UNIT 3 CAMERA - TYPES, STRUCTURE Camera - Types,

Structure and

AND FUNCTIONS Functions

Structure
3.0 Introduction
3.1 Learning Outcomes
3.2 Camera : An Introduction
3.3 Digital Camera : Different Types
3.4 Structure of a Camera
3.5 Functions of a Camera
3.6 Camera Accessories
3.7 Let Us Sum Up
3.8 Further Readings and References
3.9 Check Your Progress: Possible Answers

3.0 INTRODUCTION
The word Photography has Greek roots, broken down to ‘Photo’ + ‘Graphe’,
which roughly means writing or drawing by light. Camera is nothing but a
tool that enables writing with the help of light. This unit will help you to
learn about the basic principles of photography. What exactly happens inside
a camera and how the image is formed ? We shall also cover various types of
digital cameras used for still photography while exploring the pros and cons
of each type. We will also learn about the functioning of a DSLR camera, the
working of its various controls and analyse how they affect the image. In the
end, we shall go through a number of camera accessories and understand
their use and purpose in still photography.

3.1 LEARNING OUTCOMES

After going through this unit, you will be able to:

 enumerate the different types of still cameras;

 describe various parts of a still camera;

 explain the working of a still camera; and

 discuss the different accessories used with still cameras.

3.2 CAMERA : AN INTRODUCTION

Photography seems like a pretty simple hobby to take up. Everyone has
become a photographer in recent times with smartphones equipped with 31
Digital Photography cameras of great megapixels. But photography dates back to times when one
photograph took hours to be exposed and one had to wait for days for
developing of a photograph. You may remember the times when cameras
were loaded with film rolls, which contained a total of 36 frames. These 36
frames were exposed very selectively, sent to the chemical labs for
processing and then after a week-long wait, the photographs arrived along
with the negatives. Compared to that, today one is able to click ten photos of
themselves even before exiting the house. And processing is far forgotten as
all the display and archival happens on social media instead of photo albums.

The word camera originally is derived from the Greek word ‘Kamara’,
meaning a dark room. It is a shortened version of the ‘Camera Obscura’,
which was a light proof tent, allowing light to enter through an opening fitted
with a lens. The lens was used to collect and converge light to a point, just
like it happens in case of a magnifying mirror. Artists sitting inside the room
used to trace the image created by light falling onto a flat surface. This flat
surface was later on replaced by materials coated with photosensitive
chemicals, that allowed certain chemical reactions to take place, triggered by
the light. The bases for these materials started with broad sheets of glass to
tiny 35 mm films, thus reducing the size and mobility of the cameras in use
as well.

Today, with the advent of digital technology, photography has also evolved
rapidly over the past three decades. A digital camera utilizes the same optical
principles as a film camera, aided with a small photosensitive chip that has
replaced the film. So while the chip converts the light energy into electric
signals, another chip, or memory card stores these signals in form of digital
data. This data can then be touched upon in our computers, mobile phones,
etc. and shared over the Internet across social media and also be printed and
pasted in photo albums like that of yesteryears. You may have taken a selfie,
uploaded it to your social media account and gathered feedback from your
peers on your photography skills. Digital cameras have made the process of
photography simpler. We shall discuss the working of a digital camera in
detail further in this unit.

3.3 DIGITAL CAMERA : DIFFERENT TYPES

There are many types of digital cameras available in the market. They may be
categorized differently based on their working.

i. Point and Shoot cameras : The simplest type is a point and shoot
camera. Its name aptly describes its use. You point at the image to be
clicked, and just click the button to shoot it. While easy to use, it does
not need the photographer to think about any other controls other than
putting what is to be photographed in front of the camera. The camera
does all the calculation and adjustment on its own for capturing the
image. It is good for people who do not have any artistic or professional
inclination towards learning photography. Due to less knowledge and
32
 skills required to operate it, the major market share today is occupied by Camera - Types,
Structure and
these cameras. The camera of your smartphone also lies in this category, Functions
but depending on the model and budget of the phone, it may offer you
certain customizations for the image.

Figure 1: Point and Shoot Camera

Point and shoot cameras are compact and light weight, easy to handle and can
capture video as well. These cameras have separate mechanisms and lenses
for capturing and viewing the image. The lens allows the light in to capture
the image while the viewfinder allows the light in for the eye to view and
compose the frame. Due to the difference in the position of the two lenses,
parallax error occurs while shooting. Parallax error occurs when there is a
difference between the conceptualized frame and the captured frame due to
the position of the two lenses.

