BATAAN HEROES COLLEGE

FORENSIC
PHOTOGRAPHY
MODULE 3
This module or any portion thereof may not be reproduced,
copied, transmitted or
distributed in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission
of the College or the Author. For permission: Contact Bataan Heroes College,
Roman Super Hi way, Balanga City Bataan, Philippines

KRISTEN JANELLE MORALES, RCRIM.

Criminal Justice Education- Criminology Department
MODULE 3. Camera and Its Accessories

OBJECTIVES:
1 Describe the various types of cameras and their accompanying accessories
2. Execute Standard Shutter Speed, Aperture, and appropriate Depth of Field.
3. Demonstrate Parts and Function of Digital Single Lens Reflex

Lesson 5: Camera and Its Accessories

What is a Camera?
-a box that controls the amount of light which reaches a light sensitive surface inside (either film,
a digital sensor, or another surface).
-device that captures light and processes it into an image. It does this through a lens, which
focuses the light onto a light-sensitive surface where a picture is formed. This could be film in
traditional cameras or an electronic sensor in digital cameras.

 Early forms of Camera

a) Pinhole Camera
-It is a simple camera without a lens but with a tiny aperture
(the so-called pinhole)— effectively a light-proof box with a
small hole in one side. Light from a scene passes through the
aperture and projects an inverted image on the opposite side of
the box, which is known as the camera obscura effect. The size
of the images depends on the distance between the object and
the pinhole.

b) Camera Obscura
-from Latin camera obscūra 'dark chamber') is a darkened room
with a small hole or lens at one side through which an image is
projected onto a wall or table opposite the hole. Camera obscura
can also refer to analogous constructions such as a box or tent in
which an exterior image is projected inside.
-aids for drawing and painting, allowed tracing the projected
image to produce a highly accurate representation, and was
especially appreciated as an easy way to achieve proper graphical
perspective.
-used to study eclipses without the risk of damaging the eyes by
looking directly into the sun.

A pinhole camera is essentially a simplified version of a camera obscura, meaning

they are very similar, with the key difference being that a camera obscura can use a lens while a
pinhole camera only uses a tiny hole (the "pinhole") to project an image, acting as a basic, lens
less camera.
 c) Box Camera
-simple type of camera, the most common form being a cardboard or
plastic box with a lens in one end and film at the other.
- They were sold in large numbers during the late 19th and early 20th
centuries.
-The lenses are often single element designs meniscus fixed focus lens,
or in better quality box cameras a doublet lens with minimal (if any)
possible adjustments to the aperture or shutter speeds.
-Because of the inability to adjust focus, the small lens aperture and the
low sensitivity of the sensitive materials available, these cameras work
best in brightly lit day-lit scenes when the subject is within the
hyperfocal distance for the lens and of subjects that move little during
the exposure. Eventually, box cameras with photographic flash, shutter
and aperture adjustment were introduced, allowing indoor photos.

Main Kinds of Camera

1. Box Camera- (refer to the above discussion)
2. View Camera - has a very distinctive 2-part design that is joined in the middle by a
flexible bellows. The front section of the camera holds a lens amount and a mechanical
shutter, while the rear section of the camera holds a piece of ground glass.
3. Polaroid Still - The instant camera system is an almost fool proof method for
certain crime scenes and clinical situations. When only a few photographs are needed
to document an injury, the instant photograph is a quick solution.
4. Reflex Camera-
A. THE SINGLE LENS REFLEX -has a screen, but the film remains constantly in
position. A 45-degree mirror reflects the image forming rays from the lens unto the
screen in the camera top. The mirror moves out of the way during the exposure and
back again afterward for viewing and focusing the next picture. The image on the
screen therefore temporarily disappears during the exposure.
B. THE DIGITAL SINGLE LENS REFLEX – (DSLR) inside the camera body is a
mirror that reflects the light coming from the lens up into an optical viewfinder, by
way of either a prism or a series of additional mirrors.
C. THE TWIN- LENS REFLEX – is a comparatively bulky dual camera with a fixed
mirror reflex housing and top screen mounted above a roll film box camera. Its two
lenses focus in unison so that the top screen shows the image sharpness and framing
as recorded on the film in the lower section.

How does a digital camera differ from a film camera?

