Film Camera or Digital Camera - Celebrate the Difference

Are you picturing yourself with a new film camera or digital camera?

It's almost certain that photography is in your life one way or another. If you are like most people, you want to preserve your memories of family occasions, special events, precious moments and even the humdrum days of our lives. When it comes time to choose a new camera, we're faced with an incredible array of choices - each with a special pro or con.

Film cameras are the traditional approach, and always a good choice. However, the digital cameras available today are worth considering for their special features and flexibility.

In terms of how they work, a film camera and a digital camera are hugely different. When you push the shutter button on a film camera, the light passes through the lens where it burns an image onto a film. With a digital camera, the light reaches through the lens in much the same way, but once inside the camera, it records the light as computer data, also known as binary data. Then, the same as a computer, it stores this binary data in memory and ultimately on a media card.

While some of us find these differences fascinating, others show no interest in the cameras' inner working and merely want to know what these differences mean in terms of picture taking ability. In other words, they want to know what they can do with a digital camera that they can't do with a film camera, and vice versa.

A digital camera's versatility is something to consider. In addition to taking still images, many digital cameras can also capture video clips and audio files. Most film cameras do not do this. Additionally, a typical film camera is a specialized equipment item. A digital camera, on the other hand, is likely to be bundled with a cellular phone, smart phone or MP3 player. When you buy a digital camera, you may well be acquiring several technological devices in one - a compact item that fits easily n the palm of your hand.

When it comes to printing, digital cameras and film cameras require a much different approach. Film photographers may develop films in their own darkroom, or may take them to a printing service for developing. People using a digital camera have the option of uploading their electronic pictures to a computer where they can be printed, or of sending them directly to a printer for printing. They might also opt to upload the pictures to an online printing service, or take them to a service to be printed.

Regardless of whether you are using a film camera or a digital camera, you can choose between doing your own printing or developing or taking your pictures to a service where others will do the printing for you.

The third thing to consider is that digital cameras make it easy for you to correct and edit photos in your computer, using digital photo editing software. Since they are electronic data, you can upload them directly from your camera to the computer. If you are using a film camera, you can still edit the pictures in the computer, but you have the added step of scanning each one into your computer, or of having a photo printing service do this for you.

Your choice between a film camera and a digital camera represents an individual preference. The brave new world of digital cameras has much to attract the technology buff, but traditionalists will doubtless prefer the excellent film cameras. Both types are here to stay.

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By June Campbell

The Inside Picture Of A Digital Camera

Electronics greatest technological breakthrough in this modern age is the digitization of analog signals. Digital information, which is represented by 1s and 0s, is formed upon successful conversion of analog information, which is represented by a fluctuating wave. This conversion of analog to digital has made the world of science and technology make great advances into the field of computers, Internet, satellites, and space research.

On the consumer domain, the benefits of this technological breakthrough can be witnessed in consumer electronic products like TVs, computers, cameras, camcorders, CDs, DVDs, etc. Digitization gave rise to microchips, which could be programmed to perform any task. With the utilization of the microchip, the digital camera was born.

In a digital camera, the lens focuses the image, the shutter allows the entry of light reflecting from that image into the camera, for a fraction of a second, and the aperture determines the quantity of light allowed inside the camera. When the light enters the camera, it does not fall on a photographic film as it does in a conventional camera, rather it falls on an image sensor.

The image sensor is an electronic device, a semiconductor, made up of photosites that measures the light intensity. The photosite can only measure the intensity of light and cannot recognize any color. To overcome this, each photosite is covered with a color filter of red, or a green, or a blue color according to a pattern known as the Bayer pattern. Since the human eye is twice sensitive to the green color, the number of photosites having green color is twice the number of photosites having red or blue color. Millions of photosites are covered by this Bayer pattern. Each color occupies a single photosite, which is known as a pixel.

The more the number of pixels, the greater is the amount of detail that can be captured. The detail of the image is called as resolution, which is determined by the quality of the lens and the number of pixels in the image sensor. High-end digital cameras have about 12 million pixels, whereas professional digital cameras have about 20 million pixels.

