ALL ABOUT

CAMERA
 Camera
 A camera is an optical instrument that
records images that can be stored directly,
transmitted to another location, or both.
 These images may be still photographs or
moving images such as videos or movies.
 The term camera comes from the word
camera obscura (Latin for "dark chamber"), an
early mechanism for projecting images.
 The modern camera evolved from the camera
obscura & functioning of the camera is very
similar to the functioning of the human eye.
 History
 The history of the camera can be traced
much further back than the introduction
of photography.
 Cameras evolved from the camera
obscura, and continued to change through
many generations of photographic
technology, including Daguerre types,
callow types, dry plates, film, and digital
cameras.
 History:
Camera Obscura
Photographic cameras were a development of
the camera obscura, a device dating back to
the ancient Chinese[1] and ancient
Greeks,[2][3] which uses a pinhole or lens to
project an image of the scene outside upside-
down onto a viewing surface.
 Further Developments
 The first partially successful photograph of a camera
image was made in approximately 1816
by Nicéphore Niépce,[6][7] using a very small
camera of his own making and a piece of paper
coated with silver chloride, which darkened where it
was exposed to light.
 After Niépce's death in 1833, his partner Louis
Daguerre continued to experiment and by 1837 had
created the first practical photographic process,
which he named the daguerreotype and publicly
unveiled in 1839.
Further Developments
 TLRs and SLRs:-
 The first practical reflex camera was
the Franke &
Heidecke Rolleiflex medium
format TLR of 1928.
 A similar revolution in SLR design
began in 1933 with the introduction of
the Ihagee Exakta, a compact SLR
which used 127 rollfilm
 Further Developments
 Instant cameras :-
While conventional cameras were becoming more
refined and sophisticated, an entirely new type of
camera appeared on the market in 1948.
 Digital cameras:-
By the late 1980s, the technology required to
produce truly commercial digital cameras existed.
The first true portable digital camera that recorded
images as a computerized file was likely the Fuji DS-
1P of 1988, which recorded to a 16 MB internal
memory card that used a battery to keep the data in
memory
 Types of Camera
 Range Finder Camera
 Twin-Lens Reflex Cameras & Single-Lens
Reflex Cameras
 View Cameras and Technical Cameras
 Instant Cameras
 Disc Cameras
 Compact Camera
 Mirrorless Camera
Range Finder Camera

 A rangefinder camera is a camera fitted with

a rangefinder: a range-finding focusing
mechanism allowing the photographer to
measure the subject distance and take
photographs that are in sharp focus.
Reflex Camera

 A reflex camera is a camera that permits the

photographer to view the image that will be
seen through the lens, and therefore to see
exactly what will be captured, contrary to
viewfinder cameras where the image could
be significantly different from what will be
captured.
Instant Camera

 The instant camera is a type of camera that

generates a developed film image. The most
popular types to use self-developing filmwere
formerly made by Polaroid Corporation.
Compact Camera

 A point-and-shoot camera, also called

acompact camera, is a still camera designed
primarily for simple operation. Most use focus
free lenses or autofocus for focusing,
automatic systems for setting the exposure
options, and have flash units built in.
Major Parts of Camera
 Camera lens
 A camera lens (also known
as photographic
lens or photographic
objective) is
an optical lens or assembly
of lenses used in conjunction
with a camera body and
mechanism to make images
of objects either
on photographic film or on
other media capable of
storing an image chemically
or electronically.
Shutter Button
 Press this button to
release the shutter.
 The shutter button
stroke is divided into
two stages: press the
button down halfway
to activate the AF
function, and press it
down fully to release
the shutter.
 Lens Mount

 This is the section

for connecting the
exchangeable lens
to the camera body.
 Attach the lens by
sliding it along the
surface of the
mount.
Mirror

 Light entering
through the lens is
reflected from this
mirror toward the
viewfinder.
 The mirror is
movable, and flips up
immediately before a
shot is taken.
Built-in Flash

