Photography
Types of cameras
Compact Digital Cameras
Advanced Digital Cameras
DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex)
Rule of Third
Lens
Histogram – The histogram is a visual representation of how the highlights and
shadows are distributed in your scene, with the edges representing the
extreme highlights on the right and shadows on the left. Ideally, it
should display as a bell curve, with most of the scene falling in a
middle level of brightness.
Scene modes
– On most point-and-shoot cameras, as well as many DSLRs and mirrorless
models, users can select modes with optimized settings for taking
specific kinds of photographs, such as portraits, landscapes or night
shots.
Self-timer – The setting on almost every camera that delays taking the shot for a few seconds (usually 2 to 4 seconds or 10 seconds) after the user presses the shutter button. Its purpose is to give the photographer time to get into the picture, or to guarantee a steadier shot by avoiding having the photographer jar the camera when pressing the shutter button.
Sensor cleaning – All image sensors hold an electrical charge, which attracts dust and, in turn, hurts image quality. This is a problem for interchangeable-lens cameras, whose internals are exposed to the air during lens swapping. Many DSLRS and mirrorless cameras have a self-cleaning mechanism that vibrates the image sensor to shake off dust.
Shutter
– Traditionally, this is a mechanical curtain that opens and closes to
expose the image sensor. Many digital cameras have an "electronic
shutter." The camera collects data from the sensor for a specified
amount of time, corresponding to how long a mechanical shutter would
expose the sensor. While high-end DSLRs and mirrorless cameras may
feature both types of shutters, many point-and-shoots and lower-end
cameras use an electronic shutter exclusively. Typical shutter speeds
for consumer cameras range from 1 second to 1/4000 of a second, though
longer (30 seconds) and shorter (1/8,000 of a second) speeds are
featured on some models. Longer (slower) shutter speeds allow more light
to reach the image sensor, which can be good for night shots but
increases the chance of motion blur. Shorter (faster) shutter speeds can
freeze fast action.
Compact Digital Cameras
- Slower shutter release speeds
- Fully automatic photography
- No lens change
- compact in size
Advanced Digital Cameras
- Many different sizes and shapes
- Good quality zoom lenses
- Can be manually controlled
- No lens change
DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex)
- Lenses can be changed
- Automatic & manual operations(Beginner can start with automatic mode then later jump to Manual is best way to expend your creativity)
Type of Lens
Photography Terminology for Beginners
This is the basic idea of composition. It is essentially dividing the image up into three horizontal and vertical sections.
These lines are available to see on most point-and-shoot cameras. On a DSLR, you can either change the filter in your eyepiece (viewfinder) or imagine them. Depending on who you ask (and I’ve been taught both ways by my mentors and in internships) you can either use the lines to ensure that your subjects (those you are photographing) are not centered or that they are centered.
For more interesting images, don’t center your subjects. However, there are times when it really is essential to do that.
Shutter Speed
This is how long your camera’s shutter stays open for and it can be read on either the back of your screen or within the viewfinder. It is typically a fraction or a whole number.
fraction or a whole number.
For example:
1/15 = a fifteenth of a second
1/1000= a thousandth of a second
1”= 1 second
15” = fifteen seconds
Here are the basic rules to follow:
The longer the shutter speed the more motion that will be captured and the stiller you need to remain. This is great for capturing nighttime scenes.
The faster the shutter speed the less motion will be captured. This is great for capturing fast moving objects like sports action.
On your camera, this can be seen with the S mode.
For example:
1/15 = a fifteenth of a second
1/1000= a thousandth of a second
1”= 1 second
15” = fifteen seconds
Here are the basic rules to follow:
The longer the shutter speed the more motion that will be captured and the stiller you need to remain. This is great for capturing nighttime scenes.
The faster the shutter speed the less motion will be captured. This is great for capturing fast moving objects like sports action.
On your camera, this can be seen with the S mode.
Aperture
This is also known as an F stop. It controls how much of your image is in focus or not (IE what is clearly and sharply seen and what is blurred out.) It also controls how much light comes into the lens of your camera and hits the sensor (the equivalent of film.)
In general:
f1.4 = Enables high shutter speeds, not much is in focus.
f2.8 = Enables almost as high shutter speeds, more is in focus. Great for portraits.
f11 = Needs slower shutter speeds, much more is in focus.
f22 = Needs the slowest of shutter speeds. Everything you point your lens at should be in focus. Best used with a flash unless there is tons of available bright light.
On your camera this is also known as AV mode.
In general:
f1.4 = Enables high shutter speeds, not much is in focus.
f2.8 = Enables almost as high shutter speeds, more is in focus. Great for portraits.
f11 = Needs slower shutter speeds, much more is in focus.
f22 = Needs the slowest of shutter speeds. Everything you point your lens at should be in focus. Best used with a flash unless there is tons of available bright light.
On your camera this is also known as AV mode.
