Thursday, June 7, 2012

Accessories


Accessories




Tripod
A tripod is used to stabilize and elevate a camera, a flash unit, or other photographic equipment. All photographic tripods have three legs and a mounting head to couple with a camera. The mounting head usually includes a thumbscrew that mates to a female threaded receptacle on the camera, as well as a mechanism to be able to rotate and tilt the camera when it is mounted on the tripod. Tripod legs are usually made to telescope, in order to save space when not in use. Tripods are usually made from aluminumm, carbon fiber , steel, wood or plastic.



Monopod
A monopod, also called a unipod, is a single staff or pole used to help support cameras, video cameras, binoculars, rifles or other precision instruments in the field. The monopod allows a still camera to be held steadier, allowing the photographer to take sharp pictures at slower shutter speeds, and/or with longer focal length lenses. In the case of video, it reduces camera shake and therefore most of the resulting small random movements. When used by itself, it eliminates camera shake in the vertical plane. When used in combination with leaning against a large object, a bipod is formed; this can also eliminate horizontal motion.






Reversing rings
Reversing rings are adapters with a male filter thread on one side and a rear lens mount on the other. The lens is attached to the reversing ring by its filter mount, and therefore the front element of the lens is closest to the camera. Most lenses are designed to give best results with lens-to-film distance less than the lens-to-subject distance, and so if you want to use an ordinary lens for macro work, it may give better results when reversed.

Filter
A filter is a camera accessory consisting of an optical filter that can be inserted in the optical path. The filter can be a square or oblong shape mounted in a holder accessory, or, more commonly, a glass or plastic disk with a metal or plastic ring frame, which can be screwed in front of or clipped onto the lens

Filters in photography can be classified according to their use:


  • Clear and ultraviolet
  • Color correction
  • Color conversion (or light balance)
  • Color separation, also called color subtraction
  • Contrast enhancement
  • Infrared
  • Neutral density, including the graduated neutral density filter and solar filter
  • Polarizing
  • Special effects of various kinds, including
    • Graduated color, called color grads
    • Cross screen and star diffractors
    • Diffusion and contrast reduction
    • Spot
    • Close-up or macro diopters, and split diopters or split focus.

 
Overview



Linear & Circular Polarizers
  • Reduce Glare
  • Improve Saturation
  • Sky, water, foliage in landscape photography


UV / Haze
  • improve clarity with film
  • provide lens protection
  • any

Warming/Cooling
  • change white balance
  • landscapes, underwater, special lighting




Neutral Density (ND)
  • extend exposure time
  • waterfalls, rivers, under bright light.


Graduated Neutral Density (GND)
  • control strong light gradients
  • reduce vignetting dramatically lit landscape