A Journey Through the Evolution of Photography Devices

By the 17th century, inventors like Johann Zahn envisioned portable cameras suitable for capturing images. It wasn't until the 19th century that innovations like photographic plates and roll film revolutionized the industry. In 1888, George Eastman introduced the Kodak camera—a simple box device with a fixed focus lens, preloaded with 100 exposures, making photography accessible to many. Subsequent models enhanced functionality, including roll film-based cameras, which remained popular until the rise of digital photography. Despite technological advances, traditional film remained favored by professional astrophotographers until digital cameras became dominant in the late 20th century.