The Daguerreotype Camera of 1839 is a photographic landmark. It introduced the first practical method for taking a photograph, although what is generally acknowledged as the first photograph was actually taken thirteen years before with a different type of camera by Nicphore Nipce.The Leica was the first camera to make the 35mm format popular, but it was by no means the first camera to use35mm film. Likewise, Polaroid wasnt the first to produce an instant picture camera, but was, surprisingly, the first company to introduce an autofocus single lens reflex.The history of the camera is flush with similar anomalies. This lavishly illustrated book with over 460 pictures looks at the cameras that became landmarks andanalyzes how and why they influenced future design sometimes in a big, important manner, other times in a lesser but still significant way.By John WadeJohn Wade has written and illustrated numerous articles on camera history for photographic, antique, and collectors magazines in the UK, America, and Australia and has written, edited, or contributed to more than 30 books on photographic history and techniques.472 (425 color, 37 B/W, 10 charts, graphs, drawings)472 (425 color, 37 B/W, 10 charts, graphs, drawings)