What is the main difference between Daguerreotypes and Calotypes?

The main difference lies in the unique processes and characteristics of each photographic technique. Calotypes are significant because they allowed for the creation of a negative from which multiple prints could be made. This was a revolutionary advancement in the field of photography, as it enabled photographers to produce several copies of a single image, thus paving the way for reproducibility in photography.

In contrast, daguerreotypes were a one-of-a-kind process where each image was made directly on a metal plate, resulting in a single, unique photograph without the possibility for further reproductions from a negative. This inherent limitation of the daguerreotype method highlights the innovation that calotypes brought to the photography field, as they introduced the concept of a negative-positive system that is still in use today.

The focus on the ability of calotypes to produce multiple prints distinguishes them significantly from daguerreotypes, making this characteristic a key point in understanding early photographic techniques.