The information of the pixels is recorded as electrical analog signals, is amplified, and then is fed into a converter, which converts the amplified analog signals into digital binary numbers, with respect to the color information of each pixel. These digital binary numbers are then fed into a computer chip residing inside the camera. The computer chip analyzes the digital binary numbers that have been made as per the color of individual pixels. This information is known as RAW data. For analysis, the computer chip subjects this RAW data using a technique known as demosaicing.

In this technique (demosaicing), the pixel color is determined as per the color of the neighboring pixels. For example, if a red color pixel is surrounded by blue and green pixels, then that red color pixel is treated as white color, since the color white is a combination of the colors, red, blue, and green. After demosaicing is complete, the image is further subjected to the photographer`s settings of the camera, like adjustments made for brightness, color saturation, contrast, etc.

High-end digital cameras usually do not do anything more to the image thus produced. However, professional digital cameras have a sharpening algorithm, which heighten the sharpness and clarity of the demosaiced and settings adjusted image. Professional digital cameras also have the option of saving the image in its RAW data before any demosaicing or adjustments are made by the computer chip. This is to give control to the professional photographers to make changes to the RAW data as per their own choices.

The image can be saved in an uncompressed format like TIFF or a compressed format like JPEG. Uncompressed formats preserve greater information; thus, the detail of the photograph is much more than a compressed format, where detail is less, as lesser information is stored. Hence, compressed formats are also known as lossy formats, since details are lost. An uncompressed format increases the file size, whereas a compressed format reduces the file size. Depending upon the need, the image can be saved either in an uncompressed or a compressed image format, as bits and bytes in a memory card. The stored image can be viewed on the digital camera`s display screen as a digital photo.

This digital photo can then be transferred from the digital camera to the computer`s hard disk via the serial port or USB port or FireWire port or Bluetooth wireless using Wi-Fi connectivity. RAW data and uncompressed data like TIFF take a longer time to transfer than compressed data like JPEG or GIF.

Once the data has been transferred to the computer`s hard disk, any photo editing software can manipulate and adjust it, as per the individual tastes and requirements of the photographer. The digital photo can then be printed on photographic paper, specially coated paper, or any other paper via a color inkjet or laser printer. Utilizing a plotter, it can be printed in larger sizes, in any other medium like canvas, acrylic, vinyl, etc. The digital photo can be saved on a hard disk, pen drive or a CD, for archival purposes.

With passing time, more and more features are being introduced in a digital camera. Nowadays, audio-video recording is also fused with the still image capturing capability of the digital camera, making them small camcorders (camera + recorders).

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This article can also be accessed in Portuguese language from the News Article section of page http://www.polomercantil.com.br/camera-digital.php

Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for http://www.polomercantil.com.br

By Roberto Sedycias

A Brief History of Digital Camera

The history of the digital camera is quite interesting and it goes back quite a while. In fact, NASA used analog signals for a while and began changing them over to digital signals sometime during the 1960s. During this time computer use was also increasing significantly and technology for computers increased as well. The government was using digital technology at this time as well in the way of spy satellites. Soon, the private sector jumped in and helped take digital technology a long way. In the mid '70s things started changing significantly and the road to digital cameras was paved. A machine vision camera as well as an industrial camera were introduced during this time frame as well with semi digital capacity but not exactly as we know it today. Nevertheless, digital cameras were well on their way to becoming famous.

Kodak played a big role in developing cameras and equipment that utilized digital quality or formatting in some way or another but it was not until 1991 that Kodak introduced a professional digital camera system. This digital camera was focused on photojournalists and it had a 1.3 mega pixel sensor. That was big back then but as we know today even the cheap digital cameras have more than 1.3 mega pixels!

In 1994 the first home use digital cameras were developed and marketed. They worked with a serial cable directly connected to the computer. This included the Apple QuickTake 100 camera and the Kodak DC40 as well as several others that showed up between 1995 and 1996.

Kodak really started marketing the personal digital camera and teamed up with Microsoft and Kinko's to offer software as well as kiosks. Soon, the digital camera revolution had taken off and there were printers, cameras, and everything else that complemented the digital technology. As the years passed the digital technology increased and soon higher pixels were being offered, cameras were more affordable, and everyone was buying their very own.

