I
Image Circle: The circular image projected by a lens onto the camera sensor or film.
Image Sensor: The part of a camera that captures light and converts it into an image.
Image Stabilization (IS): A system used in lenses and cameras to minimize the effects of camera shake.
In-Camera Processing: Adjustments made by the camera to an image before it is saved, such as noise reduction or sharpening.
Incident Light: Light that falls on a subject from a source, as opposed to light reflected off surfaces.
Incident Metering: A method of measuring the light falling on a subject, rather than the light reflected by the subject.
Infrared Cut Filter: A filter that blocks infrared light from reaching the camera sensor, ensuring more accurate color reproduction.
Infrared Photography: A type of photography using infrared light to create unique images.
Ink Density: The concentration of ink used during printing, affecting color saturation and contrast.
Inkjet Printer: A printer that produces images by spraying tiny droplets of ink onto paper.
Inkjet Printing: A common method of printing photos using tiny jets of ink to produce an image.
Instant Film: A type of film that develops immediately after exposure, popularized by Polaroid cameras.
Internal Focusing: A lens design where the focusing mechanism operates inside the lens, without extending the front element.
Interpolation: A process used to increase the resolution of an image by adding new pixels based on the values of surrounding pixels.
Intervalometer: A device or camera feature that triggers the shutter at specific intervals.
ISO: A camera setting that controls the sensor’s sensitivity to light.
ISO Invariance: A sensor’s ability to produce images with low noise even if the ISO is adjusted in post-processing rather than in-camera.
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J
Jaggies: The stair-stepped appearance of diagonal lines in a digital image caused by low resolution.
JIS Mount: A standardized mount system used in certain camera components or accessories.
Jitter: The rapid, small movements in a video or photograph caused by an unstable camera or subject.
Jitter Reduction: A feature in some cameras to reduce motion blur from jittery camera movement.
Jobo: A brand known for its darkroom processing equipment, especially for developing film and prints.
Joint Photographic Experts Group: The organization that created the JPEG image format standard.
Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG): The organization that developed the JPEG image compression standard.
Joint Stereo: A method used in digital audio files to combine audio channels efficiently.
JPEG: A common file format for images, which compresses file size by discarding some image data.
JPEG Artifact: Distortions or visual imperfections in an image caused by excessive compression.
JPEG Compression: The process of reducing the file size of an image by discarding some image data.
JPEG2000: An updated version of the JPEG format that offers better compression and image quality.
J-PEG2000: A newer version of the JPEG standard offering better compression and image quality.
JPG: A file extension for JPEG images, commonly used in digital photography.
Judder: An unintended, irregular movement in a video image.
Jump Cut: A film editing technique where consecutive shots of the same subject are taken from slightly different angles, creating a jarring effect.
Juxtaposition: The placement of contrasting elements next to each other in a photograph to create visual interest.
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K
Kelvin: A unit of measurement for color temperature.
Kelvin Scale: A temperature scale used to measure the color temperature of light.
Key Light: The main light source used in a scene, often positioned to one side of the subject.
Keyframe: In videography, a specific point in a video where changes in parameters, such as position or scale, occur.
Keystone Effect: A type of distortion where an image appears wider at the top or bottom, often caused by tilting the camera.
Keystoning: Distortion of vertical or horizontal lines in an image when the camera is not level with the subject.
Kicker Light: A secondary light placed behind or to the side of the subject to create a rim light.
Kilobyte (KB): A unit of digital information storage, equivalent to 1,024 bytes.
Kilopixel: An image resolution containing 1,000 pixels, though typically resolutions are measured in megapixels (1 million pixels).
Kinematic: A type of movement in video or photography that focuses on fluid motion or changes in position.
Kit Lens: A basic, all-purpose lens that is often bundled with entry-level cameras.
Knee: The point on a camera’s response curve where the transition from linear to compressed highlights occurs.
Knockout: The process of isolating a subject from its background in post-processing.
Knolling: A photographic technique that involves neatly arranging objects in a flat lay, often used for product or still-life photography.
Kodachrome: A famous film stock produced by Kodak, known for its vibrant color reproduction.
Kodak (Eastman Kodak Company): A company that played a pivotal role in the development of film photography and digital imaging technologies. Kodak has evolved and diversified its business in response to the digital revolution.
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L
Layer Mask: A tool in post-processing that allows for selective editing of parts of an image without affecting the entire photo.
Leading Lines: Compositional elements in a photograph that guide the viewer’s eye towards the main subject, often by using lines in the environment.
Leica: A high-end camera and lens manufacturer known for producing some of the finest optics in the world.
Lens: A piece of optical glass that focuses light onto the camera sensor.
Lens Barrel: The outer casing of a lens that contains the optical elements and focusing mechanisms.
Lens Coating: A thin layer applied to the surface of a lens to reduce reflections, flare, and ghosting.
Lens Flange: The mounting surface where the lens attaches to the camera body.
Lens Flare: Unwanted light entering the lens, causing bright spots or haziness in the image.
Lens Hood: A device attached to the front of a lens to block stray light and reduce lens flare.
Light Falloff: The gradual decrease in light intensity as you move farther from the light source.
Light Meter: A device used to measure the amount of light in a scene to determine the correct exposure.
Lighting Ratio: The difference in intensity between the key light and the fill light in a lighting setup.
Lightroom: A popular software program developed by Adobe for managing, editing, and organizing digital photographs.
Linear Perspective: The use of converging lines to create a sense of depth in an image.
Lith Print: A photographic process that produces high-contrast prints with unique tonality, often used in black-and-white darkroom printing.
Live Composite: A mode in some cameras (such as Olympus) that combines multiple exposures into a single image, useful for capturing light trails or long exposures.
Live View: A feature that allows you to see a real-time preview of the scene on the camera’s screen.
Lomography: A style of photography using toy or vintage cameras that produce artistic effects such as vignetting, light leaks, and oversaturated colors.
Long Exposure: A technique where the camera’s shutter is open for an extended period to capture movement.
Long Exposure Noise Reduction: A camera setting that reduces noise in long-exposure images by taking a second dark frame and subtracting it from the original.
Look-Up Table (LUT): A mathematical formula used in video and photo editing to quickly apply specific color grades or styles to an image.
Low Light Photography: Photography performed in dimly lit environments, often requiring high ISO settings or long exposure times.
Low-Key: A photography style characterized by predominantly dark tones and lighting.
Low-Pass Filter: A filter placed over a camera sensor to reduce aliasing and moiré by slightly blurring high-frequency detail.
Luminance: The brightness of an image or pixel, often measured separately from chrominance (color information).
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