(Semi) hardcore technology reading recommendations?

I'm looking for something to read that will explain the technology
of digital photography and imaging. I want to understand things
at fundamental levels, be it bits and bytes, wave-lengths and
frequencies, electrons and photons, or springs and shutters.
I'd like to get answers to questions like:

How does a CCD sensor work?
How is data read from it?
What kind of optical and digital filtering is applied in camera,
how does it work, and what are its positive and negative effects?
What is an "electronic shutter" and how does it work?
How does automatic white balancing work?
How is the CCD used to drive both the LCD on the back
of the camera and simultaneously take an image?
How does autofocus work?
What are the steps in converting a RAW image to a finished TIFF
or JPEG?
etc.

I say "semi" hardcore technology because if I have to read pages
of differential equations it's going to go over my head. But I'm hoping
there are books or, better still, websites, that will still explain the
nitty
gritty without getting too mathematical. Or if they are mathematical,
they still provide enough conceptual information that a reader can
follow the concepts even if he can't follow the equations.

I know I can work a camera without knowing all this, but having
the knowledge always enhances the experience for me.

Can anyone make recommendations?

Thanks.

Alan

"Alan Meyer" wrote in message

I'm looking for something to read that will explain the technology
of digital photography and imaging. I want to understand things
at fundamental levels, be it bits and bytes, wave-lengths and
frequencies, electrons and photons, or springs and shutters.
I'd like to get answers to questions like:

How does a CCD sensor work?
How is data read from it?
What kind of optical and digital filtering is applied in camera,
how does it work, and what are its positive and negative effects?
What is an "electronic shutter" and how does it work?
How does automatic white balancing work?
How is the CCD used to drive both the LCD on the back
of the camera and simultaneously take an image?
How does autofocus work?
What are the steps in converting a RAW image to a finished TIFF
or JPEG?
etc.

I say "semi" hardcore technology because if I have to read pages
of differential equations it's going to go over my head. But I'm
hoping there are books or, better still, websites, that will still
explain the nitty
gritty without getting too mathematical. Or if they are
mathematical, they still provide enough conceptual information that
a reader can follow the concepts even if he can't follow the
equations.

I know I can work a camera without knowing all this, but having
the knowledge always enhances the experience for me.

Can anyone make recommendations?

I recommend www.google.com :-)

Seriously though, the first result from typing "How does a CCD sensor work?"
seemed pretty good.

"Alan Meyer" wrote in message

I'm looking for something to read that will explain the technology
of digital photography and imaging. I want to understand things
at fundamental levels, be it bits and bytes, wave-lengths and
frequencies, electrons and photons, or springs and shutters.
I'd like to get answers to questions like:

How does a CCD sensor work?
How is data read from it?
What kind of optical and digital filtering is applied in camera,
how does it work, and what are its positive and negative effects?
What is an "electronic shutter" and how does it work?
How does automatic white balancing work?
How is the CCD used to drive both the LCD on the back
of the camera and simultaneously take an image?
How does autofocus work?
What are the steps in converting a RAW image to a finished TIFF
or JPEG?
etc.

I say "semi" hardcore technology because if I have to read pages
of differential equations it's going to go over my head. But I'm
hoping there are books or, better still, websites, that will still
explain the nitty
gritty without getting too mathematical. Or if they are
mathematical, they still provide enough conceptual information that
a reader can follow the concepts even if he can't follow the
equations.

I know I can work a camera without knowing all this, but having
the knowledge always enhances the experience for me.

Can anyone make recommendations?

I recommend www.google.com :-)

Seriously though, the first result from typing "How does a CCD sensor work?"
seemed pretty good.

"Alan Meyer" wrote in message
...
I'm looking for something to read that will explain the technology
of digital photography and imaging. I want to understand things
at fundamental levels, be it bits and bytes, wave-lengths and
frequencies, electrons and photons, or springs and shutters.
I'd like to get answers to questions like:

How does a CCD sensor work?
How is data read from it?
What kind of optical and digital filtering is applied in camera,
how does it work, and what are its positive and negative effects?
What is an "electronic shutter" and how does it work?
How does automatic white balancing work?
How is the CCD used to drive both the LCD on the back
of the camera and simultaneously take an image?
How does autofocus work?
What are the steps in converting a RAW image to a finished TIFF
or JPEG?
etc.

I say "semi" hardcore technology because if I have to read pages
of differential equations it's going to go over my head. But I'm hoping
there are books or, better still, websites, that will still explain the
nitty
gritty without getting too mathematical. Or if they are mathematical,
they still provide enough conceptual information that a reader can
follow the concepts even if he can't follow the equations.

I know I can work a camera without knowing all this, but having
the knowledge always enhances the experience for me.

Can anyone make recommendations?

Thanks.

This is probably far too fluffy for you, bit it does go into some good
detail

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/digital-camera.htm

"Alan Meyer" wrote in message
...
I'm looking for something to read that will explain the technology
of digital photography and imaging. I want to understand things
at fundamental levels, be it bits and bytes, wave-lengths and
frequencies, electrons and photons, or springs and shutters.
I'd like to get answers to questions like:

How does a CCD sensor work?
How is data read from it?
What kind of optical and digital filtering is applied in camera,
how does it work, and what are its positive and negative effects?
What is an "electronic shutter" and how does it work?
How does automatic white balancing work?
How is the CCD used to drive both the LCD on the back
of the camera and simultaneously take an image?
How does autofocus work?
What are the steps in converting a RAW image to a finished TIFF
or JPEG?
etc.

