The Birth of Digital Photography: From Steven Sasson's 1975 Prototype to Kodak's DCS100

Introduction to the First Digital Camera

The advent of the first digital camera is often credited to Steven Sasson, an engineer at Eastman Kodak, who developed the prototype in 1975. This early innovation marked the beginning of a revolutionary era in photography, paving the way for the digital cameras we use today.

Steven Sasson's 1975 invention utilized a charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor and recorded images onto a cassette tape. The resolution of these images was incredibly low by today's standards, at merely 10 pixels by 100 pixels, equating to 0.01 megapixels. However, despite the limitations, this prototype was a pivotal moment, marking the start of the digital photography revolution.

First Commercially Available Digital Camera

The first commercially available digital camera emerged nearly two decades after Sasson's prototype. Kodak, the same company that initially developed the digital camera, released the DCS 100 in 1990, a professional-level camera that used a Nikon N90 body. This camera was used in the 1990 Gulf War and featured a resolution of 1.3 megapixels, similar to the original DSLR technology.

However, the DCS 100 was extremely expensive, priced at around $30,000. Despite its high cost, the camera produced excellent images using Nikon lenses. Kodak followed this with the DCS 400 series, including the DCS 460 with a 6-megapixel sensor, which by the standards of the time, could compete with film cameras. The price of the DCS 460 was around $30,000, and the DCS 760, which came a few years later, cost approximately $7,500.

Evolution and Competition

With Nikon entering the digital camera market, the company discontinued selling DSLR bodies to Kodak. Despite having a good 14-megapixel full-frame sensor before other manufacturers, Kodak seemed to struggle after this point.

The DCS 100 to the DCS 760 series used film bodies from Nikon and Canon to reduce costs, capitalizing on the existing lens libraries. This meant that the zoom capabilities and lens options were consistent with contemporary film cameras. By the time the last DCS model, the DCS 860, was launched in 2005, it featured a 14-megapixel sensor, a Nikon F80 film body, and was priced around $8,000.

Conclusion and Impact

The first digital camera, developed in 1975, by Steven Sasson, and the subsequent commercial releases by Kodak, marked the beginning of a significant shift in the photography industry. These early developments laid the groundwork for modern digital photography, making it more accessible and affordable over time. The legacy of these early models is a testament to the continued evolution of technology and its impact on how we capture and share moments.