FotoMalta History of Photography

Mid-to-Late 20th Century: Automation, New Formats, and the Digital Dawn (1950-2000)

The latter half of the 20th century saw further advancements in camera technology, including automation, new film formats, and the beginnings of digital imaging..

1950-1960

Automation and New Features

Cameras became more automated, with built-in light meters and automatic exposure modes, making photography easier for the average user.

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1950-1970

The SLR Revolution

The single-lens reflex (SLR) camera became the dominant camera type for both professionals and amateurs, offering interchangeable lenses and precise control over image composition

1963

The Instamatic

Kodak introduced the Instamatic camera, a simple point-and-shoot camera that used easy-to-load film cartridges, further popularizing photography.

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1970-1980

Autofocus and Electronic Advancements

Autofocus technology was introduced, making it easier to achieve sharp images, and electronic components began to play a larger role in camera design.

1975

The First Digital Camera

Engineers at Kodak developed the first digital camera, marking the beginning of the digital revolution in photography.

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1980-1990

The Rise of Digital

Digital cameras became increasingly sophisticated and affordable, gradually replacing film cameras as the dominant technology.

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1990

The Internet and Digital Sharing

The advent of the internet and digital image sharing platforms like the Photo CD created by Kodak, revolutionized how photographs were shared and viewed

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Mr John Topham, Photographer, 1936. this image is for illustration purposes only - specifically in context to the Wikipedia page for John Topham - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Topham_(photographer). It may not be reproduced anywhere else on Wikipedia or for any other purposes. to license this image please contact www.topfoto.co.uk

Many dilettante enthusiasts of photography have enriched the early photographic repertoire with true masterpieces. John Topham [TopFoto] was indisputably one of the most gifted amateurs-turned-pros: quitting the London police force in the 1920s, he pursued a career behind the camera to become one of the century’s most important photographers. From 1931 till 1972, he photographed – as he put it – the “little things of life – the way it really was”. Princess Elena Petrović-Njegoš of Montenegro, Italy’s queen in the first half of the 20th century, was an amateur photographer with an eye for business as well: passionately documenting her travels with many a well-achieved picture, she also invented the concept of the ‘signed photograph’, sold at charity desks to help raise funds for the victims of WorldWar I.

SLR_cross_section.svg
Cross-section view of a typical 35mm SLR camera:
  1. 1 – Front-mount Lens
  2. 2 – Reflex mirror
  3. 3 – Focal plane shutter
  4. 4 – 135 film or 35mm format sensor
  5. 5 – Focusing screen
  6. 6 – Condensing lens
  7. 7 – Pentaprism
  8. 8 – Eyepiece