Photography caught on quick

Technology moved so slowly for so long, and then around the Industrial Revolution we all become accustomed to technology moving very quickly. We take rapid adoption of new technology for granted. The first smartphone with a camera came out in 1999, and less than 10 years later almost all smartphones had cameras (src). There was a similarly quick uptake of photography in the mid 1800s, at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Just how quick did tech move back then? About as fast as tech moves today!

Early research by Niépce and others led up to the invention of the daguerreotype process in 1839. It was immediately commercialized, with businesses in France, Switzerland, Britain, the United States, and elsewhere. Although it was expensive at first, its popularity supported early studios and prices came down over time. By 1850, just over 10 years after its introduction, there were already over 70 photography studios in New York City alone. By 1853, there were millions of daguerreotypes being produced annually in the US alone.

So fast moving tech isn’t a modern phenomenon. We’ve been doing this for over 175 years.