Depth of Field
This is what is the range of distance within the subject that is acceptably and sharply in focus. It can be controlled using your F stops.
In cinematography, a large DOF is often called deep focus, and a small DOF is often called shallow focus.
ISO
Light sensitivity of your camera’s sensor. The higher the ISO, the more sensitive your camera will be to light and the grainier your images will be. The lower the ISO, the less sensitive the camera will be to light and the less grainier your images. Higher ISOs allow for faster shutter speeds.
ISO 100 = great for daylight use, no image grain.
ISO 400 = great for twilight use, a bit more grain.
ISO 1600 = much more suited towards low light or high action where you need to stop fast movement.
ISO 6400 = Even better suited to low light and fast action, but delivers grainy images.
Manual- A shooting mode on your camera that enables you to control every aspect of shooting. You can manipulate the shutter speeds, ISO settings, aperture settings and loads more. On your camera this is the “M” mode.
Exposure- This term is used very, very interchangeably in the photographic community. It can mean your shutter speed, a single photo and other things. Your camera has something called, “Exposure Compensation” that depending on the meter will either make your image brighter or darker.
The way it typically can work on your camera is by adjusting the shutter speed, ISO or aperture depending on what shooting mode (manual, aperture, shutter priority or program) that you are in.
Usually, you just have to judge from the context.
ISO 100 = great for daylight use, no image grain.
ISO 400 = great for twilight use, a bit more grain.
ISO 1600 = much more suited towards low light or high action where you need to stop fast movement.
ISO 6400 = Even better suited to low light and fast action, but delivers grainy images.
Manual- A shooting mode on your camera that enables you to control every aspect of shooting. You can manipulate the shutter speeds, ISO settings, aperture settings and loads more. On your camera this is the “M” mode.
Exposure- This term is used very, very interchangeably in the photographic community. It can mean your shutter speed, a single photo and other things. Your camera has something called, “Exposure Compensation” that depending on the meter will either make your image brighter or darker.
The way it typically can work on your camera is by adjusting the shutter speed, ISO or aperture depending on what shooting mode (manual, aperture, shutter priority or program) that you are in.
Usually, you just have to judge from the context.
Lens
The piece of glass attached to your camera. There are different types of lenses.
Prime: A fixed focal length with no zoom. They can be 50mm, 28mm 85mm etc. They typically tend to have better results depending on manufacturer and have a fixed aperture as well.
Zoom: a lens that zooms in and out. Lesser quality zooms will generally change aperture when zooming in and out depending on the range. Higher quality ones keep the same aperture throughout the zoom ranges. Once again, this depends on many different factors such as zoom range.
Lenses with a larger aperture (f1.4) are known as fast lenses. Lenses with a smaller aperture (over f4) are known as slow lenses.
Focus- This is what the camera is mainly trying to take a picture of. On a point and shoot, it is what appears in the green boxes on your camera’s LCD. For a DSLR, it is literally what can be clearly and sharply seen in the depth of field. The larger your F stop (f1.8) the less will be in focus.
The out of focus area is affectionately called, “bokeh” and can deliver some beautiful results.
There are also different type of focusing modes:
Macro, which is anything really, really up close. About a couple of inches or even less. (seen as a flower symbol)
Infinity, which is for very, very far away objects. (seen as a mountain symbol)
Normal, which is generally everything in between Macro an Infinity.
Beyond this there is also:
Auto-focusing which lets the camera focus for you.
Manual-focusing which enables you to do all the focusing.
There are also in-between modes depending on the type of lens and who made it. For example, Canon creates USM lenses that can auto-focus and allow you to touch it up with manual focusing.
Flash- The burst of light that comes from the camera when a picture is taken. There are different types of flash. Here are just two examples.
Fill Flash- light that will just fill in any dark spots.
Red Eye- flash that will prevent red-eye from showing up.
On your camera, this is typically characterized by the lightning bolt symbol.
Shooting Speed/Mode- This determines how many pictures (or exposures) your camera will take when the shutter is pressed down.
Single- When the shutter is pressed it will take one picture. To take another picture, you need to press the shutter again.
Continuous- When the shutter is pressed and held down it will keep taking pictures until the card fills up or the processor can’t write anymore photos to the card.
On your camera, this is typically characterized by the three rectangles stacked on top of one another.
RAW- There are many different types of image files. The most common are JPEGs, which most cameras take and what you always see online. RAW is a much larger file that contains lots of information and allows for more flexible editing. Different camera companies make different RAW files. For example: Canon is CR2, Olympus ORF, Adobe is DNG.
4/3 format – A camera format based on a sensor with a 4 x 3 aspect ratio that allows for interchangeable bodies and lenses among several manufacturers. Olympus and Panasonic are the main makers of 4/3 format bodies, while five other companies (including Leica and Sigma) produce lenses.
4/3 sensor – A 4 x 3 aspect-ratio sensor that's roughly one-quarter the size of a 35mm film frame.
