Captured images are converted to digital files through a process called digitization. This involves converting the analog information captured by a camera sensor into a digital format that can be stored and processed by computers.
Here's a breakdown of the process:
1. Light Capture and Conversion:
- The camera's sensor captures light from the scene.
- This light is converted into electrical signals by the sensor's photodiodes.
2. Analog-to-Digital Conversion (ADC):
- The electrical signals are then fed into an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC).
- The ADC samples the signals at regular intervals and converts them into discrete numerical values.
- These numerical values represent the brightness and color information of each pixel in the image.
3. Image Processing:
- The digital data is then processed by the camera's internal processor.
- This processing includes tasks like noise reduction, white balance adjustment, and color correction.
4. Image Compression:
- The processed image data is typically compressed to reduce file size.
- Common compression methods include JPEG and PNG.
5. File Storage:
- The compressed image data is then stored in a digital file format, such as JPEG, PNG, or TIFF.
- This file can be saved to a memory card, hard drive, or other storage device.
Example:
- Consider a digital camera capturing a photo of a flower. The camera's sensor captures light from the flower, converting it into electrical signals. These signals are then sampled and digitized by the ADC, resulting in a digital representation of the image. The digital data is then processed, compressed, and stored in a JPEG file on the camera's memory card.
In summary, the process of converting captured images to digital files involves capturing light, converting it into electrical signals, digitizing those signals, processing the data, compressing it, and finally storing it in a digital file format.
