How many Apple engineers does it take to make an iPhone camera?

There is no punchline, but rather a few interesting facts about how much work is behind the design, engineering, and manufacturing of the camera on the iPhone.

According to Graham Townsend, who oversees the department dedicated to the iPhone camera, there are as many as 200 components involved in the construction of the tiny piece of hardware capable of 24 billion operations.

Townsend was recently interviewed by 60 Minutes’ Charlie Rose, where he revealed how 800 engineers have been employed in his division, and further details into the intricate, microscopic innards of the one camera that managed to push the “prosumer” DSLR off its pedestal, according to data collected from Flickr.

During the interview, Townsend gives us an insight into the hardware involved in providing for image stabilization, which allows users to take sharp, clear pictures, without the blur caused by shaky hands.

Inside the iPhone camera, there are four microscopic wires, thinner than a human hair. These wires are responsible for creating what Townsend describes as “microsuspension”, which is a process involved in absorbing vibrations from the user’s hands while holding the iPhone. The end result is a steady shot, free of blurs and other artifacts.

The iPhone’s camera is also capable of taking pictures in low light conditions. Apple engineers take the iPhone camera through a long and thorough process of calibration that ensures color fidelity.

The video, courtesy of CBS News, can be found here.