Final answer:
The first cameras were room-sized apparatuses based on the camera obscura concept. Joseph Niépce created one of the oldest photographs in 1826, which required a lengthy exposure time. Technological advancements throughout the 19th century made cameras faster, clearer, and more capable of producing permanent images.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first cameras were room-sized creations based on the camera obscura principle, which has been used since the 16th century. The camera obscura consisted of a box or small room with a hole that acted as a lens, allowing light to pass through and project an upside-down image of the external scene onto an opposite surface inside. Early attempts at photography involved trying to fix these projected images onto surfaces using chemicals on metal plates. The oldest surviving photograph is the View from the Window at Le Gras, taken by Joseph Niépce in 1826, with an exposure time of about eight hours.
Photographic technology progressed throughout the 19th century, with significant developments in the areas of speed, resolution, and image permanence leading to more practical and sophisticated cameras. Innovations like the introduction of photographic film by George Eastman in 1884 and Kodak cameras made photography more accessible to the general public. These advancements culminated in the eventual synchronisation of recorded sound and moving images, marking the beginning of the cinematic age. The first cameras were called camera obscuras and were room-sized devices. These early cameras used a small hole to project an upside-down image onto a surface inside the device. The images could then be traced to create accurate representations. However, it wasn't until the 19th century that technology advanced enough to allow the capture of images on a permanent surface.