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July 06, 2008 |
| SHOP: computers & software | electronics |   |
Glossary of Terms for Digital Cameras
Camera Type
Ultra-Compact/Mini: Ultra-compact or mini cameras are the smallest, most portable digital cameras available, offering the fewest features.
Compact/Small: Compact or small cameras, while not as tiny as ultra-compact cameras, still offer flexibility, portability, and basic features.
Prosumer/Medium: Prosumer or medium digital cameras, while larger than both ultra-compact and compact cameras, offer high quality lenses and advanced features for both automatic and semi-automatic control.
SLR/Large: Single Reflex Lens cameras are the largest digital cameras and offer more manual features, including an interchangeable lens.
Compression Modes
Compression modes refer to the way in which a digital camera changes image resolution and file size for storage. Two forms of compression are lossy and lossless. A JPEG is an example of lossy, while a TIFF is an example of lossless.
Back to topConnectors
Connectors are wires that facilitate file transfer between digital cameras and external devices, such as computers and printers.
Types
USB: The Universal Serial Bus connector transfers data at a rate of 12 Mbps, without the addition of an adapter card.
USB 2.0: This high-speed successor to the Universal Serial Bus connector transfers data at a rate of 480 Mbps, without the addition of an adapter card.
FireWire: FireWire is Apple's version of the IEEE 1394 high-speed serial bus. Connect up to 63 devices and transfer data at a rate of 400 Mbps with FireWire.
IEEE 1394: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE 1394) high-speed serial bus standard connector transfers data at a rate of up to 400 Mbps. Two types of IEEE 1394 are Apple's FireWire and Sony's i.LINK.
Parallel: The parallel connector transfers one or more bits simultaneously.
PS/2: The PS/2 connector, sometimes called the mouse port, is round and typically connects the mouse and keyboard to the computer.
IEEE 1284: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE 1284) enhanced parallel port connector is typically used to connect printers and scanners to computers.
Digital Video Format
Digital video format refers to the file type in which a video is stored. Common formats include JPEG, Quicktime, MPEG, and AVI.
Back to topDigital Zoom
Digital Zoom is an editing device that crops the outside edges of an image and enlarges the middle portion in order to create a zoom effect.
Back to topExposure Settings
Exposure settings regulate how much light is used to create an image and can be controlled by aperture adjustment and shutter speed adjustment.
Back to topFlash
A flash is a device that produces an instantaneous burst of light to help illuminate a picture.
Back to topFlash Sync Mode
Flash Synchronization mode means that the shutter automatically fires the flash at the correct point.
Back to topFocus Type
The focus is an apparatus used to adjust focal length in order to make an image clearer or more distinct.
Types
Manual Focus: Manual focus is a feature that allows photographers the power to control the lens by hand, rather than by automatic focus.
Autofocus/Automatic: Autofocus is a feature that measures light arriving at a sensor, and uses that information to establish the correct focus.
Fixed-Focus/Focus-Free: Fixed-focus means that a camera has no method of focusing the lens, but instead the lens is focused on a fixed point.
Image Sensor
An image sensor converts the brightness and color of a captured image into electronic signals.
Types
CMOS: A Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor is an analog sensor that converts light into digital information.
CCD: A Charged Coupled Device is a digital sensor that converts light into digital information.
Image Sensor Size
The image sensor (CCD or CMOS) size affects the view angle of the attached lens.
Back to topInstalled Memory
Installed memory, measured in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB), regulates the amount of data a device can store.
Back to topISO Rating
The International Standardization Organization (ISO) Rating describes how sensitive to light a digital camera is. The higher the rating, the more sensitive the camera is to light, and the darker the environment in which the camera can take a photo.
Back to topLCD Screen Resolution
The Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Screen Resolution refers to the number of pixels that comprise the image displayed onscreen.
Back to topLCD Screen Size
LCD Screen size is the measure from bottom corner to opposite top corner of the viewable screen of a device.
