Photographic Abbreviations and Glossary

A

A = Aperture priority setting on camera. user defines the F number, camera chooses the suitable shutterspeed.

AA = (1)Anti-aliasing. cameras with Bayer sensors include an anti aliasing filter that reduces moire, the side effect is that it also reduces sharpness. (2) Advanced Amateur (price/specification/feature level of a camera body)

ACR = Adobe Camera Raw, default RAW converter of Adobe Photoshop.

AD = Anomalous Dispersion - another type of glass used to correct aberrations. (disperses some wavelengths differently to others)

ADI = Advanced Distance Integration. D lenses contain distance encoder chips that report subject distance to camera body. If ADI is turned on, this information will be used to make flash exposure more reliable.

AE = Automatic exposure, related: P, A, S, M, AEL, AEB

AEB = Auto Exposure Bracketing, works by taking multiple exposures at slightly different settings.

AEL = Automatic exposure lock, user presses AEL button to keep the current exposure values to shoot a different composition.

AF = Auto Focus, can be screw driven or SSM

AF Micro Adjust = feature on some high-end A-mount cameras that allows phase detect autofocus to be calibrated for individual lenses to give more accurate focus: A way of dealing with FF (front focus) and BF (back focus) issues.

AF-A = automatic AF - AF system automatically switches between single-shot AF and continuous AF depending on the subject's motion

AF-C = continuous AF - used for photographing moving subjects

AF-D = Depth Map Assist Continuous AF. The "secondary" focus system in Sony's a99 which has a conventional 19-point phase detection focus sensor. Certain Sony lenses are also able to use an additional 102 focus points on the main sensor to assist with continuous tracking. More lenses will be added to the list of those which can use this feature.

AF-S = single-shot AF - a general purpose AF mode

ALPHA = Product name used for Minolta (and Konica Minolta) A-mount SLR cameras in Japan and East Asia, also adopted by Sony as product name for A-mount (and later e-mount) interchangeable lens cameras.

AMB = Anti Motion Blur: feature allowing reduction of motion blur in low light shots by merging a sequence of shots in-camera.

A-mount = The first purpose-built autofocus mount for 35mm system cameras, produced by Minolta in 1985 with the release of the Minolta 7000 AF. It has a registration distance of 44.5mm, and has a mechanically activated automatic diaphragm, although focus control can either be via a mechanical slot powered from the camera body or by electrical contacts to a motor in the lens. The mount has previously been known as MAF (Minolta Auto Focus), but is latterly more often referred to as the Alpha or A-mount.

APEX = Additive System of Photographic Exposure

APO = Apochromatic. A lens property describing a design to minimize chromatic aberration by bringing three major wavelengths of light onto the same focal plane.

APS = (2) active pixel sensor - a feature of CMOS sensor design in which each sensor pixel has a dedicated on-chip amplifier

APS = Advanced Photo System, a common set of camera design rules that was used with pre-digital compact film cameras.

APS-C = Advanced Photo System, classic format (23,4 x 16,7). Also roughly the same size of 1.5x cropped sensors.

aRGB = Adobe RGB colour space, allows a wider color gamut than sRGB

ARW = Alpha RAW - Sony RAW format

AS = Minolta's Anti-Shake technology, see SSS for Sony version.

ASA = American Standards Authority - in photography, light sensitivity of image sensor/film (preferred with film)

ASL = Aspherical lens (or the use of an aspherical element as part of overall lens construction)

Auto ISO = A feature that allows the camera to alter ISO sensor sensitivity to give more workable shutter speed and aperture combinations; some models allow the selection of a maximum ISO value to be used automatically.

Av = aperture value in the APEX system

AVCHD = Advanced Video Coding High Definition: Video file format for high quality video.

AWB = Automatic White Balance, related: K, CWB

B

B = Bulb setting on camera, allows infinitely long exposures (practically limited by battery power and long exposure noise performance of the sensor)

B/W = Black and white

Bayer Filter = a colour mosaic that is commonly placed over camera sensor pixels – each pixel only picks up red, blue or green light, but demosaicing algorythms allow software to create a true-colour image from this data.

BBAR = Broad-Band Anti-Reflection, a type of lens coating.

