Jerry's CTT 101: Camera Tips Glossary
Jerry's 101 Camera Tips
Jerry's CTT 101 stands for "Jerry's Camera Tech Tips 101," click below to visit the starting/main page for this series. Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, leave a comment and I'll be glad to answer!
Table of Contents/Navigation
Glossary
Not alphabetized, but organized somewhat logically (you can probably see what I mean)
Aperture
Pupil of the camera. Opens and closes to let in more or less light. Big aperture = smaller number = shallower depth of field = better night photos
Shutter speed
The time the camera’s shutter is exposed. Longer shutter speed = more blur = better night photos
ISO
Sensitivity of the camera sensor. More ISO = better night photos = more grain/noise
Focal length
Viewing angle of a camera lens. Wider lengths = smaller numbers (reference photography tips for specifications)
Think about a wide Go-Pro shot vs a shot of a bird that's far away
Focusing point range*
How close a camera can focus to. Often an overlooked trait of a lens, especially for lenses with a diverse zoom range. (ex. My 18-105 mm lens is useless when trying to record yourself, because the lens requires you to hold it two feet away from what it is focusing). If you do macro shots or film yourself, make sure to check this specification.
*This name may vary from brand to brand and person to person
Macro
A close up shot
Telescope
A big zoom shot of a faraway object
Vignette
Softer or darker corners in an image. Sometimes a flaw, sometimes a stylistic choice.
Video Specific Terms
Pan
Moving camera’s view left and right but keeping its physical location (ex. On a tripod)
Tilt
Moving camera’s view up and down but keeping its physical location (ex. On a tripod)
Zoom
Changing focal length
Dolly
Physically moving the camera closer or away from the subject. (imagine a camera on wheels)
Truck
Physically moving the camera left or right. (imagine a camera on wheels)
Pedestal
Physically moving the camera up or down. (imagine a crane or a ladder)
Rack Focus
Change the focus point either closer or farther away
FPS
Frames per second, or the amount of pictures that flow by per second
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