If you are new to photography, the apparatus can appear very confusing, particularly the camera. It was difficult enough working out the terminology before the digital revolution, but now it is almost impossible. Digital cameras are dedicated microcomputers and just as difficult for the uninitiated to understand. Here are some common terms.
The aperture is the size of the lens and the bigger the aperture of the lens, the more light that is admitted and the more light that is let in, the better the quality of the picture and the less likely it is that you will have to use a flash, which brings its own concerns with it. So, look for a camera with a substantial aperture.
The shutter speed is important for taking photos in different qualities of light and for employing special effects. Shutter speed in combination with aperture size gives more control over the final photo. For example, a large aperture will permit enough light in a very short time, so that the shutter can open and close very rapidly, which will allow you to capture a part of a second like water droplets splashing.
Therefore, if the aperture is large enough, you can have a wider assortment of shutter speeds which will allow you to use special effects when taking your photos. Although the shutter speed is chosen automatically on digital cameras, on some it may be manually chosen if so desired. The shutter speed is connected to the camera's capability to take motion pictures.
Memory is the camera's equivalent of a computer's RAM. It is the temporary storage space for your photos and the amount you require is closely linked to the resolution of the photos and how many you would like to take without resort to memory cards.
Most digital cameras have at least one slot for a memory card. Memory cards can raise your camera's memory capacity by five, six or even ten times.
There are quite a few different kinds of memory card and not all cameras can take all types. Therefore, when you buy your digital camera, check what sort of memory card it takes and then check that that sort or card suits you. When you have your camera, you are restricted to which cards you can use.
Memory cards will hold your photos until you empty them, so if you would like to take lots of photos, say, while on holiday, take a couple of cards with you and process them once you get home. When you have downloaded the images onto your computer, you can wipe the cards clean and use them again.
SLR and DSLR refer to single-reflex lens and digital single-reflex lens. This is a very important idea for a photographer, because it means that you will get a photo of exactly what you see in your camera's view-finder. The situation with most cheap cameras is that the camera 'looks out' of the lens, but the photographer looks through a view-finder.
These two lenses come from slightly different angles. This is not much of an issue for medium to long distance photography, but may cause optical errors in close ups. Therefore, professional and serious amateur photographers will always buy an SLR or DSLR for their serious jobs.
However, the technology in these cameras makes them more expensive, heavier and more bulky than most amateur snappers would like to put up with.
The aperture is the size of the lens and the bigger the aperture of the lens, the more light that is admitted and the more light that is let in, the better the quality of the picture and the less likely it is that you will have to use a flash, which brings its own concerns with it. So, look for a camera with a substantial aperture.
The shutter speed is important for taking photos in different qualities of light and for employing special effects. Shutter speed in combination with aperture size gives more control over the final photo. For example, a large aperture will permit enough light in a very short time, so that the shutter can open and close very rapidly, which will allow you to capture a part of a second like water droplets splashing.
Therefore, if the aperture is large enough, you can have a wider assortment of shutter speeds which will allow you to use special effects when taking your photos. Although the shutter speed is chosen automatically on digital cameras, on some it may be manually chosen if so desired. The shutter speed is connected to the camera's capability to take motion pictures.
Memory is the camera's equivalent of a computer's RAM. It is the temporary storage space for your photos and the amount you require is closely linked to the resolution of the photos and how many you would like to take without resort to memory cards.
Most digital cameras have at least one slot for a memory card. Memory cards can raise your camera's memory capacity by five, six or even ten times.
There are quite a few different kinds of memory card and not all cameras can take all types. Therefore, when you buy your digital camera, check what sort of memory card it takes and then check that that sort or card suits you. When you have your camera, you are restricted to which cards you can use.
Memory cards will hold your photos until you empty them, so if you would like to take lots of photos, say, while on holiday, take a couple of cards with you and process them once you get home. When you have downloaded the images onto your computer, you can wipe the cards clean and use them again.
SLR and DSLR refer to single-reflex lens and digital single-reflex lens. This is a very important idea for a photographer, because it means that you will get a photo of exactly what you see in your camera's view-finder. The situation with most cheap cameras is that the camera 'looks out' of the lens, but the photographer looks through a view-finder.
These two lenses come from slightly different angles. This is not much of an issue for medium to long distance photography, but may cause optical errors in close ups. Therefore, professional and serious amateur photographers will always buy an SLR or DSLR for their serious jobs.
However, the technology in these cameras makes them more expensive, heavier and more bulky than most amateur snappers would like to put up with.
About the Author:
Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with tips for product photography. If you have an interest in photography, please visit our website now at Photography Studio Cameras