BF = (1) back focus - (a) the distance from the rear element of a lens to the imaging plane [technically, this is the correct usage]; (b) a focussing defect or error in which the sharpest focus lies behind the intended subject; (c) an autofocus calibration error leading to BF 1b; (2) back focused - an image exhibiting BF 1b (3) black frame. Related: FFB, FBF, FSB

BIF = bird(s) in flight

Biogon = Wide angle lens design. Strongly non-telecentric, which might give issues on some digital sensors.

BMP = bitmap, simplest image format. lossless but takes up large space

Bokeh = Quality of how OOF areas are rendered in a photo, depends on subject/background distance, aperture and lens design. Related: STF

Bv = brightness value in the APEX system

C

CA = Chromatic Aberration, colored thin halos around contrasty edges in a photo, varies by lens design. not to be confused with PF. Related: APO

CCD = Charge Coupled Device, a common type of image sensors used in digital cameras. Related: CMOS

CF = Compact Flash, a type of flash memory cards, used by A mount cameras.

CMOS = Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. In photography, a type of image sensor. Related: CCD

CMYK = Cyan, Yellow magenta & Black – colour system for printing

COC or CoC = Circle of confusion - the disk or spot image formed when light from a point source is not brought to complete focus, or the diameter of this disk - also frequently used for maximum permissible circle of confusion, circle of confusion diameter limit, the circle of confusion criterion.

CPL = circular polariser (aka PL-CIR)

cRAW = Compressed RAW file (introduced with the a700)

CWB = Custom White Balance. Related: AWB

D

DC = used by Sigma to denote lenses suitable for APS-C digital cameras

Demosaicing algorithm: Algorithm to convert an image as captured by a Bayer filtered sensor to produce a full-colour picture.

DG = used by Sigma to denote lenses which can cover the full frame with an SLR

Di = Digitally integrated - a Tamron lens designed to work well on digital while still covering full frame

Di II = Digitally integrated II - a Tamron lens designed to work only with APS-C sensor cameras

DIN = Deutsche Industrie Normen, German Standards. logarithmic based film speed measure, DIN 21 = ISO 100, each DIN munber 1/3 stop higher than the last. Related: ASA, ISO

DIY = Do it yourself. Used for user projects for repairing/modifying photography equipment.

DL = Sigma lens designation for entry level (quality and price) full-frame zooms, some of which had chips which are not compatible with digital cameras and which can no longer be re-chipped due lack of parts.

D lens = with distance encoder for flash exposure calculations. Related: ADI

DMF = Direct Manual Focus, allow manual focus adjustment in AF mode by disengaging the AF screw from the lens after AF has completed its work.

DNG = Adobe's universal RAW format.

DOF = Depth of Field, the range between far end and near end of focus. Varies with focal length, aperture and focus distance.

DoFP = Depth of Field Preview, stops down the lens so user can see the real DOF that will be captured.

DPI = dots per inch, resolution unit. mostly used with printers.

DPOF = Digital Print Order Format

DR = Dynamic Range, exposure latitude of the scene

DRO = Dynamic Range Optimization

DSLR = Digital SLR

DT-lens = KM/Sony lens for use with APS-C bodies only

DXO Pro = RAW conversion software available from DXO labs

DYNAX = Product name used for Minolta (and Konica Minolta) A-mount SLR cameras in Europe and Oceania

E

EBC = Electron Beam Coating - type of coating used for Fujinon M42 lenses, quite highly regarded.

EF = A designation for E-mount lenses showing that their image circle is intended to cover the surface area of a full-frame sensor.

EFCS = Electronic Front Curtain Shutter: A technique by which the exposure is started without having to close and then re-open a focal-plane shutter curtain.

E-mount = A purpose-built mirrorless system camera mount introduced by Sony in 2010 with the NEX 3 and NEX 5 cameras. It has a registration distance of 18mm meaning that most lenses designed for other system can be attached using glassless adapters with varying levels of automation. Native E-mount lenses are controlled entirely by electrical contacts from the camera body. The original sensor size for e-mount was APS-C, but a full frame variant was later produced. Lenses intended for APS-C can still be used on full-frame cameras, but may include vignetting or black corners.

eV = electronvolt - the amount of kinetic energy gained by a single unbound electron when it passes through an electrostatic potential difference of one volt, in vacuo. This is not related to the photographic use of EV.