Image source: No machine-readable author provided. Marb~commonswiki assumed (based

on copyright claims). / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)
Figure 2: Parallax error

ii. DSLR Cameras : DSLR stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex cameras.
They are named so as they have single lens for viewing and capturing
the image. DSLRs have larger sensors than average point and shoot
33
Digital Photography cameras, thus resulting in better image quality. DSLRs also provide a lot
of control over the image by allowing to change lenses, altering aperture,
shutter, ISO and many other functions as well that we shall discuss later
in the chapter.

These cameras have ruled the market for the longest time due to their
practicality of functioning and amount of control they offer to the
photographer over the image. Variations in models are also available
depending upon the use. Consumer end cameras would provide lesser
specifications, while prosumer end may provide an array of functions.
DSLRs also allow for video recording, but control may vary depending
on the budget and the model of the camera. Few higher end cameras also
allow for sound recording with the help of attachable devices. Stanley
Ka Dabba (2011) was the first film in India to be completely shot on
DSLRs.

Figure 3: DSLR Camera

iii. Mirrorless Cameras : DSLRs have a small reflex mirror housed inside
the body of the camera that functions to remove the parallax error as
faced by the point and shoot cameras. Further improving upon the design
of the DSLRs, mirrorless cameras work on a digital display system
rather than an optical one. Simply put, in the absence of the reflex
mirror, the image sensor supplements the viewfinder with the signal it is
receiving. So the photographer is able to see the image live on a small
LCD screen at the back of the camera. All the controls and functions can
be accessed through this screen and there is no need of using a
viewfinder at all.

Compared to DSLRs, these cameras are smaller, lighter and quieter as

the mirror is removed, which moves when shutter is released. Unlike the
DSLR cameras these cameras also give a live feedback of depth of field
and exposure on the viewing screen. Slowly and steadily gaining the
market share, mirrorless cameras are replacing the DSLRs.

34
Check Your Progress : 1 Camera - Types,
Structure and
Functions
Note: 1) Use the space below for you answers.
2) Compare your answers with those given at the end of this unit.

1. Explain the differences between DSLR and mirrorless cameras.

.....................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................

2. In which of the following does Parallax error occur ?

a. SLR
b. DSLR
c. Point and Shoot camera
d. None of the above

3.4 STRUCTURE OF A CAMERA

You may remember that at the beginning of this chapter, it was discussed that
a camera is a light tight box, allowing the light to enter by measure, in order
to capture a framed image. Now we will dissect and discuss the structure of a
digital camera. A camera can be divided into two main parts: lens and body.
These two main parts are made up of many other subparts. Now we shall
discuss these parts in detail.

Photo: Poonam Gaur

Figure 4: Parts of camera: lens and body

i. Lens

A lens is a finely polished glass, curved on both sides, used to allow light to
enter the camera and focus the image on the sensor. A photography lens is 35
Digital Photography usually an assembly of lenses that are adjusted in order to achieve the desired
image. Better the lens of a camera, better the photographs being captured.
Now, we shall discuss different types of photographic lenses.

Types of Photographic Lenses : Photographic lenses are categorized on the

basis of their focal lengths. Focal length of a lens is the distance between its
optical centre to the focal point. In a camera, the sensor is placed at the focal
point of the lens in order to expose for the image. You may remember from
your high school physics that if the object is at infinity, the image will be
created on the focal point. Focal length affects the angle of view of a lens as
well. Lesser the focal length, more the angle of view. Lenses which are closer
to the angle of view of human eyes are called normal lenses. Their focal
length is approximately 50-55 mm for 35 mm photography sensors. All
perspectives, sizes and distances are seen through these lenses as seen by
human eyes. Lenses with focal length lesser than this would have a greater
angle of view, thus are called wide angle lenses, for e.g., 24 mm, 30 mm
lenses. Going too wide starts distorting the image. One may see the edges
distorting in photographs taken by 16 mm or lower lenses. These lenses have
smaller lens body. On the other hand, telephoto lenses have a narrower field
of vision and a longer lens body. For 35 mm sensors, telephoto lenses begin
from 75 mm and go up to 250-300 mm. There are super telephoto lenses as
well, with 1000 mm focal length.

