Aperture
The Aperture is the measure of light that hits the sensor. It defines how sharp or blurry the foreground and background are, based on the diameter of the Diaphragm (iris of the lens) which is controlled via f-stop. In other words, a low Aperture # lets in more light, and produces a high amount of blur. A high Aperture # lets in less light, and produces a low blur amount.
Barn Door
Barn Doors are adjustable flaps attached to light sources, typically used in photography and cinema. They help control the direction and spread of light by narrowing or widening its beam and preventing unwanted light spillage. They're particularly useful for creating specific lighting effects and controlling the focus of the illumination.
Camera Shake
The random, sporadic, yet natural way in which a camera moves while held in your hands. It is used to replicate real-world camera shake as if you yourself were carrying the camera.
Crane
Vertical movement along the z-axis. Quite literally, it is a movement that goes up and down, like how a crane camera rig would move in real life.
Depth of Field (DOF)
The point in the image where the camera lens is focusing. It is the relationship between areas of focus and blurriness around your subject. In short, it refers to how blurry or focused the area is around your subject.
Field of View (FOV)
The part of the world that is visible through the lens of your camera. Due to it being measured in radians (angular °), a higher FOV results in a larger frame, and a lower FOV results in a smaller frame.
FoV/DoF Speed
How fast you can increase or decrease your Field of View, and Depth of Field. Only relevant when changing these settings using your controller.
Focal/Focus Distance
The distance from the camera lens to the subject that is currently in focus. When DoF is present, this produces a focal “plane” that is always in focus, and always the same distance away from the camera lens. This can be used to control where the lens is focusing; foreground, midground or background.
Full-Stick
Full-Stick means pressing the stick of your gamepad fully in a specific direction.
Green Screen Distance
How far or close the Green Screen is to the camera lens. Higher numbers push the green screen further away from the camera. This distance between the screen and camera remains constant even as the camera moves through the world.
Green Screen Scale
How large the green screen is. Higher numbers increase the physical size, lower numbers decrease it.
Lens Focal Length (mm)
The real-world equivalent of FOV that is expressed how a photographer/cinematographer would be used to. The relationship between a lens’ Focal Length and in-game FOV (radian) is inversely proportional, so a high FOV and a low focal length both produce a large/wide frame, and vice versa. This is a useful tool for those with real-world experience using camera lenses.
Look Interpolation
Controls how unprocessed, or how smooth your Look (right stick) controller inputs are. A low Look Interpolation number means there is less smoothing applied to your input, which feels raw. A high Look Interpolation number means there is more smoothing applied to your input, so camera movements feel more natural and less precise.
Look Speed
The speed in which you can pan and tilt the camera. Put simply, how fast you can look around using your right thumb stick. A higher number increases your turning rate, making you turn faster.
Move Interpolation
Controls how unprocessed, or how smooth your Move (left stick) controller inputs are. A low Move Interpolation number means there is less smoothing applied to your input, which feels raw. A high Move Interpolation number means there is more smoothing applied to your input, so camera movements feel more natural and less precise.
Move Speed
The speed in which you can move the camera forwards, backwards, left and right, using your left thumb stick. A higher number increases your move rate, making you move faster.
Point Light
Acts as a light bulb, casting light in all directions from a single point in space. Point Lights are some of the most expensive lights in Unreal Engine, so use them deliberately.
Rectangle Light
Emits light from a rectangular surface (the entire face of the surface emits the light), in a particular direction. Rectangle lights when scaled up, usually produce the softest lighting and shadows compared to Point and Spot Lights.
Roll
The rotation of the camera itself around the axis of the lens. Roll can be used to produce very dramatic shots, almost as if you were flying. While stationary, Roll can be used to produce Dutch angled shots.
Spot Light
Emits light from a single point in space that emanates outward from the source in the shape of a cone.
Console Variable (CVar):
A specific function or engine-state that can be called from the command console, using text to input a string or float value to change something inside the game world. In other words, this is a way to expose certain Editor features to customize them, while inside a packaged build of a game.
Penumbra
The part of the shadow that is only partly blocked or obscured by an object. This "partly" blocked state basically gives you a fade between dark values and light values. We also call this Falloff.