APS-C – Advanced Photo System-Classic is an image sensor roughly one-third to one-half the size of a 35mm frame of film, or full-frame image sensor. APS-C image sensors are used in most consumer-level DSLRs and in many mirrorless cameras.
Backside illuminated sensor – Often abbreviated as BI or BSI, it's a type of image sensor designed to absorb more light in dim conditions. BSI is usually found in smaller sensors, such as those in some Nikon and Samsung mirrorless cameras, Sony point-and-shoot cameras and various smartphones, such as newer Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S models.
Bit depth – The level of gradation used to define a shade of dark or light. Higher bit depth allows more accuracy and fidelity of captured images, and allows finer adjustments when editing. Most point-and-shoot cameras capture 10-bit or 12-bit images, while better DSLRs and mirrorless cameras capture at 12-bit or 14-bit.
Bracketing – Setting a camera to automatically take two to six quick shots with a change in a single setting to increase the chance of getting a perfect shot. The most common kind of auto-bracketing is exposure bracketing, but ISO, white balance, flash and focus can also be bracketed in many cameras.
Bridge camera – This camera type falls between simple point-and-shoots and DSLRs or mirrorless cameras in both size and capabilities. They generally incorporate some advanced features — such as larger sensors, more powerful processors or sophisticated controls — but their lenses are not removable. Some bridge cameras have very long zoom lenses; 30X or greater is not uncommon.
CCD – Short for charged coupled device, a CCD is a sensor type that reads data in a way that avoids the stuttering or distorted look of fast motion in video that results on some cameras. CCD sensors were once the most common in digital cameras, but the affordability and higher quality of CMOS image sensors for still photography has allowed them to mostly replace CCD sensors.
Chromatic aberration – Also known as "color fringing," this distortion appears when the camera lens fails to focus on all the colors where two points of high contrast meet (such as where the dark roof of a building meets the sky). Chromatic aberration appears as green or purple fringing at the point of contrast.
CMOS – Short for complementary metal oxide semiconductor, CMOS is now the most popular type of image sensor and can be found in everything from cellphones to pro DSLRs. Its low-light sensitivity and ability to provide live preview and video capture to DSLRs have made it extremely popular.
Contrast detection autofocus – This AF technology uses light sensors behind the lens, usually on the imaging chip itself, to measure when contrast is at its greatest point, which corresponds to maximum sharpness. It's generally slower than a rival technology, phase detection. Contrast detection AF is found in most point-and-shoot, cellphone, bridge and mirrorless cameras, as well as in video cameras. DSLRs also use contrast detection when they shoot in live view mode.
Crop factor – Originally, lenses on SLRs were designed to cover a full frame of 35mm film (1 x 1.5 inches), but most DSLR and mirrorless camera image sensors are smaller than a frame of 35mm film. When this occurs, the image they capture is cropped to the center of the image, effectively producing a higher level of zoom. Most of the dominant APS-C sensors, for example, have a 1.5X crop factor. A 50mm lens that works for portraits on a high-end camera with a full-frame sensor would be the equivalent of a slight telephoto 75mm lens on an APS-C camera.
DSLR – The successor to the film SLR, a digital single-lens reflex camera uses a movable mirror along with a prism or additional mirrors to reflect an image from the lens into a viewfinder, so you can accurately frame and focus your shots. When you press the shutter button, the mirror flips up, allowing light to pass from the lens onto the image sensor, which records the photo.
Electronic viewfinder (EVF) – Unlike traditional DSLRs that use a mirror to reflect the image up to your eye, an electronic viewfinder is a tiny, high-definition LCD or OLED screen that provides a preview directly from the image sensor. It is found in some mirrorless and bridge cameras.
Exposure compensation – In complex lighting situations, your camera's light-metering system may result in pictures that are too bright or too dark. Adjusting the exposure compensation setting allows you to make images brighter or darker without having to resort to manual mode.
Face recognition – Many cameras have the ability to recognize a person's face (or multiple faces) when you're shooting a portrait, group shot or other scene, and set those as the points for optimal focus and exposure.
Flash modes – Your camera's built-in or external flash has a variety of settings, or modes, that help you perfectly illuminate your picture. TTL (through the lens) is the default mode, allowing your camera's processor to read the light when the flash comes on, and cut it off at the correct instant so it won't be underexposed or overexposed. Red-eye mode fires a brief light before taking the actual shot, to force your subject's pupils to constrict so they won't reflect red from their retinas back into the photo. Other modes include rear curtain sync, which fires late, to freeze the front of a moving subject while leaving a slight trailing blur behind it, and front curtain sync, which does the opposite.
Fisheye lens – An ultrawide-angle spherical lens that can capture up to a 180-degree field of view, or just about everything you can see in front of you. However, the image will be distorted, like looking through a goldfish bowl. Sometimes, this distortion is left as an artistic effect; other times, it can be minimized using image-editing software.
