SOMETIMES the old-fashioned ways are the best. It turns out that
photographing forest canopies with digital cameras rather than old-fashioned
film can produce misleading results.
Forest researchers use cameras with “fisheye” lenses to obtain a 180°
view of the canopy. They then process the images on computers to measure
structural details and the amount of light that penetrates the canopy. This
reveals things such as the age of the forest, or changes in vegetation due to
climate change.
In the past, researchers used photographic film and special high-quality
lenses to take their pictures. But many have now switched over to…