Today digital cameras are super popular and it seems everyone has their very own. In fact, you can go buy a digital camera for a hundred dollars or a very nice one for a several hundred dollars. If you don't have a lot of money then you can even buy one used for as little as $30 or $40!

By Caitlina Fuller

7 Easy Tips for Taking Great Photos with your Digital Camera

If you think that all you need to do is just push the shutter button on your digital camera and great pictures magically appear; or the more features and options available in the digital camera, the better the digital photos ... then prepare to be disappointed. With these thoughts, you'll get mediocre to average digital photos, and maybe once in awhile a lucky good photographic shot.

The truth is that great photos don't happen by using great cameras, it's you. You create great pictures. With a digital camera, you can make your own digital images look professional with a few basic skills and a willingness to do some digital photo retouching now and then.

Here are seven easy tips to help you take better photographs.

   1. Set Your Tones

   2. When shooting nature or wildlife photographs, try changing your white balance setting from auto to cloudy. This adjustment is like putting a mild warming filter on your digital camera. It increases the reds and yellows, resulting in richer and warmer pictures. Polarizing Filter

   3. A polarizing filter is the one filter every photographer should have for landscapes and general outdoor photography. Polarized shots reduce glare and unwanted reflections. The results are richer and more saturated colors in your photos. If your digital camera can't accommodate filters, a neat trick is to take a pair of quality sunglasses, and use them as your polarizing filter. Place the sunglasses as close to the camera lens as possible, check their position in the LCD viewfinder to make sure you don't have the rims in the shot, and get some color-rich digital images. Outdoor Portraits

   4. Set your camera settings to "flash on" mode. This lets the camera expose for the background first, then adds just enough flash to illuminate your portrait subject. The result is a professional looking picture where everything in the composition looks good without the need for digital photo retouching. Macro Mode

   5. Take better close-up and personal digital shots of the small things in your surroundings. On regular or auto digital camera settings, the minimum distance to take decent photos is about 3 feet. If you activate the close up mode on your digital camera you'll be able to get within a foot of your selected object. Begin to explore your world in finer detail, you'll be rewarded with clear images unlike anything you've ever photographed before. Horizon Line

   6. Many times it's hard to hold the digital camera level when using the LCD screen for viewing, which then results in uneven or crooked images. A great way to square up a photo is to look at nature's horizontal lines and use them as guides. Sometimes you can use the line where the sky meets the ocean, other times you can use a strip of land as your level. This is especially important when you're thinking of enlarging your digital photographs, as the bigger the digital image, the more off balance the image will appear. Digital Camera Memory Card Awareness

   7. Always make sure you set aside a budget for additional digital camera memory cards. The nice thing with digital is that you can take several digital shots of the same scene, making little adjustments with tones, polarizing filters, flash, macro mode, etc. Then delete those digital photos that aren't quite right. You'll need the memory card space to store the extra shots until you review them. If you have a 3 megapixel camera, get at least a 256 megabyte card, a 512 megabyte memory card if you own a 4 megapixel model, and 1 gigabyte for 6 megapixel models. High Resolution All the Time

      Select the highest resolution possible when taking digital photos. High resolution digital images give you more freedom to edit, crop and/or manipulate the image in any way you want without losing the quality. It's easy to reduce the size of the digital photo once you've transferred it to your computer. It's not advisable to enlarge the digital photo because you can't add the depth of pixel color back into the digitized image. Unless you're only taking photographs to e-mail to friends, you'll want to have a high resolution image to edit and print.

For any of these tips, the best advice is to practice them. You'll become familiar with the new techniques and along the way, learn more about your digital camera's capabilities and settings. Those great photographs that you'll want to share and display are just a few practice steps away.

About the Author... Laura Slade publishes the digital photo website http://www.digital-photo-tutor.com A resource center for ideas and information on digital photo sharing, digital photo printing, digital photo projects, and the basics of caring for and using your digital photo equipment.

