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Digital photography
1 History
4 Performance metrics
4.2 Resolution
5 Dynamic range
8 Storage
11 Market impact
12 Social impact
Digital photography is one of several forms of digital imaging. Digital images are also created by
non-photographic equipment such as computer tomography scanners and radio telescopes.
Digital images can also be made by scanning conventional photographic images.
History
Early development
The concept of digitizing images on scanners, and the concept of digitizing video signals,
predate the concept of making still pictures by digitizing signals from an array of discrete sensor
elements. Eugene F. Lally of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory published the first description of how
to produce still photos in a digital domain using a mosaic photosensor. The purpose was to
provide onboard navigation information to astronauts during missions to planets. The mosaic
array periodically recorded still photos of star and planet locations during transit and when
approaching a planet provided additional stadiametric information for orbiting and landing
guidance. The concept included camera design elements foreshadowing the first digital camera.
Texas Instruments engineer Willis Adcock designed a filmless camera and applied for a patent in
1972, but it is not known whether it was ever built. The first recorded attempt at building a
digital camera was in 1975 by Steven Sasson, an engineer at Eastman Kodak. It used the then-
new solid-state CCD image sensor chips developed by Fairchild Semiconductor in 1973. The
camera weighed 8 pounds (3.6 kg), recorded black and white images to a cassette tape, had a
resolution of 0.01 megapixels (10,000 pixels), and took 23 seconds to capture its first image in
December 1975. The prototype camera was a technical exercise, not intended for production.
The marketplace for consumer digital cameras was originally low resolution (either analog or
digital) cameras built for utility. In 1997 the first megapixel cameras for consumers were
marketed. The first camera that offered the ability to record video clips may have been the Ricoh
RDC-1 in 1995.
1999 saw the introduction of the Nikon D1, a 2.74 megapixel camera that was the first digital
SLR developed entirely by a major manufacturer, and at a cost of under $6,000 at introduction
was affordable by professional photographers and high end consumers. This camera also used
Nikon F-mount lenses, which meant film photographers could use many of the same lenses they
already owned.
Also in 1999, Minolta introduced the RD-3000 D-SLR at 2.7 megapixels. This camera found
many professional adherents. Limitations to the system included the need to use Vectis lenses
which were designed for APS size film. The camera was sold with 5 lenses at various focal
lengths and ranges (zoom). Minolta did not produce another D-SLR until September 2004 when
they introduced the Alpha 7D (Alpha in Japan, Maxxum in North America, Dynax in the rest of
the world) but using the Minolta A-mount system from its 35 mm line of cameras.
2003 saw the introduction of the Canon EOS 300D, also known as the Digital Rebel, a 6
megapixel camera and the first DSLR priced under $1,000, and marketed to consumers.
Pixel counts
The number of pixels n for a given maximum resolution (w horizontal pixels by h vertical pixels)
is the product n = w × h. This yields e. g. 1.92 megapixels (1,920,000 pixels) for an image of
1600 × 1200. The majority of compact (not DSLR) digital cameras have a 4:3 aspect ratio, i.e.
w/h = 4/3. According to Digital Photography Review, the 4:3 ratio is because "computer
monitors are 4:3 ratio, old CCD's always had a 4:3 ratio, and thus digital cameras inherited this
aspect ratio."
The pixel count quoted by manufacturers can be misleading as it may not be the number of full-
colour pixels. For cameras using single-chip image sensors the number claimed is the total
number of single-colour-sensitive photosensors, whether they have different locations in the
plane, as with the Bayer sensor, or in stacks of three co-located photosensors as in the Foveon
X3 sensor. However, the images will have different numbers of RGB pixels: the Bayer-sensor
cameras produce as many RGB pixels as photosensors via demosaicing (interpolation), while the
cameras with Foveon sensors produce uninterpolated image files with one-third as many RGB
pixels as photosensors. It is difficult to compare the resolutions based on the megapixel ratings of
these two types of sensors, and therefore sometimes subject of dispute.
Resolution
Resolution provides an indication of the amount of detail that is captured, but, like the other
metrics, resolution is just another factor out of many in determining the quality of an image.
