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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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Supply Words
ENGLISH
ROMANIZATION
JAPANESE
REMARKS
A4 size See Paper sizes.
APS film <- APSフィルム
archival storage eikyū hozon 永久保存
Battery types
a. Size AA
b. Size AAA
c. Size C
d. Size D
e. Alkaline battery
f. Rechargeable battery
g. NiCd/Nicad battery
h. Lithium battery
i. Ni-MH battery
j. High-voltage battery pack
k. Dry battery
Denchi no shurui
a. Tansan-gata denchi
b. Tanyon-gata denchi
c. Tan-ni-gata denchi
d. Tan-ichi-gata denchi
e. Arukari kandenchi
f. Jūden-shiki denchi
g. Nikkado/Nikado denchi
h. Richiumu denchi
i. Nickel suisō denchi
j. Sekisō kandenchi
k. Kan denchi
電池の種類
a. 単3形電池
b. 単4形電池
c. 単2形電池
d. 単1形電池
e. アルカリ乾電池
f. 充電式電池
g. ニッカド/ニカド電池
h. リチウム電池
i. ニッケル水素電池
j. 積層乾電池
k. 乾電池
The "size A to D" designations are American English. It might be different in Europe and other countries.
battery(ies) denchi 電池
black-and-white film shiro-kuro film, monokuro film 黒白フィルム、モノクロ フィルム
bulk film nagamaki, bulk film, bulk roll, chōjaku film, kanzume film 長巻、バルクフィルム、バルクロール、長尺フィルム、缶詰フィルム Kanzume film literally means "canned film" (like tuna).
bulk film loader bulk loader バルクローダー
business card size meishi size 名刺サイズ See also Paper sizes.
color film <- カラーフィルム
color negative film color nega film カラーネガフィルム
color slide film color reversal film, slide film, posi カラー・リバーサル・フィルム、スライドフィルム、ポジ
consumables (ink, paper, etc.) shōmō-hin 消耗品
credit card size card size カードサイズ See also Paper sizes.
developer (chemical) genzō-eki 現像液
dye-based ink senryō ink 染料インク
emulsion nyūzai 乳剤
expiration date (of film, food, etc.) yūkō kigen 有効期限
expired film kigen-kire no film 期限切れのフィルム
exposed film satsuei-sumi no film 撮影済みのフィルム
exposure latitude rokō kyoyō han-i, latitude 露光許容範囲、ラチチュード
fiber-based paper baraita-shi バライタ印画紙 Comes from the word "baryta."
film <- フィルム
film cartridge patorone パトローネ Comes from the German word "patrone."
film cleaner <- フィルムクリーナー 
film development film genzō フィルム現像
film development only (no prints) genzō-nomi 現像のみ
film development price genzō-ryō 現像料
film development with prints dōji print 同時プリント
Film formats
a. 35mm (135)
b. Medium-format film (120/220 film)
c. 6 x 4.5 cm
d. 6x6 cm, 2 1/4 in.
e. 6x7 cm
f. 6x9 cm
g. 4x5 in.
h. 8x10 in.
 
a. sanjūgo miri film
b. burōni film
c. roku-yon-go, semi-ban
d. roku-roku
e. roku-nana
f. roku-kyu
g. shi-no-go
h. baiten
フィルムサイズ
a. 35mmフィルム、135フィルム
b. ブローニーフィルム(120/220)
c. ロクヨンゴ、セミ判
d. ロクロク
e. ロクナナ
f. ロクキュウ
g. シノゴ
h. バイテン
See also Film types.
film grain ryūshi 粒子
film processing film genzō, DPE フィルム現像、DPE DPE is the Japanese abbreviation for development, printing, and enlargement. It refers to a photofinisher.
film speed See ISO film speed.
Film types
a. 35mm film
b. 120 film
c. APS film
d. Black-and-white film
e. Color film
f. Color negative film
g. Professional film
h. Slide film
i. Sheet film
Film no shurui
a. sanjū-go miri film
b. burōni film
c. <-
d. shiro-kuro film
e. <-
f. Color nega film
g. Pro-yō film
h. Reversal film, poji film
i. <-
フィルムの種類
a. 35mmフィルム、135フィルム
b. ブローニーフィルム
c. APSフィルム
d. 黒白フィルム、モノクロ フィルム
e. カラーフィルム
f. カラーネガフィルム
g. プロ用フィルム
h. リバーサルフィルム、ポジフィルム
i. シートフィルム
See also Film formats.
fine grain bi-ryūshi 微粒子
fixer (darkroom chemical) teichaku-eki 定着液
frame (on a strip of film) koma コマ
gelatin developing out paper zerachin genzō-shi ゼラチン現像紙 Vintage photos.
glossy paper kōtaku-shi 光沢紙
high-speed film (ISO 400 and higher) kōkando film 高感度フィルム ISO 1000 and higher film is called chōkando film. 超高感度フィルム
high-voltage battery pack sekisō kandenchi 積層乾電池 Used with handle-mount flash.
hypo clearing agent suisen sokushinzai 水洗促進剤
infrared film sekigaisen film 赤外線フィルム
ink cartridge <- インクカートリッジ
inkjet printing paper inkjet yōshi インクジェット用紙
ISO 400 film iso kando yon-hyaku film ISO感度400フィルム
ISO film speed iso kando, film kando イソ感度、フィルム感度
latent image senzō 潜像
lith film <- リスフィルム
lithium battery See battery types.
low-speed film (ISO 50 and lower) tei-kando film 低感度フィルム
matte paper kinume-chō 絹目調
microfilm <- マイクロフィルム
minilab <- ミニラボ Noritsu is Japan's largest minilab maker.
negative (film) nega ネガ "Nagative" is always abbreviated as "nega."
nickel metal-hydride NiMH ニッケル水素電池 See also Battery types.
no film Film ga nakunari mashita フィルムが無くなりました
paper yōshi 用紙
Paper sizes - 1
(1 inch = 25.4 mm)
List of the most common small- and medium-size photo paper sizes in Japan and the US.
a. photo stickers
b. credit card size
c. wallet size
d. business card size (55x91 mm)
e. 3.5 x 5 in. (89x127 mm)
f. postcard size (100x148 mm)
g. 4 x 6 in. (102x152 mm)
h. 120x165 mm
i. 127x178mm
j. 5x7 in. (130x180mm)
k. A5 (148x210 mm, 5.83x8.27 in.)
l. 8x10 in. (203x254 mm)
m. 8x12 in. (203x305mm)
n. A4 (210x297 mm, 8.27x11.69 in.)
o. US Letter (8.5x11 in., 215.9x279.4 mm)
(-- Not used in Japan.)
a. shashin seal (Purikura or Print Club)
b. card size
c. card size
d. meishi size
e. L-ban (Regular print size)
f. hagaki size
g. --
h. cabinet-ban
i. 2L-ban
j. dai-Cabinet-ban
k. A5 (A-go)
l. mutsugiri
m. mutsugiri wide
n. A4
o. Letter
印画紙サイズ(国内と米国)
a. 写真シール、シールプリント、プリクラ
b. カードサイズ
c. カードサイズ
d. 名刺サイズ
e. L判
f. はがきサイズ
g. --
h. キャビネ判
i. 2L判
j. 大キャビネ判
k. A5
l.六ッ切
m. 六ッ切ワイド
n. A4
o. レター
Paper sizes in Japan include a mix of international, American, and Japan-only sizes. A few American paper sizes (like 4x6 in. and Letter) are not commonly used in Japan. When you develop a roll of film, the standard-size print is L-ban (3.5 x 5 in.) unlike 4x6 in. in the US.