Lenses with fixed focal length are called prime lenses, while lenses with
variable focal length are called zoom lenses. Zoom lenses allow for optical
magnification by narrowing down the angle of view, and thus provide for
greater flexibility for framing the image without the movement of the
photographer.

Other Parts of Photographic Lenses : When you carefully inspect the

photographic lens, you will find many different parts. These are - focusing
ring, manual / auto focus switch, zoom ring, aperture, image stabilization
switch, and lens cap. Here we shall discuss about these parts briefly.

 Focusing ring: You may have noticed the focussing ring on the camera,
which is the first ring on any camera lens. This ring is used to focus the
image in manual focus mode. In auto focus mode, the ring gets locked.

 Manual / Auto focus switch: You can find this switch on the lens which
allows you to choose between manual focus and auto focus.

 Zoom ring: Zoom ring is the another ring found on camera lens. It help to
change the focal length of the lens and get the effects of zooming.

 Aperture: Aperture is the opening in the camera through which light

enters. It works like the pupil of the eye, contracting in more light and
enlarging in low light conditions. Similarly, greater the opening in the
camera, more light entering and falling onto the sensor and greater
chances of overexposing the image. On the other hand, smaller the
36
 opening, lesser the light and thus chances of underexposing the image. Camera - Types,
Structure and
Thus, choosing the appropriate aperture is extremely important for the Functions
photograph. We shall discuss about aperture in detail in Unit-7
(Photography Techniques).

 Image stabilization switch: You can find this switch on many lenses. This
allows you to take advantage of the image stabilization feature which
helps in reducing the effects of camera shake and get sharper photos.

 Lens cap: This is a protective cover of the camera lens that protects the
lens from scratches and minor collisions.

ii. Body

The body of the camera is designed in such a manner that no light, other than
the intended light, comes into it. It is also entirely black as to disallow any
sort of reflection within. In a DSLR camera, after the removal of the lens, you
can see the reflex mirror and the sensor when one presses the shutter release
button. The shutter is located in front of the sensor, which shifts to expose the
sensor to light to form the image. The body also contains a lot of circuitry
which enables the working of the camera. At the back, one can see the LCD
screen with a viewfinder mounted on the top. The LCD screen helps in seeing
the live view of the frame being captured and also the other adjustments that
can be manoeuvred within the camera. The body of a DSLR camera consists
of many other important parts. Now, we shall discuss about them in detail.

Image Sensor: The light falls onto the sensor in the camera, which is nothing
but an electronic chip, which converts light energy into electric energy. It is
of the same size as that of a 35 mm film in full frame DSLR cameras but
many DSLR and mirrorless cameras are available with smaller sensors too.
The quality of a sensor is measured by how many pixels it has and its size. A
pixel is a picture element; a unit in the sensor which enables conversion of
light energy into electric energy. Greater the number of pixels in a sensor,
greater the data collected and converted into electric signals, thus better the
resolution of the photograph. Today the market of digital cameras sees them
being marketed on the basis of the number of their pixels, or Megapixels. A
megapixel is equivalent to 1 million pixels. Even the smartphone cameras
today are competing with DSLR with the help of attachable lenses and better
sensors. Mainly two types of camera sensors are used – CCD (Charge-
coupled Device) and CMOS(Complementary Metal-oxide Semiconductor) .
CMOS is cost-effective and now matches the quality of the CCD. Nowadays
CMOS sensor is getting more popularity.

Viewfinder: Viewfinder of a camera is on the top at the back. In DSLR

camera, it helps in viewing the image being focussed with the help of the
reflex mirror and pentaprism. You can also customize the viewfinder’s lens
according to the power of your eyesight. This is done by customizing the
dioptre settings, accessing through a dial on the viewfinder itself.
37
Digital Photography Shutter: While aperture controls the amount of the light entering, shutter is
the device which controls the time period it is allowed to fall onto the sensor.
Like an actual shutter, it opens and shuts for a defined time period in order to
let the exposure take place. Shutter speed is the time for which the shutter is
held open. Lesser the time taken, faster the shutter speed and conversely
more the time taken, slower the shutter speed. Shutter plays very important
role in photography. We shall discuss about it in detail in Unit-9.

3.5 FUNCTIONS OF A CAMERA

With a brief understanding of various parts of the camera, we may proceed
further to discuss how these parts work together in tandem for its smooth
functioning. In this section, we shall discuss the functioning of a still camera,
especially a DSLR camera. However, most of these functions are similar
between DSLR and mirrorless cameras.

