vocab Flashcards
(35 cards)
Aperture
The part of the camera that opens to let light in. The f-stop or f-number is the measurement of how open or closed the aperture is.
Depth of field
The difference between the closest and farthest in-focus objects in a photo. A shallow depth of field means that relatively close background objects become blurry. A deep depth of field means that faraway background objects are still in focus.
Dynamic range
The difference between the darkest and lightest tones in an image — the range of dark and light that a camera is capable of. Darkest and lightest hues are very rarely pure black or pure white. Cameras usually have a lower dynamic range than the human eye.
Exposure triangle
The combination of aperture, ISO, and shutter speed, which determines the time and intensity of light being let into the camera. Different exposures in film and digital images alike are achieved by adjusting these exposure settings.
Focal length
The distance (usually measured in millimeters) between the optical center of a camera lens and the camera sensor (sometimes called the image sensor).
F-stop
he size of the aperture opening, also known as the f-number. A small f-number means the aperture is open more. A larger f-number means it’s open less. For example, f/1 lets in much more light than f/6.
ISO
How sensitive your camera is to light. A higher ISO will be more sensitive and photos will generally be brighter. A lower ISO less so. This term used to apply to film, but in the digital era it is now a camera setting. ISO gets its name from the International Organization for Standardization, a group based in Switzerland that began standards for industrial and commercial products, including cameras, following World War II.
Shutter speed
How long the camera’s shutter is open and the sensors inside are exposed to light. Very high shutter speeds are used for things like capturing a moving subject without blur. Low shutter speeds, for example, are often used for nighttime photography or by landscape photographers, which benefit from more light entering the camera during the longer shutter duration.
Auto-focus and manual focus
: Auto-focus is when the camera trains itself on a subject. Modern camera software can usually recognize common subjects like human faces and will make sure they are not blurred. Most of the time, photographers can control or manipulate autofocus themselves. Manual focus is when a photographer has to physically move the lens by hand to ensure subjects are not blurred.
Camera body
The main part of the digital camera that includes the sensors, electronics, software, etc. The thing you’re holding when you take pictures. Usually, the body does not include the lenses.
DSLR
DSLR stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex. A DSLR camera combines the optics of a traditional single lens reflex camera with a digital sensor.
Hot shoe
The mounting point on a camera for a flash or other electronic accessory. Usually on top of the camera body.
Light meter
A device used to precisely measure a light source or the amount of light in a space.
Mirrorless camera
Technically most DSLR, point-and-shoot, and smartphone cameras are mirrorless, in that they literally don’t have internal mirrors. However, mirrorless camera is a specific term for a camera where the sensor is directly exposed to light and the photographer has a preview of the potential image at all times to view on an electronic viewfinder.
Point-and-shoot
Small cameras designed for ease of use. They usually focus and handle exposure automatically, have flashes built in, and do not require a great amount of skill to use effectively. These cameras are less popular now that smartphone cameras are so common.
Prime lenses
Lenses with a fixed focal length. Distinct from zoom lenses, which have variable focal lengths. Sometimes called unifocal lenses.
Single lens reflex camera
A term usually applied to pre-digital cameras. A camera with one lens that moves in relation to a mirror and sensor. Older cameras sometimes had two lenses, which did not allow the photographer to get a good look at what they were photographing through the viewfinder. With SLR cameras, what the photographer sees through the viewfinder better approximates how the final photograph will actually look.
Telephoto lens
: Lenses that specialize in long-range photography and make the subject appear closer to the camera. Telephoto lenses tend to be large, and their focal length is shorter than their physical length. Because of this, objects like far-off wildlife appear much closer.
Viewfinder
What the photographer looks through to take a picture. With a single-lens reflex camera the photographer can actually look through the camera’s optical equipment to see their subjects. Most cameras today have electronic viewfinders, which is a digital display of what the camera lens will capture when the shutter is closed.
Wide-angle lens
A lens whose focal length is shorter than its physical length. Allows for a wider field of view, good for landscapes, architecture photography, and large group photos.
Zoom lens
A lens with an adjustable focal length, allowing the photographer to quickly change the angle of view without swapping out lenses. Popular with photojournalists and event photographers, who have to capture events as they happen, due to its flexibility and versatility in the moment.
Aperture priority
A setting on cameras usually abbreviated as A or Av. Allows the photographer to set a specific aperture or f-number, and the camera will automatically choose a shutter speed and ISO to match. Useful for keeping a specific depth of field while shooting.
Aspect ratio
An image’s ratio of width and height. Common aspect ratios for consumer cameras are 3:2 and 4:3. Smartphones usually take pictures with an aspect ratio of approximately 4:3.
Bokeh
The Japanese word for haze or blur. Refers to intentional background blur, popular in portraits.
