The First Digital Camera Prototype Is Built

Setting the scene

Photography depended on film and chemical processing; Kodak engineer Steven Sasson wondered whether an electronic sensor could capture images as digital data stored on tape.

What happened

Sasson built the first digital camera prototype in 1975 at Kodak's labs in Rochester; it recorded 0.01-megapixel black-and-white images onto a cassette tape in 23 seconds.

Why it still matters

Kodak pioneered digital imaging but hesitated to commercialize it aggressively, allowing Japanese rivals to dominate the market Kodak had invented. Memorable detail: the prototype weighed about eight pounds and used a portable digital tape recorder for storage.

Background

Kodak later struggled to commercialize what it invented.