Questions tagged “camera basics”

Ask the Unique Photo creator community — gear, technique, post-processing and more.

votes

answers

591

What does a lens’s focal length actually mean, and why isn’t it always the lens-to-sensor distance?

lenses optics focus camera-basics focal-length

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

3y ago

votes

answers

419

Is focal length defined differently in optics and photography?

lenses optics camera-basics focal-length

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

5y ago

votes

answers

179

Why doesn’t a camera lens mix light from different parts of a scene into a noisy image?

lenses aperture optics focus camera-basics

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

6y ago

votes

answers

330

How should I understand a camera’s field of view, especially a quoted 120° view?

field-of-view accessibility lenses wearable-cameras camera-basics

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

6y ago

votes

answers

152

How much does camera quality matter compared with photography skill?

buying-advice photography-skills gear camera-basics smartphone-photography

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

7y ago

votes

answers

234

How does a camera meter the scene before you half-press the shutter?

live-view metering auto-mode camera-basics exposure

user81945

7y ago

votes

answers

333

What does “flange” mean in flange focal distance?

flange-distance lens-adapters lens-mounts camera-basics

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

8y ago

votes

answers

196

Why does auto exposure make white and black cards look gray?

gray-card metering auto-mode camera-basics exposure

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

8y ago

votes

answers

279

What counts as “high ISO” in photography?

sensor noise iso camera-basics exposure

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

8y ago

votes

answers

313

How do camera shutters work, and how are DSLR and smartphone shutters different?

dslr electronic-shutter camera-basics shutter smartphone-photography

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

8y ago

votes

answers

218

What is focal length measured from in a camera lens?

lenses optics beginner camera-basics focal-length

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

9y ago

votes

answers

165

How do smartphone cameras know when they’re in focus?

autofocus focus camera-basics smartphone-photography

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

9y ago

votes

answers

282

Why do iPhones show very low ISO values, and why can’t many DSLRs go that low?

iso sensor-size camera-basics smartphone-photography exposure

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

9y ago

votes

answers

277

Why is it called a DSLR: what does the “single” mean?

lenses dslr viewfinder slr camera-basics

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

9y ago

votes

answers

189

Why do professional cameras cost so much more than a basic point-and-shoot?

point-and-shoot buying-advice dslr sensor-size camera-basics

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

9y ago

votes

answers

378

What are framelines in a camera viewfinder?

leica framelines viewfinder rangefinder camera-basics

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

9y ago

votes

answers

384

What’s the difference between APS-C and CMOS camera sensors?

sensors dslr cmos aps-c camera-basics

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

9y ago

votes

answers

238

What is a reflex camera?

dslr mirrorless viewfinder slr camera-basics

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

10y ago

votes

answers

233

What do the letters "PC" mean in a PC sync terminal?

pc-sync connectors flash camera-basics

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

10y ago

votes

answers

423

How does crop factor relate to sensor size and area compared with full frame?

field-of-view full-frame crop-factor sensor-size camera-basics

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

10y ago

Page 1 of 3