Digital cameras capture images electronically using a sensor, whereas film cameras use a strip of
film coated with light-sensitive chemicals. When you take a photo with a digital camera, you can
see it instantly on the camera's screen. With a film camera, the film needs to be developed before
you can see the photo.
MAIN PARTS OF A CAMERA
The main parts of the camera that are involved in the process are the camera
body, the camera shutter, the camera lens, aperture, camera’s image sensor and
the focusing control. The camera’s LCD screen is for previewing and then
viewing the captured image.

1. CAMERA LENS
-A lens is a merely a carefully ground or molded piece of transparent material that refracts light
rays in such a way as to form an image.

2. APERTURE
-An aperture is the opening within a lens that controls how much light hits the imaging sensor.

3. CAMERAS IMAGE SENSOR- An image sensor is a solid-state device, the part of the camera’s
hardware that captures the light and converts what you see, through a view finder or LCD Monitor
into an image.

4. CAMERA SHUTTER– in photography and digital photography applications, the shutter is the
device on the camera that opens and closes to control how long the focal plane is exposed to light.

5. SHUTTER AND SHUTTER SPEED– This is the part of a camera which blocks or restrict the lights
from entering the film plane and expose the film.
SHUTTER SPEED- is the duration of time generally expressed in seconds for during which any type
of shutter remains fully open for exposure.
6. FOCUSING CONTROL – Is an integral part of any camera operation.
 TYPES OF FOCUS
a. Scale bed type or focusing scale
b. Micro prism or Range finder type
c. Ground Glass type

PARTS OF A CAMERA AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

  Viewfinder
The viewfinder is one of the most important parts of a camera. It is a rectangular-shaped part at
the back of your camera that lets you see and frame your subject. Some viewfinders are fully
digital, which shows you various details like your shutter speed, aperture, and ISO before you
take the shot.

 Pentaprism
The pentaprism is a mirror placed at a 45-degree angle behind the camera lens. The mirror
projects the light captured from the lens to the viewfinder. Before pentaprisms, photographers
always had to look downwards when taking photos. This is not ideal for some subjects and
would only allow you to take photos at hip-level. Pentaprisms got rid of this problem and now
defines single-lens reflex or SLR cameras.

 Built-in Flash
A built-in flash is the part of the camera’s anatomy that produces a burst of light (i.e., a flash
of light) when triggered. It has a fixed position on the front or top of the camera to allow it to
illuminate the subject. The built-in flash fires only when the camera takes a picture.

 Flash Button
The flash button is present on cameras with a built-in pop-up flash. Its main functionality is
to force the flash to open before triggered. At the same time, on some cameras, if you hold press
the flash button, you can adjust the intensity of the flash by setting the flash exposure
compensation.

 Lens Mount
A lens mount is the mechanical fitting that allows the lens to attach to the camera. You can
only use lenses that match your camera’s lens mounting system. Some camera manufacturers use
proprietary lens mounting systems to ensure clients will use their lenses.

 Lens Release Button

The lens release button unlocks the lens mount and allows you to detach the lens. Although
you can attach the lens in one step, as a safety measure, you can only detach it by pressing the
lens release button. You’ll find it on the front of the camera, near the lens mount.

 Mode Dial
A mode dial is one of the most used parts of the camera. It is a small cogwheel situated on
the top- right of the camera that switches between the camera’s modes (i.e., ways of operating).
Additionally, a camera may have multiple modes, including manual, automatic, and
semiautomatic settings, and scene-based.

 Focusing Screen
A camera’s focusing screen is the glass surface on which the camera’s mirror projects the
image. The focusing screen helps in achieving various focus effects such as sharp and high-
contrast shots to blurs and bokeh.
  Condenser Lens
A condenser lens has two matching convex lenses. This part uses a simple method for
correcting color fringing or aberration that is a common problem encountered when using
traditional camera lenses.

 Digital Sensor
The digital sensor of a camera is one of its most delicate parts. This sensor captures the light
coming from the lens to create an image. Modern cameras use either a charged-coupled device
(CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imager for capturing images.

 Grip
The grip is the right side of a camera, which has a special curved design to allow you to
comfortably handhold the camera. It usually provides space to place your fingers and securely
hold the camera. The grip usually has a different texture than the rest of the camera.

