FILM GLOSSARY
35mm: The type of film used by most point-and-shoot cameras. It comes in a cassette (looks like a metal roll) with the film leader sticking out. |
|
Angle of view: The amount of scene taken in by a particular lens focal length. A short focal length has a wide angle of view, so you can photograph more of the scene than would be able with a long focal length, which has a narrow angle of view. |
|
Auto exposure: The system with which your camera automatically sets the lens aperture and shutter speed to get the proper amount of light to the film. |
|
Auto flash: The flash mode in which the camera automatically decides whether or not flash is needed. The default mode of most point-and-shoot cameras, it turns the flash on in dim light and keeps it off in bright light. |
|
Autofocus: The camera's ability to automatically focus on the subject to be photographed. |
|
Backlight: Light coming from behind the subject. When light from behind is the main source of light, the subject is backlit. |
|
Backlight compensation: The adjustment of exposure to prevent the backlit subject from turning out too dark in the photograph. |
|
Camera shake: A major cause of unclear pictures, this unwanted movement is caused by involuntary hand and body tremors jarring the camera. |
|
Composition: The process of adjusting framing, camera position and/or focal length to make the subject a visually pleasing photograph. |
|
Contrast: The degree of difference between a subject's tones, which is a function of its inherent shades and colors and also the quality of light. |
|
Correct exposure: The specific amount of light that must strike a given film to produce the best possible picture quality. |
|
DX code: The bar code on the side of the 35mm film cassette that automatically tells the camera what film speed (ISO) to set for correct light metering and exposure. |
|
Exposure: The amount of light that strikes the film when you take a picture. It's also a frame of film equal to one picture shot. For example, a 24-exposure roll of film gives you 24 pictures. |
|
Exposure compensation: The ability to manually alter the camera's auto exposure setting for specific effects and subjects. |
|
Fill flash (or flash-on): The flash mode in which the camera fires the flash for every shot. Fill flash can be used to soften shadows in bright outdoor light. |
|
Film cassette: The small, lightproof container that houses the film. With 35mm, the film cassette is discarded after processing the photos. With APS, it's returned to you with the negatives inside. |
|
Film leader: The short, half-width strip of film extending from an unexposed 35mm cassette. When loading the film, you must place the film leader in the take-up spool in order to advance the film. |
|
Film speed: The measure of a film's sensitivity to light, the film speed is indicated with an ISO number, such as ISO 200. The higher the number, the more sensitive the film. |
|
Film winding (film advance): The movement of a roll of film from one frame to the next, often by a built-in motor. |
|
Flash: The point-and-shoot's tiny but highly useful, built-in light source. The flash fires in bursts and often has several different modes. |
|
Flash-off mode: The mode in which the flash won't fire regardless of the level of light. It may cause the camera to set a slow shutter speed. |
|
Flash-ready lamp: A small red or orange light beside the viewfinder that blinks when the flash is charging and glows steadily, signaling the flash is ready to fire. |
|
Focal length: An indication of how wide or narrow a section of the scene is included in a picture (angle of view), and/or how big or small it makes the subject (magnification). |
|
Focal length range: The variety of focal lengths offered by a zoom lens. It's specified by the shortest and longest lengths in millimeters, for example, 38-90mm. |
|
Focus point: The small brackets, lines or circle in the middle of an autofocus point-and-shoot's viewfinder that indicates where the camera is pointing. |
|
Focus-free (fixed focus): For point-and-shoot cameras without autofocus, the lens' focus is preset at a medium distance that gives reasonably sharp results with any subject four feet away and beyond. |
|
Focusing: The in-and-out adjustment of the lens to make the main subject sharp on the film. |
|
Index print: Created by digital scanning, a print-sized sheet of small images of every shot on a roll. Used for storage, indexing and reference. APS film comes back from the developer as an index print. |
|
Infinity lock: Also known as landscape mode, this setting causes the camera to focus as far away as possible, especially useful for accurate focusing when shooting through windows. |
|
LCD (liquid crystal display) panel: This indicates camera status and settings. Available on almost all point-and-shoot models. |
|
Lens: A cylinder of shaped pieces of glass or plastic at the front of a camera, the lens projects a tiny image of the subject onto the film. |
|
Lens aperture: The opening in the lens that lets the light through. The point-and-shoot automatically adjusts the size of this opening, called the f-stop, to control the exposure. |
|
Light meter: The built-in device that the point-and-shoot uses to measure light and determine the correct exposure setting. |
|
Locking the focus: By pressing and holding an autofocus camera's shutter button halfway, you can prevent the camera from refocusing incorrectly on your subject as you determine your final composition. |
|
Mid-roll rewind button: Used for rewinding a roll of film before it's finished. |
|
Mode: A setting that causes the camera to perform a specific function, such as using a certain type of flash. |
|
Print format: The proportions (height to width) or shape of a photographic print. APS cameras offer a choice of three print formats. |
|
Quartz-date: The ability to imprint the date on photographic negatives; the dates appear permanently on the photo side of the prints. |
|
Self-timer mode: The setting that delays the camera taking a picture until a specified interval after you touch the shutter button. Useful when you want to be in the photograph. |
|
Sharpness: The degree to which clear, distinguishable details of the subject are rendered in a photographic negative or print. |
|
Shutter button: The button that you press to take a picture. On autofocus cameras, the shutter button also activates and locks the focus when pressed halfway. |
|
Shutter speed: The length of time the lens window stays open to let light through to the film. |
|
Slow-sync flash: Also known as night, night scene or night portrait mode. This mode combines flash with a longer shutter speed to improve background detail in low-light flash shots. |
|
Soft light: The light that creates delicate tones and pale or minimal shadows around the subject, such as from a cloudy sky or in open shade. |
|
Telephoto focal length: A focal setting (also known as long focal length), usually around 60mm (with APS) or 70mm (with 35mm) and beyond, at which the subject appears larger than normal in the frame. |
|
Thumbnails: Small images of every shot on a roll, appearing on an index print or on a computer screen. |
|
Tungsten light: Artificial light from household bulbs (halogen is a variation). |
|
Viewfinder: The camera window through which you see the rectangular frame used to view and compose your subject. |
|
Wide-angle focal length: The focal length (also known as short focal length) at which the lens takes in a relatively large section of the scene. Most point-and-shoot zoom lenses start out at a wide-angle setting (38mm, 28mm), and most non-zoon cameras have wide-angle lenses (35mm, 32mm). |
|
Wide-area autofocus: An autofocus system (also known as multibeam or multipoint autofocus) in which multiple focus points (such as a group of people) cover a wider-than-usual area in the middle of the viewfinder. This allows the camera to focus subjects that are slightly off-center without the need to lock the focus. |
|
Zoom lens: A lens of adjustable focal length. You can zoom to increase or decrease the lens' magnifying power, making the subject bigger or smaller in the frame. |
|
Zooming in: Setting a longer focal length on your camera so you can make the subject bigger in the picture. |
|
Zooming out: Setting a shorter focal length on your camera so you can make the subject smaller in the picture.
|
