Stay up to datePhotography Abbreviations & Slang – The Jargon Buster
Photography Abbreviations & Slang. The Jargon Buster
©Bill Bagshaw, www.phototuition.co.uk
Photography abbreviations invented by manufacturers & techno geeks get ever more confusing.
Un-neccessary techno babble is most confusing, and is often used extensively by photographers with very little knowledge about the creative side of photography.
An example is ATGNI – All The Gear No Idea – refers to someone who mistakenly thinks buying expensive gear is all you need do to be an ace photographer.
Most recent techno gibberish spotlight.
You thought there was just DSLR (digital single lens reflex) cameras & compacts ? Wrong. There has always been different types of cameras but digital is now spawning multiple abbreviations.
Compact Camera Systems (CSC) now have pseudonyms /variants/acronyms including MILC, MSC, EVIL, DSLM, micro four thirds.
Have you met a smudger or seen a zoom creep ?
Is your camera EVIL ?
Do you know a chimper, an Uncle Bob or a sprayer?
Here’s a handy techno babble list:-
Don’t get bogged down by all this techie stuff, it will drive you mad.
Concentrate on the creative side of your photography instead.
The simple fact is that spouting all this guff won’t help you to take great photos.
If you meet someone who spouts this nonsense it’s highly likely they know nothing about what photography really is.
They could be a smudger dweeb who sprays and prays, – or maybe a numpty camera reviewer.
2D two dimensions
3D three dimensions
35mm. 35mm film format i.e 24x36mm. sensor/film size. Also known as “full frame” as in digital formats.
4/3 Four thirds -digital camera format with sensor size 17.3X13mm
4K display devices such as TVs & monitors having a resolution around 4,000 pixels
54 5X4 inch format, originally a film format with film size 5×4″, but digital backs can now be used
45 American way of saying “54”
645 6X4.5cm format, originally a film format with film size 6×4.5mm, but digital backs can now be used
66 6X6cm film format, originally a film format (e.g. Hasselblad, Bronica) but digital backs can now be used.
67 6X7 cm film format
108 10X8 inch film format
AA anti aliasing. An anti aliasing filter is also known as a “low pass” filter and is mounted over many camera sensors
AA small battery used in camera equipment , torches etc
AAA smaller battery than AA
A Aperture Priority
A amps
ABC auto backlighting control
ACR Adobe Camera Raw
A-DEP automatic depth of field exposure mode (Canon)
AEL Auto exposure lock
AF Auto focus
AF DC Defocus control
Ai Adobe illustrator
AI Aperture indexing (Nikon)
AI Artificial intelligence (Canon)
a.k.a. also known as
Alien Bees – American flash equipment
Analogue – not digital
API application programming interface
App A computer application
Applet small computer programme for a particular task
APO apochromatic
APS advanced photo system – amateur film size
APS-C Advanced Photo System type C, digital sensor size as
APS
APS-H Sensor size 28.1x 18.7mm
AC alternating current
ACR Adobe camera raw
AE automatic exposure
AEB auto exposure bracketing
AE-L automatic exposure lock
AF automatic focus
AF-L autofocus lock
Algorithm – a mathematical routine that manages colour, or that is supposed to help you get the right exposure. See GIGO.
ATGNI All the gear no idea. Don’t be a dweeb check out www.phototuition.co.uk
AR aspect ratio
ASA American standards association (now called ISO for film speed)
ASAP As soon as possible
ASL Aspherical glass
ASP Aspherical lens
ATB all the best
Av aperture value
AV audiovisual
Avater picture representing a person
AWB Auto White Balance
B bulb (for long exposures)
B&W black & white
Back interchaneable camera back
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Back End the part of a website that makes it work (seef ront end)
Back Focus – can refer to a lens focusing behind where it should do.
