technoguy

The principle of the camera obscura can be demonstrated with a rudimentary type, just a box (which may be room-size) with a hole in one side, (see pinhole camera for construction details). Light from only one part of a scene will pass through the hole and strike a specific part of the back wall. The projection is made on paper on which an artist can then copy the image. The advantage of this technique is that the perspective is right, thus greatly increasing the realism of the image (correct perspective in drawing can also be achieved by looking through a wire mesh and copying the view onto a canvas with a corresponding grid on it).

Desiree

So its similar in operation to a projector then?

Trinity

Just didn't know it had a tecnical name

Desiree

I dont know if its used to kind of trace stuff why is it considered a camera?

vipl

The term "camera obscura" was first used by the German astronomer Johannes Kepler in the early 17th century. He used it for astronomical applications. This law of optics was known in ancient times. We like to imagine that this was done for early photographic experimentation but have no proof.