Most cameras have the same basic components.
Cameras may seem like fairly complex machines, but they all actually work on a fairly simple principle: capturing light and transforming that light into an image. Although all the bells and whistles make modern cameras fairly sophisticated, all cameras, whether digital or film-based, are composed of the same basic components.
Camera Body
The body of the camera is the casing that you hold in your hands. It houses or acts as a base for the the other components of the camera. The shape and size of the camera depends on what sort of components are inside and how the camera is designed to perform. Single lens reflex, or SLR, cameras tend to be larger than point-and-shoot cameras.
Lens
The lens is the point at which light enters the camera. The lens can be focused to manipulate the light and create a sharper image. The lens reverses the image as it is reflected to the back of the camera. Lenses on SLR cameras can usually be detached from the body of the camera and can be focused manually. Point-and-shoot lenses are embedded in the front of the camera and are focused automatically by a mechanism within the camera.
Aperture
The diaphragm is the part at the back of the lens that controls the amount of light that reaches the film. It works like the iris of an eye. On an SLR camera, the diaphragm changes the aperture, or opening, when you set the f-stops by turning a ring on the exterior of the lens. Point-and-shoot cameras, and auto programs on SLRs, set the aperture automatically.
Shutter
The shutter is the gate that opens to allow light to reach the film of the camera. On an SLR camera, you can set the shutter to open at a specific speed to control the amount of light exposure. Point-and-shoot cameras, and SLR auto programs, set the shutter speed automatically.
Digital Sensor Chip or Film
If your camera is digital, it will contain a digital sensor chip. If it is not, it will be equipped with film. Both of these components serve the same purpose: recording the light that comes into the camera and converting it to an image.
Flash
A flash is important if you intend to take photos in an environment where the natural light is not sufficient to imprint an image on the film or digital sensor chip effectively. The flash will provide a burst of light to illuminate the subject as the shutter opens. Flashes either come built in on a camera or are sold as a separate accessory that fits onto plate on the top of the camera.
Light Meter
A light meter gives you a reading of the amount of light present when you're taking a photograph. This reading helps you to properly set your aperture and shutter speed, or if you're using a point-and-shoot, the light meter controls the automatic settings. Light meters are either built into cameras or come as a separate accessory. In-camera meters only read the reflected light, whereas exterior meters read the true light that is hitting the subject.
Tags: amount light, light that, auto programs, basic components, body camera, camera focused, cameras auto