chimp

v. to take a digital photo and look at it on the camera’s screen. Subjects: English, Technology, Slang

Editorial Note: The term probably comes from scornful references to amateur photographers as “chimps,” a term which is used in other contexts to mean a fool or stupid person and here specifically means a person who does not really know how to take good photographs.

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Citations: [1999 Gene Windell Usenet: rec.photo.equipment.35mm (Apr. 15) “Re: manual or auto?”: Computerized cameras are designed to allow chimpanzees to make pictures that are in focus and adequately exposed—most of the time.…Learning photography with a computerized camera teaches you nothing except how to operate a computer—and burn up film in a chimpanzee like fashion. Just one finely crafted photograph is worth more than 1,000 chimp shots.] 2000 [Alan Marks] Usenet: rec.photo.equipment.35mm (Dec. 10) “What is “chimping”?”: I saw a reference to “chimping” in regards to [sports] photography and how a digital camera with an LCD screen can make it easier, probably for instant review. My guess is it refers to holding your camera over your head and shooting blind during those mob scene celebrations after games. Probably like how if you put enough chimps in a room with typewriters they will eventually write War and Peace, and if you do enough blind shots you’ll get one. 2000 Usenet: rec.photo.equipment.35mm (Dec. 21) “Re: What is “chimping”?”: Chimping refers to the noise that digiphotogs make when viewing images on the backof their digicameras…uuuuh uuuuh uuuh uuuh Kinda like the sound track to Planet of the Apes! 2001 Hamida Ghafour Toronto Star (Canada) (July 9) “As photography changes dimensions, digital cameras compel traditional companies to adapt to new technology in a drawn-out industry struggle” p. D01: Digital photography has spread so quickly among photo journalists that the term “chimping” was coined. It’s when a photographer examines the images on his camera’s screen using his thumbs to manipulate controls the way a chimpanzee would peer at something in his hand. 2004 [GT40] Usenet: rec.photo.digital (Oct. 19) “Re: wedding photography, random shots?”: No wedding photographer I know uses histograms or “chimps.” They all use an incident light meter and shoot in RAW mode for later post processing. The also shoot in manual exposure based on the incident light meter. 2005 Usenet: rec.photo.digital (May 30) “Re: Should I erase my memory card after every download?”: “What’s the ‘chimp’ factor?” “Haven’t you ever taken pictures of kids and had them immediately run to the camera to see what the picture looked like? Substitute a bunch of curious chimps for the kids. But it’s also used by photographers to refer to themselves (‘I ‘chimped’ the pictures to see if I had to retake some of the shots.’) With film there’s no comparable chimp factor unless you’re taking pictures with something like a Polaroid camera.” 2006 Natasha Lomas Silicon.com (Nov. 24) “Word up! Explore the lexicon of tech”: Chimping—The act of taking a photograph on a digital camera and then immediately checking out the result.

Posted 29 Nov 06 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

I first heard “chimp” as a verb to describe the fingering action one uses whe operating cellphones and other like gadgets more than five years ago.

by gerry merchant 06 Dec 06, 0209 GMT