Focal length
– An optical measurement that determines how much of what you see in
front of you is captured by your camera's lens. A short focal length,
such as 24mm, captures wide angle; a long focal length, such as 100mm,
is telephoto. A "normal" focal length (50mm on a full-frame or film
camera) roughly approximates how far away things appear to the naked
eye. Focal length does not describe the physical size of the lens
itself, but rather refers to its magnification.
Prime: A fixed focal length with no zoom. They can be 50mm, 28mm 85mm etc. They typically tend to have better results depending on manufacturer and have a fixed aperture as well.
Zoom: a lens that zooms in and out. Lesser quality zooms will generally change aperture when zooming in and out depending on the range. Higher quality ones keep the same aperture throughout the zoom ranges. Once again, this depends on many different factors such as zoom range.
Lenses with a larger aperture (f1.4) are known as fast lenses. Lenses with a smaller aperture (over f4) are known as slow lenses.
Focus- This is what the camera is mainly trying to take a picture of. On a point and shoot, it is what appears in the green boxes on your camera’s LCD. For a DSLR, it is literally what can be clearly and sharply seen in the depth of field. The larger your F stop (f1.8) the less will be in focus.
The out of focus area is affectionately called, “bokeh” and can deliver some beautiful results.
There are also different type of focusing modes:
Macro, which is anything really, really up close. About a couple of inches or even less. (seen as a flower symbol)
Infinity, which is for very, very far away objects. (seen as a mountain symbol)
Normal, which is generally everything in between Macro an Infinity.
Beyond this there is also:
Auto-focusing which lets the camera focus for you.
Manual-focusing which enables you to do all the focusing.
There are also in-between modes depending on the type of lens and who made it. For example, Canon creates USM lenses that can auto-focus and allow you to touch it up with manual focusing.
Flash- The burst of light that comes from the camera when a picture is taken. There are different types of flash. Here are just two examples.
Fill Flash- light that will just fill in any dark spots.
Red Eye- flash that will prevent red-eye from showing up.
On your camera, this is typically characterized by the lightning bolt symbol.
Shooting Speed/Mode- This determines how many pictures (or exposures) your camera will take when the shutter is pressed down.
Single- When the shutter is pressed it will take one picture. To take another picture, you need to press the shutter again.
Continuous- When the shutter is pressed and held down it will keep taking pictures until the card fills up or the processor can’t write anymore photos to the card.
On your camera, this is typically characterized by the three rectangles stacked on top of one another.
RAW- There are many different types of image files. The most common are JPEGs, which most cameras take and what you always see online. RAW is a much larger file that contains lots of information and allows for more flexible editing. Different camera companies make different RAW files. For example: Canon is CR2, Olympus ORF, Adobe is DNG.
4/3 format – A camera format based on a sensor with a 4 x 3 aspect ratio that allows for interchangeable bodies and lenses among several manufacturers. Olympus and Panasonic are the main makers of 4/3 format bodies, while five other companies (including Leica and Sigma) produce lenses.
4/3 sensor – A 4 x 3 aspect-ratio sensor that's roughly one-quarter the size of a 35mm film frame.
APS-C – Advanced Photo System-Classic is an image sensor roughly one-third to one-half the size of a 35mm frame of film, or full-frame image sensor. APS-C image sensors are used in most consumer-level DSLRs and in many mirrorless cameras.
Backside illuminated sensor – Often abbreviated as BI or BSI, it's a type of image sensor designed to absorb more light in dim conditions. BSI is usually found in smaller sensors, such as those in some Nikon and Samsung mirrorless cameras, Sony point-and-shoot cameras and various smartphones, such as newer Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S models.
Bit depth – The level of gradation used to define a shade of dark or light. Higher bit depth allows more accuracy and fidelity of captured images, and allows finer adjustments when editing. Most point-and-shoot cameras capture 10-bit or 12-bit images, while better DSLRs and mirrorless cameras capture at 12-bit or 14-bit.
Bracketing – Setting a camera to automatically take two to six quick shots with a change in a single setting to increase the chance of getting a perfect shot. The most common kind of auto-bracketing is exposure bracketing, but ISO, white balance, flash and focus can also be bracketed in many cameras.
Bridge camera – This camera type falls between simple point-and-shoots and DSLRs or mirrorless cameras in both size and capabilities. They generally incorporate some advanced features — such as larger sensors, more powerful processors or sophisticated controls — but their lenses are not removable. Some bridge cameras have very long zoom lenses; 30X or greater is not uncommon.
CCD – Short for charged coupled device, a CCD is a sensor type that reads data in a way that avoids the stuttering or distorted look of fast motion in video that results on some cameras. CCD sensors were once the most common in digital cameras, but the affordability and higher quality of CMOS image sensors for still photography has allowed them to mostly replace CCD sensors.