Ev = Exposure Value - a combined value of aperture and shutter speed on a logarithmic scale, related to the Additive System of Photographic Exposure (APEX). Not to be confused with eV.

EVF = Electronic Viewfinder

EVIL = Electronic Viewfinder with Interchangeable Lenses

EX = top category Sigma lens

EXIF = Exchangeable Image File Format, used to embed shooting parameters into image files.

Exmor = proprietary name for Sony's CMOS sensor chip

Eye-Fi = Memory cards with the built-in ability to transfer images using local wireless networks

Eye-Start AF = System by which the camera starts to autofocus when an object (ie the photographer’s eye) comes close to the viewfinder.

F

FAT = File Allocation Table

FBF = first black frame (synonym for FFB)

FF = front focus

FE = Full-frame format E lens

FF = Full Frame (36mm x 24mm in 35mm film terms)

FFB = First Frame Black

FFD = Flange Focal Distance

FL = Focal Length

FOV = Field of View

FPS = Focal Plane Shutter

FPS = Frames Per Second

FSB = (1) first shot black (synonym for FFB); (2) front side bus (of computers)

F-Stop = numerical designation that indicates the size of the aperture

ft-L = A foot-Lambert is used in the motion picture industry for measuring the luminance of images on a projection screen

G

G-lens = Minolta symbol for high quality lens (thought to be for ‘Gold’)

GN = Guide Number, a representation of flash power. GN = f-stop x Subject Distance. Should be listed with the ASA/ISO used and whether it is meters or feet.

GPS = Global Positioning System which allows reasonably precise location to be determined as long as line of sight is maintained with 4 or more satellites in orbit.

H

HD = High Definition

HDMI = High Definition Multimedia Interface: Allowing transmission of HD video and/or pictures to a compatible display.

HDR = High dynamic range photography

HHT = Camera function similar to AMB allowing reduction hand-held low light shots by merging a sequence of high ISO shots in-camera to produce an image that shows less noise.

High Key = High Key refers to pictures that consist almost entirely of light tones with relatively few mid-tones or shadows.

Histogram = Graph showing the spread of light and dark tones (sometimes of each RBG colour) across a scene.

HS = High Speed, referring to the focus speed of some Minolta lenses

HSM = Sigma's ultrasonic ring motor autofocus system.

HSS = High Speed Synchronisation, allows using flash beyond x-sync shutter speed.

I

iAuto = Point and shoot setting where the camera decides the most appropriate settings based on what it knows about the subject.

iAuto+ = Similar to iAuto, but the camera will leave the photographer in charge of more of the camera settings like image quality, format and focus mode.

IBIS = In Body Image Stabilisation

IDC = Image Data Converter (Sony's propriety RAW/JPG processing program)

IF = Internal Focus

iISO Shoe = 'intelligent' ISO shoe - attempt to improve design of existing flash shoe by Minolta taken up thereafter by Sony and then superseded by the Multi-Function Accessory shoe.

IPS = In-Plane Switching technology display panels, accurate colour reproduction, wide viewing angle, best for photo editing.

IQ = Image Quality

ISO = International Standards Organization (used for film speeds equates to ASA)

ISO = light sensitivity of image sensor/film (preferred with digital)

ISO Shoe = 'Standard' Flash shoe - note that only the trigger contact is standard between different manufacturers.

J

JPEG = Joint Photographic Experts Group - most preferred lossy image compression format in photography

K

K = kelvin, temperature unit. Used in measuring color of light. related to WB.

L

LBA = Lens Buying Addiction

LCD = liquid crystal display.

LD = Low Dispersion - Type of glass used to reduce chromatic aberrations.

LED = Light-Emitting Diode, used in indicators, lighting, monitor panels.

LF = Large format

Long Exposure NR = A feature where exposures of greater than one second are given special processing in comparison with a reading from the sensor of the same duration with the shutter closed to eliminate the effect of over-sensitive pixels which might produce signal ‘noise’.

