Breakdown of Этот оптический прибор представляет собой камеру, которая работает посредством линз.
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
работать
to work
себя
oneself (себе: Dat/Prep)
представлять
to imagine (with себе)
камера
camera
который
which / who / that (relative pronoun)
прибор
device
посредством
by means of
линза
the lens
оптический
optical
Questions & Answers about Этот оптический прибор представляет собой камеру, которая работает посредством линз.
Why use посредством here instead of с помощью or just the Instrumental case (линзами)?
Посредством (by means of) is a formal compound preposition that fits the technical tone of discussing an optical device. С помощью (with the help of) is also fine but slightly less formal. Using just the plain Instrumental case (работает линзами) would sound unnatural here, as it implies the camera is physically wielding the lenses like a tool, rather than operating via them.
Why does the sentence use представляет собой камеру instead of just это камера?
Представлять собой is a formal, highly common way to say 'is' or 'constitutes' in written and technical Russian. While Этот прибор — камера is perfectly fine for everyday speech, представляет собой matches the encyclopedic style of this sentence. Note that it forces the following noun into the Accusative case (камеру).
What case is собой in the phrase представляет собой?
Собой is the Instrumental case of the reflexive pronoun себя (oneself). The phrase literally translates to 'represents by itself.' You will always see it in the Instrumental case in this fixed expression.
What case does посредством trigger, and how does линз reflect that?
Посредством always takes the Genitive case. Линз is the Genitive plural of the feminine noun линза (lens). To form the Genitive plural of most feminine nouns ending in -а, you simply drop the final vowel, leaving just the stem.
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