Photographics 10
Objective 6: Types of Cameras
Mr. Buttinger
Holy Cross High
School
Types of Cameras

Film Cameras
-Rangefinder Camera
-35 mm (Compact, SLR)
-Medium Format , Large Format
-Polaroid
-Pinhole Camera

Digital Cameras
- Compact and SLR
- Medium and Large Format
Film Cameras
Cameras vary based on the size of their
negatives:
35mm film cameras
-Most commonly used – smaller size
Medium format cameras
-measured in cm (6x6, 6x9, etc…)
Large format cameras
-measured in inches ( 4 x 5inches, 8 x
10 inches, etc…)
Types of Cameras
The main categories of Camera:
1. Point and Shoot (Compact) –Film or Digital (usually
fully automatic)
2. Single Lens Reflex (SLR)
-Film or Digital
-(exchangeable lenses
and flashes)
The SLR Camera
The Single Lens Reflex Camera
 This camera is portable and extremely
adaptable.
 The original design has now evolved into a
multiplicity of models, the majority of which
have a formidable array of lenses and
accessories.
 When you look through the viewfinder of an
SLR camera … what you see is what the lens
“sees”.
The SLR Camera
How Canon DSLR Cameras Work - YouTube
The SLR Camera
Canon 35 mm SLR
Olympus 35 mm SLR
3. Rangefinder
The Rangefinder Camera
Although the
Rangefinder does
not have quite as
wide a range of
accessories as the
SLR, it is a sturdy
and reliable camera.
The Rangefinder is
available in 35mm or
medium format
models.
The Rangefinder Camera

This is a camera that is very popular with
professional photographers.
 The most famous brand is the Leica.
 In contrast to the SLR, the rangefinder allows
the subject to be seen through a separate
viewfinder rather than through the lens.
 When the lens is focused on the subject,
these two images become aligned with one
another and the picture will then be sharp.

4. Medium Format Cameras

5. Large Format Cameras
Medium Format Camera
The Large Format Camera

This is a large format, tripod-mounted camera
which takes photographs where the
transparencies or negatives are 5 x 4 inches.
 The film is loaded into dark slides, each one
holding just two sheets.
 There is no viewfinder in the conventional
sense: the image is seen upside-down and
back-to-front on a ground glass screen.
 In order to see the image and keep out any
stray light the photographer covers the
camera and his head with a dark cloth.
The Large Format Camera
The range of
applications of the 5
x 4 camera is varied
both in the studio
and on location.
It produces pictures
with excellent clarity
and sharpness of
detail.
YouTube - 4x5
camera
demonstration

6. Polaroid Cameras

7. Pin Hole Cameras
The Instant and Polaroid Camera
As well as providing
an immediate image
of the subject, these
cameras also offer as
many possibilities for
creative photography
as their conventional
counterparts.
The Instant and Polaroid Camera

Instant picture cameras such as the Polaroid
offer another dimension to picture-taking.
 After the picture is taken, the film is
impregnated with the chemicals required for
processing the image and the picture begins
to appear only seconds after the shutter is
pressed.
 Development is complete within minutes.