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1975, The first prototype of the digital camera
Steven Sasson, an engineer at Eastmark Kodak, developed the first portable, handheld digital camera. The camera was battery-operated and it weighed 8 lbs. When taking pictures the images were recorded onto a cassette tape and it took 23 photos to take each image. These images were in black and white. This camera was a revolutionary prototype. Sasson intended the camera to be a technical exercise and a way to demonstrate an all-electronic camera that didn't use consumables. -
1981, First filmless camera, Sony Mavica
The Sony Mavica was the first digital camera that was first announced on August 25, 1981. This was important because it was the first camera to use CCD instead of film and record still images on a magnetic disc. With this camera, you could view images on a TV screen. convert photos to video, and make slideshows on video cassettes. The Sony "Mavica" (magnetic still video camera) used a color-striped 2/3" format CCD sensor with 280K pixels, along with analog video signal processing and recording. -
1985, Canon CI-10
Canon announced the camera in 1985 as the Canon CI-10 Vidcam. It was a tiny camera head with a c-mount bayonet, the size of a pack of cigarettes. This camera was almost twice as much as the other CCD products at the time. The camera was used in a lot of 3D modeling and CAD shoots. -
1988, Fuji Fujix DS-1P
The Fujifilm DS-1P was the first fully digital camera. it was a groundbreaking device that influenced the digital camera industry and services as models for the later camera to be developed. The entire camera system, including the camera, memory card, card reader, and Digital Audio Tape drive, cost $20,000, which is equivalent to about $40,000 today. Fujifilm developed the camera in collaboration with Toshiba. Fujifilm developed the camera in collaboration with Toshiba. -
1990, First digital camera to go on sale, Dycam Model 1
The Dycam Model 1 was the first digital camera to be sold in the U.S. Logitech Fotoman was the person who designed the camera. This camera was marketed at 995 dollars. The camera came with a neutral density filter that needed to be used in bright environments to prohibit images from being overexposed. This camera included a CCD image sensor and could store photos digitally and connect to any PC to transfer images, making it relatively similar to the models we use today. -
1993, Fujix DS- 200F
Several cameras came out in 1993 but this was the first camera with flash memory. -
1995, Ricoh RDC-1
This was the first Japan Corporation digital camera on the market. Ricoh RDC-1 allowed video recording with pictures, video, and sound which caught many people's attention. It had a 64mm color LCD screen, and the f/2.8 aperture had 3x optical zoom. -
1995, Agfa ActionCam
There were several cameras created in 1995 and this is just one of the several. This was a unique camera compared to the rest. This is because inside was a prism that would generate three light beams, for each sensor one. There was a digital back which made it the world's lightest and smallest DSLR at the time. Handling the camera was very tricky as it operated on three different battery types and could only handle pre-formatted PCATA cards. -
1999, NIkon Coolpix 700
This is one of the several cameras that came out in 1999. This camera had some very interesting features. For instance, it could capture an image in only 2 seconds after the camera was powered on. It also had a feature called the Best Shot Selector which would pick the sharpest image out of 10 continuous images. This camera's MSRP price was 599. -
1999, Kyocera VP-210
Kyocera visual phone VP-210 was the world's first camera phone. The visual phone VP-210 was released in Japan in May. Designed with a forward-facing camera, it pre-dated the popularity of so-called selfies in the early 2000s. The phone was considered "revolutionary" at the time of launch.
The 155-gram (5.5 oz.) camera could also take 20 photos and convey them by e-mail, with the camera phone retailing at the time for 40,000 yen, about US$325 in 1999. -
2000, Fujifilm FinePix S1 Pro
Fujifilm FinePix S1 Pro was the first interchangeable-lens DSLR to hit the market. The FinePix S1 Pro had Fuji’s 3.1MP, APS-C-format Super CCD Sensor that output images with a resolution of 6.13MP, and enabled sensitivity settings up to ISO 1600. -
2000, Sony DSC-F505V
This camera is a revamped version of one of SOnys cameras. The firmware was revised so that images could be stored in TIFF format. Other improvements were better exposure control, a better macro function, an HQ video mode, red-eye reduction, and an automatic image orientation function. -
2000, J-SH04
This was released by Japan and it was their second phone with a digital camera. This was the world's first fully integrated camera and telephone over a cellular mobile network. -
2001, Nikon Coolpix 995
This was a model used to supersede the Coolpix 990 in the Nikon Coolpix series. There were some changes and these include a switch to a high-impact plastic case for the lens half of the swivel body. The Coolpix 995 was later superseded by the Coolpix 4500, then by the Coolpix S4, with a 6-megapixel sensor, more point-and-shoot type photography features, and less manual modes, among other changes. There is always changes happening to the digital cameras. -
2001, Motorola V60
This digital camera phone was released in 2001 with lots of amazing features. This phone was a metal portable phone and it had access to the internet for text messaging and voice-activated dialing. -
2002, Samsung SCH-X590
This camera phone boasted an image sensor of 0.11MP, by pioneering a rotating camera allowing users to capture pictures from the front and rear of the phone. -
2002, Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1