Functioning of DSLR Camera : Here is a cross section of a DSLR camera

given, to make you understand and trace the path of light inside a camera.

Image source: By en:User:Cburnett - Own work with Inkscape based on Image:Slr-cross-

section.png, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1588769
Figure 5: Cross Section of a DSLR
1- Camera lens, 2 – Reflex mirror, 3 - Focal-plane shutter, 4 - Image sensor, 5 – Matte
focusing screen, 6 – Condenser lens, 7 - Pentaprism and 8 - Viewfinder eyepiece

When you look through the viewfinder of an SLR, you are actually seeing a
reflection of the image created by the reflex mirror and the pentaprism
housed in the viewfinder. The mirror sends the light upwards and the
pentaprism reflects it within to rotate the image and sends it to the viewfinder
to help compose the image. When the shutter release button is pressed, the
mirror swiftly moves upwards, allowing the light to fall onto the sensor to
38
create the image. After the image is captured, the mirror falls back into the Camera - Types,
Structure and
place again. As the action of mirror is based on the pressing of a button, it is Functions
called a reflex mirror.

While the DSLR is a marked improvement on the earlier point and shoot
cameras, following are the few disadvantages of a DSLR:
i. They are heavy and bulky to carry.
ii. The viewfinder goes blank when the photograph is being taken, thus the
photographer loses the control over the image.
iii. The movement of the reflex mirror may shake the camera.
iv. Time lag due to the movement of mirror.

These factors have been discounted in the mirrorless cameras, leading to their
rapidly gaining popularity in this market segment.

 Focus : You may have noticed the focussing ring on the camera, which is
the first ring on any camera lens. It helps in moving the camera assembly
so that the image produced can be brought into sharp focus. While
working in manual focussing mode, one rotates the ring in order to focus
in or out of the subject as per the need. It also helps in highlighting one
part of the image by focussing it sharper than the rest. In autofocus mode,
the ring gets locked and the camera detects the object by using infrared
wave mechanism and shoots accordingly. Half pressing the shutter release
button helps in measuring and locking the focussing distance.

 Different Shooting Modes : You will get different shooting modes in

your camera. These modes can be automatic, semi-automatic or complete
manual. Here, we shall discuss few important shooting modes.

Auto mode: In this mode, the camera sets everything automatically. You
cannot change aperture, shutter speed, or ISO. Most cameras provide some
pre-programmed settings, for example - portrait mode, landscape mode,
close-up mode, sports mode, etc. In these modes the camera automatically
sets all the features. In the beginning, you can use automatic pre-programmed
modes.

Aperture-Priority Mode: You may consider this mode as semi-automatic

where you have the freedom to set a few things and some other things will be
set automatically by the camera. In aperture priority mode, you have the
liberty to change the aperture and ISO and the camera will automatically
select the shutter speed to get the correct exposure. Different companies use
different icons for this mode, but 'A' and 'Av' are the most popular.

Shutter-Priority Mode: It is also a semi-automatic mode where you have

freedom to choose shutter speed and ISO and the camera will automatically
select the aperture accordingly. 'S' and 'Tv' are the most popular icons used
for this mode by different camera companies.
39
Digital Photography Manual Mode: It is a complete manual mode where you have the freedom to
set all the features of the camera according to your need. This mode gives
you complete control over the camera settings. You can set aperture, shutter
speed and ISO according to your requirement.
 White Balance : White balance is basically the process of telling the
camera what is white in a given light. A white sheet of paper will remain
white to you even if the light conditions in your room change from sun
light to tube light. This is because your brain is always on auto white
balance and identifies the white colour. Why is white important? Because
it is a mixture of all colours and identifying it will help in truly identifying
all the colours.

The camera is not as advanced as your brain. It needs to be specifically told

in each light condition what is the true white, in order to capture and recreate
all the colours truthfully. Have you noticed photographs which have a green,
blue or orange cast to them. That is all the colours appear to be overpowered
by a single colour and thus appear as various shades and tones of it. That is
due to incorrect white balance.

A DSLR has a list of pre-sets which helps the photographer choose what
lighting conditions he/she is shooting in, and thus define white for that
particular light. It ranges from incandescent, fluorescent, direct sunlight,
flash, cloudy and shade amongst others. Camera can also be put on auto
white balance which makes it one less thing to think about but white balance
does help in true reproduction of colours in any photograph.
 ISO : In digital photography, ISO is related to the sensitivity of the image
sensor to light. You shall find the ISO button on the body of the camera,
through which the ISO setting can be changed. If you increase the ISO, the
image sensor's sensitivity to light will increase. This is a useful feature in
photography and we will discuss it in detail in Unit-8.

