I was intrigued to know just how many days ago that the first photograph was taken.
There are a few things to consider before we make such a calculation, first a little history.
The first photograph was taken by Nicéphore Niépce in 1826, using a process called heliography. This process involved coating a pewter plate with a light-sensitive substance called bitumen, which hardened when exposed to light. The image, titled “View from the Window at Le Gras,” shows the view from Niépce’s window and took about eight hours to expose.
To calculate how many days ago the first photograph was taken, we can subtract the date of that photograph (1826) from the current year (2025).
2025 – 1826 = 199 years
Since there are 365 days in a year, give or take the occasional leap year, we can then multiply the number of years by 365 to get the total number of days.
199 years x 365 days/year = 72,635 days
So, the first photograph was taken approximately 72,635 days ago. (Give or take a few days)
Wow
That doesn’t seem as great a number in my mind compared to the 199 years, maybe because we relate to a day being considerably shorter than a year (Obviously 🤦♂️). It sounds as if you could have even been around when the photo was taken, obviously you couldn’t have been and this is just me having an early morning ramble. So the next question is how many pictures have been taken since then?
Considering the usage of mobile technology I’d suspect that the answer is unobtainable due to the sheer volume of pictures now taken on a daily basis.
But I have put this question to one of those A.I apps available on my phone, to see what it says, and here is the answer that it has given, I asked:
“How many pictures have been taken since that first one in 1826?”
Estimating the Number of Pictures Taken
Using historical data and trends, we can estimate the number of pictures taken since 1826:
Pre-digital era (1826-1970s): Assuming an average of 1 million photographs taken per year (a rough estimate), we get approximately 150 million photographs taken during this period.
Digital era (1970s-2007): With the advent of digital cameras, the number of pictures taken increased significantly. Let’s assume an average of 100 million photographs taken per year during this period, resulting in approximately 3.5 billion photographs taken.
Smartphone era (2007-present): With the widespread adoption of smartphones, the number of pictures taken has grown exponentially. According to a report by InfoTrends, over 1 trillion photographs were taken in 2015 alone. Assuming an average of 1.5 trillion photographs taken per year since 2007, we get approximately 23.5 trillion photographs taken during this period.
Total Number of Pictures Taken
Adding up the estimates from each era, we get:
150 million (pre-digital) + 3.5 billion (digital) + 23.5 trillion (smartphone) ≈ 23.8 trillion photographs taken since 1826.
Keep in mind that this is a rough estimate and should be taken as a rough order of magnitude rather than an exact figure.
To build a usable, basic issue, medium format camera (Bronica SQ/SQ-A) from damaged items and spare parts, for as little outlay as possible and shoot one black and white, and one colour roll of film as proof of its successful completion.
Getting started:
Building a camera from damaged parts is no easy task when the name happens to be a high end brand and any parts that are available, are being snapped up by others to service their own stock or to break up for sellable parts. I’m going to keep a running total to try and build this as cheaply as possible, and to keep track of this total I’m going to use my trusty Psion Organiser II LZ from 1989 to keep a tally.
First purchase:
The first purchase has been made and it is for a 6×6 120 roll film back unit with dark slide. I think I’ve paid quite a good price for this item. This is the back piece that fits on the rear of the camera. Here is what the listing stated:
ZENZA BRONICA SQ 6X6 120 ROLL FILM BACK WITH DARK SLIDE Signs of wear, untested. Uk Buyers Only Please
EBay
First purchase, the film back.
And the total paid including all postage is £20:94GBP. Let’s now start the running total in the Psion II LZ.
Running total
All I can really check at the moment is cosmetic condition and this looks a little beat up, however I don’t really care how it looks externally, as long as it’s light tight, that is all that matters and I won’t even be able to check that until later on in the build. Cosmetically I will attend to it, if I feel so inclined at the end of the project, for now it’s ability to be light tight will be my major concern.
Assessment:
The unit has arrived and yes it has seen use, but not in a few years I suspect. The old smell hit me the second the package was opened, it’s kind of a reminiscent pong from the past, however I’ve got to see beyond this.
