The SMPTE Century: Evolution in Cameras and Lenses From 1916 to 2016

The SMPTE Centennial opened in 1916 when motion picture film production was a flourishing new industry. International manufacturers have continued to develop related lenses and film cameras up to recent times. Color film systems emerged in the late 1930's. That same decade saw the birth of electronic motion imaging systems in the form of television. Ensuing decades were spent on the pursuit of refinements in related image sensors. Color television arrived in the 1950's. Embryonic HDTV systems appeared in the early 1980's followed by a surge in competitive developments in related lenses, cameras and recording systems. The past decade is witness to an escalation in developments in large format single-sensor digital motion imaging systems with ever increasing resolution, dynamic range, color gamuts, and frame rates. The SMPTE Centennial of 2016 is witness to a stunning renaissance in motion imaging.