Also note that photo papers in Japan are usually referred to by name (L, Mutsugiri, A4, Hansetsu, etc.) instead of the dimensions.
For inkjet printing papers, L, 2L, postcard (hagaki), and A4 are the most popular sizes. A3 Nobi paper is also available for large-format inkjet printers.
Paper sizes - 2 (Large sizes)
a. 10x12 in. (254x305 mm)
b. 10x14.5 in. (254x368mm)
c. 11x14 in. (279x356 mm)
d. A3 ( 297x420 mm, 11.69x16.54 in.)
e. 12x18 in.
f. 14x17 in. (356x432 mm)
g. A3 Nobi (329x483 mm, 13x19 in.)
h. 16x20 in.
i. 16x24 in.
j. A2 ( 420x594 mm, 16.5 x 23.4 in.)
k. 18x22 in. (457x560 mm)
l. 20x24 in. (508x610 mm)
m. 20x30 in.
(-- Not used in Japan.)
a. yotsugiri
b. yotsugiri wide
c. dai-yotsugiri
d. A3
e. --
f. hansetsu
g. A3 nobi
h. --
i. --
j. A2
k. zenshi
l. dai-zenshi
m. poster size
印画紙サイズ
a.四Compiled by Philbert Ono at photojpn.orgヨンッ切
b. 四ッ切ワイド
c. 大Compiled by Philbert Ono at photojpn.orgダイ四ッ切
d. A3
e. --
f. 半切
g. A3ノビ
h. --
i. --
j. A2
k. 全紙
l. 大Compiled by Philbert Ono at photojpn.orgダイ全紙
m. ポスターサイズ
There are also other common paper sizes such as B5 and other B-series papers. Although B is common for book and magazine sizes, they are not used for photo and inkjet printing.
perforated film yūkō film 有孔フィルム パーフォレーション is also used in Japanese.
photo paper (for inkjet) shashin yōshi 写真用紙
photocopying paper copy-yōshi コピー用紙
photographic paper inga-shi 印画紙
photo-sensitive materials shashin kankō zairyō 写真感光材料
pigment ink ganryō ink 顔料インク
plain paper futsū-shi  普通紙
plain salted paper See salted paper. Vintage photos.
print/negative film See Film types.
printer ink(s) <- プリンターインク
printing out paper yakidashi ingashi 焼き出し印画紙 Vintage photos.
professional film See Film types.
RC (resin-coated) paper <- RCペーパー、RC印画紙
recharge time (battery) jūden jikan 充電時間
recycled paper saisei-shi 再生紙
replace (battery, etc.) kōkan suru 交換する
resin-coated paper See RC paper.
roll film <- ロールフィルム
roll of film film ippon フィルム1本 Hon/bon/pon is the counter for rolls of film.
roll paper roll-shi ロール紙 Inkjet printer.
semi-glossy paper han-kōtaku-shi 半光沢紙
sheet film <- シートフィルム
silica gel kansō-zai 乾燥剤 
silver-halide (film, etc.) gin-en 銀塩
size-AA batteries See Battery types.
slide film See Film types.
stop bath teishi-eki 停止液
tracing paper tore-pe トレペ 
tungsten film <- タングステンフィルム
unprocessed film mi-genzō no film 未現像のフィルム
X-ray fogging (of film) X-senn kaburi X線カブリ

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  J-E List | Signs | General | Camera | Lens | Accessory | Digital | Supplies

  PhotoWords  Web 

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Copyright © 2004-2005 Philbert Ono. All rights reserved.
Transmitting from Tokyo, Japan.