THE CAMERA OBSCURA The Camera Obscura, known since ancient times, was used by artists as an aid in sketching. The portable reflex Camera Obscura below, was introduced in the 17th century. What artists wished for however, was a process through which the image could be permanently captured instead of being traced on paper from the screen. The work of Joseph Nicéphore Niépce (1763-1833), Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre (1787-1851), William Henry Fox Talbot (1800-1877), Sir John F.W. Herschel (1792 - 1871) and others made this wish a reality.