The light slide seems fine, however the surrounding frame has been bashed and a small bit of frame has gone missing. There is also a screw missing and I suspect the area that is missing the screw may well have been glued down. there are some slight rust spots on the exterior framework, however everything inside appears to be fine apart from some light seals that will probably need replacing. The rollers inside are grubby so a good overall clean is in order.
Annoyingly the ASA markings on the dial atop of the roll holder are missing. I will make something basic up to remedy this issue. Again it’s an exterior issue and I’m not too fussed at the moment.
Yes there is some work required, but there is no rush. And thankfully I don’t see anything that really scares me about it. I won’t really know how it stands mechanically until I find a suitable body to attach it to. I have that to look forward to in a future post.
Repairs:
The ASA dial. Simple solution here, until one becomes available sometime in the distant future, is to use some very small dymo labels I have printed. I will cut these down to size and put them in place where they should be on the dial. Quick and temporary solution a’la Frankenstein. No need to over manufacture things, this will do fine.
Size 9 dymo labelsHow it should lookHow mine currently looksAfter I’ve added some ASA numbers- temporarily
The old asa wheel has been cleaned to remove the original glue, and temporary stickers have now been applied. This completes this fix for the ASA dial, for now.
Two items to make one good unit
Edit: I’ve managed to obtain a damaged roll back for a grand total of £5:76GBP, absolute bargain and it also has a working ASA dial. So I’m hoping I’ll be able to use this donor to help in the repair of this item. I’ve used a combination of parts from this and the earlier roll back and I’m happy I have a good working unit. We now have a proper ASA dial off of the spare unit transplanted onto the old unit.
Front frame:
I’m taking this off to give the whole area underneath it a good clean. There are some film guides under this frame that are contaminated and that could cause a scratch on the film, I’m going to clean this whole area under the frame and will then reassemble. The cartridge slide is in a good condition and has just required a polish. Apparently this front frame is prone to breaking and the screw holes splitting, as it gets quite brittle. This has happened to this unit, and I’ve found a guy that 3D print’s replacement front frames and I have ordered one of these to ensure that the whole frame is secure and light tight, as currently one corner can be lifted and this could cause a fogging issue. At a cost include postage of £12:75GBP it’s a small price to pay seeing the only way to get one nowadays is by purchasing a donor unit at cost far exceeding what I have paid here.
The new frame, will be blackThe old frame with broken corner and damaged screw holesDamaged area of frame in situ on the roll back
There are a couple of screws missing of which I have plenty of spares so these will be simply replaced. I’m happy now that this portion of the camera is in a good condition and will soon be ready to be put to use.
Before AfterDirty seals Damaged frameworkRemoval of the frame presented years of debris and filth that needed cleaning as well as a requirement for some replacement parts
There was a lot of contamination under the plate when it was removed, I was quite amazed just how bad it was. This has since been cleaned prior to the new frame and seals being put back into place. When everything is re assembled there will be another clean, I will also be using compressed air to finally clear any remaining debris from the roll back. Edit: the 3D printed frame has arrived and to be totally truthful it’s not much good. The part where the slide goes in is not usable and I’m not confident this will be as light tight as first thought.
Good front frame from the donor spare unit
However the spare unit I purchased has a good front frame that just needed a tiny bit of adjustment to work, I’m now confident the roll unit will work as it should.
Light seals:
To be honest there are only two immediate areas of concern that I can see. All other light seals seem to be sufficient. I already have plenty of light seals material from where I fix other cameras so this should be simple enough to replace.
New and old light seals replaced
There were only two pieces that needed replacing, these were both on the roll film back. All other light seals were fine.
Rust spots:
These are purely external and there are no issues inside the cartridge. However I may just give them a very fine rub down and a quick spray with a black gloss to just make them look better. Then again I may not, and then I’ll attend to the cosmetics once I have completed the project. Edit: I’ve decided to leave this for the moment and will attend to this sometime in the future as it is not affecting anything at this stage.
