Glossary

DPI - Dots per inch - the number of dots per inch of space, usually referring to the resolution of printers. For example, a printer with a resolution of 1200 dpi is capable of a maximum of 1200 dots per inch of paper; so for an 8 x 10 inch photo, the printer is capable of printing 9600 (maximum) dots across the 8 inches.

Firewire - A connector on newer computers that will allow you to rapidly download your photos directly from the camera. Usually if a computer has firewire ports, they also have USB ports.

Image Sensor - The device inside the camera that captures the image (much like film in a film camera). The captured image is then stored on a memory card. Most better cameras have a CCD (charge coupled device, for those who want to know) sensor. The image sensor is much like a TV screen in reverse. Instead of displaying the image, it captures the image. The image sensor is what detemines the megapixel rating; it has a sensor for each pixel. Each sensor isa actually in three parts to determine the color of that pixel.

JPEG - Joint Photographics Experts Group - Standardized file formatting for capturing and storing digital motion images in real-time and is represented in resolution and frames per second. Currently, the best format is JPEG4; many digital cameras capture images in Motion JPEG (or Quicktime) which is a lower frame rat and resolution.

LCD - Liquid Crystal Display - A flat panel screen that will allow you to view the pictures. Most will allow you to view the scene in real-time, or as you are taking the photo as well as viewing previously taken photos. Others use a viewfinder for taking photos and the LCD for viewing previously taken photos. However, most allow you to view the menu choices for setting up the camera and photos.

Megapixel - A pixel is one piece (dot) of information. A picture is made up of many of these pieces of information. One million of these pieces (pixels) is a meagapixel.

Memory - Memory is what the camera uses to store the images, just like in a computer. Some cameras have a small amount of built-in memory, but to store any amount of pictures, you will need a plug-in memory card (see memory card, below).

Memory Card - Memory cards are removeable cards that allow you to store additional pictures. The smallest have been 4 megabyte for use on the early low megapixel cameras. Higher megapixel cameras usually are provided with 16 or so megabyte cards. The cards supplied with most cameras are only useful for a minimal number of photos. These cards are made in four basic styles and usually only one kind can be used on a given camera. The four types are Sony's memory stick, Secure Digital, xD memory card, and Compact Flash.

SLR - Single Lens Reflex - When you look through the viewfinder, you see the actual image that the camera sensor sees. When you shoot, a mirror flips up so the sensor can "take" the picture.

Viewfinder - The eyepiece you look through to see the image. In a point and shoot digital camera, the viewfinder is most always a rangefinder type of viewfinder which is separate from the lens and will give a slightly off-center image of what the camera sensor sees (this is only a problem with close-ups). Electronic viewfinders use an LCD for the image (but sees what the lens sees). In a SLR digital camera, there are prisms and a mirror to allow you to see the same thing the sensor sees.

USB Port - Universal Serial Bus - A connector on newer computers (available before firewire) that will allow somewhat fast download of your photos. USB comes in two varieties, USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 (2.0 is faster than 1.1).

Zoom - Optical - When a camera has an optical zoom lens, the lens will move in and out to make the image look nearer or farther away. The camera will use the same number of pixels no matter where the lens is set.

Zoom - Digital - When the camera goes in to digital mode, it just uses fewer pixels to make the image appear nearer, just like cropping a picture.

Home Digital Photo Lab

brought to you by:
Dennis Grevel
IE Connections, Inc.
12311 W. Prentice Pl.
Littleton, CO 80127
phone: 303-933-7048

e-mail: contact_hdpl@homedigitalphotolab.com

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