It was 38 years ago, in 1969, that George Smith and Willard Boyle invented the image sensor know as the CCD (charged coupled device), laying the foundation for the development of digital photography. They were trying to create semiconductor memory for computers but instead they developed the CCD, which is the core of a digital camera today.

Growth of digital photography
The Mavica (Magnetic Video Camera) electronic still camera was the first digital camera, produced by Sony Corporation in 1981. Images were recorded as magnetic impulses on a two-inch floppy disk with the help of two CCD chips. Although the early Mavica is seen as starting the era of digital cameras, it was basically a video camera recording video freeze-frames and not a real digital camera.

The scientists of Kodak invented the world’s first megapixel sensor in 1986. These could record 1.4 million pixels and produce a 5×7-inch digital photo-quality print. It was only in 1991 that the first professional digital camera system (DCS) was produced. It was basically meant for photojournalists and it had a 1.3 megapixel sensor.

Developments continued incorporating additional features such as a self-timer, built-in flash and rechargeable lead acid battery, a disk and computer interface card along with the software.

In 1990, the world’s first digital consumer camera was launched by Logitech, which was named Dycam Model 1 black-and-white digicam. It had to be connected to a computer to transfer images.

In 1994, the Apple QuickTake 100 digital camera was introduced. It could be connected to a home computer through a serial cable and it incorporated a built-in flash as well.

The next area of research was to incorporate a tiny computer inside a camera, and scientists were able to miniaturize the camera’s sensor. Leading companies like Nikon, Olympus, Toshiba and Kodak were successful in producing small digital cameras similar to the film cameras.

In a mere span of 30 years, digital cameras are now available in various shapes and sizes and have highly sophisticated technology incorporated in them.