73Getting to know your camera better5ApertureThe adjustable lens opening which controls the amount of light that enters the camera.The larger the aperture, the shorter the depth of field and the fuzzier the background. Thesmaller the aperture, the greater the depth of field and the sharper the background. Largeraperture values indicate smaller apertures, and smaller aperture values indicate largerapertures.CCD (Charge-Coupled Device)This converts light passing through the lens into electrical signals. On this camera, light ispicked up and converted into RGB signals to build a single image.Contrast Detection MethodThis is used to measure the distance to the subject. The camera determines if the imageis focused by the level of contrast in the subject.Conventional PhotographThis refers to recording images using silver halide (the method for recording images inconventional, non-digital photography). This system is in contrast to still video and digitalphotography.DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System)A standard for image files by the Japan Electronics and Information TechnologyIndustries Association (JEITA).DPOF (Digital Print Order Format)This is for saving desired print settings on digital cameras. By entering which images toprint and the number of copies of each, the user can easily have the desired imagesprinted by a printer or print lab that supports the DPOF format.Eclipsing (Vignetting)This refers to when an object obscures part of the field of view so that the whole subjectis not photographed. Vignetting also refers to when the image seen through the viewfinderdoes not exactly match the image shot through the objective lens, so the photographedimage includes objects not seen through the viewfinder. In addition, vignetting can occurwhen an incorrect lens hood is used, causing shadowing to appear in the corners of theimage.ESP (Electro-Selective Pattern) Light Metering/Digital ESP Light MeteringThis determines the exposure by metering and calculating the light levels in the centerand other areas of the image separately.EV (Exposure Value)A system for measuring exposure. EV0 is when the aperture is at F1 and the shutterspeed is 1 second. The EV then increases by 1 each time the aperture increases by oneF stop or the shutter speed increases by one increment. EV can also be used to indicatebrightness and ISO.ExposureThe amount of light used to capture an image. The exposure is determined by the timethe shutter is open (shutter speed) and the amount of light that passes through the lens(aperture).Image sizeThe size of an image expressed by the number of pixels that make up the image. Forinstance, a picture taken with an image size of 640 × 480 fills the computer screen whenthe monitor setting is 640 × 480. However, if the monitor setting is 1,024 × 768, the pictureonly takes up part of the screen.Glossary of terms