PhotoGuide Japan PhotoWords Accessories
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Last updated: 2005-06-18

Compiled and written by Philbert Ono

What's this? List of photography-related words in English and Japanese. The Main List has 1100+ words (click on the alphabet links). Many of the words are also categorized in separate lists (General, Camera, etc.). Meanwhile, the J-E List is a separate Japanese-to-English list of essential words not included in the Main List. And Signs is a photo gallery of Japanese signs explained in English.

Note: If the Japanese term contains an English word, the English word is spelled in normal English in the romanization. This is for easier recognition and maybe easier pronunciation and understanding. If the Japanese term is identical to the Engiish, a left arrow <- is displayed (you still have to pronounce it in the Japanese katakana way). Macrons are provided to indicate long vowel sounds. Credits here.

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Accessory Words
ENGLISH
ROMANIZATION
JAPANESE
REMARKS
accessory(ies) <- アクセサリー
autoflash metering jidō chōkō 自動調光
backdrop (in photo studio) horizonto ホリゾント
background paper (roll) back-shi, horizonto, back paper バック紙、ホリゾント、バックペーパー This is usually supported by two pole cats in a photo studio.
battery charger <- バッテリーチャージャー
bellows jabara 蛇腹
blocks/cubes (studio prop) saikoro サイコロ
blower <- ブロワー
blower brush <- ブロワーブラシ
cable release <-, remote cable ケーブルレリーズ、リモートコード
camera bag <- カメラ・バッグ
camera case <- カメラケース
color compensating filter iro hosei filter 色補正フィルター
connect (with cable) setsuzoku suru 接続する
copy stand <- コピースタンド
darkroom anshitsu 暗室
darkroom equipment anshitsu yōhin 暗室用品
dedicated flash unit senyō sutorobo 専用ストロボ Often called "Speedlite."
developer tray batto バット From "vat." They don't say "tray."
developing tank (for film) genzō tank 現像タンク Stainless steel developing tank: Stainless genzō tank
diffuser <- ディフューザー 
dry cabinet/box (to prevent fungus) bōshitsu-ko 防湿庫 The Japanese term literally means "humdity-proof cabinet."
effective range (flash, AF-assist beam, etc.) yūkō kyori 有効距離
enlarger hikinobashi-ki 引伸機
extension tube <- エクステンションチューブ
external flash gaibu sutorobo 外部ストロボ
external power pack (for flash, etc.) gaibu dengen 外部電源
film holder (large-format camera) <- フィルムホルダー
filter <- フィルター
filter size/diameter filter-kei フィルター径
flash <-, sutorobo (strobe) フラッシュ、ストロボ As in English, the words "flash" and "strobe" can be used interchangeably in most cases.
flash coverage shōsha-kaku, shōsha han-i 照射角、照射範囲
flash disabled/off sutorobo hakkō kinshi ストロボ発光禁止
flash exposure compensation sutorobo chōkō hosei ストロボ調光補正
flash firing flash hakkō フラッシュ発光
flash photography flash satsuei フラッシュ撮影
flash recycling time jūden jikan, recycle time 充電時間、リサイクルタイム
flash-ready indicator sutorobo jūden kanryō hyōji ストロボ充電完了表示
focus mode switch <- フォーカスモードスイッチ
gray card (18%) jūhachi pasento gray hansha-ban 18%グレー反射板
Guide No. (flash unit) <- ガイドナンバー
handle-mount flash grip-type stroboscopic flash グリップタイプストロボ
items bundled/included (with camera) See bundled items.
light box <-, light table ライトボックス、ライトテーブル
light meter See exposure meter.
loupe <- ルーペ
magnifier/loupe rūpe ルーペ In Japan, the word " loupe" is more common than "magnifier."
modeling flash modeling hakkō モデリング発光
modeling light <- モデリングライト
monopod ikkyaku 一脚
ND (neutral density) filter <- NDフィルター
over-head projector OHP OHP
PictBridge PictBridge PictBridge
polarizing filter henkō filter 偏光フィルター、PLフィルター 
power cord dengen cord 電源コード
power supply (for studio flash) jene ジェネ Abbreviation for "generator."
printing quality (inkjet) insatsu hinshitsu 印刷品質
red-eye reduction akame kanwa, akame keigen 赤目緩和、赤目軽減 Either a lamp or low-intensity flashes are used.
ring flash <- リングフラッシュ
scanner <- スキャナ
shoe-mount flash clip-on type strobe クリップオンタイプストロボ
slave unit slave スレーブ Often used interchangeably with "slave flash unit."
slide projector <- スライドプロジェクター
Speedlite <- スピードライト
squeegee film wiper フィルムワイパー
storage card See memory card.
strobe sutorobo ストロボ Often interchangeable with the word "flash."
strobe head (studio flash) <- ストロボヘッド
stroboscopic flash multi hakkō マルチ発光 Not to be confused with multiple flash units or Speedlites in a master-slave flash system(多灯ストロボ撮影)
studio flash ōgata strobe 大型ストロボ
tongs (for chemical trays) pinsetto ピンセット Same word for tweezers.
tray (for chemicals) batto バット From vat.
tripod sankyaku 三脚
tripod/monopod head undai 雲台
underwater flash unit suichū strobe 水中ストロボ
UV filter <- UVフィルター
wireless <-, musen ワイヤレス、無線
wireless flash with multiple Speedlites wireless tacho strobe satsuei ワイヤレス多灯ストロボ撮影
X-ray film bag X-sen bōshi bag X線防止バッグ
X-sync contact X setten X接点

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N |  O |  P |  Q |  R |  S |  T |  U |  V |  W |  X |  Y |  Z 
  J-E List | Signs | General | Camera | Lens | Accessory | Digital | Supplies

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Transmitting from Tokyo, Japan.