Backup duplicate
Bandwidth amount of data able to travel through a connection
Barndoors – set of hinged movable lighting modifiers
Bayer type of sensor
BBAR Tamron anti reflective coating
BIF Bird In Flight
Bigma slang for Sigma 500mm lens
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Bit Binary digit. 8bits= 1 byte
BIS back illuminated sensor
Bit rate The number of bits that are conveyed per unit of time
Biz business
Blaster – powerful form of Zap flash, as in Bowens old flash bulb arrays
Blow up – magnify or make a large print out of an image
Blinkies – flashing over exposure indicator
Body a camera with the lens detached
Bokeh out of focus background blur
Bottletop – a cheap low quality lens
BKT bracket
Blad slang for Hasselblad
BLC back light compensation
Bluetooth short range wireless communication protocol
Blog website documenting a persons thoughts
Blown overexposed
Blocked – overexposed, particularly as in “blocked highlights”
BMP bitmap
Boot to start your computer
Bot automated internet programme
Bowens UK electronic flash manufacturer
BPS bits per second
Br Bridge – Adobe image management software
BRB be right back
Brick heavy item of photography gear especially relates to a heavy lens
Brief photographic assignment
Bridge A camera that’s a cross between DSLR & a PAS
Brit Brittish
Brolly flash umbrella (sometimes Brollie)
Bronnie – slang for extinct medium format (6x6cm & 6×4.5cm) film camera manufacturer Bronica. ©dsider.co.uk Great cameras sadly missed.
BTL behind the lens
BTW by the way
Buffer temporary storage area to smooth out incoming streams
Buffering failure of buffer to keep up with incoming data
Bug software error
Bulb long exposure camera setting
Bulb may refer to a “flash bulb”
Burn to darken an area of an image
Burn to create a CD or DVD
Burst rapid series of exposures
Bus wiring to main component on a computer
Bust broken or bankrupt (sometimes “bost” )
B/W or B&W – black and white
Byte basic unit of information
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C41 negative film development process
CA Chromatic Aberration
Cache store of computer information
CAD computer aided design
Cam camera
Capture 1 RAW software
CAF Content Aware Fill
CAT A lens of catadioptric construction which is designed to cancel out certain lens aberrations
CC Creative Cloud – Adobe cloud software subscription
CC colour compensating
CCD charge coupled device
C&C comments & critiques
CD compact disc
CD-R a recordable CD can’t be re-recorded
CD ROM Compact disc read only memory
CD-RW a re-writable CD
Cds cadmium sulphide cell used in some meters
CCD charge coupled device
Center how Americans spell centre
Centre how Brits spell center
CF compact flash (card)
CF crop factor
C.Fn custom function
Chatroom website wher you “chat” to others
cheesecake – smiley boring bad photography of people
chiaroscuro – form of high contrast lighting
chimping – the habit of checking your histogram, exposure or composition on a digital cameras LCD screen
chip microchip (also a potato based food UK photo students live on)
Chrome google internet browser
CIFF camera image file format
Cloud Stored information or software held on servers and usually not on your own computer
Clipping – overexposure
Clipboard temporary storage space on memory
CMOS complimentary metal oxide semiconductor
CMS colour management system
CMYK cyan, magenta,yellow, key(black)
CODEC coder decoder
COF circle of confusion relates to resolution, or a group of photographers who don’t follow Bill Bagshaw
Color how Americans spell colour
Colour how the British spell color
Comp composite
Compat Compatible
Configure set up computer to work well
Copal a make of mechanical shutter
Copyright as in this list is copyright Bill Bagshaw Photography Tuition Royal Deeside Scotland
corrupt – data which has been damaged e.g corrupt file
CPL Circular Polarising Filter -designed for digital cameras, see also “PL”
CPU central processing unit
CPS characters per second
Crash computer failure needing a reboot
Crawler a programme that indexes the web
Crawler a person who is a creep
CRC close range correction
Cross Front – a camera movement
CRT cathode ray tube
CRW Canon camera raw
CS, CS2, CS3, CS4, CS5, CS6, then CC (creative Cloud) – versions of photoshop. The larger the “CS” number the more recent the programme. ………and then came creative cloud. (CC)……..