Chromatic aberration – Also known as "color fringing," this distortion appears when the camera lens fails to focus on all the colors where two points of high contrast meet (such as where the dark roof of a building meets the sky). Chromatic aberration appears as green or purple fringing at the point of contrast.
CMOS – Short for complementary metal oxide semiconductor, CMOS is now the most popular type of image sensor and can be found in everything from cellphones to pro DSLRs. Its low-light sensitivity and ability to provide live preview and video capture to DSLRs have made it extremely popular.
Contrast detection autofocus – This AF technology uses light sensors behind the lens, usually on the imaging chip itself, to measure when contrast is at its greatest point, which corresponds to maximum sharpness. It's generally slower than a rival technology, phase detection. Contrast detection AF is found in most point-and-shoot, cellphone, bridge and mirrorless cameras, as well as in video cameras. DSLRs also use contrast detection when they shoot in live view mode.
Crop factor – Originally, lenses on SLRs were designed to cover a full frame of 35mm film (1 x 1.5 inches), but most DSLR and mirrorless camera image sensors are smaller than a frame of 35mm film. When this occurs, the image they capture is cropped to the center of the image, effectively producing a higher level of zoom. Most of the dominant APS-C sensors, for example, have a 1.5X crop factor. A 50mm lens that works for portraits on a high-end camera with a full-frame sensor would be the equivalent of a slight telephoto 75mm lens on an APS-C camera.
DSLR – The successor to the film SLR, a digital single-lens reflex camera uses a movable mirror along with a prism or additional mirrors to reflect an image from the lens into a viewfinder, so you can accurately frame and focus your shots. When you press the shutter button, the mirror flips up, allowing light to pass from the lens onto the image sensor, which records the photo.
Electronic viewfinder (EVF) – Unlike traditional DSLRs that use a mirror to reflect the image up to your eye, an electronic viewfinder is a tiny, high-definition LCD or OLED screen that provides a preview directly from the image sensor. It is found in some mirrorless and bridge cameras.
Exposure compensation – In complex lighting situations, your camera's light-metering system may result in pictures that are too bright or too dark. Adjusting the exposure compensation setting allows you to make images brighter or darker without having to resort to manual mode.
Face recognition – Many cameras have the ability to recognize a person's face (or multiple faces) when you're shooting a portrait, group shot or other scene, and set those as the points for optimal focus and exposure.
Flash modes – Your camera's built-in or external flash has a variety of settings, or modes, that help you perfectly illuminate your picture. TTL (through the lens) is the default mode, allowing your camera's processor to read the light when the flash comes on, and cut it off at the correct instant so it won't be underexposed or overexposed. Red-eye mode fires a brief light before taking the actual shot, to force your subject's pupils to constrict so they won't reflect red from their retinas back into the photo. Other modes include rear curtain sync, which fires late, to freeze the front of a moving subject while leaving a slight trailing blur behind it, and front curtain sync, which does the opposite.
Fisheye lens – An ultrawide-angle spherical lens that can capture up to a 180-degree field of view, or just about everything you can see in front of you. However, the image will be distorted, like looking through a goldfish bowl. Sometimes, this distortion is left as an artistic effect; other times, it can be minimized using image-editing software.
F-stop – A diaphragm inside the camera lens, known
as the aperture, can be opened or nearly closed, to regulate the amount
of light that falls on the image sensor. The ratio of the lens's focal
length to the diameter of the opening is the f-number, or f-stop. Due to
the way the values are calculated, the smaller numbers (f1.2, f2.4)
actually represent wider openings. Each full f-stop represents a
doubling or halving of light. For this reason, photographers often
describe shutter speeds in f-stops as well. For example, a shutter speed
of 1/60 second is one stop less than 1/30 second.
Full frame – High-end DSLRs' and mirrorless cameras' image sensors are the same or nearly the same size as a standard 35mm frame of film, hence the name "full-frame" sensors. The focal length of lenses on smaller cameras is often translated into full-frame equivalents in order to make comparisons.
HD video – Most new digital cameras are capable of recording high-definition video, at a resolution of at least 1280 x 720 pixels (720p). Increasingly more cameras can capture video at 1920 x 1080 pixels, known as 1080p or full HD. And some can even capture video at 3840 x 2160 pixels, known as 4K or Ultra HD.
HDMI – The High-Definition Multimedia Interface is the most common cable and port for transmitting HD video and digital audio between consumer devices such as game consoles, set-top boxes and HDTVs. Many digital cameras have a mini-HDMI jack that allows them, with an adapter cable, to send HD video directly to a TV.
High dynamic range
– Most digital camera image sensors cannot capture the full range of
brightness (i.e., from shadow to highlights by midday sun) that the
human eye can. HDR helps capture that range of brightness by taking
several quick shots of the same scene, but with slightly different
exposure settings, and then combining them.