 Shutter
The shutter is an opaque piece of metal or plastic that controls the amount of light that
reaches the camera sensor. Additionally, the length of which your shutter stays open will
determine how your exposure will look like. You can activate this using the shutter release
button and adjust it accordingly using your camera’s shutter speed setting.

 Display
The camera display shows the user helpful information about the photos and the camera.
Here you will see the different camera settings you can tweak to alter your exposure, ISO, shutter
speed, and more. You can also access other menus using this display to change the settings on
your camera. Most camera displays nowadays let you see how your image will appear before you
press the shutter release button. This feature revolutionized digital cameras as it helps
photographers in creating consistent shots.

 Electronics
Your camera’s electronic components are divided into three separate categories: photo
capture components, camera controller, and user interface components. The controller elements
control all the electronic components of the camera. Its photo capture elements are responsible
for the recording of images. Meanwhile, the user interface elements are responsible for letting
the user interact with and control the camera.

 Remote Control Sensor

A remote control sensor is an electronic device (usually an infrared device) that allows you to
connect the camera to remote controls. Once you make the connection, you can use the remote
control to trigger the shutter from a distance or at a predetermined moment.

 Shutter Button
The shutter button is one of the most iconic parts of a camera. The button tells the camera to
release the shutter and take a picture. DSLR cameras assign a second functionality to the shutter
button: the button triggers the camera’s autofocus system when it is half-pressed.
  Autofocus System
One of the advantages that digital cameras have over traditional film cameras is their ability
to focus on a particular subject quickly and automatically. This is possible thanks to the
autofocus sensor, one of the parts of a lens that sends information to the computer inside the
camera and commands the lens to adjust its focusing elements to render a sharp image.

 Reflex and Relay Mirror

The reflex mirror is in any SLR or DSLR camera. Unlike rangefinder cameras, the lens of a
DSLR is not on the same axis as the lens, which is why this type of camera needs a mirror. The
reflex mirror is a mirror positioned at a 45-degree angle to reflect light from the lens to the
viewfinder, enabling you to see what the lens sees.

 Aperture
Aperture is one of the three pillars of determining the exposure of your photographs.
Additionally, aperture is the opening in your lens through which light passes through. This part
has small, thin blades that shrink or expand depending on how much light you want in your
exposure. It also determines the depth of field of your camera, which is a vital factor in how
much background blur you want.

 Main Dial
The main dial is a cogwheel situated on the front part of the camera that allows you to adjust
aperture, shutter speed, exposure compensation, and other parameters. On some cameras, the
main dial can help you navigate through the images on the memory card.

 Hot Shoe
The hot shoe, a U-shaped metal bracket situated on top of the camera, is among the basic
parts of a camera. It is a mechanical fitting that allows you to connect an external flash unit and
other accessories such as radio triggers, external microphones, and light meters.

 Zoom Elements
If you just bought your first ever camera, chances are you got a zoom lens with it. Zoom
lenses allow you to shift between focal lengths, from wide to telephoto, depending on your lens’
focal range, by turning the lens rings.

 Batteries
Lastly, the battery is one of the most important parts of the camera. Most of its components
will not work if not powered by one. Having a long-lasting battery lets you shoot more photos
and shoot for extended periods, allowing you to find the perfect shot.
 SLR VS DSLR
Two of the most commonly confused terms in the photography world are SLR (single-lens
reflex camera) and DSLR (digital single-lens reflex camera). You’re probably already
familiar with the latter, either by name or its appearance, given the fact that many of today’s
shooters are shooting with this type of camera. SLRs, on the other hand, almost became
collector’s items when digital point-and-shoots became a groundbreaking hit but have since
made a comeback as stylish gadgets for both recreational and professional shooters.
In the comparison of SLR vs DSLR, it’s surprising how a single letter can mean such a huge
difference. But at the same time, it’s also interesting to note how similar they are considering
their main differences in terms of technology and hardware.

SLR cameras allow expert photographers to change lenses and choose the right lens for
the given shooting situation. DSLR refers to SLR cameras that take digital photos and the few
cameras left on the market still using film are simply called SLR cameras. DSLR cameras are
great for budding photographers because they offer live previews and do not waste film when
photographers make mistakes. There are more DSLRs available in the market so they tend to be
cheaper. Film SLR cameras, on the other hand, offer slightly better quality of color, tone and
contrast.