Help with definitions

[Bahandi]

Hey all, been lurking in these forums for the last day or two.

I recently left the world of 'Point and Shoot' because I felt I needed more freedom in my picture taking. However, I didn't feel that I would be able to take full advantage of an SLR, as I tend to waver in my commitment to my hobbies.

So, I bought myself an Olympus 550 UZ from Future Shop (was on sale for $250).

Now, I don't want to bother everyone with my mass of questions, so I'll just ask one. I'm looking for a (hopefully) detailed thread/article that explains shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and all the like... a glossary of terms, if you will.

I just realized I probably should have Googled this, but since I'm near the end of this post, I'll post it anyway. I'll come back to this post if I find something.

Thanks in advance.

Bahandi

[tegan]

Hey all, been lurking in these forums for the last day or two.

I recently left the world of 'Point and Shoot' because I felt I needed more freedom in my picture taking. However, I didn't feel that I would be able to take full advantage of an SLR, as I tend to waver in my commitment to my hobbies.

So, I bought myself an Olympus 550 UZ from Future Shop (was on sale for $250).

Now, I don't want to bother everyone with my mass of questions, so I'll just ask one. I'm looking for a (hopefully) detailed thread/article that explains shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and all the like... a glossary of terms, if you will.

I just realized I probably should have Googled this, but since I'm near the end of this post, I'll post it anyway. I'll come back to this post if I find something.

Thanks in advance.

Bahandi

To keep it simple, shutter speed is the speed at which the shutter opens and closes to let in light to expose film or reach the sensor expressed in fractions of a second.

To generalize somewhat, a speed of under 1/50 of a second requires a tripod or bracing the camera on a support to prevent camera movement and the resulting fuzzy picture.

Aperture is how wide the shutter opens to expose the film to light or the sensor to light. In general terms wide open for low light and small opening for brightly lit situations.

ISO used to be the sensitivity of the film to light. In digital terms it is like turning up the volume on a stereo system. On a stereo, if you turn up the volume you get more sound but not higher quality sound. On a camera if you turn up the ISO you can get pictures in poorer light, but usually not pictures of equal quality.

Of course shutter speed, aperture, and ISO all interact in different scene situations, but one step at a time.

Tegan

[kiley9806]

here are some links to some pretty simple & easy sites. i just found them by googling, so you may have seen them already. hope you can find some good info! and welcome to the Forum! :)


http://photo.net/learn/making-photographs/exposure

http://www.photography-basics.com/category/photography-basics/photography-quick-tips/

http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/glossary

[Bahandi]

you guys are awesome.. thanks a bunch :D

[Marko]

There's also this basic explanation on this site as well

http://www.photography.ca/phototips/trinity.html

Hope it helps and welsome!

marko

[Bahandi]

wow... that article totally answers some of my major questions. thanks marco. now... if only i had not rushed my purchase.. lol.. oh well. i'll make do with what i have

[AcadieLibre]

Very good article now I know what to email people when they pepper me with all these questions, well done.