The digital camera is a really amazing invention. Unlike most ordinary cameras, the digital camera doesn’t require film at all; rather, the camera uses a computer to translate whatever information it is picking up into a digital signal. Outlined in this article is essentially how a digital camera works, along with all its parts, so you know just what you’re purchasing.
The Lens
Just like any other traditional camera, the lens focuses the light into the camera onto the device that will capture the image – in this case, the sensor.
The CCD sensor
The CCD (or CMOS) sensor takes the light and translates it into a digital signal. This part’s size can vary and can contain anywhere from 1 million pixels (1 megapixel) to upwards of 24 million pixels (24 megapixels) and some have even more. Each pixel is a “dot” in the image that is created, and the more megapixels there are the more dots in the image there are. However, don’t think that more megapixels mean more quality – megapixels only measure size.
The PCB
The PCG is the Printed Circuit Board, and these are essentially the brains of the camera. This is essentially the motherboard of the camera and makes everything in the camera tick, from the power button all the way to the zoom feature.
The Memory
Camera memory comes in two different types: one is built-in memory, which is soldered to the PCB and cannot be removed or upgraded. These are found typically on older cameras. The other kind is a memory card, which is a removable card that allows you to keep your photos on multiple cards and is completely interchangeable.
The LCD Screen
The LCD screen is a liquid crystal display that allows you to view photographs as you take them as well as see any photos that are either on the camera’s memory or the current memory card that is inserted. The LCD screen has a backlight which illuminates it, allowing you to see the picture that is displayed; without the backlight, the LCD is dark and unable to be seen.
The Flash
The flash is just a typical flash, like most all other cameras have. It is built in and allows the camera to take pictures without blurring the image in darker environments.
These are the essential pieces of a digital camera, and are quite necessary to know if you’re looking at getting into photography.
