How does a camera actually see?

A dark box, a hole, and an upside-down world. Light travels in straight lines. A small hole lets only a thin bundle of rays through from each point of a scene, so they paint a picture on the back wall.

Read how it works: How does a camera actually see? · The history of the camera · More boxes on Glassbox

Chapters in this interactive model

  1. How a Camera Sees: A dark box, a hole, and an upside-down world.
  2. Anatomy of a Camera: Take one apart. Click every piece.
  3. Focus: Making the rays meet exactly on the sensor.
  4. Aperture: The adjustable hole that controls light — and blur.
  5. Shutter Speed: How long the light gets in — and what moves meanwhile.
  6. ISO & the Sensor: Buckets of light, and turning up the volume.
  7. The Exposure Triangle: Fill the bucket. Choose your side effects.
  8. Focal Length & Field of View: Wide-angle to telephoto: how much of the world fits.
  9. Depth of Field: How deep is the slice of sharpness?
  10. Pro Mode: Assignments: Full manual. Six briefs. Make it happen.
Glassbox CameraClear the interactive camera school
Pinhole Rookie 0 XP
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