Low Key = Low key refers to pictures that consist entirely of dark areas, shadows and mid-tones and only a few light tone accents.

lp/mm = line pairs per milimeter. Used in MTF calculations.

LR = Light Room; a RAW conversion tool from Adobe.

M

M = Manual exposure setting on camera

M42 = Camera mount with a 45mm registration and 42mm diameter thread. Pioneered by the East German Praktica brand of cameras and heavily associated with Pentax, often also described as ‘Praktica Screw’ or ‘Pentax Screw’

M43 = Shorthand for the Micro Fourt-Thirds mount used by Panasonic and Olympus.

MAF = Minolta Auto Focus (mount)

MAXXUM = Product name used for Minolta (and Konica Minolta) A-mount SLR cameras in North America

MC = Meter Coupled (mount)

MC = Multi-Coated

MD = MicroDrive

MD = Motordrive

MF = Manual focus/medium format

MFD = Minimum Focussing Distance

MFNR = Multi-Frame Noise Reduction; technique for allowing reduction of noise in low-light shots by merging a sequence of high ISO shots in-camera.

MFT adaptor = MicroFourThirds adaptor

Micro SD = Smaller format of memory card designed for small mobile devices such as phones and tablets, able to be used in standard SD devices using a special adapter.

MLU = Mirror Lock Up

MP = MegaPixel

MRW = (Konica) Minolta RAW format (see RAW)

MS = Memory Stick

MS = Microsoft, the company who brought you Windows

MS Pro Duo = Proprietary memory card format from Sony.

MTF = Modulation Transfer Function, is used to measure lens sharpness.

Multi-Function Accessory shoe = Proprietary accessory shoe design to allow connection of a number of devices, including viewfinders microphones and displays as well as the more conventional automated flash.

N

ND = Neutral density, a filter which lowers the brightness of a scene

NEX = Product name used for early Sony e-mount APS-C interchangeable lens cameras

NR = Noise Reduction

NTSC = National Television System Committee: Analogue TV system used in North America and Other territories.

O

OOF = Out of focus, see Bokeh

OVF = Optical viewfinder.

P

P = Program exposure setting on camera

P&S = Point and shoot

PAL = Phase Alternating Line; Analogue TV system used in most countries not using NTSC.

PASM = Program/Aperture/Shutter/Manual; standard range of exposure modes found on modern digital cameras.

PC = Perspective Control

PC Connector ... a coaxial connector used for external flash, abbreviation for Prontor-Compur, between the lens shutter manufacturers that invented it in the early '50s

Peaking = method by which the camera display will highlight areas of high contrast within a scene, useful tool for judging manual focus on electronic viewfinders; sometimes referred to as ‘Focus Peaking’

PF = Plastic Fantastic (nickname for the Cosina/Phoenix/Vivita 100mm/f3.5 macro)

PF = Purple fringing

PIO - Programmed Input/Output - all data must be transferred by the central processor (see UDMA)

PL-CIR = Circular Polariser

Planar = Lens design.

PNG = a lossless image format using a variation of the zlib or ZIP compression technique, which retains all data compressed.

PP = Post Processing

PPI = points per inch, resolution unit, a constant multiple of DPI.

PS = Photoshop

Ps/Pa = Program-shift function, allows adjustment to shutterspeed/aperture combination determined by the camera

PSD = proprietary file format of Adobe Photoshop

PSE = Adobe Photoshop Elements, a photo processing software

PSP = Paint Shop Pro

PWB = Preset White Balance

Q

Quick Navi = Method of getting to commonly used settings through use of a function key to move a cursor into an information display.

R

RAW = General name of file formats for storing raw data captured by the image sensor of cameras. RAW files must be processed by RAW converters in order to produce an image. (see also MRW and cRAW)

Remote Commander = Infra-red remote shutter device, typically giving options of instant or two second delay.

RF = Rangefinder

RF = 'Reflex' referring to a lens that uses mirrors in the optical construction. As in the 500mm f8 AF RF.

RGB = Red, Blue, Green

RS = Restyled (second style of Minolta lenses)

RTFM = Read The F*** Manual, from internet slang

S

S = Shutter priority setting on camera

SAL = Sony Alpha Lens

SAM = Smooth Autofocus Motor - budget version of in-lens motors for Sony lenses (a limited number of much quieter SAM2 lenses have been released)

SD = Secure Digital, a type flash memory card, mostly used on compact cameras and some recent DSLRs.

