All digital data is made up of ‘bits’, and that includes digital images. In computing, ‘bits’ are either on or off, so there are only two possible values. But when you use them together the combinations are multiplied so you can record a much wider range of values. The number of bits used is the […]
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White balance and how it works
The color of light can vary considerably depending on the time of day and whether you’re shooting in natural light or under artificial light. Our eyes and brains constantly adapt, but the camera records color exactly as it is, which can lead to unexpected color casts and shifts in pictures. Digital cameras can correct these […]
Sensor size and why it matters
In the days of film, it was well understood that the bigger the negative, the better the quality of the picture. The same is true with digital cameras, only here the ‘negative’ is the sensor. The larger the sensor size, the better (generally) the picture quality. Megapixels do confuse the issue somewhat because you can […]
Metering patterns and when to use them
Digital cameras work out the correct exposure by measuring the light levels across the scene you’re photographing. But they can split the scene up in different ways to make these measurements, using different metering patterns, or metering modes. By default, cameras analyse the scene by splitting it up into segments. This is called ‘multi-segment’ or […]
Image stabilization and how it works
An image stabilizer is used to get sharp photos at slow shutter speeds which would normally be spoiled by camera shake. The minimum ‘safe’ shutter speed depends on the conditions and the lens you’re using, but an image stabilizer can let you use shutter speeds up to five stops slower – or more. Image stabilizers […]