CSC Compact camera system – mirrorless camera
CSS cascading style sheets
Curve Characteristic curve
CW centre weighted
CWB Custom white balance
DAM Digital Asset Management
dB decibel
DC direct current
DC digital crop
Default basic setting of programme that you have not changed or can change back to
dev developer/development
DF dual focus
DG Sigma lens terminology
DI digital imaging
digi digital
Digerati – persons supposedly expert in digital concepts
Digicam digital camera
DIN German version of ISO speed rating
dinky small (also a small toy manufacturer)
DIR directory
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DNG Digital Negative
DNS domain name service
DO Diffractive Optics, as in lens construction
DOC document
Dodge to lighten an area of an image
DOF depth of field
Dolly a wheeled attachment for tripods usually used in film making
Dongle small hardware device for software copy protection
Doughnuts – out of focus highlights typical of mirror lenses
Downtime how long a computer system has not been working
DOS disk operating system
DPI dots per inch
DPOF digital print order format
DR Dynamic Range
Driver small programme used to control hardware
Drop backdrop
Dropdown sub menu in software
Drop offs – shots that didn’t work
DRS dust reduction system (not to be confused with racing car Drag Reduction System)
DRM digital rights management
DSLR Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera, Not to be confused with an SLR which is a film camera
DSLT digital single lens translucent
Dust Pump – a zoom lens which moves a substantial amount of internal air whilst zooming, and thus pumps dust onto the sensor, and/or onto the lens elements.
DVD digital versatile disk
Dweeb inept, often due to being “expert” about irrelevancies. Don’t be a dweeb go to www.phototuition.co.uk
DX code on 35mm film to set film speed
DX Nikon APS-C camera
DXO Raw software
DZ digital zoom
E Exposure
E6 transparency film developing process
EC exposure compensation
ECU extreme close up
ED extra low dispersion glass used in lenses
EF electronic focus
EF a Canon EOS autofocus lens
EFS a Canon autofocus lens for the APSC format
EI exposure index
EIS electronic image stabiliser (in some Canon lenses)
Element – an individual lens within the overall construction of a composite lens
Elements – Adobe software
ESC electronic still camera
ETTL Canon’s evaluative through the lens exposure system
EV Exposure Value
EVF electronic viewfinder
EVIL Electronic Viewfinder with Interchangeable lens
EX Sigma high quality lens
EXIF data stored along with your digital image
Extender – usually refers to tele converter see “TC”
EXR type of Fuji CCD or CMOS sensor
Exif exchangeable image file format
Ext extension
EC exposure compensation
EFC electronic first curtain
ETTL evaluative through the lens (Canon flash metering)
EOS electrical operating system (Canon)
EV exposure value
EXIF exchange image file format (image data)
F focal
F focus
f f stop – indicates the size of the lens opening
fanboy loyalist to a camera brand, to the point of stupidity
fangirl female fanboy
Fast refers to a lens with a large aperture, a high ISO speed or a fast shutter speed
FAP Fine art photography
FAQ frequently asked questions
FAX facsimile
FC foot candle
FE flash exposure
FEB flash exposure bracketing
FEL flash exposure lock
FF Full Frame i.e. a camera sensor of 24x36mm
Fill fill in light
Firefox a web browser
Firewall computer security set up
Firewire fast data transmission method
Fisheye – a super extreme wide angle lens
FIX fixer
Fixer chemicals used to make film prints or negatives light resistant
FL f ocal length
FFX for f**** sake – rude slang
Flake an unreliable person
Flare unwanted directional light affecting the image
Flag an item inserted into a light path to blank off illumination
Flir make of heat sensing camera
FLM Focal length multiplier usually referring to a teleconverter or sometimes to difference in sensor formats sizes
Font typeface of a certain size and design
Four Thirds – Sensor size 17.3X13mm
FOV Field of view
FP focal plane
FPS frames per second
Frame – the size or size ratio of a composition boundary
Frame – picture frame for hanging on a wall
Framing – composing a photo within specific boundaries
Framing – mounting photos into a picture frame
Fresnel – A type of flattened lens used in lighting and in focussing screens
Fringes or Fringeing – usually refers to lens aberrations
Front End part of website users can see
Front Focus – can refer to a lens focusing too close and not where it should.
FSE film speed equivalent
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FTMF Full time Manual focus
G No aperture ring
G Gigabyte
G force of gravity
Gamma – contrast, relates particularly to “curves”
Gaffer – relates to fixing of lighting as in chief lighting technician, or self adhesive fixing tape, or fixing clamps.