SDHC = Secure Digital High Capacity: a memory card format based on SD supporting capacities up to 32GB

SDXC = Secure Digital eXtended Capacity: a memory card format based on SD supporting capacities up to 2TB

SEL = Sony E mount Lens

SF = Soft Focus, a type of lens that specially produce a soft image, so far we have one in A mount, the Minolta 100/2.8 SF

SLR = Single Lens Reflex, type of camera that has TTL VF and ability of changing lenses.

SLT = Single Lens Translucent (as with the a55)

Smart Teleconverter = Provides a telephoto effect by using a sub-set of available pixels, sometimes known as ‘Digital Zoom’.

SMC = Super-Multi-coated (Pentax Takumar lenses)

Sonnar = Lens design.

SP = Super Performance, denotes Tamron's high-end lenses

SQF = subjective quality factor. A way of expressing lens quality used by some lens test sites on the internet.

sRGB = standard RGB colour space

SS = Steady Shot, latest implementation of SSS.

SSD = Solid-State Drive, flash-based, extremely fast access, best for keeping paging files.

SSM = Konica Minolta's ultrasonic ring motor autofocus system.

SSS = SuperSteadyShot, sensor stabilisation system that counters hand shake (was AS in Minolta terminology)

SSWF = Super Sonic Wave Filter, Olympus anti dust system which works by shaking the sensor at high frequencies

STF = Smooth Transition Focus, a speciality lens type that is developed by Minolta that produces highly superrior Bokeh than regular lens designs. Only one STF lens exists so far, its Minolta/Sony 135/2.8 STF

Sv = speed value (film speed or ISO sensitivity) in the APEX system

Sweep Panorama = Mode in which the camera is panned while a series of shots are taken which are then stitched in-camera.

T

T/S = Tilt / Shift

TC = Teleconverter

Telecentric lens = When talking about digital cameras, generally meant as a lens where rays of light do not exit the rear element at high angles of incidence – this helps where a sensor may have problems coping with light coming from extreme angles due to shading of photosites. Rear elements of telecentric lenses will typically look quite large.

Tessar = Lens design.

TIFF = a lossless image format, seldomly used by photographers

TLR = Twin Lens Reflex

TN = Twisted Nematic technology cheap display panels, poor colours, not suited for photo

TP = Talking Points found in Dyxum Knowledge Base forum

Tri-Nav = Control system using three dials.

TTL = Through The Lens

Tv = time value in the APEX system

U

UDMA = Ultra Direct Memory Access - increases data transfer rates by allowing data to be transferred directly between devices (or via a dedicated controller), placing less load on the central processor (a700)

USB = Universal Serial Bus; ‘plug and play’ method of connecting processors and peripherals.

USM = Canon's ultrasonic ring motor autofocus system.

USM = Unsharp Mask

UV = Ultra Violet

UWA = Ultra Wide Angle

V

VC = Vertical Control grip

VG = Vertical grip

W

WB = White Balance

Wide Open = the lens is at it's widest aperture (for instance, a 50mm f1.7 set at f1.7)

Wireless Flash = Method of controlling one or more flashes not connected to the camera; typically achieved through Infrared light pulses or radio signals.

X

xD = xD-Picture Card

XR = eXtra Refractive index - bends light more, so allows lenses to be shorter or elements to be thinner and lighter (similar to how they make spectacles lighter and thinner using material with a higher refractive index)

Y

Z




Edited by Bob J - 14 March 2016 at 11:26

The new "AF-D" mode on the A99?

PNG is a lossless image format. It uses a variation of the zlib or ZIP compression technique, which retains all data compressed.

LCD: liquid crystal display.

All done and so am I.

It's a fiddly job this, for someone with .....

ET = Essential Tremor, a progressive neurological disorder of which the most recognizable feature is a tremor of the arms or hands that is apparent during voluntary movements such as eating and writing

Edited by brettania - 14 November 2012 at 02:45

Thanks!

DT = Delirium tremens. Neurological disorder found in those hooked on cheap Sony "A-mount" lenses.