Film cartridge:
Again this has just been cleaned and some contamination has been removed from all rollers and guides within. I have adjusted the back plate pressure pad for the film and also given this a good clean to remove any contaminants. I’m happy the internal cartridge is in a good condition and only requires a light clean. This cartridge is superior to the one I have obtained as a spare so this will be the one i work with. I have replaced all the exterior screws to replace the original ones as they were all a little crusty and contaminated.
New screws. I will touch the heads up with black dye
The whole roll section has been cleaned with tack cloths and compressed air to ensure all contaminants have been removed.
I’m going to store the whole roll film back, in a sealed plastic bag with some Silica gel packs to try and remedy the mustiness that I mentioned at the beginning of this post, though I must admit after all the cleaning and replacement of parts, the issue has reduced immensely. Some exposure to sunlight on a window seal usually helps immensely. That’s where it’s sitting for the moment. It’ll go in the bag with some silica gel, during the more inclement weather.
Outcome:
This part has been the most demanding part of this project so far. I’ve looked into the possibility of using 3D made parts, but I must admit defeat here. The items are about 80% ok, there are holes missing that should be there and as it’s a two piece fix you are then introducing glues, and potentially increasing the chances of light accessing the one area you want dark. Maybe in time they may perfect it. I was exceptionally lucky to obtain a spares unit for literally one pence. Yes one whole pence. It cost £5:75 to post making a total of £5:76GBP, but in many aspects some of its parts were far superior to what I already had. I am happy that this part of the build is now complete.
All good to go. Please keep an eye on the other blog posts that are coming regarding this project.
To build a usable, basic issue, medium format camera (Bronica SQ-A) from damaged items and spare parts, for as little outlay as possible and shoot one black and white, and one colour roll of film as proof of its successful completion.
Getting started:
Building a camera from damaged parts is no easy task when the name happens to be a high end brand and any parts that are available, are being snapped up by others to service their own stock or to break up for sellable parts. I’m going to keep a running total to try and build this as cheaply as possible, and to keep track of this total I’m going to use my trusty Psion Organiser II LZ from 1989 to keep a tally.
This may be a strange situation where Pt:2 and Pt:3 of this project gets published before Pt:1, quite simply Pt:1, the film back. needs a fair bit of work still doing to it.
Third purchase:
And the third purchase is for an SQ body. This appears to be well used, but appears to be in a working condition. Here’s what the listing stated:
Zenza Bronica SQ Body Only / Medium Format 6×6 Camera
Condition:
Used but still in good usable condition with usual signs of use – see photos for details please. Fully tested and in perfect working order. Supplied with: Camera body as pictured.
EBay
Now I’m happy with this purchase as well. Not quite the SQ-A I wanted but to be honest the only difference is mirror lock up and metering that I don’t really need so I can live with that, we all managed prior to the metering being done for us, I’m sure we will all survive now . (Oh how we have been pandered over the years)
The Bronica SQ body I have purchased
I’ve paid the grand total if £73:75GBP for this body including the postage. There are some bits I will require to complete the body, namely a focus screen and waist level finder that could be a bit pricey, and a winder for the body. Now, the winders are pathetically expensive at around £60 for a bit of plastic. I know a guy who 3D prints a good alternative for a fraction of the price. And that will be the route that I take.
So over to my trusty old Psion II LZ for the running total for these first three items.
Current running total
So the total for these three items comes in at a total of £150:94GBP, and in Bronica terms this is extremely reasonable!
Assessment:
The parcel has arrived and yet again I’m really happy with this purchase. Very well packaged, a very faint age related mustiness that I guess should only be expected on an item that is now 45 years old. It seems to work just fine. I have connected the lens and that seems to be working ok, I just need to verify the shutter speeds are all correct. There is no battery in the base and this needs replacing as this is what controls the shutter speeds. Without the battery the mechanical shutter works, but only at a speed of 1/500 of a second. (Edit: the battery has arrived and after testing i can confirm that all speeds are operating as expected). The film back fits fine but I still have some work to do on that before I can say that this part is working ok. Overall I’m satisfied with what I have for the price I have paid.
