ANATOMY OF A

CAMERA

In this set of lessons we dissect a medium format camera to see the internal mechanisms that make it work. By the end of the lesson students should be able to identify the major components of a modern camera and understand the function the various parts play in image creation.

KEY

TAKE-AWAYS

Exterior and interior components, roles of lenses, aperture, shutter, mirror, sensitized material/sensor and prism. Light path.

Part 1 | LECTURE

Having looked at a Camera Obscura, and understood the process that makes the image appear inside the classroom, we now apply this to a modern-day camera. In class, we looked at the inner workings of a medium format film camera and identified the working parts. We also labeled a drawing of all the camera and discussed the parts we will need to understand to take full advantage of our camera.

Here are the major concepts you need to know.