Digital Camera Technology

A digital camera is an electronic device that is capable of transforming images into electronic data. Both the digital camera and a traditional film-based camera are based on same principle. A digital camera stores images digitally in forms of electronic data instead of recording them on film. After the shot has been taken by a digital camera, the images can be downloaded to a computer, and edited with the help of some software and printed.

The modern digital cameras are typically multifunctional and perform the functions of taking photographs, video, as well as sound. In a film-based camera, the images are captured on light-sensitive film and the image must be developed by use of chemicals. The digital camera technology however, is based on the combination of advanced image sensor technology and memory storage capacity, which needs no "development" process and images are visible instantly without the need of any development.

The imaging process in digital camera gets performed either by a charge coupled device (CCD) or CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) sensors. The CCD or CMOS sensors are permanently fixed and it lasts through out the whole lifespan of the camera.

The sensor units are meant to convert light into a voltage proportional to the brightness in which the picture has been taken. The voltage passes through an analogue-to-digital converter (ADC).  The ADC produces a discrete binary code that is sent to a digital signal processor (DSP). Under the brighter light, the voltage is higher and computer pixels are brighter. The accuracy of the picture also depends on the resolution, the more pixels you have the better your picture is going to be.

The evolution of Digital camera technology is directly related to television image recording technology. During the 1960s, this technology was used by NASA to convert analog to digital signals in their space research relating to preparing a map of the Moon’s surface. The early use of digital camera technology also could be found in another government project of that time relating to the spy satellites.

Digital Camera Technology Commercial Start

The Sony Mavica electronic still camera launched in August 1981 was the first commercial electronic camera. Although, it was not a digital camera in true sense of the term this was the product that triggered off the breakneck advancement in digital camera technology.

Apple introduced the first consumer standard digital cameras, called QuickTake 100 in February 17, 1994 their digital camera could be connected to a P.C with a serial cable. It was followed by Kodak’s DC40 camera launched in March 28, 1995 and the Casio’s  QV-11 along with LCD monitor in late 1995.

By 1996, Sony's Cyber-Shot Digital Still Camera was on the market for consumers, along with Kodak’s aggressive marketing of its DC40 model and the phenomenal growth in the digital camera market, things really started to take place. Gradually the software giants like Microsoft and IBM joined hands with the digital camera companies to internet-based network image exchange and all these accounted for the advancement of the digital camera technology. The rest is known to all and today the digital camera has become a common household item.