13 explainers
Learn the basics
Short, plain-English explainers on the ideas behind every camera spec, so you can buy with confidence and get more from your camera. For buying advice, start with the camera buying guide.
Aperture, shutter speed and ISO: exposure explainedHow aperture, shutter speed and ISO work together to set the brightness of a photo, with real settings to start from.Read →Sensor sizes and crop factor explainedFull frame vs APS-C vs Micro Four Thirds vs medium format: what crop factor means for lenses, low light, depth of field, size and cost.Read →Focal length explained: what 16mm, 50mm and 400mm look likeWhat focal length means, which focal lengths suit which subjects, and whether to start with a zoom or a prime.Read →Depth of field and background blur explainedWhat controls how much of a photo is sharp, how to get blurred backgrounds, and why sensor size matters.Read →Autofocus modes and subject detection explainedSingle vs continuous autofocus, focus areas, eye and animal detection, and the settings that get sharp shots of moving subjects.Read →Mechanical vs electronic shutter, rolling shutter and readout speedWhy fast-moving subjects bend with electronic shutters, what sensor readout speed means, and when stacked and global shutters matter.Read →RAW vs JPEG: which should you shoot?What RAW files are, when JPEG is fine, and the free software that processes RAW files.Read →How to buy a used camera safely in the UKWhere to buy used cameras and lenses in the UK, your consumer rights, warranties, grey imports and a checklist for inspecting gear.Read →Lens mounts and adapters explainedWhy your camera's mount decides your lenses, which mounts share lenses, and what you can adapt.Read →10 settings to change on a new cameraThe first settings to change on a new mirrorless or DSLR camera for sharper, better-exposed photos.Read →Image stabilisation explained: IBIS vs lens stabilisationHow in-body and lens stabilisation work, how many stops they really give, and when stabilisation doesn't help.Read →How many megapixels do you need?What megapixels mean for prints, screens and cropping, and why more isn't always better.Read →Photo editing software compared: Lightroom, Capture One, Affinity and free optionsWhich photo editing software to use for RAW files: Adobe Lightroom, Capture One, DxO PhotoLab, Affinity, Luminar Neo, ON1 and free options, with UK prices.Read →