Camera basics are the timeless and generic aspects of cameras; even as technology evolves, these things will remain essentially the same.
15
votes
4answers
2k views
What are general rules for ISO settings?
Being a novice in photography and reading about preferable settings of my camera I'm a little bit confused about ISO settings. Sometimes I'm advised to set as little ISO as possible to have higher ...
6
votes
4answers
1k views
What is flash duration?
When speaking in terms of flash specifications, what is flash duration and how does it impact exposure?
8
votes
3answers
1k views
12
votes
2answers
1k views
What is a remote shutter release?
What is a remote shutter release? In what kind of photo situation would I use a shutter release?
20
votes
5answers
994 views
What is mirror lockup and what is its primary function?
My SLR is equipped with a mirror lockup function. What does it do, and when would I employ such a feature?
53
votes
12answers
5k views
What advantages does manual mode have over aperture priority mode?
I'm wondering what are the most compelling reasons to switch to manual mode on my DSLR. I mostly just use aperture priority mode so I have good control over the depth of field combined with an ...
11
votes
3answers
776 views
What is the difference between teleconverters and extension tubes?
I'm aware of two devices that can extend the reach of a lens: the teleconverter and the extension tubes. What else would they have in common, and where do they differ?
Are there situations where one ...
20
votes
5answers
832 views
What exactly is flash sync speed, and should it be a factor in a buying decision?
What exactly is flash sync speed and should it be a factor in a buying decision?
16
votes
5answers
908 views
How does a circular lens produce rectangular shots?
Is it something like the sensor captures a circular image and then what we get is the cropped version?
Something like this:
Or did I get it completely wrong?
12
votes
4answers
3k views
How can a lens like a 18-55mm have more than one focal length?
How can a lens have a range of focal lengths? Shouldn't it be a single number?
Isn't focal length supposed to be fixed for a lens of a particular shape and geometry?
What am I missing?
How many ...
38
votes
2answers
12k views
What does f-stop mean?
What does f-stop mean? Is it the same thing when people say "2 stops" for example?
29
votes
7answers
6k views
What is aperture, and how does it affect my photographs?
How does aperture affect my photographs?
Why should I care about the aperture with which a photo was taken?
