The digital camera and its parts.
In the point-and-shoot world of personal photography, very few people don't own a digital camera. Well, if you own one, you might as well be familiar with the insides and "what makes it tick." There are many brands and types of digital cameras on the market, but they're all made up of the same components.
The Body
The body forms the foundation of a camera.
The main part of the digital camera is the body. Made mostly of hard plastic or aluminium, the body is the base unit of a camera, housing the internal and external mechanisms that produce images. You'll find the on/off switch, buttons for multiple settings, flash holder, viewfinder and battery/memory card compartment. More commercial models have the lens attached to the body. If the digital camera is an single-lens reflex, or SLR, different can be mounted and used.
The Lens
Removable lenses enhance a camera's versatility.
The lens is made up of the enclosure and glass lenses. If the lens is incorporated onto the camera body, then only the glass lens at the front of the lens can be seen. On an SLR camera, the lens is a separate part that attaches to the camera's body. Types of lenses include telephoto (used to enlarge distant objects) and wide-angle (used for closer objects and wider views).
Charged Coupled Devices
A charged coupled device is the workhorse of a digital camera.
The charged coupled device, or CCD, is the sensor used in digital and video cameras that records images. It is, ideally, a small chip that captures light and converts it to digital data, which then records onto the camera's internal memory or memory card.
Considered the digital version of film, the CCD measures a mere 1/6th or 1/5th of an inch in size, depending on the quality of the camera. SLR cameras usually have smaller CCDs that produce better quality images. The resolution of the sensor, measured in megapixels like 8MP or 21MP, also affect image quality. The higher the resolution, the more crisp detail within the photo.
Tags: digital camera, camera body, charged coupled, charged coupled device, coupled device