Questions about specific terms used within photography
12
votes
3answers
2k views
What is Micro Contrast?
What is micro contrast, and why is it important? How is it different than regular contrast?
Matt Grum mentioned it in his answer about larger-format cameras:
There are other advantages to medium ...
9
votes
2answers
855 views
What is the meaning of W and T on a camera's zoom buttons?
On every conventional digital camera (excluding the models with detachable lenses), there are buttons to zoom in and out with W side and T side.
When you press W, the lens zooms out. The lens zooms ...
8
votes
2answers
787 views
What is the difference between a Nikon “Micro” lens and a “Macro” lens?
When it comes to macro photography and Nikon, what is the difference between a Micro and a Macro [Nikkor] lens?
Is the answer as simple as to say that Nikon uses Micro in its nomenclature for its ...
6
votes
4answers
3k views
What does “long exposure” mean?
Very often, when people are talking about photography, they use the expression "long exposure". Here's a quote from a recent answer:
A tripod and long exposure were required for this shot.
Where ...
4
votes
5answers
668 views
What's the difference between exposure and shutter speed?
Is there a difference between exposure and shutter speed, or are the terms interchangeable? I read that "If you use a quick shutter speed, you can just raise the exposure to compensate." Is this ...
4
votes
1answer
357 views
What is an auto-focus motor?
I recently bought a Canon 550D, and I read it has an auto-focus motor, which not all cameras possess. I'd like to know what it is, and what I can do to keep it running smoothly; AFAIK the manual ...
0
votes
2answers
8k views
What is the difference between DX format and FX format lenses, and which to choose for what purpose?
http://www.nikon.co.in/products.php?categoryid=1011
What is the difference between DX format and FX format lenses, and which to choose for what purpose?
What are the pros and cons of both?
11
votes
5answers
2k views
What is “infinity focus”?
I have been reading a bit about astrophotography and the term infinity focus keeps coming up. What is infinity focus and how do you set the camera to infinity focus?
9
votes
4answers
706 views
Why is sensor sensitivity called “ISO”?
I was curious to know how the term "ISO" was coined for referring the image sensor's sensitivity. Is there any reason or circumstance that contributed for terming "ISO"?
Also, does ISO has a literal ...
9
votes
3answers
7k views
What is flat light and how to counter that?
I have often heard people saying that the light in the picture X is appearing "flat". I want to understand what exactly does that mean, and what are the possible ways to counter that?
13
votes
2answers
1k views
11
votes
2answers
495 views
What exactly is “base ISO” and how do I find what is base ISO on my camera?
If I understood correctly, base ISO is in full stop steps from the lowest possible ISO setting on my camera. For example if the lowest setting on my camera is ISO 100, than the following table would ...
8
votes
4answers
2k views
What is the difference between a telephoto lens and a zoom lens?
Looking at the product page for Nikon lenses, I notice a distinction between telephoto lens and zoom lens.
What is the difference between the two? Why would I want one over the other? I wiki'd ...
16
votes
6answers
2k views
What makes a camera “professional” vs. amateur/hobbyist?
I will be attending a music festival (Lollapalooza) this weekend, and according to the site's FAQ page, attendees are not allowed to bring in "professional" recording equipment.
From the site:
...
9
votes
2answers
1k views
Why don't comparisons of aperture take sensor size into account?
When one compares focal length, many times we use the 35mm equivalent length. A 50mm lens on an APS-C sensor camera(1.6x) would be a 80mm equiv. length on a full frame camera.
But when we state the ...
8
votes
1answer
733 views
What does “viewfinder magnification” mean?
Viewfinders (both optical and electronic) typically come with two stats: magnification and coverage. The latter measuring how much of the actual exposed area (film or sensor) one sees. But what is ...
8
votes
3answers
737 views
Image processing & editing: what is an “unmanipulated” image?
What is considered an "unmanipulated" image? As defined by photo.net:
Unmanipulated
a single uninterrupted exposure
cropping to taste
common adjustments to the entire image, e.g., ...
7
votes
4answers
381 views
What does IQ mean?
I see a lot of questions which mention IQ. The only meaning I know outside photography is "intelligence quotient" but obviously IQ has some other meaning here.
IQ is used for example in
"Lens with ...
7
votes
2answers
800 views
What is “solid angle” and how does it relate to photography?
So, I was hanging out in the chat room, and hear mention of something called "Solid Angle". What is this, and how can it be important?