Back to topMax Aperture
Maximum Aperture is the largest amount of light allowed to enter the camera.
Back to topMax Focal Length
Max Focal Length is the distance, measured in millimeters, from the lens to the focal plane.
Back to topMax Shutter Speed
Max Shutter Speed is the longest amount of time that a camera’s shutter can remain open.
Back to topMETERING
Metering is a process that sets the appropriate aperture and shutter speed based on the brightness of a subject at which the lens is pointed.
Types
Centre-weighted: This metering system focuses on the center point at which the lens is pointed.
Average: This metering system takes hundreds of readings within a frame and averages the results to get the best combination of aperture and shutter speed.
Optical Zoom
Optical Zoom is a feature that allows users to alter the view angle of an image by altering the focal length of the lens.
Back to topPhoto Quality Print
Photo Quality Print refers to the maximum size photo that a camera can reproduce, while still maintaining the integrity of the image.
Back to topPlayback Magnification
Playback Magnification is a feature that allows for zooming when reviewing images or video.
Back to topPlayback Mode
Playback Mode refers to the method(s) in which compatible content can be viewed on the LCD screen.
Back to topPower Source
The Power Source produces energy on which a device runs.
Types
NiMH: Nickel metal hydride batteries are high-capacity, rechargeable batteries.
NiCd: Nickel cadmium batteries are medium-capacity, rechargeable batteries.
Lithium: Lithium batteries are non-rechargeable and have an average shelf life of up to ten years.
Alkaline: Alkaline batteries are non-rechargeable and have an average shelf life of up to five years.
Rechargeable Alkaline: Rechargeable alkaline batteries can be recharged up to 25 times.
Resolution
Resolution, measured in megapixels, describes the quality of an image. The higher the camera's megapixels, the more detail an image will retain when enlarged.
Back to topStill Image Capture Resolution
Still Image Capture Resolution describes the number of horizontal and vertical pixels used to capture an image. The higher the camera's resolution, the higher the detail of the image.
Back to topStill Image Capture Speed
Still Image Capture Speed, controlled by aperture, refers to the number of frames per second a camera can capture.
Back to topStill Image Format
Still Image Format refers to the types of files in which a camera saves images.
Back to topStorage Type
Storage refers to the memory in which a device saves data.
Types
Compact Flash (CF): This storage type is a durable card with a maximum memory of 512MB.
Smart Media (SM): This storage type is a thin card with a maximum memory of 128MB.
x-D Picture Card (xD): This new storage type is the smallest card with a memory range of 16MB to 8GB.
Memory Stick (MS): This storage type is a long stick with a maximum memory of 1GB.
Multimedia Card (MMC): This storage type is a card with a maximum memory of 128MB.
Secure Digital (SD): This storage type is an encrypted card with a maximum memory of 512MB.
Video Capture Resolution
Video Capture Resolution describes the quality of a captured moving picture, measured in megapixels. The higher the camera’s megapixels, the more detail a video will retain.
Back to topVideo Standard Type
The Video Standard describes the resolution and frame rate of a device.
Types
NTSC: The National Television System Committee Standard has a fixed vertical resolution of 525 lines and a frame rate of 30 frames per second.
PAL: The Phase Alternation by Line Standard has a fixed vertical resolution of 625 lines and a frame rate of 25 frames per second.
SECAM: The Systeme Electronique Couleur Avec Memoire Standard has a fixed vertical resolution of 625 lines and a frame rate of 25 frames per second.
Viewfinder
The viewfinder is the device through which a photographer looks to determine the image to be captured.
Types
Optical: This type of viewfinder allows the photographer to look directly through a small window to determine the image to be captured.
Electronic: This type of viewfinder allows the photographer to look into an electronic reproduction of an image that has been projected onto a miniature display.
TTL Optical: This type of viewfinder, Through The Lens, allows the photographer to view the image relayed from the lens through a prism or mirror, directly to the focus screen.
White Balance
White balance is a color correction system that compensates for different light level conditions to retain an image's true colors.
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