Why would you say a mirror shows what you look like more accurately as opposed to a camera?

Question

the mirror gives you a reverse image, right? but the camera does not. Now, obviously, photos taken at weird angles and the flash can make a person look different (better-looking, perhaps?) but if one took a good camera and took a "normal" shot...then would it not be more accurate than a mirror?

I think this is an interesting question of perception. I guess what I am asking is--how can you find out how others see you? The camera is the most "third person' you can get, no? Or would you simply say that the mirror shows you how others see you...?

Answer 1

It involves both detail (granularity) and dynamic range.

Mirrors reflect light at atomic granularity so the image in the mirror is fully detailed, albeit slightly distorted by imperfect flatness of the glass. The reflectivity of a mirror is nearly 1 (and is exactly 1 for a front surface mirror), so the dynamic range - the range from darkest to lightest is a near exact representation.

Images go through a process that greatly loses detail and dynamic range and is really only a gross approximation of the scene being photographed. This is caused by limitations of both film and CCDs, optics, and limitations on the viewing displays.

Answer 2

Dear its all play of reflection and pixels. what image u cn see in mirror is due to reflection of light. as mirror is reflective surface it reflects each and every ray of light falls on it no matter it may be a trillions of rays. and all these rays come to your eyes so you cn see exactly the same image.(sides are opposite).

And in camera shutter opens for some microsecond and in these duration all the rays pass through the shutter and faal on a plate(cameras roll)it generates image on photographic plate.so u think how many rays can pass through camera lens and emboss image on photo print..its all due to lake of reflective rays.. u will have million times more reflective rays in your eyes from mirror..

Answer 3

There are some ways of seeing yourself in the mirror in the exact direction you are in.

Not sure how that's done however seen it before.

Answer 4

Most cameras have a lens -- which means that there will be distortion and aberrations.  Distortions make straight lines appear bent.  Aberrations makes parts of the image look fuzzy.  In the mirror (assuming it is perfectly flat), a perfect virtual image is created.

Also, with a camera image, cameras can do funny things with perspective -- since their focal length / FOV might not be the same as what your eyes have.  Also, you get flattened onto a piece of paper.

Whereas your image in a mirror is viewed by your two eyes, and you see a three-dimensional virtual image, just as someone else would see you (if there eye's were in the same place)

Now, one limitation of a mirror is that you can only view yourself from the standpoint of someone at exactly the same eye level, looking straight on -- wheras you can see your side, or back with a camera.  If you get two or more mirrors you can set things up so you see your back, side, etc (and two mirrors will give you an image that is not reversed!)