6
votes
1answer
677 views
What does it mean to shoot in flat colors?
I read somewhere that you should shoot in "flat colors" to make it easy to work in post-production. What does "flat" mean?
6
votes
2answers
578 views
What is EV, when used as an absoute measurement?
I know there is already a question about EV, but it doens't quite answer my question. I understand EV as a relative measurement, 1 EV being one stop (doubling or halving the amount of light), but what ...
6
votes
4answers
2k views
What are the differences between a bridge camera and a D/SLR?
What are the differences between a bridge camera and a D/SLR?
5
votes
2answers
201 views
What is the difference between a lambda print (RA-4) and a color inkjet print?
I can't seem to find any good information about the differences between the lambda printing process (on RA-4 paper, also known as a C-prints or chromogenic color prints) and inkjet printing (also ...
5
votes
1answer
239 views
How to figure out whether the colours in a photo are warm or cool, and how does that matter?
On 1x some people have said that this picture has warm colours.
I wish to understand what qualifies to be a warm colour, cool colour, and how does that matter?
Warm means bright? and Cool means ...
4
votes
2answers
243 views
What does the term “saturation luminance” mean in the definition of dynamic range?
The concept behind the dynamic range definition given by ISO 15739 is based on the ratio of the maximum luminance that receives a unique coded representation （the "saturation" luminance) to the lowest ...
17
votes
4answers
8k views
What are shutter actuations?
I was just reading the question How many actuations are "too many actuations"? and trying to figure out what a shutter "actuation" actually is.
The only thing I can guess is that it's the number of ...
11
votes
4answers
612 views
What does 'Equivalent to 1.6x the focal length of the lens' mean?
In the specifications of Canon 550D, about the lens the following is mentioned
LENS
Lens Mount EF/EF-S
Focal Length Equivalent to 1.6x the focal length of the lens
Now this is really ...
9
votes
1answer
329 views
What does it mean to “mount” slide film for processing?
I just finished my first roll of a 35mm slide film and it is time to get it processed. I checked few places online and the options are to get them processed "mounted" or "unmounted".
So what do ...
9
votes
4answers
696 views
Do any other manufacturers other than Canon use the terms Av and Tv?
Canon uses "Av" (aperture variable) for the automatic exposure mode that entails the user choosing the aperture and the camera body choosing the shutter speed. This mode is called "A" by Nikon, and I ...
7
votes
3answers
332 views
What are ED elements?
I find that some lenses are indicated with the letters "ED", referring to some special type of lens element. What are ED elements, and what advantages do they bring?
Note that this question isn't ...
6
votes
3answers
323 views
What do the measurements for colour depth mean?
Colour depth is often referred to as being X bits. What does this mean and how does it effect a photograph? What scale is used, i.e. is it linear, exponential, logarithmic, etc.?
5
votes
2answers
280 views
How is the term Gaussian blur used?
Is the term Gaussian blur used strictly in post-production, or can it also be used as a term for an out-of-focus area in your image when you-re taking the picture? I'm pretty sure that bokeh is used ...
2
votes
4answers
194 views
What is “Dragging the Shutter”?
Ive heard this term of "dragging the shutter"
and was wondering what it means and why would i use it
Can anyone answer this?
2
votes
4answers
1k views
What does pixels per inch mean, exactly?
I have not found anything using Google that actually contains a definition of this term. Most of the sites tell me that it affects the image quality, or something similar, and that more is better.
So ...
2
votes
3answers
592 views
What are the types of aperture blades?
The Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L USM IS lens has rounded aperture blades. What other types of aperture blades are there, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of them? Is the aperture ...
2
votes
1answer
593 views
How does the quantity of elements and blades in a lens affect the optics?
I am trying to get a greater understanding of how lenses work. Basically I bought this lens, the Sigma 10-20 f4-5.6:
The construction has really fascinated me. 14 Elements in 10 Groups?! What ...
2
votes
1answer
196 views
What is the “Dust-Off Reference Photo” on a Nikon DSLR?
I have seen this in my D700 menu and just saw it again on Nikon's tech sheet for the new D4. Is this the same tech that Minolta is using to clean their sensor of dust or is it something else? How does ...
1
vote
3answers
232 views
Is the angle of view actually different on APS-C?
A 50mm prime lens, whether APS-C or Full-frame is designed around the 35mm format. As such, is the angle of view actually different on a DX/APS-C crop sensor or are we just seeing less of the full ...
1
vote
2answers
206 views
