The photographer’s field notes

Get curious.
See the difference.

Play with the light. Find your frame. Get to know your camera. Hands-on photography tools and practical guides, all in one place.

Less guessing. More seeing.

15 interactive photography tools

New / Shutter speed simulator

A fraction of a second.
A different story.

Freeze the ride. Let the water flow. Compare two exposures of a cyclist, a waterfall or a spinning fan.

Explore shutter speed

Shutter speed simulator comparison of a crisp cyclist at 1/1000 second and a motion-blurred cyclist at 1/4 second.

01 / Bokeh & depth of field

Same portrait.
Different feeling.

See how aperture, lens and sensor size change your background. Compare two cameras in one little garden.

Try the bokeh simulator Two cameras · one scene · you’re in control

A change of aperture50 mm · full frame

Bokeh simulator screenshot at f/1.8: a portrait with a softly blurred garden background. — A softer background

The same simulator portrait at f/8, with more of the garden in focus. — More detail in the scene

Actual simulator previews · AI-generated scene · ideal-lens approximation

Screenshot of the sensor-size tool showing nested digital sensor and film outlines at one shared scale.

Real dimensions. One shared scale.

02 / Sensor & film sizes

Put your sensor in perspective.

From tiny sensors to medium-format film. Compare physical sizes, crop factors and the space inside your frame.

Compare sensor sizes

Screenshot of the aspect ratio calculator with a 3:2 frame and a 1920 by 1280 pixel result.

03 / Aspect ratio calculator

A better fit for every frame.

Square, widescreen or something in between. Preview your proportions and calculate the dimensions for your next export.

Find your aspect ratio

More for your photography workbench.

A wider portrait at 35 mm and tighter framing at 85 mm from the same camera position.

Explore11 / 15

Focal length & perspective

Compare lenses from one position, then move to keep your subject the same size. Watch the background change.

Open the tool ↗

The same coast with cool blue and warm golden white balance.

Explore12 / 15

White balance playground

Try color temperature and tint on photographic scenes. Match the light or explore a warmer, cooler mood.

Open the tool ↗

Pinpoint stars in a short exposure become trails in a long exposure.

Plan13 / 15

Night-sky exposure simulator

See stars turn into trails. Compare NPF and 500-rule estimates with movement in sensor pixels.

Open the tool ↗

Four photographic exercises: freeze a cyclist, smooth water, blur a background and work in low light.

Practice14 / 15

Photography challenges

Freeze motion, smooth a waterfall, separate a subject and work in low light. Four visual challenges with feedback.

Open the tool ↗

A camera beside a sample downloadable report combining file evidence, body checks and notes.

Check15 / 15

Camera inspection report

Combine embedded camera and shutter-count evidence with your condition checks in one private, printable report.

Open the tool ↗

The same cyclist scene shown dark, balanced and bright at minus two, zero and plus two exposure stops.

Explore05 / 15

Exposure playground

Aperture, shutter speed and ISO. See light, focus, movement and noise in one photographic scene.

Open the tool ↗

A waterfall at 1/125 second beside smooth water at 8.2 seconds with a 10-stop ND filter.

Plan06 / 15

ND filter calculator & timer

Stack filters, calculate your exposure and take a countdown into the field.

Open the tool ↗

A coastal photograph in a print mat with a square crop guide and a 300 PPI badge.

Prepare07 / 15

Print size & crop

Frame your photo, check remaining megapixels and find its print size at your chosen PPI.

Open the tool ↗

A photo is kept while selected GPS and camera serial metadata are crossed out.

Prepare08 / 15

EXIF privacy cleaner

Inspect JPEG metadata, remove selected fields and save a copy without recompressing the image.

Open the tool ↗

A mountain lake changes from daylight through sunset to blue hour along a video timeline.

Plan09 / 15

Timelapse planner

Plan your interval, frame count, shooting time, video length and storage together.

Open the tool ↗

A camera with an illustrated checklist for its sensor, controls and card slots.

Check10 / 15

Used-camera inspection

Work through a camera’s condition, record what you find and take an inspection report with you.

Open the tool ↗

Explore all 15 photography tools. Free to use, with no account. Selected photos stay in your browser.

Beyond the preview

A little knowledge goes a long way.

Practical checks, careful explanations, and the evidence to back them up.

Start with your photo

A file, a few clues, a clearer picture. Start here to make sense of your camera’s metadata.

Buy and interpret carefully

Know what to ask, what to check, and what a shutter count can really tell you.

Inspect our evidence

Real files. Recorded results. Follow the samples and see the limits behind every finding.

1,870RAW samples in our research corpus

Get curious.
See the difference.

Less guessing. More seeing.