cámara

Cámara is a Spanish word with several related meanings. In everyday use, it denotes a device for capturing images or moving pictures, commonly called a camera. Cameras range from compact point‑and‑shoot models to digital single‑lens reflex, mirrorless systems, and professional cinema cameras. They work by guiding light through a lens onto a sensor or film, and are controlled by settings such as exposure, focus, and white balance. Modern digital cameras store images on memory cards and can record high‑resolution video.

The term also refers to a chamber or enclosed space. In architecture and everyday language, a cámara is a room, vault, or cavity within a building. In anatomy, the eye has ocular chambers, such as the anterior and posterior chambers, which are important for maintaining intraocular pressure and vision.

In political and economic contexts, la Cámara denotes a legislative chamber, such as la Cámara de Diputados or la Cámara de Representantes. It is also used in the names of organizations, notably la Cámara de Comercio (Chamber of Commerce).

Origin and usage: the word comes from Latin camera, meaning vaulted chamber, and extended to describe both physical spaces and devices that capture images.