GB gigabyte. 1GB=1000 megabytes of storage
Gel colour filter
Geotagging adding location data to photo
GIF graphics interchange format
GIGO Garbage In Garbage Out. Camera algorithms on auto settings are not psychic. Learn how to control your camera.
GIMP free image manipulation software
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Gizmo an article of equipment of little merit, or a new function which may be of dubious merit
Glass slang for a lens
GN guide number
Gobo an article inserted in the optical path of a light to project patterns.
Golden hour – the hour after sunrise and before sunset
GPD gallium photo diode
Grad graduated (usually a graduated filter)
Grain The appearance of individual film grains on an image. Often used in error to describe digital noise.
Gremlin – unforseen item in an image such as dust or something the photographer did not notice
Grid layout on a page/web page
Grip – lighting support
Grip & Rip – See “spray and pray”
Grip & Grin – amateur “snap”
GSP gelatin silver print
GUI graphical user interface
Gun flashgun
HAND have a nice day (often ironic)
Hang when a computer freezes
Hard refers to small light source giving contrast effect – the opposite of “soft” light
Hard excessive use of contrast
Hard the sort of person you don’t want to mess with
Hassy Hasselblad
Hard Disk same as hard drive
Hard Dic same as hard drive
HD hard drive
HDR High Dynamic Range
HDTV high definition television
Hertz cycles per second
High Def High Definition
High Key -uniform lighting with a low lighting ratio
Highlights – the white tones of an image
Hotshoe – electronic flash mount on top of a camera
Hotspot location where you can pick up wifi
HSM Hyper Sonic Motor
HSS High Speed Sync
HSL hue, saturation, luminence
HTH hope this helps
HTML hyper text mark up language
HTMLS latest version of HTML
HTTP hyper text markup language
Hub a connecting device
Hung when a computer freezes
Hybrid see CSC and mirrorless
Hyperlink link attached to website items
Hypo fixer
ICC International Colour Consortium
ICE image correction & enhancement
Inf infinity
INFO information
i.e. that is
IF internal focussing
IM instant messagin
iOS internet operating system
IQ Image Quality
IR infra red
i-TTL Nikon exposure system
IP internet protocol
IS Image Stabiliser
ISDN integrated services digital network
ISO International Standards Organisation. Refers to sensitivity of a digital sensor or film to light. Also known as “speed”. Previously known as “ASA”.
ISP internet service provider
IT information technology
Jaggies – see pixelisation
Java a programming language
Jimmy a clueless web developer
JPEG joint photographic experts group
K degrees Kelvin, relates to colour temperature. Zero degrees K = minus 273 degrees Centigrade
KB kilobyte. 1KB is 1,000 bytes of disc storage or 1024 bytes of processor storage.
Kerning to adjust space between characters
KISS Keep It Simple Stupid
L Canons premier lens range
LAB an type of colour space
LAN local area network
LCD liquid crystal display
LD low dispersion glass
LE long exposure
LED light emitting diode
legs tripod
LH lens hood
Li lithium as in batteries
Li-on lithium ion as in batteries
light bucket – a very fast wide aperture lens
Linux an operating system
LL low light
LOL laughing out loud
Long Tom Out dated term for long telephoto lens.
