Electronic Cameras
Introduction
Computer technology has spawned a new photographic theory based on the
principles of capture, enhancement, and display. With fleetwide restrictions
on hazardous material and chemistry, you may find less traditional
photographic methods and more electronic photography in graphics shops.
Electronic
photographic
capture
Electronic photography captures images as magnetic impulses.
The two
types of electronic cameras currently used in the Navy are the still-video
camera and the digital camera.
STILL-VIDEO CAMERAS: The still-video cameras record images as
magnetic impulses and place them on 2-inch floppy disks. Images are
captured by two charged-coupled device (CCD) chips. One chip stores
luminance information and the other separately records chrominance
information. Still-video disks provide a 720,000-pixel image. Images are
stored on the floppy disk as either a frame or a field. When selecting frame
storage, each picture records on two tracks, and up to 25 images fit on one
disk. Selecting field storage records each picture on one track, allowing up
to 50 images on a disk. Recording in the field mode reduces clarity and
resolution.
DIGITAL CAMERAS: Digital cameras capture images and transfer them to
a highly sensitive CCD that converts them directly into digital information
for storage in computer memory or on disks. Digital images easily download
to computers for manipulation, enhancement, printing, or transmission
without a loss in resolution.
Electronic
imagery
capture
Another form of electronic imagery capture is conventional photographic
exposure and development, followed by electronic scanning, to convert the
image into a digital format.
Electronic
imagery
enhancement
With the digital information in computer memory, processing software allows
for corrections and enhancement similar to the alteration of photographs in
the darkroom.
Electronic
imagery display
Electronic images may be displayed on computer screens, transferred to
slides or video tape, or printed on paper or film. Images may also be
directly imported into documents using desktop publishing software. Store
electronic images on floppy disks, compact disks (CD), or in harddrives.
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