Who Invented It?

The optical principle of the camera obscura was known as early as the 5th century BC. The 10th-century Arab scholar Alhazen was the first to describe a viewing device based on this principle.

In 1550, the Italian physician and professor of mathematics, Girolamo Cardano, was the first to mention the use of a lens in conjunction with the camera obscura.

In 1558, the Italian scientist Giovanni Battista della Porta published Magiae naturalis (Natural Magic). This book was one of the most widely known science books published during the 16th century. More than any other, it helped to publicize the camera obscura. Della Porta's vivid descriptions of the camera obscura and its potential use in theatrical productions earned him a charge of sorcery. He appeared before a papal court and was acquitted, but left the country for a time.

The term "camera obscura" was coined by the German astronomer, Johannes Kepler, in the early 17th century. He learned of the device from della Porta's book.