No batteryNo winder A selection of covers for the sides, top and bottom are required
Repairs:
Not so much repairs but additions that are required, such as a crank winder arm and a focus screen, a new battery and a selection of covers to protect the central unit in transport. All horrendously over priced and i will deal with these items in Pt:4 of this project.
Outcome:
Current situation, looking good, smelling old. Not me, the camera 😂
We are almost there. The lens is fine, the main body is fine and just needs some final testing. The film cartridge is the item that needs the most attention and this will hopefully be finished when I have the new front plate that is being 3D printed. The next instalment will be just a tidy up with all the little bits I need to complete the build. These small pieces in Bronica terms are so bloody expensive, or should I say extortionate, can be obtained at a fraction of the cost elsewhere, you just need to shop around, if you are happy to have a non named spare part as a stand in. I’m happy with that as these parts have absolutely no effect on how the camera performs, and what we want to achieve at the end of this project, that being a well exposed two rolls of negatives that will produce a number of well presented photographs.
All good to go. Please keep an eye on the other blog posts that are coming regarding this project.
To build a usable, basic issue, medium format camera (Bronica SQ-A) from damaged items and spare parts, for as little outlay as possible and shoot one black and white, and one colour roll of film as proof of its successful completion.
Getting started:
Building a camera from damaged parts is no easy task when the name happens to be a high end brand and any parts that are available, are being snapped up by others to service their own stock or to break up for sellable parts. I’m going to keep a running total to try and build this as cheaply as possible, and to keep track of this total I’m going to use my trusty Psion Organiser II LZ from 1989 to keep a tally.
This may be a strange situation where Pt:2 and Pt:3 of this project gets published before Pt:1, quite simply Pt:1 needs a fair bit of work still doing to it.
Second purchase:
The lens. Probably the most important purchase of this project. Looking for a “cheap” lens is normally not the thing to do when exploring lenses as you do really get what you pay for. You want good clarity? You need a good lens. However this lens came on offer and what sold it to me was that there were no scratches and fungus in the lens, and that was music to my ears. It is a duplicate of a lens the owner already has and was surplus to his requirements. He has also supplied recent proof of photos taken on this lens and i believe he has sold me a little diamond to be honest. Everything about it seems good. There is nothing really to do to it, so no maintenance apart from maybe a light external clean and that will be it until everything else comes together.
Here is what the listing stated:
This is the S version of the 80mm lens and although there’s a slight difference in the lens design on the PS version, I’ve compared the two and couldn’t see any real difference other than a slightly more modern colour rendering. The T mode is also working without issue. This lens has been my main user lens and has never let me down. Glass is clear of fungus, haze and scratches. Aperture and shutter blades are snappy and clear of any oil. Shutter speeds are accurate and the lens produces just delightful images and is massively underrated. I’ve included several shots taken recently with this lens mounted on an SQ-A as per the examples. Focusing is smooth, apertures have a nice smooth click and the lens focuses just fine all the way through the range. I will include the origin box as well as the front and rear lens cap with the lens
EBay
Lens and box Front of lens no fungusRear of lens no fungusTwo pictures shot on the sellers SQ-A with this lens (pics: pooface76)
I’ve paid the total cost including postage of £56:25GBP and I think that this is an absolute bargain for what I am getting. It’s an 80mm f2:8 Zenzanon-S lens in its box with two end caps. I’m really pleased with this purchase and there is not a lot else I can say.
So here we have the scores after two purchases, the 120 roll film back and this lens. Over to my old mate the Psion II LZ for the running total.
Running total
So the total for two items currently sits at a comfy total of £77:19GBP so far, with an average per item price of £38:60GBP. And in Bronica terms that is quite reasonable!
Assessment:
The lens has arrived and to be honest it has surpassed anything I could ask for, for the price I have paid. For this project it is in perfect condition with nothing required regarding any repairs. It’s good to go.
Boxed Original insertsBoth end caps
And out of the box the lens is lovely and clear. Just a few bits of dust but that is nothing at all.
