1. SLR CameraAperture, lens, viewfinder, ISO, shutter and ways
to load andunload film.1
2. ApertureReferred to the lens diaphragm opening inside a
photographic lens. The size ofthe diaphragm opening in a camera
lens REGULATES amount of light passesthrough onto the film inside
the camera.Aperture size is usually calibrated in f-numbers or
f-stops. i.e. those littlenumbers engraved on the lens barrel like
f22 (f/22),16(f/16), f/11, f/8.0, f/5.6, f/4.0, f/2.8, f/2.0, f/1.8
etc. Each of this valuerepresents one time the amount of light
either more or less in quantity.Meaning to say, f/16 will let in 1X
the amount of light than a diaphragmopening of f/22 and so forth;
while on the other hand, an aperture of f/4.0 willlet in 1X lesser
than that of f/2.8 etc. 2
3. Aperturef1.2f2f2.8f16f22f323
4. LensLENS ELEMENTS & IMAGE QUALITY All but the simplest
cameras contain lenses which are actuallycomprised of several "lens
elements." Each of these elementsdirects the path of light rays to
recreate the image as accurately aspossible on the digital sensor.
The goal is to minimizeaberrations, while still utilizing the
fewest and least expensiveelements.4
5. ViewfinderThe viewfinder is the single most important user
interface on any camera.Throughout the history of cameras, the
method of aiming the cameraaccurately and communicating its view to
the operator is what has determinedand defined most different basic
camera types.Now, if you were no expert and just taking a stab at
this, youd probably guessthat you would want to see in the
viewfinder all of the picture youre about totake. It stands to
reason you dont want to see half of it, or a tenth of it, sowhy
wouldnt you just want to see all of it? As with many things,
however, itturns out that the uncomplicated answer is not the
correct one.One might reasonably ask, whats the point of using an
SLR at all if you stillcant see what the lens sees?Try to buy a
camera with at least a 95% viewfinder. Even this modest standardis
tough to meet these days, but theyre out there. 97% or 98% is
better, butgood luck. 5
6. ViewfinderThe manufacturers would just as soon keep you in
the dark about thedifferences between good and bad viewfinders. But
you cant shoot well if youcant see what youre shooting, or if your
camera is only giving you anapproximate idea what youll get on
film. Know your viewfinder!This diagram shows the light path in a
typical 35mm SLR6
7. ViewfinderA cutaway view of the familiar 35mm SLR viewing
system. You can clearly seethe lens, the mirror, and the glass
pentaprism. The screen is the flat piece justabove the mirror; the
eyepiece is the bit furthest to the right, where your eyepeers into
the whole thing.7
8. ISO In traditional (film) photography ISO (or ASA) was the
indication of howsensitive a film was to light. It was measured in
numbers (youve probablyseen them on films 100, 200, 400, 800 etc.).
The lower the number thelower the sensitivity of the film and the
finer the grain in the shots youretaking. In Digital Photography
ISO measures the sensitivity of the image sensor. Thesame
principles apply as in film photography the lower the number
theless sensitive your camera is to light and the finer the grain.
Higher ISOsettings are generally used in darker situations to get
faster shutter speeds(for example an indoor sports event when you
want to freeze the action inlower light) however the cost is
noisier shots. Ill illustrate this below withtwo enlargements of
shots that I just took the one on the left is taken at100 ISO and
the one of the right at 3200 ISO (click to enlarge to see the
fulleffect).ISO (International Organization for
Standardization)8
9. ShutterWhat is shutter speed ? The aperture diaphragm of a
lens (bigger or smallervalues) AND timing (open and close) of the
cameras shutter curtain - BOTH perform the tasks of regulating the
amount of light entering thecamera and expose onto the film. The
shutter speed scales engraved on theshutter speed dial of
conventional camera bodies with a shutter speed ring ORvia some
flickering digital numerals on the LCD screen like:1/8000, 1/4000,
1/1000, 1/500, 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, 1/15, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2,1 or
-1, -2 etc. are essentially indicators of the duration (timing) at
which theshutter curtain opens up and closes during an exposure
process.9
10. ShutterModern AF cameras, with a wealth of sophisticated
features incorporatedwithin, are more complicated, as shown is a
full featured LCD screen.Substituting all conventional mechanical
dial and levers by computer circuits.So, gone are the traditional
shutter dial or ring on the camera. Highlighted partrepresents
usual location (generally big and bolder numerals or figures) of
thedigitally displayed shutter speeds OR aperture values.10