Furthermore, different methods of creating an image make it impossible to compare the
resolutions of cameras simply based on the number of pixels produced by the image sensor. For
example, the Sigma SD14 camera uses Foveon technology, which is quite different from most
other digital cameras. It claims to be a 14 megapixel camera, but is generally considered to have
detail-capturing capabilities roughly equivalent to 9 megapixels in terms of Bayer sensors.
The relative increase in detail resulting from an increase in resolution is better compared by
looking at the number of pixels across (or down) the picture, rather than the total number of
pixels in the picture area. For example, a sensor of 2560 × 1600 sensor elements is described as
"4 megapixels" (2560 × 1600 = 4,096,000). Increasing to 3200 × 2048 increases the pixels in the
picture to 6,553,600 (6.5 megapixels), a factor of 1.6, but the pixels per cm in the picture (at the
same image size) increases by only 1.25 times. A measure of the comparative increase in linear
resolution is the square root of the increase in area resolution, i.e., megapixels in the entire
image.
Resolution in pixels is not the only measure of image quality; a larger sensor with the same
number of pixels will generally produce a better image than a smaller one. One of the most
important differences is an improvement in image noise. This is one of the advantages of digital
SLR cameras, which have larger sensors than simpler cameras of the same resolution.
Dynamic range
Practical imaging systems, digital and film, have a limited "dynamic range": the range of
luminosity which can be reproduced accurately. Highlights of the subject which are too bright
will be rendered as white, with no detail; shadows which are too dark will be rendered as black.
The loss of detail is not abrupt with film, or in dark shadows with digital sensors: some detail is
retained as brightness moves out of the dynamic range. "Highlight burn-out" of digital sensors,
however, can be abrupt, and highlight detail may be lost. And as the sensor elements for different
colors saturate in turn, there can be gross hue or saturation shift in burnt-out highlights.
Some digital cameras can show these blown highlights in the image review, allowing the
photographer to re-shoot the picture with a modified exposure. Others compensate for the total
contrast of a scene by selectively exposing darker pixels longer. A third technique is used by
Fujifilm in its FinePix S3 Pro digital SLR. The image sensor contains additional photodiodes of
lower sensitivity than the main ones; these retain detail in parts of the image too bright for the
main sensor.
High dynamic range imaging (HDR) addresses this issue by increasing the dynamic range of
images by either increasing the dynamic range of the image sensor or by using exposure
bracketing and post-processing the separate images to create a single image with a higher
dynamic range.
HDR images curtail burn-outs and black-outs.
Storage
Storage for digital cameras have increased in size and technology with the time. From magnetic
tape (Steven Sasson's 1975 prototype) to floppy disks to flash memory.
Digital camera backs
Most digital cameras are built to operate as a self-contained unit. This is especially so at the
lower-end, for these cameras usually include zoom lens and flashes that cannot be changed.
However, at the highest-end, some digital cameras are nothing but a sophisticated light-sensing
unit. Experienced photographers attach these digital "camera backs" to their professional
medium format SLR cameras, such as a Mamiya.
Area array
CCD
CMOS
Linear array
CCD (monochrome)
3-strip CCD with color filters
Linear array cameras are also called scan backs.
Single-shot
Multi-shot (three-shot, usually)
Scanning and multi-shot camera backs are usually used only in studios to take pictures of still
objects. Most earlier digital camera backs used linear array sensors which could take seconds or
even minutes for a complete high-resolution scan. The linear array sensor acts like its counterpart
in a flatbed image scanner by moving vertically to digitize the image.
Many early such cameras could only capture grayscale images. To take a color picture, it
required three separate scans done with a rotating colored filter. These are called multi-shot
backs. Some other camera backs use CCD arrays similar to typical cameras. These are called
single-shot backs.
Since it is much easier to manufacture a high-quality linear CCD array with only thousands of
pixels than a CCD matrix with millions, very high resolution linear CCD camera backs were
available much earlier than their CCD matrix counterparts. For example, you could buy an
(albeit expensive) camera back with over 7,000 pixel horizontal resolution in the mid-1990s.
