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400 BCE
5th-4th Centuries B.C.
Chinese and Greek philosophers describe the basic principles of optics and the camera. -
Isaac Newton 1664 -1666
Isaac Newton discovers that white light is composed of different colours. -
Johann Heinrich Schulze
He discovered that silver nitrate darkened upon exposure to light. -
Robert Barker.
First Panorama opens, the forerunner of the movie house invented by Robert Barker. -
Joseph Niepce achieves first photographic image
Joseph Niepce achieves first photographic image using an early device for projecting real-life imagery called a camera obscura. However, the image required eight hours of light exposure and later faded. -
Louis Daguerre's first daguerreotype
Louis Daguerre's first daguerreotype, an image that was fixed and did not fade and needed under thirty minutes of light exposure -
Alexander Wolcott
First American patent issued in photography to Alexander Wolcott for his camera. -
The first multiple copies.
William Henry Talbot patents the Calotype process, the first negative-positive process making possible the first multiple copies. -
The first advertisement
The first advertisement with a photograph is published in Philadelphia. -
Frederick Scott Archer
Frederick Scott Archer invented the Collodion process so that images required only two or three seconds of light exposure. -
Panoramic camera
Panoramic camera, called the Sutton, is patented. -
Oliver Wendell Holmes
He invents stereoscope viewer -
Copyright Law
Photographs and photographic negatives are added to protected works under copyright law. -
Richard Leach Maddox
Richard Leach Maddox invented the gelatin dry plate silver bromide process, which means negatives no longer had to be developed immediately. -
Dry Plate
Eastman Dry Plate Company is founded. -
George Eastman
George Eastman invents flexible, paper-based photographic film -
Kodak roll-film Camera
Eastman patents Kodak roll-film camera -
Hannibal Goodwin
Reverend Hannibal Goodwin patents celluloid photographic film. -
The Brownie
First mass-marketed camera, called the Brownie, goes on sale. -
1913/1914 35mm still Camera
First 35mm still camera is developed. -
General Electric
General Electric invents the modern flash bulb. -
First Light Meter
First light meter with photoelectric cell is introduced. -
Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak markets Kodachrome film. -
Kodacolor negative film.
Eastman Kodak introduces Kodacolor negative film. -
Chester Carlson
Chester Carlson receives a patent for electric photography (xerography). -
Edwin Land
Edwin Land launches and markets the Polaroid camera. -
High-speed Tri-X film.
Eastman Kodak introduces high-speed Tri-X film -
Underwater Camera for U.S. Navy.
EG&G develops extreme depth underwater camera for U.S. Navy. -
Instant Colour film.
Polaroid introduces the instant colour film. -
Photograph of the Earth is taken from the moon
The photograph, Earth rise, is considered one of the most influential environmental photographs ever taken. -
Instant Photography with the SX-70 Camera.
Polaroid introduces one-step instant photography with the SX-70 camera. -
National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Pioneers George Eastman and Edwin Land are inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. -
Auto focus Camera.
Konica introduces the first point-and-shoot auto focus camera. -
Capturing Moving Picture.
Sony demonstrates first consumer camcorder for capturing moving picture. -
Digital Electronic still Camera.
Canon demonstrates first digital electronic still camera. -
Digital Imaging Processor.
Pixar introduces the digital imaging processor. -
Digital Image Storage Medium.
Eastman Kodak announces Photo Compact Disc as a digital image storage medium. -
The VP-210 Visual Phone
Kyocera Corporation introduces the VP-210 Visual Phone, the world's first mobile phone with built-in camera for recording videos and still photos.
