Ten questions on how a photograph is made, each explaining the physical trade-off behind the setting.
Camera settings intimidate people mainly because they are taught as numbers rather than as trade-offs. This quiz covers aperture, shutter speed and sensitivity, and what each one gains and costs, along with lenses, composition and the history of the medium. It runs from the earliest surviving photograph to digital sensors. The explanations give cause and effect throughout, which is the fastest way to move off automatic mode.
Every question in this quiz is listed below with its correct answer and the reasoning behind it. Play first if you would rather not see the answers — or read through as a study sheet.
Play it insteadAnswer: B. Light entering the lens and depth of field
Why: A wider aperture admits more light but reduces the depth in focus. That is why portraits with blurred backgrounds are shot wide open.
Answer: C. The sensor or film sensitivity to light
Why: Raising ISO brightens the image in low light but introduces more noise. It is generally the last of the three exposure controls to adjust.
Answer: C. How motion appears in the image
Why: A fast shutter freezes motion while a slow one lets it blur. It also controls how long light reaches the sensor, so it is part of exposure too.
Answer: C. Single-lens reflex
Why: A mirror reflects the image from the taking lens into the viewfinder, then flips up to expose. Mirrorless cameras remove that mechanism entirely.
Answer: D. Composition
Why: It suggests placing key elements along lines dividing the frame in thirds. It is a starting convention rather than a rule worth obeying always.
Answer: C. Developing and printing film
Why: Light-sensitive materials were processed there under safelight. Digital capture removed the need for it in most workflows.
Answer: A. Nicephore Niepce
Why: Niepce made a view from his window around 1826 or 1827 requiring hours of exposure. Daguerre, his later partner, developed a far more practical process.
Answer: D. Kodak
Why: George Eastman's Kodak launched in 1888 with the slogan about pressing the button while the company did the rest. Customers returned the whole camera for processing.
Answer: D. A short focal length and broad field of view
Why: Short focal lengths capture more of the scene and exaggerate the sense of depth. Telephoto lenses do the opposite, compressing distances.
Answer: D. An electronic sensor
Why: CCD and later CMOS sensors convert light into electrical signals. The underlying optics were largely unchanged by the switch.
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