ANATOMY OF A DSLR

SHUTTER RELEASE:

This is the button you press to take your photo. If your camera is on auto, by half-pressing this button it will activate the autofocus.

-DEPTH OF FIELD (DOF) PREVIEW BUTTON

This allows you to see how much of the scene will be kept in focus with your chosen aperture.

FINGER WHEEL:

Use this to scroll through settings like aperture and shutter speed as well as internal functions (ISO, exposure, white balance etc).

LENS MOUNT:

DSLR's have the ability of changing and shaping lenses, so that you are able to shoot with more flexibility.

LENS RELEASE:

This should be held down while turning the lens to detach it. To attach another lens hold down the release while slotting the lens in and twist till it clicks into place. 

MODE DIAL:

This is used to swap between the different shooting modes. For example automatic, aperture priority, shutter-speed priority , etc.

FOCAL LENGTH MEASUREMENTS:

These numbers refer to the different versatile focal length. All measurements for the lens' are in millimetres. The distance is measured from the inbuilt light sensor at the back of the camera to the lens at the front.

ZOOM and FOCUS RINGS:

These are used to control the focal length (zoom in and out) of the lens and the manually adjust the focus. These also make the subject appear closer or further away.

DIOPTRE:

This is a feature that allows you to alter the focus of the viewfinder to suit your eyesight especially if someone wears glasses, they are able to view through the viewfinder clearer.

VIEWFINDER:

The SLR (single-lens reflex) system allows you to see exactly what the camera will shoot, until the moment you shoot it, as the shutter will go off when you take the photo.

FUNCTION BUTTONS:

These give you access to the main menu and image playback facility, as well as other function short-cuts including zooming in and out of photos.

CARD SLOT:

This part is to be able to insert or remove your memory card. The higher-spec models have a waterproof seal to keep out the rain and moisture.

THUMB DIAL:

This is allows you to change the settings without entering the menu. It also works when you want to increase or decrease settings like the aperture or the shutter speed , etc.

AE (auto-exposure) and AF (autofocus) LOCK BUTTON:

This button allows you to stick with your existing light metering or focusing settings when you change the environment settings (for instance if you move to darker or lighter area) or to change the focal point.

LCD SCREEN:

This screen allows you to view your photos and allows access to the main menu which you can also change the settings on. 

FOUR-WAY SELECTOR:

This is used to navigate menus and on some models it also offers short-cuts to camera settings.