Photographic History

Pinhole Camera

Sep 23, 1500

The first pinhole camera, also known as the Camera Obscura was invented by Alhazen.

Isaac Newton

Sep 1, 1666

Isaac Newton discovers white light is composed of different colours.

Johann Heinrich Schulze

Jul 18, 1727

Johann Heinrich Schulze discovered that silver nitrate darkened upon exposure to light.

First Photographic Image

Apr 3, 1827

Joseph Niepce achieves first photographic image using an early device for projecting real-life imagery called a camera obscura. However, the image required eight hours of light exposure and later faded.

A Partnership

Feb 24, 1829

Niepce joined forces with a man named Jacques Louis Mande Dauguerre. Together, they had a single goal, perfecting the photograph.

The First Practical Process

May 9, 1839

Dauguerre produced the first practical photographic process. It was named the daguerreotype, and it used mirror-like images on a copper plate, and it was developed with mercury.

A Paper Process

Apr 16, 1841

An Englishman named William Talbot, who had been working on photography for a few years, developed a new process using paper instead of copper plates. He developed the images using Gallic acid.

First Photographic Advertisement

Oct 26, 1843

First advertisement with a photograph is published in Philadelphia.

Collodion Process

Mar 9, 1851

Frederick Scott Archer invented the Collodion process so that images required only two or three seconds of light exposure.

Invention of the Stereoscope Viewer

Sep 30, 1861

Oliver Wendell Holmes invents stereoscope viewer.

George Eastman

Nov 14, 1884

George Eastman invents flexible, paper-based photographic film.

The X-Ray

Jun 5, 1895

A German named Wilhelm Roentgen invented a type of photograph that would revolutionize the medical world. He named it the x-ray.

The First Coloured Camera

Jul 20, 1907

Up until this point, photographs were in black and white. Auguste and Louis Lumiere introduced the Autochrome, the first colour camera available to the public.

Invention of the 35mm Camera

Dec 31, 1913

First 35mm still camera is developed. In 1913 this camera cost around $175. By todays standards that's the equal of a $3000 Leica.

Photograph through Wires

Feb 1, 1924

Using wires, AT&T sent a photograph across a distance. This opened the doors for the picture transmission of television.

New Developments

Jul 11, 1925

Over the next forty years the camera evolved at a fast pace. Photocopying became possible, the zoom lens was developed, the Polaroid was released, and the point-and-shoot camera was put out by Eastman Kodak.

Jasupin

Aug 7, 1978

Konica introduces the first point-and-shoot, autofocus camera Konica C35 AF. It was named “Jasupin”.

Digital Film

May 16, 1992

In 1992 Kodak introduced a revolutionary development that would change the face of photography again. Storing pictures on a CD led to digital film including digital cameras, digital picture frames, and cameras on phones and tablets.

First Camera Phone

Apr 26, 2000

In Japan, Sharp’s J-SH04 introduced the world’s first camera phone.

The Canon

Dec 3, 2005

The Canon EOS 5D is launched. This is first consumer-priced full-frame digital SLR with a 24x36mm CMOS sensor.