Camera Settings and Lenses Flashcards
7 cards from real Product Photography practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Camera Settings and Lenses flashcards as text
Which camera mode gives a product photographer full control over both aperture and shutter speed?
Answer: Manual (M)
Manual mode lets the photographer set both aperture and shutter speed independently, ensuring consistent exposure across an entire product shoot.
What is 'focus stacking' used for in product photography?
Answer: Merging several images focused at different depths to achieve full sharpness
Focus stacking blends frames taken at different focus points so that the entire depth of a three-dimensional product appears sharp.
A wide-angle lens used too close to a product causes which common distortion problem?
Answer: Barrel distortion that warps the product's shape
Wide-angle lenses exaggerate perspective and cause barrel distortion when used close to a subject, making product edges appear to bow outward.
What shutter speed is most appropriate when using a studio strobe for product photography?
Answer: At or below the camera's sync speed (e.g., 1/200s)
Strobes must be fired at or below the camera's maximum sync speed (typically 1/160–1/250s) to avoid a dark band from the mechanical shutter curtain.
When photographing a product with fine text, which camera setting most directly improves legibility?
Answer: Shooting with a sharp prime lens at its sharpest aperture (typically f/8)
A sharp prime lens stopped down to its optical sweet spot (around f/8) resolves fine text better than software sharpening or extreme apertures.
Which white balance setting produces the most consistent results under controlled studio lighting?
Answer: A custom or manual Kelvin value matched to your light source
Setting a custom Kelvin value (or using a grey card to set a custom WB) ensures color consistency across every frame regardless of ambient light changes.
What does 'diffraction limiting' mean for a product photographer choosing aperture?
Answer: Light bends around the aperture blades at very small openings, reducing sharpness
At very small apertures (f/16 and beyond on most sensors), diffraction causes light waves to spread, softening fine detail even though depth of field increases.