A "camera" in 1818?

[Michael Quinion]

Chris Waigl wrote:

> If 1818 is correct, this pre-dates the earliest examples of photography by
> about a decade. However, camerae obscurae as painting aids appear to have
> been not uncommon during that period.

Fox Talbot used a portable camera obscura for his early experiments in
photography. His device is still on view, I believe, in the museum at
Lacock in Wiltshire. (I remember it well, as I used it as a prop while
making an audio-visual programme about him for the opening of the museum.)


--
Michael Quinion
Editor, World Wide Words
E-mail: wordseditor at worldwidewords.org
Web: http://www.worldwidewords.org

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