1. A system for electronic imaging and manipulation of a hemispheric field of view, comprising: a camera for receiving optical images of a hemispheric field of view and for producing output signals or affecting photographic film-based materials corresponding to the optical images: an optical imaging device associated with said camera for producing optical images throughout the hemispheric field of view for optical conveyance to said camera, said optical system having a configuration adapted to capture and enhance an image of peripheral regions of the hemispheric field of view and for magnifying a portion of the field of view within a range of approximately one to forty-five degrees above the horizon of a captured image of a hemispheric field of view; an image processing device associated with said camera and said optical imaging system for receiving optical images from said lens and for providing digitized output signals representative of the received optical images: input image memory for receiving the digitized output signals from said imager device and for storing the digitized output signals; image transform processing circuitry for selectively accessing and processing the digitized output signals from said input image memory according to user defined criteria; output image memory for receiving the processed signals from the image transform processor, and an output display or recording device connected to said output image memory for recording the signals in said output image memory.