the viewer cannot see with the naked eye. See below

Orion SkyView 8" Newtonian Telescope.

Macro - A lens that allows the viewer to see - closer - near subjects that the viewer can see with the naked eye.

Micro - A lens that allows the viewer to see small subjects that the viewer cannot see with the naked eye.

Zoom - A variable focal length lens.

Other Camera Terminology

ISO - International Standards Organization

ASA - American Standards Association

Shutter - The device that controls the length of time that light enters the camera.

Shutter Speed - Standard shutter speeds include: from full seconds through 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000, to 1/4000 of a second depending upon the camera make and model. Many cameras also include a "T" setting, which stands for "time".  This feature will open the shutter at the first touch and close the shutter, after a timed period, with the second touch.  Some cameras also have a "B" (this stands for "Bulb" for the old bulb shaped rubber air actuated devices of the early 20th century and earlier) setting which will keep the shutter open for as long as the photographer depresses the shutter.  Upon release the shutter will close.

Diaphragm - The Iris - the mechanical device.  The opening made by the diaphragm is the Aperture (see below) referred to as "f" stop. 

Aperture -  An opening. In photography, the circular hole in the front of the camera lens which controls the amount of light allowed to pass on to the film. On all but very inexpensive cameras the size of the aperture is variable. The degree of variability is indicated by "f" numbers (f/stop).  (from the Artlex on-line dictionary of Art Terms)

Depth of Field -  In photography, the distance between the nearest point and the farthest point in the subject which is perceived as acceptably sharp along a common image plane. For most subjects it extends one third of the distance in front of and two thirds of the distance behind the point focused on.  (from the Artlex on-line dictionary of Art Terms).  See example below.

1. 2.

The Image on the left (#1) was taken at f2.8,  the Image on the right (#2) at f22.  Notice the significant difference in the area that is in focus (the depth of field).  The image on the right has a far greater area in focus (a greater depth of field) than the image on the left.  The image below (#3) shows the same setup from a side view to better illustrate the actual distances.  On the view below the camera was to the left of the subjects. 

3.

Focal Length - Focal length is defined as the distance from the focal plane to the center of the lens when focused at infinity.

Focal Length Equivalence Table

 

Film Size	35mm	120	2"x3"	4"x5"
Image Format	24x36mm	56x68mm	2"x3"	4"x5"
Film Type	roll	roll	sheet	sheet
Fisheye
Focal Length	18mm	37mm	----	----
Ex. Wide Angle
Focal Length	20mm		----	65mm
	24mm	50mm	47mm	----
	28mm	65mm	53mm	90mm (3-1/2")
Moderate Wide Angle
Focal Length				100mm (4")
	35mm	75mm	65mm	127mm (5")
	40mm		75mm	135mm (5-1/4")
Normal
Focal Length	50mm	110mm	100mm	152mm (6")
	65mm	127mm	----	203mm (8")
Moderate Telephoto
Focal Length	85mm	150mm	----	250mm (10")
				270mm
Medium Telephoto
Focal Length	100mm	210mm	202mm	----
	135mm	250mm	----	380mm (15")
Long Telephoto
Focal Length	250mm	500mm	----	----
	500mm	----	----	----

Depth of Focus - Is inside the camera.

18% Gray - The value (shade of gray) of which all light meters are calibrated.

Light Meter - A hand held device or one that is part of the operating system of a camera that reads the amount of  reflected or ambient light at any given location.  Light meters are calibrated on 18% gray. 

The Zone System -  A photographic technique for producing photos with an optimum range of value, developed by Ansel Adams (American, 1902-1984).

Another Focal Length Equivalency Chart.