With the DMC-FZ1, Panasonic laid the foundations for what would be its most successful range of bridge cameras for decades to come. The DMC-FZ1 from Panasonic had another outstanding technical innovation for use in digital photography: MEGA O.I.S. It allows the photographer to hold the camera in their hand while taking photographs and still capture sharp images, even with low light levels, long focal lengths, or slow shutter speeds. -
2002, Sanyo SCP-5300
This flip phone had a 0.3-megapixel camera, plash balance control, self-timer, digital zooming, and filters. On-board memory provided storage for a maximum of 20 photos. There was no easy way of transferring a photo once it was taken, and the phone had to be connected to a computer since the camera and phone were essentially separate devices. -
2003, Palm Treo 600
This device combines a Palm OS 5 PDA with a quad-band GSM world phone and a VGA camera, in a sleek new form factor. Additional key features include a QWERTY mini-keyboard, SDIO expansion slot, and unique 5-way navigation of PDA functions for one-handed use. -
2006, BlackBerry Pearl
The BlackBerry Pearl provides Quad-Band network support on 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS and EDGE networks to allow for international roaming between North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. The BlackBerry 8130 includes EV-DO high speed CDMA data capabilities and the BlackBerry 8120 is the first Pearl model to support Wi-Fi. -
2004, Sprint PM8920
The first-megapixel camera phone for the US market. This phone cost 149.99 dollars after the retailer's price. -
2007, Apple IPhone
The device broke with prevailing mobile phone designs by eliminating most physical hardware buttons and eschewing a stylus for its finger-friendly touch interface. The iPhone instead featured only a few physical buttons and a touch screen. -
2008, IPhone 3G
With the second version of the iPhone, Apple introduces the App Store and 3G connectivity. The new device, half the cost of the original iPhone, sold more than 3 million within a month, far outpacing its predecessor and expectations. -
2010, Iphone 4
A completely redesigned device hits the shelves: thinner and sleeker with a better battery, camera, and screen, the iPhone 4 starts to resemble the phone many of us use today. And with the addition of a front-facing camera, selfies, and FaceTime calls. Yet another remarkable addition was the revamped rear camera, now equipped with a 5-megapixel sensor, capable of capturing images in stunning 2592 x 1932 resolution, all framed by a ƒ/2.8 aperture. -
2012, Iphone 5, the Lightning cable arrives
With the iPhone 5 comes the Lightning cable, a shift away from the larger charging port used in Apple’s original iPhones and iPods. The 5 also gets a larger screen and LTE connectivity, making the phone much faster than its predecessors. Apple implemented several key enhancements. One notable upgrade was the introduction of a sapphire crystal lens cover, a material renowned for its exceptional durability and scratch resistance, second only to diamond. -
2013, Iphone 5s
The iPhone 5s, released alongside the iPhone 5c on September 10, 2013, brought significant enhancements to its camera capabilities compared to its predecessor. The camera lenses in the iPhone 5s featured a noteworthy upgrade, capturing photos with a ƒ/2.2 aperture, resulting in brighter and more vivid images. The incorporation of a new lens system allowed for the recording of videos and snapping of photos with a ƒ/2.4 aperture, promising crisper selfies and video calls. -
2014, Iphone 6 and Iphone 6 Plus
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus marked a significant leap forward in the realm of smartphone photography. These devices shared the same image sensor and lens, but Apple’s commitment to innovation was evident in the improvements they made. -
2015, Iphone 6s and 6s Plus
These two phone models were a new era with their remarkable camera capabilities -
2016, Iphone 7 and Iphone 7 plus
The first dual camera lens with portrait mode -
2017, Iphone X
The X revolutionized the Apple product once again for its 10th anniversary, turning the iPhone into something that looks very similar to today’s versions. An extra lens also added portrait mode to the front-facing camera, a fan favorite for iPhones to come. -
2018, Iphone XR
The XR is smaller and cheaper, though still larger than the 8 Plus. It comes with only one back camera lens. -
2019, Iphone 11 series
- Digital zoom up to 5x
- Portrait Lighting with six effects
- Optical image stabilization
- Six‑element lens
- True Tone flash with Slow Sync
- Panorama
- Sapphire crystal lens cover
- 100% Focus Pixels
- Night mode
- Deep Fusion
- Next-generation Smart HDR for photos
- Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos
- Advanced red‑eye correction
- Auto image stabilization
- Burst mode
- Photo geotagging
- Image formats captured
- Video Recording
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2020, Iphone SE
Came with Apple's most advanced camera. The rear camera offers a single 12 MP sensor. For video, the device offers 4K capture at 24/30/60 fps, as well as slo-mo 1080p footage at either 120 or 240 fps. -
2020, Iphone 12
With the iPhone 12 series, Apple continued to upgrade its camera and display, plus introduced its proprietary MagSafe charging options. The 12 has two camera lenses while the Pro and Pro Max have three plus night mode and enhanced zoom range. -
2021, Iphone 13
Battery life and camera features are also majorly improved. -
2022, Iphone SE 3rd gen
With a 4.7-inch IPS display, the device is fairly compact and powered by Apple’s own A15 Bionic chipset. In the camera department, the SE focuses on the essentials and only comes with a 12MP wide-angle camera. With no ultra-wide or dedicated telecamera on offer, let’s see how the Apple iPhone SE (2022) shapes up against the competition from the Android camp. -
2024, Nikon Z9
The Nikon Z9 is a flagship mirrorless camera aimed at professionals.