 When needed, you

can fire the flash to
capture a shot of
dimly-lit scenes.
 Flash may be
automatically fired
in some modes.
Top Side
Focus Mode Switch

 Use this switch to

set the focusing
mode to
Automatic (AF) or
Manual (MF).
 Mode Dial
 Turn this dial to select a shooting mode
according to the scene you want to
capture. The shooting modes are
largely divided into two different
zones, Creative and Basic.
 A: Creative Zone B: Basic Zone
 The Creative Zone modes allow users
to select and set functions according to
their intended purpose.
 In the Basic Zone modes, the camera
automatically selects the appropriate
settings according to the selected
scene.
 Power Switch
 Use this switch to power on or
power off the camera.
 When the power of the camera is
left on for a prolonged period of
time, it switches automatically to
the standby mode to conserve
power.
 For some cameras, the power
switch comes with a Movie icon
as shown in the illustration,
which allows you to switch to the
Movie shooting mode directly.
ISO Speed Setting Button
 Press this button to
adjust the sensitivity
of the camera toward
light.
 ISO speed is an
international
standard that is
determined based on
the sensitivity of
negative films.
Main Dial

 This is a multi-
purpose dial that
allows you to perform
tasks such as
adjusting the value of
the shooting settings
and jumping through
playback images.
Zoom Ring
 Turn the zoom ring to
alter the focal length.
 The selected focal
length can be
identified from the
numbers and index
marks at the lower
end of the lens.
Focus Ring
 When the camera is
in the Manual Focus
(MF) mode, turn
this ring to adjust
the focus.
 The position of the
focus ring varies
according to the
lens in use.
EXPOSURE TRIANGLE: APERTURE,
ISO & SHUTTER SPEED
Aperture Setting
 A camera's aperture setting controls the
area over which light can pass through
your camera lens. It is specified in terms of
an f-stop value, which can at times be
counterintuitive, because the area of the
opening increases as the f-stop decreases.
 In photographer slang, when someone says
they are "stopping down" or "opening up"
their lens, they are referring to increasing
and decreasing the f-stop value,
respectively.
Aperture SETTING

Wide Aperture Narrow Aperture

SHUTTER SPEED
 A camera's shutter determines when the
camera sensor will be open or closed to
incoming light from the camera lens.
 The shutter speed specifically refers to how
long this light is permitted to enter the
camera.
 "Shutter speed" and "exposure time" refer to
the same concept, where a faster shutter
speed means a shorter exposure time.
SHUTTER SPEED

Slow Shutter Speed Fast Shutter Speed

 ISO SPEED
 The ISO speed determines how sensitive the
camera is to incoming light.
 Similar to shutter speed, it also correlates 1:1
with how much the exposure increases or
decreases.
 However, unlike aperture and shutter speed, a
lower ISO speed is almost always desirable,
since higher ISO speeds dramatically increase
image noise.
 As a result, ISO speed is usually only increased
from its minimum value if the desired aperture
and shutter speed aren't otherwise obtainable.
 Depth of Field
 Depth of field is the amount of distance between the nearest and
farthest objects that appear in acceptably sharp focus in a
photograph.
 It varies depending on camera type, aperture and focusing
distance, although print size and viewing distance can also
influence our perception of depth of field.
 A preferred selection Depth of field ("DOF") in a focused subject
in an image can be quite subjective.
 Adequate selection of DOF for one situation, application may be
unacceptable for another photographer.
 It is all a matter of personal preference when trying to determine
the appropriate use of DOF to enhance an effect in a photograph.
Camera Angles
It is, the angle of the camera relative to the
subject.