Low key – lighting with a high lighting ratio i.e. little or no fill light
Low Pass – see “AA” (anti aliasing)
Lr Lightroom
LTE long time exposure
Lumen unit of light measurement
Lumix type of Panasonic camera
LV live view
M manual
Mac an Apple computer
Machine Gun -see “Spray & Pray”
Macro refers erroneously to close focus but correctly refers to higher magnification close focus
Macro small programme used to automate repetitive tasks
Male jewellery – camera equipment
Malware software installed by stealth for spying or criminal purposes
Matrix metering from several zones in the scene
MB Megabyte 1 MB is approximately 1000 bytes
MEG megabyte
MC multi coated
Mega million
Mega very big
Mega Pixel a million pixels
MF manual focus
MF medium format
MFD minimum focus distance
Micro four thirds – a type of MILC camera
MILC Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras
Mirror – refers to either a camera internal mirror or a type of lens construction known as a mirror lens
MHz mega hertz
MLU mirror lock up
MMC multi media card
Modem modulater demodulater
Moire’ – unwanted interference patterns in an image
Motherboard main computer board
MP mega pixel
MP3 audio compression file
MP-E Macro photo exposure
MPEG moving picture expert group
MS memory stick
MSC mirrorless system camera
MSC micro system camera
MTF modulation transfer function- used to test lenses
MUA make up artist
MUAH make up and hair
NCC Nano Crystal Coat
ND neutral density
NEF Nikon RAW image data
Neg negative
Network two or more computers linked together
Newbie newcomer
NF near field
NFC near field communication
NiCAD nickel cadmium
NiMH nickel metal hydride
Noise unwanted digital signal particularly related to high ISO speeds. The digital equivalent of film grain and often called grain in error.
NR noise reduction
NTSC national television standards committee (TV standard) used in several countries including America Canaada and Japan. Not used in the UK , France, Australia or Germany where PAL is used instead
numpty an affectionate term for someone who doesn’t know what they are doing
OCF off camera flash
OCR optical character recognition
OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer
OIS optical image stabilisation
OL Off line
OLPF optical low pass filter
OOC out of camera
OOF out of focus
OM Olympus
OP refers to the opening poster on a forum
ORF Olympus Raw Format
OS Optical Stabilisation
OS Operating System
OSX Mac operating system
Ortho orthochromatic i.e. sensitive to green and blue light but not sensitive to red light
OTF optical transfer function (used in lens testing)
OVF Optical View Finder. Increasing being left off cameras in favour of LCD screens
OZ optical zoom
P programme
P2P peer to peer
PAL phase alteration by line (TV standard) used in many countries; including the UK , Germany, Australia, France, Spain, Italy & China; but not used in North America or Japan
parallax – discrepancy in what you see through a viewing lens and the actual result from a (separate) taking lens.
Patch a programme to update software – to combat bugs and threats
pan to rotate a camera
panning to pan
PAN panchromatic – sensitive to the entire visible spectrum
Pano panoramic
PAS point and shoot – simple camera, sometimes simple photography (also P & S)
Pap short for Paparazzi
PC personal computer or name of flash coupler socket
PC Prontor/Compur (name of flash coupler socket used on many cameras)
PCE Perspective control through tilt shift
PCD photo compact disk
PCI peripheral component interconnect/interface
PDA personal digital assistant
PDF portable document format
Peanut – a very small flash “slave”
PeeCee – derogatory term for a computer which is not a mac
Phishing scam to access your data
photoshop 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 – old versions of photoshop preceding photoshop CS versions
pics pictures
PICT picture
pix pictures (also pics)
PIXEL picture element
Pixelated same as pixelisation
Pixelisation the individual pixels can be seen
pixel peeper – someone who is over impressed with technical image quality particularly in the corners of images
PJ photojournalist
PL linear polarising filter – may cause problems with digital cameras
Plug in – application which works within a host application
PNG portable network graphics
Pola polaroid
POP post office protocol
Pop Up opening of a new unexpected window
Port part of computer which can connect with external device
Pos positive
Post post production
Post to place or send a message
PP post processing
PP professional photographer
P&S point and shoot
PM personal message
PNG Portable Network Graphics
PPI pixels per inch
PQ picture quality
Preview – see proof
Pro professional – frequently used word to advertise equipment which is anything but
profile relates to colour management
profile a sideways on view used in portaiture
program how Americans spell programme
Prontor a make of mechanical shutter
Proof a.k.a. “Preview”. A small image intended to give an impression of what the final image will look like
Props things in your photo
PROPS Proper respect and acknowledgement
Prosumer – Equipment marketing people target at non professionals who have more money than “average” consumers.
