How to Know Camera Lens Terms
The camera lens is the eye of the camera. The camera's shutter controls the amount of light, and the settings on the lens itself are manipulated by photographers. There are several camera lens varieties and by understanding a few basic terms a photographer can use their camera lens to the fullest.
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Instructions
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Begin with the diaphragm of a camera. The camera's diaphragm forms the aperture, which is like the pupil of an eye. Just like an eye adjusts to light, so does the camera's aperture.
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Control the size of the aperture by setting the "F-Stop." These "F-Numbers" are in a sequence of ratios such as 1, 1.2, 2, or 2.8. A lower F-Stop allows more light to enter the lens. Each of these increasing F-Stops produces half the light exposure of the previous one. Each higher F-Stop allows half the light of the one before it and twice the exposure of the one following.
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Buy a wide angle lens for a wider field of view. The wide angle lens has a shorter focal length.
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Purchase a zoom lens for multiple focal lengths. A zoom lens gives a photographer a wide range of options for capturing a scene.
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Use a telephoto lens for capturing a distant image. A telephoto lens has a longer focal length with a narrow field of view.
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Match the focal length and exposure time--a critical part of good photography. A longer focal length requires a shorter exposure time. Use the "One Over" method for setting the exposure. If a focal length is 300mm, then an exposure of at least 1/300 second should be used. This is a very general guide and will require adjustment when using a hand-held camera.
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Determine the film. The type of film used will be determined by the conditions as well as the type of lens being used. If a photographer is using a telephoto lens all day, she should use a fast film. If a photographer is shooting with a zoom lens and a tripod, he should use a slower film.
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