In Media we have been looking at and understanding how to use certain cameras and video cameras. Specifically, the Sony Z5 and the Canon EOS 550D, a DSLR camera. We got the opportunity to use the cameras to understand various features about them and how to use them with different types of lighting as well.
Terminology that we learnt were gain, iris, shutter speed, focus, zoom, and depth of field.
Gain
Gain in used to increase the the noise/light capacity of the video camera. More sound can be captured in the shots but this must be handled carefully for fear of having noise pollution in your shots. In a regular camera this is called the ISO, international standard organisation. In a camera the normal ISO is 100 which is not very sensitive and 1600 is extremely sensitive.
Iris & Aperture
In a video camera this is called the iris, in a regular camera it is the aperture. Both devices are openings to a light detecting chip inside the camera that alters how much light is in the image. In effect, when the opening is made larger, more light can be 'added' tot he image and vice versa when the opening is smaller.
Increasing or decreasing the aperture or iris can also affect the depth of field by making it more shallow or deeper. See below for more info on depth of field.
Shutter Speed
Shutter speed is the amount of time a camera gives to expose the image; in essence, it is how long the camera's shutter is open. Adjusting the shutter speed will alter the amount of light that hits the sensor. If the shutter speed is low, then there will not be a lot of light in the image making it darker. If the shutter speed is very high, then there will be a lot of light in the image making it brighter.
A side effect of changing the shutter speed is that when the shutter is open for longer, the less clear the image will be. This happens because keeping the shutter open for a longer amount of time will cause the camera to capture more motion than if it were open for a shorter amount of time.
Focus
Focus is basically allowing the light to be captured in a way to produce a clear image in your camera. This concept is the same thing your eyes do automatically. Zooming in or out will adjust your depth of field to make it shallower or deeper, just like how adjusting the iris/aperture can do as well.
Zoom
Zoom is when you increase or decrease the size of the image within the camera. When capturing an image, zooming should happen before you focus because you need to get the desired size of your image or subject before you bring them into focus.
Depth of Field
Depth of field is the amount of space within an image that is in focus. If you have zoomed in tightly on a subject and focused it, your depth of field will be very small or shallow because only your subject is in focus and nothing else behind them. When you haven't zoomed in and have focused your image, you will have a lot of things in focus in your picture or film and therefore have a deep depth of field. This can be used as an effect or can be done amateurly to produce a low quality picture. Depending on how you've done it, you could be seen as a camera genius.
