Digital Camera Basics

What is ISO speed or Sensitivity?

This setting has been adopted from film cameras. Higher ISO speeds are needed to take pictures in worse lighting conditions, however they also cause an increased amount of noise. Digital cameras also come with different ISOs. The higher the speed, the more sensitive the film is to light so 100 speed film is good for outdoor shots, but 400 film is better for indoor shots. Faster film is also needed to capture quick motion shots. Exactly the same considerations go into choosing the ISO of a digital camera. Think about the light conditions and type of subjects you plan to shoot and pick an ISO accordingly. Typically 100, 200 and 400.

What is lens aperture?

Lens aperture or the f-number is the ratio of the focal length of the lens to the diameter of the light rays passing through the aperture in the iris diaphragm. Smaller numbers represent bigger openings and allow more light to pass through.

What is shutter speed?

Shutter speed is the amount of time the shutter allows light onto the CCD or film. The shutter speed is measured in seconds. The slower the shutter speed, the more motion is recorded by the camera. A tripod is needed to use slower shutter speeds without blurring the picture.

LCD Viewfinders

Most digital cameras are equipped with a liquid-crystal display (LCD) viewfinder that allows you to see what your picture will look like before you take it. LCD viewfinders also permit you to view saved images and delete the ones that you don't like

Macro Mode

To take extreme close-ups like photographing a stamp, coin collection or flower. A macro lens can act as a normal lens but also lets you focus on an object as close as 3 cm. Macro mode works best from 10-30 cm.