ED Glass (Extra-low Dispersion Glass)
A type of optical glass used in some lenses to minimize chromatic aberration and improve image quality.
Edge Enhancement
A post-processing technique that enhances the apparent sharpness of edges in an image, often used to bring out details and improve overall image clarity.
Edge-to-Edge Sharpness
The degree to which an image is sharp and focused from one edge to the other, without any noticeable blur or softness.
Edging
A darkroom technique involving the application of a colored border or vignette around the edges of a photographic print.
Effective Pixels
The number of pixels on an image sensor that contribute to the final image, excluding any pixels used for image stabilization or other purposes.
Ektachrome
A brand of color reversal film known for its vibrant and saturated colors, often used in slide projection or for creating transparencies.
Electronic Aperture
An electronically controlled aperture found in some modern lenses that allows for precise and silent adjustment of the aperture size.
Electronic Flash
A type of artificial light source that produces a burst of high-intensity light to illuminate a scene when capturing photographs.
Electronic Shutter
A shutter mechanism in some digital cameras that uses electronic signals to control the opening and closing of the sensor’s pixels, eliminating the need for a physical shutter.
Electronic Viewfinder (EVF)
A digital display that shows a real-time preview of the scene through the camera’s lens.
Emphasis
A compositional technique where a specific element or subject in the photograph is emphasized or made more prominent through various visual means.
Emulsion
A light-sensitive coating found on traditional photographic film or paper, containing silver halide crystals that react to light.
Encaustic Photography
A technique where pigmented hot wax is applied to photographs to create a unique artistic effect, often resulting in a textured, painterly appearance.
Enlarger
A device used in traditional darkroom printing to project and enlarge a photographic negative onto light-sensitive paper.
Entry-Level Camera
A camera designed for beginners or hobbyists, typically offering basic features and controls at an affordable price point.
Environmental Photography
The practice of capturing images that showcase the relationship between a subject and its surroundings, often focusing on natural landscapes, urban environments, or the impact of human activities on the environment.
Equatorial Mount
A type of mount used in astro photography that aligns the camera or telescope with the Earth’s rotation, allowing for long-exposure photography of celestial objects.
Ethereal
A descriptive term used to describe a photograph with a delicate, otherworldly, or dreamlike quality.
E-TTL (Evaluative Through-The-Lens)
A metering system used by Canon cameras to determine the optimal flash exposure through the lens.
EV (Exposure Value)
A numerical representation of the exposure settings, combining aperture, shutter speed, and ISO in a standardized scale.
EV Compensation
A feature that allows the adjustment of the exposure value (EV) from the metered exposure to achieve the desired brightness level.
EV Step Size
The increment used to adjust the exposure settings, typically measured in 1/3 or 1/2 stops.
EVF Diopter Adjustment
A control on electronic viewfinders (EVFs) that allows the photographer to adjust the focus of the viewfinder to match their eyesight.
EVF Magnification
The degree to which the image in an electronic viewfinder (EVF) appears magnified, typically expressed as a ratio (e.g., 0.7x, 1.2x).
EVIL Camera
An acronym for Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens, referring to mirrorless cameras that feature an electronic viewfinder and interchangeable lenses.
Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format)
A standard format for storing metadata in digital image files, including camera settings, date, and other relevant information.
ExpoDisc
A white balance calibration tool used to obtain accurate color reproduction by measuring and setting the appropriate white balance for a scene.
Expose for the Highlights
A technique where the exposure settings are adjusted to prioritize preserving detail in the brightest areas of the image, even if it results in darker shadows.
Expose to the Right (ETTR)
A technique where the exposure is intentionally pushed to the brighter side of the histogram to maximize the amount of data captured in the highlights.
Exposition
A term used to describe the presentation or display of photographs in a gallery, exhibition, or public space.
Exposure Bracketing
A technique where multiple images of the same scene are captured at different exposure settings, typically with one image underexposed, one correctly exposed, and one overexposed. This is done to ensure capturing the optimal exposure.
Exposure Compensation Dial
A control on a camera that allows the photographer to manually adjust the exposure settings to make the image brighter or darker.
Exposure Compensation
The adjustment of the camera’s exposure settings to deliberately overexpose or underexpose the image, typically in increments of stops (+1EV, -2EV, etc.).
Exposure Lock (AE-Lock)
A camera function that allows the photographer to lock the exposure settings while recomposing the shot.
Exposure Triangle
The relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, which together determine the exposure of an image.
Exposure Warning
Also known as “blinkies” or highlight/shadow warning, it is a camera feature that displays flashing indicators on the LCD screen or in the viewfinder to indicate areas of overexposure or underexposure in an image.
ExpoSure
A term used to describe the overall amount of light and darkness in a photograph, influencing the mood, contrast, and tonal range of the image.
Exposure
The amount of light reaching the camera’s image sensor, determined by the combination of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.
Extension Arm
A device used to extend the reach of a camera or accessory, commonly used in overhead or low-angle shots.
Extension Tube
A hollow tube that fits between the camera body and lens to reduce the minimum focusing distance, allowing for close-up or macro photography.
External Battery Pack
A portable power source that can be connected to a camera or flash unit to extend battery life, particularly useful during long shooting sessions or in cold weather conditions.
Eye Autofocus
A camera feature that uses facial recognition or eye detection technology to automatically focus on a person’s eyes when capturing portraits.
Eye Cup
A detachable accessory that attaches to the camera’s viewfinder to provide comfort and block stray light for better viewing.
Eye-Detection Autofocus
An advanced autofocus feature that detects and focuses on the subject’s eyes, ensuring sharp focus on the most critical part of the image, often used in portrait photography.
Eye-Fi Card
A type of SD memory card that incorporates Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing for wireless transfer of photos from the camera to a computer or mobile device.
Eye-Level Shot
A photograph taken at the same height as the subject’s eyes, resulting in a natural perspective and connection with the viewer.
Eyepiece
The viewing area of a camera’s viewfinder where the photographer places their eye to compose the shot and observe the scene.
Edge sharpness
Edge sharpness refers to how sharp the corners and edges of an image appear. Some lenses are sharp in the center but softer at the edges.
Editing
Editing means improving photos using software like Lightroom or Photoshop. It includes cropping, color correction, retouching, and sharpening.
Export
Export means saving the final edited photo into a usable file format like JPEG, PNG, or TIFF for sharing or printing.
Exposure metering
Metering is how the camera measures light to decide correct exposure.
Types include:
- spot metering
- center-weighted
- evaluative/matrix metering
Exposure latitude
Exposure latitude is the amount a photo can be overexposed or underexposed while still keeping usable detail. RAW files have more latitude than JPEG.
Exposure blending
Exposure blending is combining multiple exposures manually in editing software to create a balanced image. It is an alternative to HDR.
Emboss
Emboss is an editing effect that makes an image look like it has raised or engraved texture. Used mostly for artistic designs.
Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS)
EIS is stabilization done digitally by the camera or software.
It reduces shakiness in video but may crop the frame slightly.
