Camera Obscura not Lucida

[P3D Peter Homer <P.J.Homer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dr T has suggested that the term camera is derived from camera lucida (
light room) actualy I think it comes from camera obscura  ( dark room)
which is what a camera is . Camera Obscuras were used as drawing aids long
before they evolved into photographic cameras ,leonardo -Da- Vinci even
seems to have designed a stereoscopic version although I know of no
evidence that he made any drawings with it let alone realise how to view
them stereoscopicaly. The camera lucida is a much more recent device
invented by Wollaston who seems to have named it the camera lucida after
the camera obscura. Actualy it is a prism which allows both the drawing
board and subject to be seen superimposed there is no blacked out chamber
which seems to be why he used the term lucida rather than obscura .Actualy
the term camera (room) is also inapropriate here .
                                                              P.J.Homer



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