The Techtionary is an interactive tool to explore and learn about photography and terms and technology. Search for a term, or just explore. Click on a term to learn more about it, including links to specific articles and deeper information.
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Aperture | The Aperture is an adjustable hole or opening through which light travels into a camera controlling the amount of exposure in an image.
A
Aperture
The Aperture is an adjustable hole or opening through which light travels into a camera controlling the amount of exposure in an image. More.
APS-C
Advanced Photo System Type-C (APS-C) is an image sensor format that approximately matches the "classic" aspect 3:2 ratio size of photo film or the Super 35mm movie format. More.
Aspect Ratio
The aspect ratio indicates the ratio of width to height of an image. More.
B
Bokeh
Bokeh is the soft blur quality created outside the focus of an image. More.
Bracketing
Bracketing is a process of taking multiple shots of a single subject using a variety of camera settings. More.
Burst Mode
Burst mode or continuous shooting mode is a setting where a camera rapidly takes multiple shots. More.
C
CMOS
A CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) sensor is an electronic chip that converts photons to electrons to process digital images. More.
D
E
EXIF
EXIF data provides the specifications of the camera and lens setting for a particular image taken with a digital camera. More.
Exposure
Exposure refers to the amount of light (per unit of area) that either a frame of film or an electronic image sensor is exposed to during the capture of a particular image. More.
Exposure Compensation
Exposure Compensation is a technique to adjust the exposure of an image to achieve optimal exposure in less than optimal circumstances or environments. More.
F
Firmware
Firmware is the computer software that controls the hardware of a device such as a camera. More.
Fisheye Lens Adapter
A Fisheye Lens Adapter is a type of ultra wide-angle lens adapter that uses short focal lengths to create a visual distortion, giving your images a panoramic or circular look. More.
Flash Sync
Flash Sync is a setting that synchronizes the timing of a flash with the shutter opening and closing. More.
Focal Length
Focal Length of a lens is the measure of the distance between the center of the lens and the camera's sensor. More.
Focus
Focus is the action of adjusting the lens to bring a desired subject into focus. More.
Focus Stacking
Focus Stacking is combining multiple images of the same shot taken at different focal lengths to collective create an image that has a greater Depth of Field. More.
Full Frame
Full Frame refers to cameras that have a full-frame image sensor which also means the images captured have no crop factor. More.
H
HDR
High Dynamic Range (HDR) refers to the difference in highest and lowest exposure values known as "stops" in an image or camera. More.
Histogram
An Image Histogram is a visual representation of an image that graphs the distribution of the pixel count for each tonal value. More.
Hot Shoe
A Hot Shoe is a mounting point on the top of a camera that has an electrical contact for connecting a variety of accessories such as a microphone or a flash. More.
I
L
Lens - Fish Eye
A Fish Eye Lens is an ultra wide angle lens that creates visual distortion to an image to produce a panoramic or hemispherical view. More.
Lens - Macro
A Macro Lens is designed with a long barrel for close-focusing to capture extremely close-up images of small objects. More.
Lens - Prime
A Prime Lens is a fixed focal length lens that typically has a maximum aperture of f/2.8 to f/1.2. More.
Lens - Teleconverter
A Teleconverter Lens is a secondary lens that is mounted between a camera and a primary lens to enlarge the subject(s) within the frame. More.
Lens - Telephoto
A Telephoto Lens has a substantially long focal range, allowing images to be captured with objects in focus that are extremely far away. More.
Lens - Wide Angle
A Wide Angle Lens has a smaller than normal focal length allowing for an image to be captured at close range without zooming and cropping out desirable elements from the frame of an image. More.
Lens - Zoom
A Zoom Lens is designed to have an adjustable focal length allowing for framing and focus at a range of distances. More.
Lens Flare
A Lens Flare is an effect that occurs when light is scattered or "flared" through the lens and reflected internally by the camera. More.
Long Exposure
Long Exposure refers to a genre of photography that utilizes a long shutter speed setting to capture sitll objects in frame sharply focused and moving objects in a blurred focus. More.
M
Macro
Macro Photography is a genre of photography that uses extremely close-up focus, typically on small objects or details. More.
Medium Format
Medium Format refers to a traditional film format that is larger than 24mm x 36mm but smaller than 100mm x 130mm - larger than the 35mm format allowing for a higher resolution. More.
Metering
Metering refers to the how a camera gauges light exposure. More.
Mirrorless
A Mirrorless camera has a single, removable lens, digital display, and either an electronic or mechanical shutter but no reflex mirror. More.
N
Neutral Density (ND) Filter
A Neutral Density Filter is placed on a lens to reduce or adjust the intensity of the colors of light without impacting their hue. More.
R
S
Shutter Speed
Shutter Speed refers to the length of time a camera's shutter is up, exposing either the film or sensor to light while capturing an image. More.
SOOC
Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) refers to an image that is optimal in its initial form just as it was taken, without any editing or adjustment. More.
Strobe
A Strobe is an artificial lighting device that produces a flash of light to illuminate an environment or subject for photography. More.
W
White Balance
White Balance is a comprehensive adjustment to the colors of an image to balance their intensity. More.