| Camera model | iSight |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Apple Inc. |
| Camera type | Motion picture camera |
| Sensor type | Digital CCD |
| Sensor size | 1/4-inch; 640x480 resolution |
| Recording medium | Attached to computer via FireWire |
| Lens system | Glass, internal auto-focus lens system |
| Focus type | Automatic (50 mm – ∞) |
| Shutter speeds | Continuous up to 30 frame/s |
| F numbers | 2.8 |
iSight was a webcam, both external and internal, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. The external iSight was sold retail for US$149, connected to a computer via a FireWire cable, and came with a set of mounts to place it atop any then-current Apple display, laptop computer, all-in-one desktop computer, or flat surface.
Apple introduced iSight at the 2003 Worldwide Developers Conference, intended to be used with iChat AV, Apple's video-conferencing client. iMovie (version 4 and later) could also be used to capture video from the device. In April 2005, Apple released a firmware update for the iSight to improve audio performance. As of December 16, 2006, the external iSight was no longer for sale in the Apple online store or in retail locations.
Meanwhile, Apple began using the term to refer to the camera built into Apple's iMac, MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro computers, and Cinema Display. , Apple is transitioning to calling them "FaceTime cameras".
The external iSight's ¼-inch color CCD sensor has 640×480-pixel VGA resolution, with a custom-designed three-part F/2.8 lens with two aspherical elements. It features autoexposure, autofocusing from 50 mm to infinity, and video capture at 30 frames per second in 24-bit color with a variety of shutter speeds. However, the iSight has an image delay of approximately 120 ms..
The iSight incorporates internal microphones with dual-element noise suppression. The actual camera only takes up one-quarter of the unit; the remaining space is primarily occupied by its two microphones and mounting socket.
The iSight camera weighs 2.3 ounces (63.8 grams). It uses a single FireWire 400 (IEEE 1394a) cable (included) for audio, video, and power.
Four camera mounts, a plastic tube carrying case, and a FireWire camera mount adapter are also included. The user can select the mounting bracket most appropriate for their monitor or other mounting surface. It is fully compatible with its native Mac OS X, as well as partially compatible with the Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems.
The iSight has a small green LED that illuminates when the camera is in use. It also has an iris that closes by twisting the front of the camera.
With the release of FaceTime for Mac and the 2010 MacBook Air, Apple has started to refer to the iSight as FaceTime Camera.
In the 2010 Robbins v. Lower Merion School District "WebcamGate" case, plaintiffs charged two suburban Philadelphia high schools secretly spied on students — by surreptitiously remotely activating iSight webcams embedded in school-issued MacBook laptops the students were using at home — and therefore infringed on their privacy rights. The schools admitted to secretly snapping over 66,000 webshots and screenshots, including webcam shots of students in their bedrooms.
Category:Apple Inc. peripherals Category:Webcams Category:Teleconferencing Category:Videotelephony
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