Eye Vs. Camera, Eye will always win.

          I picked this article because as having done photography, I've always wondered why the image seen was different from the image photographed. This article provides a detailed look as to the differences between what an eye and a camera lens sees. At the University of California, Berkeley neurobiologists have discovered that nerve cells in the eye inhibit neighboring cells, enabling them to enhance edges. This process is called "lateral inhibition" and was first observed in horseshoe crabs in 1967. In addition to nerve cells inhabiting their neighbors in the retina, they also aid in the response of the nearest pair of nerve cells. The boost keeps the information in the rods and cones, retaining faint detail and also accentuating edges. This combination of negative and positive feedback enables the eye to increase contrast. To accommodate different times of day, our eyes have a sheet of different rods and cones for day and night. The eye focuses on an image and puts it on this sheet. Each receptor generates a response proportional to the intensity of light in the image. The signal releases a chemical neurotransmitter, and the image is relayed to the brain. The reason the eye is much sharper than a camera is because cameras do not have the mechanical capability of taking an image and enhancing it as much as the eye does.

          This article is important to science because with more knowledge of the eye we will be able to improve many people's lives. For those who are blind or sight impaired, we might be able to discover ways to improve or fix their sight. With this information we will be able to develop technology that may range from life saving night-vision gear to higher quality cameras.

          This article was well written, informative, and incredibly interesting. Though the subject matter was difficult to understand at times, it was presented in colloquial diction which made comprehension easier. Additionally, I learned a great deal from reading the article, and appreciated that it was both direct and brief.


Sanders, Robert. University of California - Berkeley (2011, May 3). Why the eye is better than a camera at capturing contrast and faint detail simultaneously. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 4, 2011

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110503171734.htm