Camera obscura is an optical device that projects an image of its surroundings on a screen. It consists of a box or room with a small hole in one side, through which light from an external scene passes and strikes a surface inside, where the image is formed. The image is inverted and reversed due to the rectilinear propagation of light. The camera obscura has a long history, with early descriptions dating back to ancient China and Greece. It was used extensively by artists during the Renaissance and Baroque periods as an aid for drawing and painting, allowing them to trace the projected image. The camera obscura also played a crucial role in the development of photography. In the 19th century, the addition of a lens to the aperture improved the clarity of the projected image, and the use of light-sensitive materials allowed the image to be captured permanently. The camera obscura principle is the foundation for modern photographic cameras, where the box is replaced by the camera body and the screen by light-sensitive film or digital sensors. Today, camera obscuras are not only of historical interest but are also used for educational purposes and as tourist attractions, offering unique perspectives of cityscapes and landscapes.
pinhole camera, optics, perspective, image projection, drawing aid, photographic history, light
CITATION : "John Armstrong. 'Camera-obscura.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=434244 (Accessed on December 22, 2024)"
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