1975 to 1999
Steve Sasson, a young engineer at Kodak, built the first digital camera in 1975. It was an eight-pound, 0.01-megapixel effort, but it worked! The mid-70s also saw a distinct shift in camera-making philosophy. Instead of making simpler, less-capable models for amateur shooters, manufacturers begin utilizing these models as testbeds for new technologies. This quickly turned the industry into a technology arms race, which produced electronic masterpieces such as Canon’s A-1 and Minolta’s XD-11, among others. This and the investments needed for auto-focus drove others from the business. By the early 1990s, the digital revolution is getting under way. It was a period of huge innovation.
1975: Nippon Kogaku K.K. (now Nikon) introduce ...
Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
and much more.
Read now
Unlock full access