Technology & Tools Flashcards
7 cards from real CFP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Technology & Tools flashcards as text
A forensic photographer must photograph a latent fingerprint developed with fluorescent powder. Which equipment combination is correct?
Answer: ALS excitation light, appropriate barrier filter on the lens, camera on tripod in a darkened area
Fluorescence photography requires excitation light, a barrier filter to block it, and a stable long exposure in darkness.
Why is an aperture around f/8 to f/11 often preferred over f/22 for critical evidence close-ups on a full-frame camera?
Answer: Very small apertures cause diffraction that softens fine detail
Diffraction at very small apertures degrades resolution, so mid-range apertures balance depth of field with sharpness.
Which metadata embedded by digital cameras is most valuable for authenticating when an evidence photograph was taken?
Answer: EXIF data including date, time, and camera settings
EXIF metadata records capture date, time, camera model, and exposure settings, supporting authentication and reconstruction.
A perspective grid or photogrammetry software is used at a scene primarily to accomplish what?
Answer: Extract accurate measurements of objects and distances from photographs
Photogrammetry converts photographs into reliable dimensional measurements for scene reconstruction.
What is the purpose of dark-field or transmitted lighting when photographing glass fragments or fracture patterns?
Answer: It reveals edges, cracks, and stress marks by lighting the glass from behind or the side against a dark background
Transmitted or dark-field illumination makes transparent material features like conchoidal fracture lines stand out.
Which drone (UAS) capability makes it particularly valuable for outdoor crime scene documentation?
Answer: Georeferenced aerial overviews and orthomosaic mapping of large scenes
Drones capture aerial imagery that can be stitched into scaled, georeferenced maps of extensive scenes like crash sites.
When should a polarizing filter be used in forensic photography?
Answer: To reduce glare and reflections from glass, water, or glossy surfaces obscuring evidence
Polarizers cut specular reflections, letting the photographer record detail behind glass or on wet, shiny surfaces.