The Camera

The Camera: History and Basic Functions


1. Explain the "camera obscura" effect. How is it achieved?

Inside a dark room, a tiny hole is created and a light is shone through, projecting the outside scenery on the opposite wall. This is the first dark room.

2. What invention during the 17th Century helped man get a step closer to creating the modern camera?

Christian Huygens and Issac Newton perfected the creating of high quality lenses and optics.

3. What were the parts of the first modern camera invented by Niepce?

In 1827 Joseph Niepce created the film, the final step to completing the first functioning camera.

4. What do modern digital cameras have in common with Niepce's camera?

Light still passes through the lens, into the camera, and exposes the film, and the final result is still a beautiful photograph.

5. What do digital cameras use to capture an image?

These modern digital cameras use an electronic sensor called a CCD. After that, they are all saved to a computer memory card or system.

6. What is the difference between the auto mode and the program mode?

Auto mode completely controls flash, exposure, and sometimes even auto focus, while program mode is more of a point and shoot camera, and you make the adjustments manually.

7. What is the Portrait mode used for? How does it work?

Portrait mode will blur out any background distractions and focus sharply on the subject.

8. What is sport mode used for? How does it work?

Sports mode is used for capturing an action shot with least blur possible, so the camera will use the highest shutter speed possible.

9. Why should you do a half press on the trigger button?

The half press locks the camera in on the subject, focuses and sharpens, and almost gives you a overview of what the shot will look like. Then when the green dot or beeping noise appears, fire the camera, and your shot should be perfectly clear and crisp.

10. What does this symbol mean? When would you use this?

This symbol represents no flash. You can use this when the flash is simply not necessary, and you'd rather have the natural light to give it more of a dramatic affect.

11. What does this symbol mean? When would you use this?

This symbol means auto flash, and you would use this if the camera automatically thinks that the photo would look better with more light.

12. What happens to your photo if there's too much light?

if there's too much light in a picture, than it will be washed out, unappealing, and boring to the eye.

13. What happens to the photo if there's not enough light?

If there isn't enough light than the photo becomes dark, and you're unable to see and understand what the picture is of.

14. What is a "stop?"

A stop is a universal term used by photographers that describes the amount of light in a picture.

15. How many stops brighter is the new planet if there are 2 suns instead of 1?

If there are 2 suns instead of 1, the light would increase by 1 stop.

16. How many stops brighter is the new planet if there are 4 suns instead of 2.

If there are 4 suns instead of 2, it would be 2 stops brighter.

17. What affect does a longer shutter speed have?

A longer shutter speed has more light.

18. What affect does a shorter shutter speed have?

A shorter shutter speed has less light.

19. What does the aperture control?

The aperture is what the light passes through, it controls the amount of light.

20. When adjusting the aperture, how can you increase the amount of light?

You can adjust the aperture by using the F- Stop. The smaller the F- Stop numbers are, the larger the opening. The larger the opening, the moe the light.