MODULAR CAMERA WITH EXPANDABLE OR INTERCHANGEABLE FUNCTIONALITIES

An electronically and mechanically expandable camera in which a tubular metal casing having removable front and back plates has a CCD image sensor mounted on a secondary front plate removably received within the casing for a direct thermal path to the casing. A driver board is removably receivable at a position between the secondary front plate and the back plate. A logic board is removably receivable at a position between the driver board and the back plate. The camera's functions may be expanded or altered by adding option electronic board modules between the logic board and the back plate of the camera, or by reconfiguring the logic board or by adding a different image sensor. All of the components within the camera, all of the enclosure elements and all of the mounting hardware used in the camera can be easily and conveniently changed as desired.