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How do digital cameras convert light into stored digital image data?
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technology of photography
Figure 1: Sequence of negative–positive process, from the photographing of the original scene to enlarged print (see text).
Digital cameras capture images by utilizing a semiconductor device at their core, typically a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor.12
The process functions as follows:
- Light Capture: Light is transmitted through the camera’s lenses and strikes individual light receptors known as pixels.12
- Measurement: The sensor measures light intensity and colour, the latter of which is determined by using different filters.12
- Conversion: When light hits these receptors, it induces an electric current. This current is then translated into binary digits.12
- Storage: These digital signals are saved onto a storage medium, such as flash memory, which retains the data without requiring constant power.12
This technology replaced the chemical agents used in traditional film photography, allowing for the electronic recording and storage of images.12