Introduction The modern day camera has evolved with the ever-changing technology of the twenty-first century. The intricacies of what is the modern day camera originate in the late 16th century from simple observations of how light travels. The light can be explained through physics, specifically optics. By relating how cameras function, the incorporation of lenses in cameras, and the relative performance of the human eye in comparison to cameras, the significance and complexities of the technology in cameras can be fully appreciated. The History of Cameras The first known camera, published in Gemma Frisius ' 1545 book De Radio Astronomica et Geometrica, is known as the “camera obscura”. Translated from Latin, “obscura” means dark and “camera” means chamber or room. The …show more content…
Lenses are usually made to only fit one specific focal length, making the human eye a powerful tool. The resolution of the human eye (approximately 52 megapixels) is almost double that of a DSLR camera (24 megapixels) and almost 5 times that of a phone camera (12 megapixels) (Banks). The human eye is a powerful tool this is constantly changing and adapting to fit the needs of the human body, something that cameras are very limited in reproducing. Conclusion Cameras have progressed throughout history, allowing us to take a snapshot of different moments in history. Through simple projections of light and understanding how light travels, the modern day camera has developed from a black box with a hole in it to a complex mechanical system, incorporating technological advances such as CCDs. However, the human eye is an ever-changing lens, allowing humans to focus at objects at different distances at an extremely high resolution. Despite the transformation that cameras have overgone, the human eye is the most adaptable camera of them all.