Glossary of Digital Photography Terms - From PHOTOS to ART with Photoshop - page 297

Color Temperature A temperature scale related to the warmth or coldness of a light-
ing source. Common lighting sources have specific value ranges on this scale.

Compact System Camera A Compact Camera with interchangeable Lenses.

Compound Lens A collection of simple lenses that share a common axis in order to im-
prove and focus the image passing through the Lens and onto the film or Sensor. The type
of Lens assembly implied when a Photographer refers to his or her Lens.

Contact Prints A process by which glass photographic negatives are placed in contact
with light-sensitive photo paper and exposed to a burst of light. The photo paper is then
treated in trays of chemicals in order to develop the image.

Cropping Factor The ratio of the Diagonal Measurement of a given Sensor to
the Diagonal Measurement of a Full-Frame Sensor.

Curtain Shutter The type of Shutter used in SLR cameras - both film and digital. Two
horizontal blades (curtains) that move vertically to expose the sensor or film.

Custom White Balance A camera setting based on a Neutral (18%) Gray Card or its
equivalent, used to establish the proper White balance or Color Temperature for a given
lighting condition.

Darkroom A dedicated light-proof room in which film negatives and prints are pro-
cessed in trays of chemical solutions. During the process, the only light in the room is a
dim red bulb.

Diaphragm A device made up of a number of moveable blades that move in tandem to
form and size the Aperture. It functions very much like the Iris of the human eye. It is
usually sandwiched between two of the simple lenses that form a compound lens.

DIGIC ( DIG ital I maging C ore) Canon's Imaging Core Processor. Analogous to a com-
puter's CPU.

Digital Camera A camera in which the image is recorded by a photosensitive elec-

tronic SENSOR.

Digital SLR / DSLR An SLR Camera in which the image is recorded by an electronic
Sensor.