Full frame – High-end DSLRs' and mirrorless cameras' image sensors are the same or nearly the same size as a standard 35mm frame of film, hence the name "full-frame" sensors. The focal length of lenses on smaller cameras is often translated into full-frame equivalents in order to make comparisons.
HD video – Most new digital cameras are capable of recording high-definition video, at a resolution of at least 1280 x 720 pixels (720p). Increasingly more cameras can capture video at 1920 x 1080 pixels, known as 1080p or full HD. And some can even capture video at 3840 x 2160 pixels, known as 4K or Ultra HD.
HDMI – The High-Definition Multimedia Interface is the most common cable and port for transmitting HD video and digital audio between consumer devices such as game consoles, set-top boxes and HDTVs. Many digital cameras have a mini-HDMI jack that allows them, with an adapter cable, to send HD video directly to a TV.
Image sensor – The heart and soul of every digital
camera, it's the silicon chip (generally using CMOS but sometimes CCD
technology) that captures the picture or video you're shooting.
Interval photography – A setting found on many advanced still and video cameras that allows the user to program a camera to take photos or video frames at regular intervals — typically from once per second up to once per hour — to achieve a time-lapse effect.
Interchangeable lenses – DSLR and mirrorless camera lenses can be removed, allowing the photographer to choose the best lens for a particular type of shot.
Lens mount – The opening on the front of a DSLR or mirrorless camera into which an interchangeable lens is fitted. In general, each camera maker has its own lens-mount style, though micro 4/3 mounts are the same, allowing those cameras to share lenses.
Light metering – Light metering is the practice of measuring the light on a subject to determine exposure settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO). Sensors inside digital cameras measure the amount of light reflected from the subject to automatically set exposure, but the readings can also serve as a guide for photographers operating a camera manually.
Light metering modes – The most typical metering modes are spot, in which a small cluster of sensors in the middle of the frame determines the amount of light falling on the subject; center-weighted, which measures half the light from the spot and half from the corners and averages them; and matrix metering, which measures a number of points throughout the frame and averages them.
Live view – A feature built into almost all digital cameras and video cameras that allows the user to preview the subject on an electronic screen or in an electronic viewfinder in real time before snapping a photo or starting to record video.
Macro lens – A lens specifically designed to shoot close-ups (4 inches or nearer) with little or no distortion. It's also known as a flat-field lens.
Megapixel – A pixel, also called a picture element, is the smallest part of an image that can display full color. Even the smallest image sensors now create images with millions of pixels, known as megapixels. A higher number of megapixels is not necessarily better; it simply refers to the amount of detail that can be recorded, not the quality or accuracy of the image itself.
Memory card – A tiny, flat, solid-state electronic device that records digital data. Most digital cameras and video recorders save the images or clips onto the SD (secure data) card. The larger CF (compact flash) card is found in many "pro" DSLR models. Each card can typically hold between 1GB and 64GB of data, or anywhere from 25 to 1,500 images or 5 minutes to an hour of video.
Micro 4/3 – This is an implementation of the 4/3 sensor format (originally used in DSLRs) for mirrorless cameras.
Mirrorless camera – An advanced type of digital camera with an interchangeable lens system that eschews the mirror viewfinder system found in DSLRs in order to be smaller and lighter. Instead, mirrorless cameras display an image preview on an LCD or OLED screen. Many mirrorless cameras have only a rear screen for previewing photos, similar to a point-and-shoot or cellphone camera. More-expensive models also have electronic viewfinders that make them more like DSLRs.
Moiré – A wavy pattern that can appear when the object being photographed has repetitive details that exceed the resolution of the image sensor. Intricate fabric weaves, the screens in windows and even hair can produce moiré.
Noise
– A mottled or grainy appearance in images caused by electrical
fluctuations on the image sensor. Noise becomes more pronounced as the
camera's ISO (light sensitivity) is raised, causing decreased detail and
distorted colors. Noise is not always visible in small versions of
photos used for online posting but can become obvious in large prints or
cropped photos.
Noise reduction – An operation in the image
processor that improves a noisy image by targeting and eliminating stray
unwanted pixels (usually colored dots that are very different from the
dots surrounding them). Noise reduction also removes some detail,
however.
Optical image stabilization (IS or OIS) – This technology helps counteract the jittery motion caused by handholding a camera, which can result in blurred images at low shutter speeds (roughly below 1/60 second). Sensors detect movement and instantaneously signal the image sensor or a lens element to move in the opposite direction, canceling out the movement. A good IS system can allow the user to decrease the shutter speed by a factor of three (aka three stops) and still get a crisp image. Camera makers have different names for the technology, such as IS for Canon, VR for Nikon and SR for Pentax.
Optical low pass filter (OLPF) – Also called an anti-aliasing filter, it's an ultrathin piece of glass or plastic mounted in front of, or bonded directly to, the image sensor. The OLPF blurs the image very slightly, to help break up the tendency of an oversharp image to produce false colors and moiré (herringbone-like patterns). Some new cameras with high megapixel counts (20 or greater) eschew OLPFs to help increase sharpness.
