Mechanics of Digital Imaging

Camera remains the same and only film is replaced by CCD chip and Flash memory that keeps the image data, and LCD for display. It is an advanced electronics so lean that thing first and you will automatically know, the technology.

Try using your header title as a search tool, I did and came up with tons of info, the Web is a good source

A site I have bookmark has good info, tho I also have many books on Dig Photographer http://community.dcmag.co.uk/forums/

Wikipedia has a good overall summary of the digital camera. In addition to various other web resources, you might try a patent search for certain more detailed aspects. Perhaps search by keyword in the Title or Abstract fields, possibly AND'ed with Assignee (Canon, Nikon, etc.). Patents have a lot of detail because of the "enablement" requirement - the description must be sufficient to enable one of "ordinary skill in the art" to make and use the invention. Good luck - it's a very multidisciplinary topic.

jhammond

Thanks guys,

Some great resources to get me on my way!

I can't believe I didn't go to pto right off the bat.

Where's my head?

Oh and jhammond, have you worked with any good garbage plates lately?

OMG I haven't had a garbage plate since grad school. Ditto for Q at Smitty's Birdland. I think Smits is long gone anyway but Nicks is still there.

jhammond

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www.patent-innovations.com

Not sure where you live JJseeker, but I have a wonderful book titled Hacking Digital Cameras printed by Wiley. I bought at 40% off at Barnes and noble.

Much good stuff- building triggers, raw sensor data access, removing IR Blocking filter, reverse macro adapters, hacking microdrives. Much more.

Using IPAQ as a remote control...

You could do worse!

ISBN 0-7645-9651-9

As to shudder apparatus, If you put it on a tripod, it won't shudder...

Sorry for the punk pun. Its my day off and I couldn't help myself...

milo "ok, gang, I've finally used an emoticon"

Thanks Milo,

I had seen that book before but was a bit hesitant, from the sounds of it though it would be worth the investment.

Any excuse to use the barnes and noble membership helps to.

Hi JJ,

Before designing a camera you need to decide upon what quality of image you need, what size you will need, do you need to have zoom during photography and do you need to have large zooming of pictures after (in that case you will need high resolution cameras).

Two core sensors are in operation in digital world (CCD and CMOS). CCD is bit costly and high quality when image is concerned but too complex to build. CMOS is cheap but quality is moderate that can be used for personal use (like web cam).

The best you can do is buy a web cam, take out the sensor board (you got the electrical section). Use USB memory storage device with powering circuit.

Buy a commercial lens with focal length of 37mm (you need to do some optics work here).

Fit both in a home made enclosure junk material and your cam is ready.

Sounds so simple, you may take "cam" manufactuers on ride .

All the Best.

Thanks Rhaga,

I think I would want high quality, high resolution, zoom during photography but not necessarily need zoom afterwards.

Using the charge coupled device would probably be the way to go for me also, but admittedly I need to walk before I run so I think I'll take your advice and build one using the web cam, lens etc. just for the experience and then I'll go after the "cam" manufacturers. Thanks again.

JJ

Do digital cameras still use a shutter or do they just snap the CCD sensor on & off quickly? You can buy compact cameras with adjustable shutter speeds & I'd always imagined that they just changed the timing signal.

It depends on the type of CCD sensor camera is using. There two commonly used type of sensor FT and FF. FT may use a electronic timing shutter but FF has to use mech. shutter.