Disposable cameras are modern adaptations of the box camera design.
The box camera, one of the earliest camera designs, dates back to the early 19th century. The simple nature of the device helped fuel the rise of recreational photography, and its design proved capable enough to survive two centuries of innovation. Today, disposable cameras and other point-and-shoot models still utilize this simple and functional design.
Design and Function
A box camera gets its name from the hollow, lightproof box that makes up the camera's body. The front of the box contains the lens, and the rear holds the film or photographic plate to capture the image. To take a picture, you simply remove the lens cap or open the shutter to allow light into the camera to strike the exposed film, which records the image through the lens.
Early Models
The earliest cameras featured no shutter controls or focusing mechanisms -- the user would simply point the camera at the target, remove the lens cap, and hold the camera still long enough for the image to register on the film. Targeting required guesswork or opening the back of the camera and lining up the shot through the lens before inserting the film. Using flash powder could speed up the image capture process by increasing the amount of light through the lens, boosting the effect on the light-sensitive plate inside. These cameras typically had a fixed focal length, requiring the photographer to remain a set distance away from his subjects.
Innovations
One of the first innovations to the box camera design was a bellows-like mechanism to alter the focal length. By moving the lens closer to the subject or further away, the photographer could ensure crisp focus in the final picture. Another addition was the viewfinder -- usually a second lens or other device arranged to help the photographer line up a shot without having to open the camera, which could be a cumbersome process. Mechanically operated shutters also helped to give the photographer precise control over exposures and removed the chance that the physical removal of the lens cap could jostle the camera out of its precise arrangement.
Modern Examples
Many modern film cameras utilize the box camera design. Point-and-shoot cameras are essentially box cameras with an external viewfinder and mechanical shutter. Single-lens reflex cameras include an internal mirror system to allow the photographer to look directly through the lens while lining up the shot, increasing the photographer's accuracy at the cost of a small internal movement during the photographic process as the mirror swings out of the way.
Tags: through lens, camera design, focal length, lining shot, remove lens