German Photography & Video Vocabulary
This set covers the vocabulary you need to talk about taking and making pictures, from die Kamera and das Objektiv to newer tech like die Drohne and der Zeitraffer. One trap for English speakers: der Apparat is not "apparatus" in some fancy technical sense, it's the everyday word for a device, and der Fotoapparat literally means "photo-device," i.e. camera. Also note das Foto is neuter, not masculine as some learners guess from other European languages.
Learn these 20 words
Spaced-repetition flashcards, straight in your browser. No sign-up, no install — the same review ladder Anki uses, on the words above.
All 20 words
plural: die Selfies
selfie
Sie macht ein Selfie mit Freunden. — She takes a selfie with friends.
plural: die Apparate
apparatus; device
Ich habe einen neuen Fotoapparat. — I have a new camera.
- filmenA2
to film
Wir filmen die Hochzeit mit dem Handy. — We are filming the wedding with our phone.
take photos
hat fotografiert — Did you take photos?
plural: die Kameras
camera
Hannes hat eine neue Kamera. Er kann mit der Kamera Fotos und Filme machen. — Hannes has a new camera. He can take photos and make films with it.
plural: die Speicherkarten
memory card
Die Kamera braucht eine neue Speicherkarte. — The camera needs a new memory card.
plural: die Aufnahmen
recording, admission
Bitte seid leise! – Ich starte die Aufnahme. — Please be quiet! - I'm starting the recording.
plural: die Bilder
picture, image
Ein Bild von meinen Kindern hängt über meinem Schreibtisch. — A picture of my children hangs above my desk.
plural: die Drohnen
drone
Mit der Drohne machen wir Luftaufnahmen. — We take aerial shots with the drone.
plural: die Fotos
photograph
Können Sie dieses Foto vergrößern? — Can you enlarge this photograph?
plural: die Fotoapparate
camera
Ich möchte mir einen Fotoapparat kaufen. — I would like to buy a camera.
photography
Ich interessiere mich für Fotografie. — I am interested in photography.
plural: die Kameramänner
cameraman
Der Kameramann filmt das ganze Konzert. — The cameraman films the whole concert.
plural: die Objektive
lens
Das Objektiv ist sehr teuer. — The lens is very expensive.
plural: die Videos
video
Ich habe den Film auf Video aufgenommen. — I recorded the film on video.
plural: die Fotos
photograph
Das Foto zeigt einen schönen Sonnenuntergang. — The photograph shows a beautiful sunset.
plural: die Stative
tripod
Der Fotograf befestigte die Kamera auf dem Stativ. — The photographer attached the camera to the tripod.
plural: die Zeitraffer
a time lapse
Der Zeitraffer zeigt die Wolken in schneller Bewegung. — The time lapse shows the clouds moving quickly.
plural: die Blenden
an aperture / shutter
Der Fotograf stellte die Blende auf f/2.8 ein. — The photographer set the aperture to f/2.8.
plural: die Teleobjektive
a telephoto lens
Mit dem Teleobjektiv fotografierte er die Vögel aus der Ferne. — With the telephoto lens, he photographed the birds from a distance.
How to learn this set
Several words here are compounds built on a base noun: der Fotoapparat (Foto + Apparat), das Teleobjektiv (Tele + Objektiv), and der Kameramann (Kamera + Mann) all reuse pieces you already know, so learn the root nouns first and the compounds fall into place. Watch gender by category: camera equipment nouns split unevenly, die Kamera, die Speicherkarte, die Blende, and die Drohne are all feminine, while das Objektiv, das Stativ, and das Video are neuter, so drill those two groups separately rather than mixing them. For the verbs filmen and fotografieren, practice them with a direct object right away (ein Video filmen, ein Bild fotografieren) since that's how you'll actually use them in a sentence.
More Communication & Media word packs
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between der Apparat and der Fotoapparat?
Der Apparat just means device or apparatus, and can refer to all kinds of machines or gadgets. Der Fotoapparat is specifically a camera; in casual speech Germans often shorten it to just Apparat when the context is obvious.
Is die Kamera the same as der Fotoapparat?
Mostly yes, but Fotoapparat leans toward a still camera you hold and shoot photos with, while Kamera is the broader term that also covers video cameras, security cameras, and phone cameras. When in doubt, Kamera is the safer default word.
Why is die Aufnahme translated as both recording and admission?
Die Aufnahme comes from the verb aufnehmen, to take up or take in, so it covers recording a video or photo as well as being admitted to a school or hospital. The photography meaning is what you'll use most in this set, as in eine Aufnahme machen, to take a shot.
Other popular word packs
Free to start · no credit card
Words fade fast — spaced reviews make them stick.
Based on Dr. Hermann Ebbinghaus · memory science, proven since 1885