By Laura Slade

Digital Camera - How to Choose One

More and more people today are choosing digital cameras over film cameras because of the many advantages that they offer. Some of these advantages include the ability to view your pictures right after you take them, and having the choice of whether or not you want to keep them. You can also record videos with the touch of a button with many models, and store much more photos on a memory card compare to a roll of film.

Though with newer and better features on digital cameras coming out every year, sometimes it can be confusing finding which features are most important to you, and which features you might not even use.

Below you will find a few things that our product specialists recommend our customers to look for before buying a digital camera.

Megapixels (MP): Generally the higher the megapixel count is the higher the picture quality will be. Keep in mind that the difference in picture quality isn't noticeable on a normal sized 4x6 print. You will usually only be able to see the difference when a picture is blown up to a much larger size, such as a poster.

Image Stabilization (IS): If you want a digital camera that won't take blurry pictures due to shaky hands or moving objects, this is definitely a feature you should look for. Manufacturers of digital cameras with image stabilization technology will either place stabilizing hardware in the camera or will increase camera sensitivity and shutter speed (which takes the picture faster) to prevent pictures from coming out blurry due to movement.

Face Recognition: Many digital cameras are coming out with face recognition technology that finds the faces in a frame, and auto-focuses on those areas. This makes it so that the faces in your pictures come out clear and less blurred.

LCD Screen Size: If the LCD screen size is too small, it can be difficult for you to see what is in the frame while you take the picture. Also, it might make it difficult for you to review the photo after you take the picture. Because of this, make sure you are comfortable with the screen size on the camera before making your purchase.

Optical Zoom: Most digital cameras today have at least a 3x optical zoom, which is fine for your day-to-day shots. But if you plan on taking pictures of distant objects (such as a animal in a tree) you should consider a camera that features a higher optical zoom. Note the difference between optical zoom and digital zoom, as optical zoom is the amount by which the lens adjusts while digital zoom is a mere magnification of the already present image.

Portability and Comfort: It is important to make sure that the camera fits comfortably in your hand. Also, if you want a camera that you can easily take around with you so you never miss out on a great picture, you should consider the slimmer types of digital cameras so they can fit nicely into a pocket or purse.

Shooting and Scene Modes: There are many types of shooting modes on digital cameras today, with almost all of them having the automatic mode. You may want a cam that has shooting modes such as the continuous/burst mode, which will take a series of pictures as you hold down the shutter button. In addition to shooting modes, you should consider the scene modes a digital camera has. The types of scene modes available include portrait mode, landscape mode, night scene mode, etc. These scene modes will give you the best picture settings for the situation it is made for.

Battery: The type of batteries a digital camera takes can range from AA Alkaline to Li-Ion rechargeable batteries. Make sure to think about the kind of batteries a camera takes before purchasing. Some people prefer a digital camera with rechargeable battery pack, while others may prefer a camera that uses disposable batteries. The main advantage of a rechargeable battery pack is that you don't have constantly buy new batteries for your camera, you just need to recharge it every once in a while. The only disadvantage to this type of battery is that if it runs out, say during a wedding, you won't be able to easily go to a local store and buy more. Of course, there is always an option to buying more than one rechargeable battery if you want the best of both worlds.

Included Accessories: If you plan on editing the pictures you take, you will probably want a digital camera that comes with picture-editing software. Other accessories might include things such as Batteries, Battery Charger, USB Wire (to connect to a computer), Cases, Memory Cards, AV Cables, etc.

Additional Items: Most digital cameras come with a small amount of built-in memory or a low capacity memory card, so buying a memory card that has enough space for your pictures and videos is almost a necessity. Also, you might want to get a case for your new camera so that you protect it from possible damage.

Definitions:

Megapixels: A unit equal to one million pixels. The higher the resolution is the more pixels in an image, and therefore the greater the image quality.

Face Recognition: A camera with face recognition technology finds faces in a frame, then the camera adjusts the focus and the exposure on those faces giving the clearest possible portrait.

Optical Zoom: Magnifying an image with an adjustment of the lens without reducing the quality or resolution.

Digital Zoom: Magnifying the center of an image by enlarging the already present information (from the picture) resulting in a loss of resolution.