Optical viewfinder – In a DSLR camera, it's the combination of a movable mirror and a pentaprism or additional series of mirrors that allows the photographer to see through the main lens in order to view and frame the subject.
Panorama
– The ability found on many cameras, as well as in image-editing
software, to seamlessly "stitch" together a series of adjacent shots,
each taken at a slightly different angle, into a single, ultrawide-angle
photograph with up to 360-degree coverage.
Interval photography – A setting found on many advanced still and video cameras that allows the user to program a camera to take photos or video frames at regular intervals — typically from once per second up to once per hour — to achieve a time-lapse effect.
Interchangeable lenses – DSLR and mirrorless camera lenses can be removed, allowing the photographer to choose the best lens for a particular type of shot.
Lens mount – The opening on the front of a DSLR or mirrorless camera into which an interchangeable lens is fitted. In general, each camera maker has its own lens-mount style, though micro 4/3 mounts are the same, allowing those cameras to share lenses.
Light metering – Light metering is the practice of measuring the light on a subject to determine exposure settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO). Sensors inside digital cameras measure the amount of light reflected from the subject to automatically set exposure, but the readings can also serve as a guide for photographers operating a camera manually.
Light metering modes – The most typical metering modes are spot, in which a small cluster of sensors in the middle of the frame determines the amount of light falling on the subject; center-weighted, which measures half the light from the spot and half from the corners and averages them; and matrix metering, which measures a number of points throughout the frame and averages them.
Live view – A feature built into almost all digital cameras and video cameras that allows the user to preview the subject on an electronic screen or in an electronic viewfinder in real time before snapping a photo or starting to record video.
Macro lens – A lens specifically designed to shoot close-ups (4 inches or nearer) with little or no distortion. It's also known as a flat-field lens.
Megapixel – A pixel, also called a picture element, is the smallest part of an image that can display full color. Even the smallest image sensors now create images with millions of pixels, known as megapixels. A higher number of megapixels is not necessarily better; it simply refers to the amount of detail that can be recorded, not the quality or accuracy of the image itself.
Memory card – A tiny, flat, solid-state electronic device that records digital data. Most digital cameras and video recorders save the images or clips onto the SD (secure data) card. The larger CF (compact flash) card is found in many "pro" DSLR models. Each card can typically hold between 1GB and 64GB of data, or anywhere from 25 to 1,500 images or 5 minutes to an hour of video.
Micro 4/3 – This is an implementation of the 4/3 sensor format (originally used in DSLRs) for mirrorless cameras.
Mirrorless camera – An advanced type of digital camera with an interchangeable lens system that eschews the mirror viewfinder system found in DSLRs in order to be smaller and lighter. Instead, mirrorless cameras display an image preview on an LCD or OLED screen. Many mirrorless cameras have only a rear screen for previewing photos, similar to a point-and-shoot or cellphone camera. More-expensive models also have electronic viewfinders that make them more like DSLRs.
Moiré – A wavy pattern that can appear when the object being photographed has repetitive details that exceed the resolution of the image sensor. Intricate fabric weaves, the screens in windows and even hair can produce moiré.
Optical image stabilization (IS or OIS) – This technology helps counteract the jittery motion caused by handholding a camera, which can result in blurred images at low shutter speeds (roughly below 1/60 second). Sensors detect movement and instantaneously signal the image sensor or a lens element to move in the opposite direction, canceling out the movement. A good IS system can allow the user to decrease the shutter speed by a factor of three (aka three stops) and still get a crisp image. Camera makers have different names for the technology, such as IS for Canon, VR for Nikon and SR for Pentax.
Optical low pass filter (OLPF) – Also called an anti-aliasing filter, it's an ultrathin piece of glass or plastic mounted in front of, or bonded directly to, the image sensor. The OLPF blurs the image very slightly, to help break up the tendency of an oversharp image to produce false colors and moiré (herringbone-like patterns). Some new cameras with high megapixel counts (20 or greater) eschew OLPFs to help increase sharpness.
Optical viewfinder – In a DSLR camera, it's the combination of a movable mirror and a pentaprism or additional series of mirrors that allows the photographer to see through the main lens in order to view and frame the subject.
Phase-detection autofocus – A commonly used
autofocus technology that measures where beams of light from different
parts of the lens land on a series of sensors. Seeing where the light
falls allows the camera to calculate the position of the lens required
to achieve focus on the image sensor. This method is generally faster
than contrast detection. Once found only in DSLRs, it's now making its
way into mirrorless cameras and even cellphones.
Prime lens – A lens with a single focal length, be it wide, normal or telephoto.
Compared to a zoom lens, a prime lens of commensurate quality is
generally cheaper, faster (allows more light to pass) and produces less
distortion.
