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THE HISTORY OF THE PHOTOGEAR – PART 1

Nowadays thanks to continual technological inventions we may enjoy using the latest modern photogears. Once this process has started - year 1839 is considered to be the birth of modern photography.

We invite you, dear photographers, to have a look at the history of photogears. Lets follow the evolution of photogears step by step!

Eastman's View Camera

I. Camera obscura (darkened room).

It was an optical device that could project an image of its surroundings on a screen. Usually camera obscura was used only for viewing objects. It had a shape of a pair of nested wooden boxes. The end of one box was fitted with the lens and the other box had a removable ground glass focusing screen. In 1827 Joseph Nicephore Niepce had taken a first image in history using camera obscura. But such an image soon faded away.

Camera Obscura

II. Box camera.

In 1839 Louis Daguerre developed a more convenient and effective method of photography, naming it after himself - the daguerretype. He managed to "fix" the images onto a sheet of silver-plated copper. This process created a lasting image. He used a sliding wooden box camera, very similar to a nested wooden box camera.

The Daguerretype 1839

III. Wet plate camera.

The collodion wet plate process replaced the daguerretype during 1850s. However, wet plates had to be developed quickly before the emulsion dried. Thus a photographer had to carry along a portable darkroom. A bit later in 1864, the darkroom was fitted inside the camera itself. Other cameras were already fitted with multiple lenses. It is interesting to note that during the wet plate era a bellows for focusing was invented. Thus that invention made a nested box design obsolete.

Wet Plate Camera

IV. Hand-held box camera introduced by Kodak.

In 1888 George Eastman was known for inventing dry, transparent and flexible photographic film, the same as a rolled photography film, and for a camera that could use the new film. A first camera appeared to be made of finely polished woods, brass and leather; and, of course, was hand-crafted. Cameras were easily carried and held during their operations.

Kodak Camera

V. Patent photo suits - Modern instant camera.

It was invented by Edwin Land in 1948 and called by his surname - Land Camera. The Polaroid Land camera was made of metal and plastic; consisted of a camera and a portable darkroom in a single compartment. The new fresh air in the photography niche - you had to press just two buttons: first button to take a picture, the other one to make/print this picture.

800 px Polaroid

TO BE CONTINUED ...

Sincerely yours,

POMPIDOO Team

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