Original end capNice and clear No fungus
Repairs:
None: I know this is boring on a repair front, but for this project it is the perfect result.
Outcome:
All good to go. Please keep an eye on the other blog posts that are coming regarding this project.
This will be post No:1 of a series, where I attempt to buy parts of a damaged camera system to repair, reassemble and get back into working order.
I have chosen this particular camera as it was one that featured prominently in my career when leaving school and starting in the Photographic world. I’m going to buy this camera in bits, as it is modular. I’m going to try and buy parts that are for spares and repair for me to fix, to see if I can get a half decent working example. So expect a bit of a Frankenstein project here.
Bronica SQ-A
Just like my post on the Canon A1 that I previously published, this was another loan camera in my early years of photography back in the 80s. When money was sparse, colleagues usually allowed the loan of their equipment under certain conditions, one of those being,”Don’t break it”. I used this camera when I did my first studio session when a friend of a friend was setting up a business selling Teddy bears. She wanted good quality portrait photos of her work and this camera enabled me to do that. This was the first medium format camera I had ever used, and for that reason alone it will always sit as my favourite. Many people favour later models and other equipment, but this is my personal favourite. It has its flaws as some do, however this camera was significant in me learning a profession, as well as it triggering many treasured memories for me personally.
Now I want one of my own. 41 years after I first used one. But I don’t want to pay a premium price for it. In fact i wish to pay as little as possible, and that’s where it’s going to be difficult.
You can read more about the camera here: Bronica SQ-A
Requirements
As this is modular camera unit, I will need these parts to form the most basic camera, no bells and whistles as they say, just the basic version:
Lens – obviously
Main body – got to be the SQ family
Viewfinder – a few to choose from
Film back – I’m after the standard 120 roll film back
I’m looking at this being a medium term project so these items will be purchased over a currently undefined period of time, I’m hoping to buy items that require attention so I can keep the costs down, something that needs attention and repair would suit, as I can create a post regarding its repair. Individual spare parts do command some high prices so I’ll look at maybe purchasing some beat up stock that I can use as spares. I’ll keep a running total of the spend, I know I could buy a working complete unit for around £6-800GBP second hand, but that’s damned expensive in my eyes, I believe it was only £400Gbp (Minus lens) back in the mid 80s. I want to prove that a good usable unit can be built with just a little attention at a much lower and more realistic price. On the cheap if you like, as good quality photography does not need to be expensive. It might not look pretty, but it will be practical, and it will work. Most working cameras look beaten up. Most of the ones I used whilst working for a photo agency were total wrecks but took great photographs. I want to run a roll of colour and one of Black and white through it to prove i have made a working practical camera. It’s probably going to be a lengthy project, it’s going to be hellishly tough, but one I’m very much looking forward to.
From now on it will be known as….
The Frankenstein project.
And more posts will appear as the parts start to arrive and are assessed. Each part will have its own post dedicated to its purpose and repair, and a final post where it will be finally assembled and tested.
Thanks for passing by, please be sure to check back as this exciting project comes together, using the links below:
Wow, from our friends at Hackaday, who would have thought the time would come when you could downland and print a camera. Even the shutter.
A nice read for those interested in photography and some good links to follow regarding the build. Don’t think I’ll be starting one as I’ve only just mastered the standard paper printer 😂
A couple of years ago we were excited to read news of an entirely 3D printed camera, right down to the shutter. We wrote it up back then but sadly …
When my parents were at my current age it would have been 1986. They were probably doing their best to just get by, and they both had multiple jobs. I remember a few details from this period as there were some significant goings on around this time.
My mother would have been a shop worker in a local store as well as a cleaner at the company i worked for. I would have been in the photographic industry about four years at this time, i would have had a darkroom in the spare bedroom and would have probably been on my third computer at this point. I’d have ditched the Sinclair ZX81 and the Commodore Vic 20 and I’d probably be trying to master the Amstrad CPC464. I loved the start of the computer era, as did a lot of my friends at the time.