However, as of 2004, it is still difficult to buy a comparable CCD matrix camera of the same
resolution. Rotating line cameras, with about 10,000 color pixels in its sensor line, are able, as of
2005, to capture about 120,000 lines during one full 360 degree rotation, thereby creating a
single digital image of 1,200 Megapixels.
Most modern digital camera backs use very large CCD matrices. This eliminates the need for
scanning. For example, Phase One produces a 39 million pixel digital camera back with a 49.1 x
36.8 mm CCD in 2008. This CCD array is a little smaller than a frame of 120 film and much
larger than a 35 mm frame (36 x 24 mm). In comparison, a consumer digital camera usually uses
a much smaller 1/2.5 inch or 7.176 x 5.329 mm (~ 1/1.8 inch) CCD sensor. Further, the 1/2.5 or
1/1.8 inch diagonal measurement is the size of the entire CCD chip- the actual photo-sensitive
area is much smaller.
At present, there are relatively few complete digital SLR cameras with sensors large enough to
compete with medium to large format film cameras. Phase One and Mamiya manufacture
medium format digital devices that can capture 16MP up to 39MP[4]. The units tend to be quite
large and expensive. Additionally, because of their high build quality and lack of moving parts
tend to be quite long lasting and are prominent on the used market [5].
Equivalent features
Noise in a digital camera's image is remarkably similar to film grain in a film camera. At high
ISO levels (film speed) the grain/noise becomes more apparent in the final image. Although film
ISO levels can be lower than digital ISO levels (25 and 50 respectively), digital settings can be
changed quickly according to requirements, while film must be physically replaced and protected
from all light during such replacement. Additionally, image noise reduction techniques can be
used to remove noise from digital images and film grain is fixed. From an artistic point of view,
film grain and image noise may be desirable when creating a specific mood for an image.
Modern digital cameras have comparable noise/grain at the same ISO as film cameras. Some
digital cameras though, do exhibit a pattern in the digital noise which is not found on film.
Speed of use
Previously digital cameras had a longer start-up delay compared to film cameras, i.e., the delay
from when they are turned on until they are ready to take the first shot, but this is no longer the
case for modern digital cameras. Similarly, the amount of time needed to write the data for a
digital picture to the memory card is now comparable to the amount of time it takes to wind the
film on a film camera, at least with modern digital cameras and modern fast memory cards. Both
digital cameras and film cameras have a small delay between when the shutter button is pressed
and when the picture is taken – this is the time necessary to autofocus the lens and compute and
set the exposure. (This shutter delay is practically zero for SLR and DSLR cameras.)
Frame rate
The Canon EOS-1D Mark III can take still photographs at 10 frames per second; the fastest film
SLR could shoot 10 frames per second. The Nikon F5 is limited to 36 continuous frames (the
length of the film) while the Canon EOS-1D Mark III is able to take about 110 high definition
JPEG images before its buffer must be cleared and the remaining space on the storage media can
be used.
Image longevity
Although digital image data does not degrade (film stock can fade), the media on which the
digital images are stored can decay or become corrupt, leading to a loss of image integrity. Film
should be stored under archival conditions for maximum longevity; this should not be a problem
for digital images as perfect copies can be made and stored elsewhere. Without backup it is
easier to lose huge amounts of digital data, for example by accidental deletion of folders, or by
failure of a mass storage device. In comparison, each generation of copies of film negatives and
transparencies is degraded compared to its parent. Film images can easily be converted to digital
with some possible loss of quality.
Colour reproduction
Colour reproduction (gamut) is dependent on the type and quality of film or sensor used and the
quality of the optical system and film processing. Different films and sensors have different color
sensitivity; the photographer needs to understand his equipment, the light conditions, and the
media used to ensure accurate colour reproduction. Many digital cameras offer RAW format
(sensor data) which makes it possible to choose color space in the development stage regardless
of camera settings; in effect the scene itself is stored as far as the sensor allows, and can to some
extent be "rephotographed" with different color balance, exposure, etc.