Prime a lens of fixed focal length i.e. not a zoom lens
P&S point and shoot
PS photoshop
PSE photoshop elements
PSD photoshop document
PSP paintshop pro
PT line printer
PTZ pan tilt zoom
Push to try and increase the ISO speed
Pull to try and diminish the ISO speed, or to “snatch” a print from the developer
PW Pocket Wizard, a make of flash transmitter
Q&A questions and answers
QR Quick Release
® registered trademark, as in www.dsider.co.uk photography tuition
RAID Random Arrangement of Independent Discs
RAM Random Access Memor
Raster to loose pixel data by styling it
RAW unprocessed digital file direct from the camera
Rays sunlight
RC resin coated
Reboot restart computer
reciprocity – the reciprocal relationship of exposure with time
reciprocity failure ( Does not apply to digital cameras) the failure of the reciprocal relationship of exposure with time during long exposures with film cameras
rep representative for photo product brand. A photographers rep represents a photographer.
Res resolution
RF rangefinder
RF radio frequency
RF rear focussing
RGB red green & blue
RIP raster image processor
RIP rest in peace
Rip copy – possibly made illegally
Rising Front – a camera movement
ROM read only memory
RP Resolving Power
RSS really simple syndication
RTFM Read The F’ing Manual
Rubber ducking talking with others to solve a problem
S shutter priority
S shutter
SAM smooth autofocus motor
Scrim device used to reduce light intensity
Scheimpflug -principle of camera movements
Schneider – highly respected make of lenses
SD Secure Digital (card)
SDHC secure digital high capacity
sealed usually refers to if a lens is weather or dust resistant (see “Dust Pump”)
Sec second
Selfie self portrait
Sensor solid state device to record digital images
SEO search engine optimisation
Server computer that supplies service to other computers
Sharp in focus
shop Photoshop
Shift relates to camera movements on some types of cameras and lenses
Shoot to take a photograph or a series of photographs during one brief
Shooter – term used by amateurs to describe a fellow photographer
Shot a photo you have taken
Shutter drag – using a slow shutter speed with flash to get blurred effects
Shutter lag – just what you don’t want – you press the shutter then the camera takes ages to get round to firing.
Shutterbug – someone who lives for photography
Siri Apple’s voice control interface
Sitter subject of a portrait shoot
Sitting a studio portrait shoot
Slave photo electric cell which fires further flashes, or a photographers assistant
Slow a lens with a small maximum aperture or a low ISO speed
SL skylight as in “SL filter”
SLOMO slow motion
SLT single lens translucent. DSLR camera with translucent mirror (mirror doesn’t move)
SLR Single Lens Reflex. As in a film camera. Not to be confused with a DSLR – which is a Digital SLR.
SMC Pentax multi coating
Smiley symbol used to communicate emotion
SMTP simple mail transfer protocol
smudgers – amateur photographers of low ability who call themselves professionals
snap – low quality quick amateur photo
snaps – frequently used as derogatory term for collection of photographs
snap happy – an older term for a sprayer
snapper – someone who takes images of dubious quality, or the process of taking unprofessional images
snatch to remove a print quickly from the developer and place it in the stop bath before its allotted time
snoot a cone shaped electronic flash light modifier
soft unsharp image or a description of a type of lighting
softbox – a lighting attachment that achieves soft lighting
softlight diffused lighting can also refer to a softbox
softy a soft light or soft lighting attachment
softy a type of gentle vignette
softie a sentimentalist, as in “you big softie”
SOOC straight out of camera
SP shutter priority
SP Super performance – Tamron lens description
Spam junk email
SPD silicon photo diode
Speed Refers to ways of increasing or decreasing the effective transmission of light to a digital sensor or film e.g. Wide aperture lenses & high ISO speeds.
Spray and pray – what many amateurs do. i.e. Shoot large numbers of images hoping one might “turn out.”