I had my first SLR camera around this time and that would have probably been a Praktika. I was saving as much as i could, to try and purchase my all time favourite camera at the time, and in fact it is still my favourite of all time to this very day. A jet black Canon A1.
I know that i was heavily into photography at This time, as i took one of the most iconic photos i have ever taken in my family history, of my father. I have it to this day. He was leaning on a coal bunker in the garden, it was a beautiful sunny day and i took it, and processed the film and enlarged the photos in my little darkroom in the spare bedroom, on a Gnome enlarger. It was a black and white photo and it represented a turning point in all of our lives.
He had just had a heart attack, and he suffered a deep immersive depression that he never really came out of. Please don’t misunderstand me he lived for another 21 years with no other medical issues, however he had changed and became highly abusive to my mum, my little sister and me. He was heavily into alcohol at this stage, and we were paying the price. I had to grow up quick as i became the protector of my Mother and sister, it was hard and i was not prepared. We were the only ones at home at the time as my two elder brothers and elder sister had all left at that point, and boy how we suffered big time. Our lives were changed the very day his heart attack occurred.
He was a very good electrician, he had been an aircraft electrician but was now working for a local building company, he was also a part time baker.
In the next few years my mother would lose all her brothers and sisters as time took its toll. Father would lose his mother and sister and the family began to dwindle in size.
But thats enough of the bad as its all in the past and though i never forget what happened, i have to move on with my own life for purposes of maintaining sanity.
I loved the 80”s as the world was opening up and starting to develop technologically, however i do believe the older generations did struggle. It’s strange really as it is a mirror image for us older generations today, with some of the things that are going on around us currently. Perhaps all generations have their own Groundhog Day periods.
Here are some points of interest that also occurred back in 1986
Plans were announced between the UK and France to build the channel tunnel
The space shuttle Challenger exploded just after its launch
Halley’s Comet makes a show
The Soviet Mir space station is launched
Microsoft goes on the stock market
The Chernobyl nuclear plant explodes
Argentina wins the World Cup
The M25 motorway – The UK’s biggest car park opens officially
A lot happened that year and these are just a small selection of them. However the dynamics of my family changed that year and what occurred from that point on will never be forgotten . WordPress really couldn’t have chosen a worse time line to talk about for me than this one I’m afraid, but then, it’s good to get it out there.
However, time moves on, wounds heal and we all learn. This is why it is important that we don’t erase our past, otherwise how will we ever learn to be better people and treat others with the mutual respect and belonging they all so rightly deserve.
My wife and I have always had a great understanding of what we class as memorable moments. We don’t even have to tell each other it’s memorable, we usually say to each other, “I’ve taken a picture”.
This isn’t a physical picture where you’ve lined up a camera for a snap, this is a mental picture, one of those special moments you store in your mind and in your life forever.
Akamas peninsula- Cyprus
One particular moment comes to mind one fine September day many years ago on the island of Cyprus. We were staying at a beachside hotel in the area of Chlorakas a few miles to the west of Paphos. We had gotten through a particularly bad period of our life and were away on holiday, just resting. This day we just grabbed a couple of chairs, a couple of drinks and then walked up on to a small hill to watch a glorious Cypriot sunset, and believe me there are not many better sights to view in your life. Here we sat alone, holding hands watching this glorious sight until the light faded and the dusk took hold. We continued just talking until it was time to make our way back for dinner. It is probably the most beautiful and peaceful moment I can ever remember, where for a fleeting moment we were the only two people on this wonderful planet enjoying a beautiful moment in time.
Mental pictures, that is what we collect, and we often both recollect these wonderful moments in our lives.
If you have wonderful memories, you need very little else in life, memories make you rich beyond your wildest dreams.
Loved this post regarding the reuse and repurposing of old cameras. I know its social media based, but you can’t have it all your own way. I’ve got about 70 candidates that could quite easily be adapted for this purpose…
Social media microblogging has brought us many annoying things, but some of the good things that have come to us through its seductive scrolling are …
This was another iPad piece I did in 2023. I was experimenting with a new art app at the time and just produced this mess that I titled “Firework night”
Foxes Den 
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