belichteter

Belichteter is a German adjective and past participle derived from the verb belichten, meaning to expose to light or to irradiate. In photography, film, and radiography, belichteter describes something that has undergone exposure. The word declines like other adjectives: der belichtete Film, die belichtete Platte, die belichteten Filme.

The related noun is Belichtung, meaning exposure, and related adjectives include überbelichtet (overexposed) and unterbelichtet (underexposed). In everyday usage, belichteter can describe both photographic materials and objects that have been illuminated or irradiated.

In photography and film, a belichteter Film or plate contains an image produced by light during the exposure step, before it is developed or processed. After exposure, the film or plate is typically developed to render the latent image visible. In radiography, the term is used for X-ray films or detectors that have been exposed to X-rays, enabling the subsequent creation of an image.

Usage notes: belichteter is commonly used in technical or descriptive contexts related to imaging and exposure. The concept is central to understanding image quality, as under- or overexposure affects detail and tonality. In modern digital photography, the explicit term belichteter is less frequent; the concept is conveyed through discussions of exposure and tonal range.

See also: Belichtung, Unterbelichtung, Überbelichtung, Entwicklung, Röntgenfilm.