ISight

Key takeaways

ISight belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect ISight to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of ISight from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

iSight is a brand name used by Apple Inc. that primarily refers to a series of cameras used in its products. The name was originally used for the external iSight webcam announced in 2003. The device retailed for US$149, connected via FireWire, and came with a set of mounts for Apple displays and computers. Apple later used the iSight name to refer to front-facing cameras built into the iMac, MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Thunderbolt Display, and Cinema Display. In November 2010, Apple began referring to front-facing cameras as "FaceTime cameras," and briefly referred to the rear cameras on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad devices as “iSight” cameras. The original iSight external webcam was discontinued in 2006 and remains Apple's last standalone camera device. Apple gradually discontinued use of iSight branding throughout the 2010s.

External iSight camera Apple introduced the original iSight camera at the 2003 Worldwide Developers Conference alongside iChat AV. It featured an aluminum body, a ¼-inch color CCD sensor with 640×480-pixel VGA resolution, and an f/2.8 lens with two aspherical elements. It also supported autofocus (50 mm to infinity), autoexposure, and video capture at 30 frames per second in 24-bit color with a variety of shutter speeds. It used a single FireWire 400 (IEEE 1394a) cable for audio, video, and power. The device incorporated internal microphones with dual-element noise suppression. The iSight camera weighed 2.3 ounces (63.8 grams). A small green LED illuminated when the camera was in use. It also included a privacy shutter that could be closed by twisting the camera front. Varying camera mounts, including a later magnetic adapter, were included. The device was fully compatible with macOS, and partially compatible with the Microsoft Windows and Linux-based operating systems. Apple discontinued the external iSight camera in December 2006. It was the second and last standalone camera device line created by Apple, with the first having been the Apple QuickTake.

Built-in iSight

Apple has also used the "iSight" brand to refer to built-in video cameras in MacBook laptops, iMac desktops, and the LED Cinema Display. Built-in iSight cameras used an internal USB 2.0 interface, not the FireWire 400 (IEEE 1394a) interface used by the external iSight camera. Further, built-in iSight cameras used plastic lenses, had fixed focal distances, and used CMOS active pixel sensors, rather than the CCD used in the external iSight. LED-Backlit MacBook Pros upgraded the built-in iSight webcams to 1280x1024 pixels. The built-in iSight could be used as camera input for Photo Booth. In 2011, the iSight branding on cameras built-in to displays on the MacBook Pro and iMac was renamed to FaceTime camera. The FaceTime HD cameras included with the 2011 and later models of the MacBook Pro and iMac can output 720p high-definition video. The iMac Pro, released in December 2017, introduced a newer generation FaceTime HD camera which now outputs 1080p video. This newer generation camera was later built into the 2020 27-inch iMac model in August 2020.

Security concerns Some MacBooks were reported to be affected by the iSeeYou vulnerability, potentially allowing their iSight cameras to record the user without the user's knowledge.

Replacement with FaceTime Camera Branding With the June 2010 release of the iPhone 4, Apple introduced the FaceTime communication platform. Simultaneously, the company began refer to the integrated front-facing camera on the device as "FaceTime Camera," replacing "iSight." In March 2012, with the release of the third generation iPad, Apple re-introduced iSight camera branding but for the rear camera. Similar changes were made with iPhone and iPod Touch releases (retroactively, in the cases of older models still being sold at the time). In general, rear-facing iSight-branded cameras captured higher-resolution photos, where front-facing "FaceTime Cameras" had lower-resolutions and were used for video conversations. Apple would once again discontinue use of the iSight branding in 2015, starting with the release of the iPhone 6s and the release of Live Photos. Apple began discontinuing the use of the FaceTime camera branding with the iPhone X in 2017.

References

External links

iSight Linux audio driver project page iSight Linux driver project on SourceForge iSight Programming Guide for FireWire iSight cameras on Apple.com

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with ISight

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what ISight claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to ISight before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about ISight ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of ISight

In research: ISight appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses ISight in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: ISight is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Apple Inc. peripherals, Discontinued Apple Inc. products, Teleconferencing, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for ISight outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

How to study ISight in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what ISight means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain ISight out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is ISight in simple terms?

iSight is a brand name used by Apple Inc. that primarily refers to a series of cameras used in its products. The name was originally used for the external iSight webcam announced in 2003.

Why does ISight matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study ISight?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on ISight.