John Adamson (12 December 1809 – 11 August 1870) was a Scottish physician, pioneer photographer, physicist, lecturer and museum curator.

He was a highly respected figure in St Andrews, and was responsible for producing the first calotype portrait in Scotland in 1841.

[2] The older brother of pioneering photographer Robert Adamson, it was John who produced the first calotype portrait in Scotland at the Royal Museum in Edinburgh in May 1841 (various sources also say May 1840 or May 1842[4][5]), with his close associate, physicist David Brewster of the University of St Andrews.

"[5] John was also responsible for educating Robert in the process which he later used to produce some 2500 calotypes with David Octavius Hill between 1843 and 1848.

"[13][14] His home became the main post office of St Andrews from 1907, but in 2012 it was converted into a restaurant, named The Adamson.