Written for the camera collector and photography buff, this comprehensive collectors guide and history takes a novel approach to both the instruments and the image. Illustrated with over 500 color photographs, this volume moves from the camera obscura to digital imaging, with major developments in cameras in-between and the many of the images captured with them. Early inventors and photographers are highlighted in the discussion of the the evolution of cameras. Their scientific inventiveness and artistry made photographic imaging what it is today. Camera groupings based on format and function, together with images give the reader a better understanding of how each camera type played a significant role in the development of photography. Collectors will also learn how to examine, care for, and test a camera, and the current price ranges of classic cameras are an invaluable. Finally, the short technical glossary is a primer for the beginning collector and a refresher for the professional.