camera settings

camera settings for exam for filmmakers

Q: What 3 elements make up exposure?

A: Aperture (f-stop), Shutter Speed, ISO

Q: What does aperture control?

A: Depth of field & brightness. Lower f-stop = more blur (shallow DOF), brighter image.

Q: What does shutter speed control?

A: Motion blur & brightness. Fast shutter = freeze action. Slow shutter = blur motion, more light.

Q: What does ISO affect?

A: Sensitivity to light. Higher ISO = brighter image but more noise/grain.

Q: What are the two types of focus systems?

A: Manual and Autofocus.

Q: What is pulling focus?

A: Manually changing focus during a shot to shift attention between subjects.

Q: Why adjust white balance?

A: To make white objects appear white under different lighting conditions (e.g., daylight, tungsten).

Q: What’s the difference between prime and zoom lenses?

A: Prime = fixed focal length (sharper, wider apertures); Zoom = variable focal length (versatile).

Q: What affects depth of field?

A: Aperture, focal length, and distance from subject.

Q: What happens if you shoot at a higher frame rate?

A: You can create smooth slow motion.Higher frame rate captures more frames per second, allowing for smoother playback and the ability to slow down motion without losing quality.

Q: What is the rule of thirds?

A: A composition guideline dividing the frame into 9 parts—place subject at intersections.This creates balance and interest in the image.

Q: What does focal length determine?

A: Field of view and subject magnification.

• Wide-angle (<35mm) = more scene, distortion

• Standard (35–70mm) = natural perspective

• Telephoto (>70mm) = narrow view, compresses spaceand background elements.

Q: What does a lower T-stop (or f-stop) mean?

A: Wider aperture = more light, shallower depth of field.

Q: What is barrel vs pincushion distortion?

A: Barrel = lines bulge out (wide-angle).
Pincushion = lines curve inward (telephoto)

Q: What are the common digital sensor sizes?

A: Full Frame, APS-C, Micro Four Thirds
Larger sensors = more light sensitivity, shallower depth of field.

Q: How does sensor size affect image?

A: Larger sensor = better low-light, more detail, shallower DOF.

Q: What is 3200K and 5600K in lighting?

A: 3200K = warm (tungsten), 5600K = daylight (cool).
Used to set white balance or match lights.

Q: Why match color temperature?

A: To avoid unnatural color casts in the image.

Q: What is an ND filter used for?

A: Reduces light entering the lens without changing color. Useful for wide apertures in bright light.

Q: What do zebra stripes show on a camera?

A: Overexposed areas.

Q: What does a histogram show?

A: Exposure balance across shadows, midtones, and highlights.

Q: What tools are used for smooth movement?

A: Tripod, dolly, gimbal, slider, handheld rig, Steadicam.