World's first camera goes on public display in Macau

If you thought the golden anniversary of Olympus' Pen camera was something, get a load of this. From now until August 23rd, an elaborate exhibition entitled 'The Invention of Photography and the Earliest Photographs' will showcase some of digital imaging's earliest tools, including the planet's oldest camera. The wooden sliding box shown above will undoubtedly be the centerpiece of the Macau-based expo, though it will be surrounded by 250 photography antiques and 180 old photos, which were collections lent by the Nicephore Niepce Museum and 12 other museums, cultural institutions and private collectors around the world. Anyone planning on making the trip over? Make sure you take a few snapshots with your 90s-era point-and-shoot, cool?

[va jj @ May 24th 2009 4:28AM]

iz a peep hole

[Why should I have all the fun? @ May 24th 2009 8:45AM]

First ever picture: A woman showing her belly-button.

[Quantumphysics @ May 24th 2009 9:29AM]

Red Eye reduction came around a bit later.

[ilovecheetos47 @ May 24th 2009 4:30AM]

It's as thin as a ZUNE!!

[Argot @ May 24th 2009 7:33AM]

And you get better pictures than on the iPhone!

[Bored @ May 24th 2009 4:33AM]

Hahaha.....I know this has nothing to do with the camera but Zunes make elephants look anorexic! LMAO!!!!!!!!

[Bored @ May 24th 2009 4:34AM]

(i meant to reply to ilovecheetos47)

[Gi @ May 24th 2009 4:35AM]

I believe you meant to fail...bringing up zune in a camera thread hmm?

[shibathedog @ May 24th 2009 12:19PM]

lol plus WTF is that even supposed to mean? OMG its a whole half inch thick, I don't even own a zune and I can see how ridiculous this is, are you one of those emos who wears their sister's pants that are size 0 so something as "huge" as the zune won't fit in your pocket? In any other situation I really can't figure out why it matters so much.

Anyway, the exhibit looks interesting, If I had the free time/a plane ticket I would go.

[ifalldownstairs @ May 24th 2009 4:40AM]

is this the same camera as the one that was auctioned in 2007? http://www.luxist.com/2007/05/31/worlds-oldest-camera-sells-for-almost-800-000/ http://www.luxurylaunches.com/auctions/worlds_oldest_camera_to_go_on_auction.php

the article and the link don't really explain anything about the camera beyond naming the inventor.

[darkmax @ May 24th 2009 4:47AM]

Gosh camera and photography has come a really long way

[Gert @ May 24th 2009 4:53AM]

Now with 0x zoom and the equivalent of a 1 pixel camera.
"You might just get intoxicated developing the pictures"

Offtopic: I hate the fact that everyone is taking pictures of everything, even their own turds.

[Farris @ May 24th 2009 1:19PM]

You mean like ratemypoo. com? (I put a space in it because I didn't really feel like providing a link. It's really nasty.)

I remember the first time someone sent me a link to that site, and I nearly barfed. That was when I learned to be very careful about the links I click. I must have been.. 12? 13? Somewhere in there.

I agree with the cameras content. I think I have close to 50 pictures on my Facebook, most not of me. Some of the people that I know have HUNDREDS, if not north of 1000. Ridiculous.

[midnightblade @ May 24th 2009 5:08AM]

I could go... but I've lost too much money in Macau's Casinos. Unless of course engadget is willing to sponser my ferry ticket...

[robogobo @ May 24th 2009 5:29AM]

um, the title is wrong. That's not the first camera. The first cameras were used to
assist drawing, and were quite common. Aside from that, the first
photographic recording was actually an image burned into the side of
a barn. So the first camera is a barn door.

Oldest camera, ok.

[Patriks7 @ May 24th 2009 6:12AM]

Doesn't matter. Engadget's lack of "edit" buttons all over the site will not allow them to change it.

[Rob @ May 24th 2009 2:21PM]

Incorrect. The cameras you speak of to assist drawing, a camera obscura, isn't a camera in a traditional sense because it doesn't capture the image. The first image ever is a heliograph called "A View from the Window at Le Gras" by Niepce.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:View_from_the_Window_at_Le_Gras,_Joseph_Nic%C3%A9phore_Ni%C3%A9pce.jpg

[Premature ejaculation man @ May 24th 2009 5:30AM]

That hole looks like a job for...PREMATURE EJACULA---

Never mind.

[Boards of Canada @ May 24th 2009 6:37AM]

Louis Daguerre personnal camera?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Daguerre

[Booshack @ May 24th 2009 7:14AM]

"Cameras not allowed."

[oppylocky @ May 24th 2009 7:31AM]

on the subject of cameras, i was in mumbay last december and i came across a shop called "fine art" near the delhi durbar (should anyone wish to go there) and they had a few cameras from the 1920's. awesome shop to say the least.

[WhyFi @ May 24th 2009 8:17AM]

"...will showcase some of digital imaging's earliest tools, including the planet's oldest camera."

Digital? How many MP in that wooden box?

[Fernando G. @ May 24th 2009 9:25AM]

i seen that at best buy

[Frankenstein Black @ May 24th 2009 9:41AM]

Um, No. The World's first camera was a Polarock owned by a Mr. F Flintstone...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0580169/

[Kinger @ May 24th 2009 11:08AM]

Niepce all the way..

Behold his masterpiece:

http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/p/images/photo_niepce.lg.jpg

[superhobo @ May 24th 2009 4:42PM]

iPhone killer

[Jim Tidwell @ May 25th 2009 8:30AM]

Wow, that is truly amazing. I would love to see that.

RT
www.real-anonymity.pro.tc

[TradeYourAsset @ May 25th 2009 9:33AM]

Amazing piece.I wonder what makes up inside that box and how's the quality of the picture?



http://www.tradeyourasset.com

[adam weitzner @ May 26th 2009 8:34AM]

nothings inside of it. the sensitized material was in the back. It really was a box with a hole in the front.