| Multi Segment | Metering system that evaluates the importance on multiple portions of the frame. The software in the camera then determines which portion to base exposure calculation on. |
| MS | (medium shot) The MS is used to identify and explore characters, to transition to much closer shots, and emphasize a point |
| Movie Clips | Some digital cameras allow you to record movie clips either with or without audio. |
| Motherboard | An electronic board containing the main functional elements of a computer upon which other components can be connected |
| Mosaic | Creates a mosaic of the current loaded image. Mosaic gives the image a pixilated look. |
| Monochrome | Black and white images |
| Monitor | A television that has inputs and outputs to allow playback direct from a camcorder or VHS |
| Moire | Moiré is the unwanted addition of patterns on a print or scan. These patterns are usually caused when two similar repetitive grids are placed on top of one another |
| model release | a document allowing reproduction rights |
| MnLi | Magnesium lithium. Rechargeable battery type |
| MM2 | Abbreviation for Motormarine Mk II (An old Sea & Sea underwater camera). |
| Mixer | Combining several audio or video inputs into one |
| Meniscus Lens | A lens that is concave on one side and convex on the other |
| Memory Stick | Sony's proprietary storage media. Available in capacities up to 256 MB. It is extremely compact and only four grams in weight, a Sony Memory Stick (MS) offers outstanding data storage. |
| Memory Effect | Ni-Cd (NickelCadmium) cells had a reputation for losing capacity if they were not discharged fully during each cycle of use. This was dubbed 'the memory effect', i.e. the cell remembered that you didn't use it to the full and changed accordingly. |
| Megapixel | Digital cameras are rated by how many million pixels they record. The more the better! |
| Media | Storage medium for holding image files. There are several competing (and incompatible) types of digital film. |
| MB | MegaByte - 1024 KiloBytes or roughly 1 million Bytes |
| Matrix Metering | Nikon system of multisegmented metering |
| mask | masks can be attached to layers to protect areas from editing changes. Masks can be saved as alpha channels. |
| Marquee tool | There are four Marquee tools—rectangular, elliptical, single row, and single column. |
| marching ants | the animated effect of a moving dashed line used to denote the edge of a selection |
| Map Shot | A downward wide angle view |
| Manual White Balance | A digital camera (and camcorder) feature that allows the photographer to decide optimum white balance |
| Manual Focus | Manual focus is a focus mode that allows the photographer to decide optimum focus distance. |
| Manual Exposure | (M) Exposure mode where the photographer manually sets the aperture and shutter speed |
| Magnetic Pen tool | A variation of the Freeform Pen, this Pen tool snaps to the edges of an image, making tracing around an image easy. |
| Magic Wand tool | Allows you to make a selection automatically, based on a color, without having to physically trace the outline by clicking in a specific area with the mouse. Options for the Magic Wand are set in the options bar. |
| Macro Port | A flat port for macro photography underwater i.e. a plane glass or plastic optical window on an underwater camera. |
| Macro Mode | A setting on the camcorder that allows standard lenses to focus from less than and inch to approximately 1.2 metres. |
| Macro Lens | An extreme closeup lens. |
| Macro | Photography of smaller subjects shot (between 1:1 and 1:3) on macro settings or with macro equipment |
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