Self-timer – The setting on almost every camera that delays taking the shot for a few seconds (usually 2 to 4 seconds or 10 seconds) after the user presses the shutter button. Its purpose is to give the photographer time to get into the picture, or to guarantee a steadier shot by avoiding having the photographer jar the camera when pressing the shutter button.
Sensor cleaning – All image sensors hold an electrical charge, which attracts dust and, in turn, hurts image quality. This is a problem for interchangeable-lens cameras, whose internals are exposed to the air during lens swapping. Many DSLRS and mirrorless cameras have a self-cleaning mechanism that vibrates the image sensor to shake off dust.
Shutter priority – The setting on just about all
advanced and even some P&S digital cameras that allows the user to
adjust the shutter speeds for a desired effect (such as a fast speed to
freeze action). In shutter priority, the camera adjusts the aperture
(f-stop) to produce proper exposure at the user-selected shutter speed.
Some camera makers abbreviate shutter priority as "TV," for time value,
on the camera's mode dial.
SLR – Short for single-lens reflex, an SLR is a film camera in which a mirror reflects incoming light from the lens into an optical viewfinder, allowing the photographer to preview and frame a shot. When the photographer presses the shutter button, the mirror instantly swings up, and the shutter opens, exposing the film to the light from the subject. Its electronic equivalent is the DSLR, or digital single-lens reflex camera.
Telephoto lens – A lens with a long focal length (greater than 50mm on a full-frame camera) that brings the subject or action closer than it appears to the naked eye.
TIFF – Short for Tagged Image File Format, this image file stores all the data of an image in a "loss-less" format that allows the file to be smaller than RAW files but more detailed than JPEG images.
Time exposure – A photo in which the camera's shutter remains open for more than a fraction of a second — usually, between 1 and 30 seconds. Time exposure can be used to record a very-low-light scene with stationary objects to bring out the details. Moving objects will record as a partial or complete blur or streak, which helps convey motion or an expanse of time. Some astronomy time-exposure shots can take hours.
Viewfinder – An optical or electronic eyepiece that allows the photographer to preview, focus and frame the subject. Electronic viewfinders (EVFs) also allow a photographer to monitor video being shot.
White balance – To the human eye, white is white, whether it's being illuminated by the sun, a cloudy sky, a fluorescent tube or a tungsten light bulb. But to image sensors, that white may have a yellow, blue or green cast. White balance is an automatic or manual adjustment to a digital camera's color readings so whites appear to be white (and all other colors are also accurate) regardless of the illumination source.
Wide-angle lens – Has a short focal length (less than 50mm on a full-frame camera) to capture a wider field of view.
Zoom lens – The most common kind of lens used on digital cameras, a zoom lens moves to change its focal length and cover a range of perspectives, often from wide-angle to telephoto, keeping in focus through the entire range. The trade-off is that zoom lenses are usually heavier and slower (i.e., don't let in as much light), and they may introduce more image distortion than prime lenses, which have a fixed focal length.
SLR – Short for single-lens reflex, an SLR is a film camera in which a mirror reflects incoming light from the lens into an optical viewfinder, allowing the photographer to preview and frame a shot. When the photographer presses the shutter button, the mirror instantly swings up, and the shutter opens, exposing the film to the light from the subject. Its electronic equivalent is the DSLR, or digital single-lens reflex camera.
Telephoto lens – A lens with a long focal length (greater than 50mm on a full-frame camera) that brings the subject or action closer than it appears to the naked eye.
TIFF – Short for Tagged Image File Format, this image file stores all the data of an image in a "loss-less" format that allows the file to be smaller than RAW files but more detailed than JPEG images.
Time exposure – A photo in which the camera's shutter remains open for more than a fraction of a second — usually, between 1 and 30 seconds. Time exposure can be used to record a very-low-light scene with stationary objects to bring out the details. Moving objects will record as a partial or complete blur or streak, which helps convey motion or an expanse of time. Some astronomy time-exposure shots can take hours.
Viewfinder – An optical or electronic eyepiece that allows the photographer to preview, focus and frame the subject. Electronic viewfinders (EVFs) also allow a photographer to monitor video being shot.
White balance – To the human eye, white is white, whether it's being illuminated by the sun, a cloudy sky, a fluorescent tube or a tungsten light bulb. But to image sensors, that white may have a yellow, blue or green cast. White balance is an automatic or manual adjustment to a digital camera's color readings so whites appear to be white (and all other colors are also accurate) regardless of the illumination source.
Wide-angle lens – Has a short focal length (less than 50mm on a full-frame camera) to capture a wider field of view.
Zoom lens – The most common kind of lens used on digital cameras, a zoom lens moves to change its focal length and cover a range of perspectives, often from wide-angle to telephoto, keeping in focus through the entire range. The trade-off is that zoom lenses are usually heavier and slower (i.e., don't let in as much light), and they may introduce more image distortion than prime lenses, which have a fixed focal length.
good article for photography beginner ..
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