3.6 CAMERA ACCESSORIES

Camera accessories make photography more effective and smooth. In this
section, we will discuss some important camera accessories useful in
photography.

Tripod : A tripod is an extendable three legged stand for mounting the

camera. Its primary function is to keep the camera steady and stable at a
position. It is required for long exposures and in case of multiple photographs
required from same position. A tripod has two basic parts, the head and the
legs. The legs are collapsible and extendable to the desired height and the
head has a pan and tilt head, helping in panning, tilting and rotating the
camera after it is steadily mounted.

Another variation is monopod, which is a one legged stand. So while it

provides stability and steadiness, it needs to be held by the photographer all
the time.
40
Filters : Filters are pieces of glass attached to lenses to help filter light waves Camera - Types,
Structure and
entering into the lens. Filters also safeguard the lens from dust, sunlight and Functions
scratches. Filters help in controlling the colour, contrast, tonality, glare of the
photograph along with creating a few special effects. For e.g., Neutral
Density filters help in cutting down the light, colour correction filters help in
changing the white balance, Star filters help in creating star effect in the
photograph, UV filters filter out UV rays from entering the camera and the
fog filters help creating a foggy effect in the photographs.

Flash : Flash is a device which emits light for a brief instant. It is the most
commonly used artificial lighting equipment used for still photography.
Many cameras have an inbuilt flash. While shooting in flash mode, it goes on
as soon as the shutter release button is pressed to provide light for the
photograph. External flashes have to be synchronized with the camera, with
the use of a trigger cable or a wireless trigger.

Activity 1
Download the user manual of a DSLR camera and a mirrorless camera of
popular brands from the Internet. Read them carefully and highlight the
differences between these two types of cameras.

Check Your Progress : 2

Note: 1) Use the space below for you answers.

2) Compare your answers with those given at the end of this unit.

1. Prime lenses and zoom lenses are same.

a. True
b. False

2. Telephoto lenses have a narrower field of view.

a. True
b. False

3. Lenses with fixed focal length are called prime lenses.

a. True
b. False

4. CMOS stands for ___________.

a. Camera Magnet Operated Sensor
b. Complementary Metal-oxide Semiconductor
c. Camera Minor Optical Sensor
d. Complementary Magnetic Optical Semiconductor
41
Digital Photography
3.7 LET US SUM UP
For a photographer, the camera is his/her tool. To become a skilled
photographer, it is essential that you know your camera well. In this unit, you
were introduced to digital still cameras. We discussed the structure of the
camera in detail. We discussed the variations in the design of still cameras
and the way they work. We also learnt about the different functions that can
be controlled while taking photographs. At the end of the unit, we talked
about some accessories that paly important role in photography.

3.8 FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES

Harman, D. (2019). The Digital Photography Handbook: An Illustrated Step-
by-step Guide. Hachette UK.
Maître, H. (2017). From photon to pixel: the digital camera handbook. John
Wiley & Sons.
Langford, M., Fox, A., & Smith, R. S. (2015). Langford's basic photography:
the guide for serious photographers. Routledge.

3.9 CHECK YOUR PROGRESS: POSSIBLE

ANSWERS
Check Your Progress: 1

1. DSLRs have a small reflex mirror housed inside the body of the camera
that functions to remove the parallax error as faced by the point and shoot
cameras. Further improving upon the design of the DSLRs, mirrorless
cameras work on a digital display system rather than an optical one.
Simply put, in the absence of the reflex mirror, the image sensor
supplements the viewfinder with the signal it is receiving. So the
photographer is able to see the image live on a small LCD screen at the
back of the camera. All the controls and functions can be accessed
through this screen and there is no need of using a viewfinder at all.
Compared to DSLRs, these cameras are smaller, lighter and quieter as the
mirror is removed, which moves when shutter is released. Unlike the
DSLR cameras these cameras also give a live feedback of depth of field
and exposure on the viewing screen.

2. c. Point and Shoot camera

Check Your Progress: 2

1. b. False
2. a. True
3. a. True
4. b. Complementary Metal-oxide Semiconductor
42