The rise and rise of the cameraphone
About
More and more photographs are taken each year yet the vast majority of those are snapped using a smartphone and not a traditional dedicated camera. It is amazing how the camera has become such an essential feature of the mobile phone. Even more remarkable considering that when it was first proposed, mobile operators were extremely sceptical if not totally antagonistic about putting a camera in a mobile phone – why would anyone want that! However, those early doubts soon evaporated when the first camera phone proved to be an instant hit. Thereafter all the major handset manufactures followed suit, resulting in a consequential phenomenal improvement in both the quality of the camera and the capabilities of software used to manipulate the images taken. Perhaps not surprisingly, the camera has become one of the most important features that customers look for when buying a new smartphone. This talk will explore how the camera phone works, the many technical challenges that must be overcome, and the importance of megapixels when defining the resolution of the images produced. Finally, the talk will consider the many societal impacts, for the camera phone has found uses that go way beyond basic photography and the selfie.
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Continuing Professional Development
This event can contribute towards your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours as part of the IET's CPD monitoring scheme.
12 Dec 2025
2:00pm - 3:30pm
Organiser
- London Local Network
Registration information
Booking lunch
During the registration process for the lecture you will have the opportunity to book the networking lunch. Lunch starts promptly at 12.00 and costs £25 (incl VAT) for a two-course meal with wine.
Reservations for lunch must be pre-booked. They can be made up to 11pm on the Monday prior to the event (subject to availability).
Speakers
Professor Emeritus Nigel Linge
Professor Emeritus of Telecommunications - University of Salford
Nigel Linge is Professor Emeritus of Telecommunications at the University of Salford where he spent 37 years working as a member of academic staff teaching students and carrying our research in the field of data communications and networks. An electronic engineer by profession, his research work embraced 5G mobile, location and context-based services, communication protocols, the delivery of multimedia services, network design and architectures. Nigel also takes a keen interest in telecommunications heritage for which he maintains an active outreach portfolio, writes academic papers and has co-authored two books, “Thirty years of mobile phones in the UK” and “The British Phonebox”. He is a Chartered Engineer and Chartered IT Professional, a Fellow of the Institution and Engineering and Technology, British Computer Society and the Institute of Telecommunication Professionals.
Reasons to attend
To understand how and why cameras became an integral feature of phones and how they have transformed the way we take photos.
Programme
This lecture is preceded by an optional lunch, which is served at 12.00, providing an opportunity to network with colleagues prior to the lecture.
14:00 – the lecture starts promptly at 14:00
14:45 approximately – Questions and discussion
15:30 - Networking time in the Faraday Centre.
On arrival, please sign in at the Faraday Reception desk, on the second floor of the IET in Savoy Place.