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F

f-stop - A numerical designation that indicates the size of the aperture. It is inversely proportional as a smaller number like F2.8 is a large opening and a large number like F16 is a relatively small opening.

FDD - Floppy disk drive, the most common being a 1.44MB 3-1/2" drive like those used in today's PC computers.

File - A collection of information, such as text, data, or images saved on a disk or hard drive.

File Format - A type of program or data file. Some common image file formats include TIFF, JPEG, and BMP.

Fill Flash - Using the flash to lighten shadow areas or just to provide more overall illumination in situations where you normally wouldn't use the flash. Outdoors in bright light you get very stark shadows underneath of people's noses, chins and etc. Toggle the flash setting to "forced on" or "fill" and the flash will now fire on every shot. It also gives your human subjects that special little sparkle in their eyes.

FireWire - Also known as "iLink" and officially designated as the IEEE 1394 protocol. A high-speed data interface now being used on digital camcorders and digital still cameras.

Firmware - An often-used micro program or instruction set stored in ROM. Usually refers to the ROM-based software that controls a unit. Firmware is found in all computer based products from Cameras to Digital Peripherals.

Fixed Aperture - Normally when a zoom lens goes from wide angle to telephoto the aperture changes. If the camera has an option to fix the aperture value then it remains constant regardless of focal length.

Fixed Focal Length - A term that describes a non-zoom lens, it is fixed at a given focal length and is not variable.

Fixed Focus - A lens that is preset to a given focus distance, it has no autofocus mechanism, set to give the camera the maximum depth of field

Flash - A built-in flash supplies auxiliary light to supplement natural or available lighting conditions often resulting in better colour, better exposure, and improved picture sharpness.

Flash Memory - This is the "film" for digital cameras, it can be erased and reused many times. It is non volatile memory, data is preserved even when it is not under power. They are several major types used in digital cameras; CompactFlash, SmartMedia and Memory Stick.

Flash Memory Reader - See Card Readers

Flashpath - A device that allows a SmartMedia card to be inserted into a regular floppy diskette drive and its data transferred to the computer. There is also now a Flashpath device for Memory Stick cards too.

Flat Bed Scanner - An optical scanner in which the original image remains stationary while the sensors (usually a CCD linear array) passes over or under it. The scanned material is held flat and scanned using a reflective process.

Floppy Disk Adapter - A device that resembles a 3-1/2" floppy diskette and allows a SmartMedia cards or Sony Memory Stick modules to be read in a standard 1.44MB floppy disk drive.

Focal Length - A lens' angle of view, most commonly indicated as wide angle, normal or telephoto. Usually compared to a 35mm camera's lenses as in "the camera has a wide angle lens equivalent to a 38mm lens on a 35mm camera." See also "Zoom Lens"

Focus Assist - Some cameras employ a visible or invisible (infrared) lamp to illuminate the subject so the autofocus can work in low light or total darkness.

Focus Lock - Pre-focusing the camera and then moving it to re-compose the image before capturing it. Accomplished by half-pressing the shutter button and keeping it held at that position while moving the camera to another point before pressing it all the way to capture the image.

FPX - FlashPiX - Trade name for a new multi-resolution image file format jointly developed and introduced in June 1996 by Kodak, HP, Microsoft and Live Picture.

Frame - One of the still pictures that make up a video.

Frame rate - The number of frames that are shown or sent each second. Live action relates to a frame rate of 30 frames per second.

Full Bleed - Printing term used when an image or inked area extends to the edge of all four sides of the printed piece. Better known as "borderless" in today's world of inkjet photo printers.

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