Page 30 - Sphere No.26 (Mar 2010)

Then & Now
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Sphere 28
Smile for
the Camera
ALTHOUGH THE BASIC IDEA is still the same – capturing an
image for posterity – just about everything else in the world
of cameras has changed beyond all recognition. The equip-
ment used by early photographers more than a century ago
was large, cumbersome and difficult to operate, unlike today’s
lightweight digital cameras which started to enter the market
in the early 1990s.
Then... The golden age of handcrafted wood cameras
lasted from the birth of photography in 1839 to the early part
of the 20th century. They were large, cumbersome and worked
by placing a sensitised plate or sheet of paper in front of the
viewing screen to record the image. As exposure times were
reduced, mechanical shutters were introduced and were in
common use by the turn of the century.
Now... Today’s digital technology changes with
dizzying speed. One of the latest innovations to
hit the market is the Ricoh GXR, the world’s smallest
and lightest interchangeable digital camera.
It integrates the lens, image sensor and
processing engine in a single unit which
slots into the camera body, allowing
users to change lenses to match
the change in scene and mood
around them.