Cameras Archives - Page 4 of 6

Optical Resolution

What Does Optical Resolution Mean When Talking About Photography and Cameras? When talking about cameras and photography the term ‘optical resolution’ describes the total resolution that a digital camera, or optical device such as a scanner is able to capture. The optical resolution is expressed in megapixels or MP, with each megapixel being a total of one million pixels. A camera with an optical resolution of 24.2MP therefore is able to record an image which contains a total of 24200000 pixels. Shot in an image ratio of 3:2 a 24.2MP image would have a resolution of 6016 x 4016 and …

Optical Viewfinder

What Is an Optical Viewfinder and How Is It Used When Taking Photographs? When talking about cameras and photography the term ‘optical viewfinder’ (or OVF) refers to a component of a camera which a photographer looks through to view the scene in front of the camera. In a rangefinder the optical viewfinder uses its own lens to display an offset image of the scene being viewed, in an SLR type camera a mirror and system of prisms are used to allow the shooter to see the scene as it appears through the lens of the camera. An optical viewfinder is …

Orientation Sensor

What Is an Orientation Sensor and How Is Is Used in a Camera? When talking about modern cameras an ‘orientation sensor’ is a sensor within a camera which can detect when a photographer switches the camera from a landscape to a portrait orientation. An orientation sensor us usually a type of basic accelerometer which can only detect major changes in orientation. They allow camera display information to be rotated to remain readable by the shooter regardless of whether they are holding the camera vertically of horizontally. Orientation sensors are also used during image playback to allow the user to switch …

PictBridge

What is PictBridge and How It Is Used in Cameras and Photography? When talking about cameras and photography the term ‘PictBridge’ refers to a photography industry standard which allows digital images to be printed directly from a digital camera without having to first be uploaded to a PC. PictBridge was introduced in 2003 and has been widely adopted by both camera and printer manufacturers; Digital images are printed by connecting a camera to a printer using a USB cable, the image is then selected by the user, which is in turn retrieved by the printer and printed.

Pixel Density

What Is Pixel Density and How Does It Relate to Photography? Pixel density is a measure of the number of pixels contained in measured area. Often measured in PPI ‘Pixels per Inch’ or DPI ‘Dots per Inch’ pixel density in photography is a measurement of an image or sensor’s resolution and is dependant on the size of the pixels being measured. Pixel density is especially useful when printing an image. If we were to rely on the true image resolution, for example 640 x 480 pixels, but printed two images of different sizes, the true resolution of 640 x 480 …

Point And Shoot

What Is a Point and Shoot Camera and How Is Is Used to Take Photographs? When talking about cameras and taking photographs the term ‘point and shoot’ refers to a camera which employs high levels of automation to make the process of capturing a photograph as simple as possible for the photographer. The ideal point and shoot camera only requires the shooter to compose the shot and then capture the scene by firing the camera’s shutter. The camera determines exposure, auto focus, and flash settings automatically based on the light entering the camera’s lens. Point and shoot cameras often allow …

Preview Button

What Is a Preview Button and How Is It Used in Photography? When talking about cameras and taking photographs a ‘preview button’ is a button found on most cameras which allows the shooter to preview the depth of field that will be captured at the current aperture setting. When you look through a camera viewfinder you see a view of the scene with both the foreground and background in focus. This allows a shooter to compose an image accurately but does not show you how your aperture settings will affect the depth of field. Depressing the preview button, usually found …

Reflex Camera

When Talking About Photography What Is a Reflex Camera? When talking about photography, specifically types of camera, the term ‘reflex camera’ refers to a camera which uses a mirror to direct light entering the camera via a lens into a viewfinder or onto a viewing screen. Reflex cameras first appeared in the mid-1800s and the basic design principle remains nearly unchanged today. The advantage of a reflex camera is that the image being viewed by the photographer is the same image being seen by the lens. The mirror must be raised when a photograph is taken to allow light entering …

Self Timer

What Is A Self Timer On A Camera? A self timer is an automatic shooting mode that counts down and then takes a photo. Usually selectable in a camera’s drive mode menu, there’s often multiple timing options. With Canon cameras for example, you can select a 2-second timer, or a 10-second timer. Once the shutter button is pressed, a series of beeps emit from the camera as it counts down to taking the photo. This mode is useful when combined with a tripod because it allows you to easily take self portraits or group photos where you want to be …

Sensor

What Is a Sensor When Talking About Digital Cameras and Photography? In digital photography a sensor is the heart of every camera system. It is a solid state device which captures the light entering the camera through the lens so that it can be processed and turned into a digital image. Image sensors come in many shapes and sizes and are often referred to by their size and resolution in megapixels. Confusingly some cameras contain more than one sensor; SLRs and DSLRs often contain a dedicated Phase Detect autofocus sensor which allows the camera to use both phase detect and …