Digital Photography Terms

ISO/ASA:

• Sensitivity to light rating of a digital sensor
• Lower ISO means less sensitive, higher means more sensitive
• Speed: 100, 400, 1600 (doubles)
• Digital sensors have increasing ‘noise’ the higher the ISO
• ‘Noise’ occurs mainly in shadow
• 200 ISO is the general
• 150 ISO is best for exposure

Lens – Focal Length:

• Wide angle Lens (‘squashes’ the top to the bottom and ‘vignette’ - darkens corners)
• 24mm is wider than 26mm
• Also portrait, standard and telephoto
• You can create perspective and distort photographs

Shutter Speed:

• The amount of time light is allowed to enter the camera through the lens
• The lens open and close for a moment in time
• Measurement: whole and fractions of a second (1 second to a 1000th of a second)
• Each shutter speed is half/double the previous

Aperature:

• The opening in the lens which controls the amount of light entering the camera
• Measurement: f-stops (fractions of a whole number)
• The longer the f-stop number the smaller the opening and less light will pass
• The higher the f-stop number will halve the amount of light entering
• The smaller the f-stop number will double the amount of light entering

Depth of Field:

• Not the same as focus
• Greater focus when there is less focus on the centre

Exposure:

• The total amount of light which falls on the film plane
• The balance between exposure, aperture, ISO, shutter speed etc.

Bracketing:

• Taking an under-exposed, average and over-exposed image and digitally merging them together to create the desired/correct exposure

White Balance:

• To maintain/retain colour, making the colours as realistic as they are shot

These terms are the basic terms I need to familiarize myself with to begin the course. I will be able to further development my skills by understanding and using these techniques.


Source: Digital Capture (Lecture Information)