Spyware programme installed by stealth to steal your information
SS shutter speed
Stringer – freelance photojournalist or freelance journalist
sticks tripod
stock image/s from a photo library which are usually available for purchase
soup developer chemicals
spec specification
spec dust or foreign body
SR shake reduction
Steadicam make of anti camera shake device
Stitching – combining several images to make a panorama
SS Steady Shot
Stop usually refers to aperture variants. Can also mean variants of shutter and ISO speed
Strobe electronic flash
Surf to move around on the internet
Sync synchronisation
Sv sensitivity value
SWM Silent Wave Motor
Tablet small portable omputer
Taskbar bar used to access computer info
TB terrabyte i.e. 1000GB (gigabytes) of storage or one trillion bytes
TBH to be honest
TC teleconverter – a secondary lens mounted between the camera and its lens
TCP transmission control protocol
Techie – a person who thrives on technical information
Tele telephoto – as in telephoto lens
Telephoto lens – a long focus lens which is shorter than its focal length.
Telescopic lens – what numpties erroneously call a telephoto lens.
A real telescopic lens would collapse down to a compact size.
Tethered Camera directly connected to computer
TFT Thin film transistor
TFP Time For Prints. An expression meaning a model, and/or a stylist, and a photographer all work together on an assignment unpaid in order to mutually enhance their folios with prints or digital images.
Thin underexposed
Thumbnail a small image used for image identification
TIC thermal imaging camera
Tilt relates to camera movements on some types of cameras and lenses
Tilt relates to tilt mechanism on a tripod e.g. pan & tilt tripod head
Traffic amount of information handled by communication system
TS-E tilt shift len
TIFF tagged image file format
TLR twin lens reflex. Inetrchangeable lenses are in pairs one to look through and one to photograph with – hence subject to “parallax error””
tog I really hate this one, it’s an amateur term for a fellow photographer
Trannie transparency film
Tri X grainy black & white Kodak film
Trojan (Trojan Horse) malicious code which can spy on or hijack your computer
T/S tilt and shift
TTL through the lens
TTV through the viewfinder
TV television
Tv time value
Type L old type of Bowens flash reflector fitting
Type L film designed for long exposures, usually tungsten balanced
Type S current type of Bowens flash reflector fitting
Type S film designed for short exposures, usually daylight balanced
UD ultra low dispersion lens
UE under exposed
UHD ultra high definition, as in UHD TV (television)
UI user interface
UK United Kingdom
Uncle Bob – an amateur photographer who gets in the way of a professional
Unzip to decompress a file
Upload send info from your computer to a remote computer
Uptime how long a computer system has been working
Urbex the often dangerous practice of photographing decaying ruined buildings
URL uniform resource locater (spelt locator in America)
USB universal series bus
USM ultra sonic motor (Canon)
USM unsharp mask
UV ultra violet
UWA ultra wide angle
UX user experience
V volts
VC ivibration control
VCL video camera lens
Vector image styled to not loose quality when enlarged
VF view finder
Virus a programme deliberately created to harm a computer
Virtual not real
VM virtual machine
VOIP voice over internet protocol
VPN virtual private network
VR virtual reality
VR vibration reduction, Nikon version of Canon’s IS
VGA video graphics array
W watts
WA wide angle
WAL wide angle lens
WALH wide angle lens hood
Wallpaper the picture on a desktop
WB white balance
Web world wide web
Webmaster person responsible for maintaining a website
WEP wireless equivalency protocol
WFOV wide field of view
Wip Pan nerdy name for blur caused by panning in long exposure
Wide open – using a lens at its maximum aperture
WiFi wireless connection
WLAN wireless local area network
WLF waist level finder, usually found on obsolete medium format film cameras
Worm malicious programme similar to a virus
WPA wifi protected access
WR weather resistant or water resistant (but not waterproof)
W/S watts per second means the same as a joule ©dsider.co.uk
www world wide web e.g. www.dsider.co.uk
WYSIWYG – what you see is what you get
XR Extra Refractive glass
XT X Trans fuji sensor
X Sync – Flash sync terminal also known as PC
X Trans – type of Fuji sensor
YAC yet another camera
Y/Y – Yes, Yes
Yesterday – as in I want it yesterday. See “ASAP”
Zap – to light, as in “Zap it with electronic flash”
Zip to compress a file
Zombie unsecure computer taken over by a hacker
zoom variable focal length lens
zoom to magnify an image or to magnify a view of an image as in “zoom in”
zoom creep – poor zoom lens design, where gravity changes the zoom setting when pointing downwards
copyright Bill Bagshaw www.dsider.co.uk
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