I say "semi" hardcore technology because if I have to read pages
of differential equations it's going to go over my head. But I'm hoping
there are books or, better still, websites, that will still explain the
nitty
gritty without getting too mathematical. Or if they are mathematical,
they still provide enough conceptual information that a reader can
follow the concepts even if he can't follow the equations.

I know I can work a camera without knowing all this, but having
the knowledge always enhances the experience for me.

Can anyone make recommendations?

Thanks.

This is probably far too fluffy for you, bit it does go into some good
detail

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/digital-camera.htm

In article , says
....

I'm looking for something to read that will explain the technology
of digital photography and imaging. I want to understand things
at fundamental levels, be it bits and bytes, wave-lengths and
frequencies, electrons and photons, or springs and shutters.
I'd like to get answers to questions like:

How does a CCD sensor work?
How is data read from it?
What kind of optical and digital filtering is applied in camera,
how does it work, and what are its positive and negative effects?
What is an "electronic shutter" and how does it work?
How does automatic white balancing work?
How is the CCD used to drive both the LCD on the back
of the camera and simultaneously take an image?
How does autofocus work?
What are the steps in converting a RAW image to a finished TIFF
or JPEG?
etc.

I say "semi" hardcore technology because if I have to read pages
of differential equations it's going to go over my head. But I'm hoping
there are books or, better still, websites, that will still explain the
nitty
gritty without getting too mathematical. Or if they are mathematical,
they still provide enough conceptual information that a reader can
follow the concepts even if he can't follow the equations.

I know I can work a camera without knowing all this, but having
the knowledge always enhances the experience for me.

Can anyone make recommendations?

Thanks.

Alan

A good deal of what you are looking for is covered by Thom Hogan (www.bythom.
com) in his e-books. I have not looked at the list of cameras, that are
covered by these, but feel that this area, being similar, or the same, for
most camera models will be in most. If you have a specific camera, you will
benefit with info on that particular device, plus get the general info that
you seek.

Hunt

In article , says
....

I'm looking for something to read that will explain the technology
of digital photography and imaging. I want to understand things
at fundamental levels, be it bits and bytes, wave-lengths and
frequencies, electrons and photons, or springs and shutters.
I'd like to get answers to questions like:

How does a CCD sensor work?
How is data read from it?
What kind of optical and digital filtering is applied in camera,
how does it work, and what are its positive and negative effects?
What is an "electronic shutter" and how does it work?
How does automatic white balancing work?
How is the CCD used to drive both the LCD on the back
of the camera and simultaneously take an image?
How does autofocus work?
What are the steps in converting a RAW image to a finished TIFF
or JPEG?
etc.

I say "semi" hardcore technology because if I have to read pages
of differential equations it's going to go over my head. But I'm hoping
there are books or, better still, websites, that will still explain the
nitty
gritty without getting too mathematical. Or if they are mathematical,
they still provide enough conceptual information that a reader can
follow the concepts even if he can't follow the equations.

I know I can work a camera without knowing all this, but having
the knowledge always enhances the experience for me.

Can anyone make recommendations?

Thanks.

Alan

A good deal of what you are looking for is covered by Thom Hogan (www.bythom.
com) in his e-books. I have not looked at the list of cameras, that are
covered by these, but feel that this area, being similar, or the same, for
most camera models will be in most. If you have a specific camera, you will
benefit with info on that particular device, plus get the general info that
you seek.

Hunt

"scott" wrote in message
...
I recommend www.google.com :-)

Seriously though, the first result from typing "How does a CCD sensor
work?"
seemed pretty good.

That is a good web page, though I've read it before and am looking for more
in depth info.

Some of the other pages retrieved by that search do give additional useful
information.

Before posting my message I tried Google, but I can see that my searches
were much too broad. I searched on "digital imaging technology" and
"digital
camera technology" - which brought up very little. What I was hoping for
was a website devoted to the whole subject - as the short course series is,
though it's not quite as technical as I'd like.

Thanks for your reply.

Alan

"scott" wrote in message
...
I recommend www.google.com :-)

Seriously though, the first result from typing "How does a CCD sensor
work?"
seemed pretty good.

That is a good web page, though I've read it before and am looking for more
in depth info.

Some of the other pages retrieved by that search do give additional useful
information.

Before posting my message I tried Google, but I can see that my searches
were much too broad. I searched on "digital imaging technology" and
"digital
camera technology" - which brought up very little. What I was hoping for
was a website devoted to the whole subject - as the short course series is,
though it's not quite as technical as I'd like.

Thanks for your reply.

Alan

"Hunt" wrote in message
...

A good deal of what you are looking for is covered by Thom Hogan
(www.bythom.
com) in his e-books. I have not looked at the list of cameras, that are
covered by these, but feel that this area, being similar, or the same, for
most camera models will be in most. If you have a specific camera, you
will
benefit with info on that particular device, plus get the general info
that
you seek.

Thanks Hunt.

In reading a bit in Thom's website I first thought - these are just more
camera
reviews - which they are. But the word "just" doesn't apply. His reviews
go
into useful depth and a lot of information can be gleaned from them.

Alan