Camera
angles

Eye High Low Bird’s Eye Slanted

Level Angle angle angle angle
 Camera Angles
 Eye-Level :-
This is the most common view, being the real-
world angle that we are all used to. It shows
subjects as we would expect to see them in real
life. It is a fairly neutral shot.
 High Angle :-
A high angle shows the subject from above, i.e.
the camera is angled down towards the subject.
This has the effect of diminishing the subject,
making them appear less powerful, less
significant or even submissive.
 Camera Angles
 Low Angle :-
This shows the subject from below, giving them the
impression of being more powerful or dominant.
 Bird's Eye :-
The scene is shown from directly above. This is a
completely different and somewhat unnatural point
of view which can be used for dramatic effect or for
showing a different spatial perspective.
In drama it can be used to show the positions and
motions of different characters and objects, enabling
the viewer to see things the characters can't.
The bird's-eye view is also very useful in sports,
documentaries, etc.
 Camera Angles
 Slanted :-
Also known as a dutch tilt, this is where the camera
is purposely tilted to one side so the horizon is on
an angle.
This creates an interesting and dramatic effect.
Famous examples include Carol Reed's The Third
Man, Orson Welles' Citizen Kane and the Batman
series.
Dutch tilts are also popular in MTV-style video
production, where unusual angles and lots of
camera movement play a big part.
 Camera Movements
Pan
 Panning is when you move your camera
horizontally; either left to right or right to
left, while its base is fixated on a certain
point.
 You are not moving the position of the
camera itself, just the direction it faces.
 These types of shots are great for
establishing a sense of location within
your story.
 Camera Movements
Tilt
 Tilting is when you move the camera vertically,
up to down or down to up, while its base is
fixated to a certain point.
 Again, like panning, this move typically involves
the use of a tripod where the camera is
stationary but you move the angle it points to.
 These shots are popular when introducing a
character, especially one of grandeur, in a
movie.
 Camera Movements
Dolly
 A dolly is when you move the entire camera
forwards and backwards, typically on some sort
of track or motorized vehicle.
 This type of movement can create beautiful,
flowing effects when done correctly.
 If you want to attempt a dolly, make sure your
track is stable and will allow for fluid movement.
 Camera Movements

Truck
 Trucking is the same as dollying, only you
are moving the camera from left to
right instead of in and out.
 Again, it is best to do this using a fluid
motion track that will eliminate any
jerking or friction.
 Camera Movements
Pedestal
 A pedestal is when you move the camera
vertically up or down while it is fixated in one
location.
 This term came from the use of studio cameras
when the operators would have to adjust the
pedestal the camera sat on to compensate for
the height of the subject.
 A pedestal move is easy to do when the camera
is fixated to an adjustable tripod.
 Camera Movements
Rack Focus
 Rack focus is not as much of a camera
move as it is a technique, but many
amatuers overlook this essential skill.
 You adjust the lens to start an image blurry
and then slowly make it crisper, or vice
versa.
 It is an extremely effective way for you to
change your audience’s focus from one
subject to another.
 Camera Movements
Arc
 An Arc is a fairly difficult shot to pull off free-
hand.
 This is when the camera rotates around its
subject, keeping the same distance but changing
the angle at which it views that subject.
 The slow-motion arcs in the Matrix movies are
perhaps the best and most widely recognized
example of this technique
 Camera Movements
Zoom
 Without a doubt, zooming is the most used (and
therefore, most overused) camera movement there is.
 It is often used as a clutch when the videographer is not
sure what else to do to add interest to a shot.
 If you are going to use zoom, try to use it creatively.
 Zoom in or out from an unexpected, yet important,
object or person in your shot.
 Use a quick zoom to add energy to a fast-paced piece.
 Don’t get stuck with your zoom as your default move!
 Camera Movements
Crane/Jib
 A crane can be used to lift a camera (and
operator, if it's big enough) from low to high
shooting positions.
 Less expensive jibs can support the weight of a
camera and lift it several feet off of the ground.
 Sometimes called a boom, but the boom term
usually applies to the device that holds a
microphone aloft
 Camera Movements
Dolly Counter Zoom
 A dolly counter zoom is a rare type of shot
of great stylistic effect.
 To accomplish it, the camera has to dolly
(move) closer or further away from the
subject while the zoom is adjusted so the
subject’s size remains about the same.