Shooting Modes/Scene Modes: Preset image settings made for certain types of conditions available on camcorders and digital cameras.

Li-Ion Battery: A high-capacity rechargeable battery used in portable electronic devices such as cell phones, notebook computers, PDAs and digital cameras.

AV Cable: Audio and Video Cable, which transfers the audio and video information from one electronic device to another.

Image Stabilization: Technology that reduces shakiness in motion pictures or blur in still pictures in Camcorders and Cameras.

USB (Universal Serial Bus): Connection port on a computer that is universally compatible with many types of electronic devices.

Built-in Memory: Memory an electronic device has within it to save certain types of data without the need of a memory card.

DirSelect.com is a retailer of electronics and related accessories. We provide low prices, fast shipping, and great customer service. Visit our store and choose from a large selection of Digital Cameras and find the camera that is right for you! To go directly to the Digital Camera category go to http://www.dirselect.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=95

By David Rahimi

Weatherproofing Your Digital Camera

The most common thing people do when it starts to rain, snow, or when the weather goes to the extremes of hot or cold, is to take their digital cameras indoors to protect them from the weather. While this kind of preservation may be necessary to safeguard an expensive piece of equipment, it will also mean missing out on a lot of great shots.

On the other hand, some people can be really careless about their digital cameras. They think nothing of leaving their valuable SLR digital cameras or compact cameras inside their car which may happen to be sweltering under a hundred degree heat wave. Cameras hate extreme heat. They cannot tolerate extreme cold either.

When people buy digital cameras, they necessarily invest a lot of money in a good product. That is why they'll need to find different ways of protecting their digital cameras to prevent them from being damaged by the weather.

One very good idea is to buy a sturdy camera bag. Camera buffs who enjoy hiking or traveling to different places risk exposing their digital cameras to the elements. A good quality camera bag can protect sensitive digital cameras from all types of weather, as well as safeguard all other camera-related equipment that go with it.

Another way to protect digital cameras is to use a UV filter or skylight filter to protect the camera's lens. In doing so, the lens is protected from the ravages of wind, rain, sunlight, and even scratches. Investing in a UV filter or skylight filter will be less expensive in the long run compared to having to constantly replace the camera's lens.

Getting caught under the rain while taking pictures can also damage digital cameras. However, taking pictures of the rain can make for very interesting, very unique kinds of images. One good idea is to enclose the camera inside a plastic bag with a hole just the right size to fit the lens through. Secure the lens to the bag using a rubber band, and viola! You get an instant rain-proofed digital camera to take pictures in the rain with.

Extreme heat can damage digital cameras beyond repair, especially if you're taking pictures outdoors. Covering your digital camera with a lightweight piece of cloth, such as a towel, can help protect it from the sun. It will be better to use a light or white-colored cloth to reflect the heat. Dark colors will only absorb heat.

On the other hand, to counter very cold weather, you will need to keep your digital camera as warm as possible. Some people shelter their cameras under their jacket, making use of their body heat to help ward off the cold. Keeping digital cameras warm in freezing weather will prevent condensation from forming.

However, if condensation does occur, the best way to save your camera will be to remove the batteries and memory cards, and keep their respective compartments wide open until they are fully dry. Taking the camera outdoors in cold weather while traces of condensation remain will cause your camera to freeze. And frozen digital cameras are no good at all.

By making use of simple weatherproofing ways to protect your digital camera from the elements, you'll be able to get years and years out of your equipment to take beautiful pictures under all sorts of weather.

By Jonathan Popoola

Which Digital Camera Should I Buy?

Which digital camera should I buy, is a pretty open ended question. It's the kind of question that begs the asking of other questions. Questions like: "How much money to you want to spend?" . . . "What do you like to take pictures of?" . . . "How much do you know about photography?" . . . "What kind of cameras have you owned before?" . . . and so on, and so on. Since obviously, I don't know your answers to any of the previous questions, I'm going to assume a few typical answers. From those assumptions, I've come up with three typical buyer persona's. Just for the fun of it, let's call those personas Britney, Paris, and Lindsay. Let's see what would be the best cameras for each of them to purchase.

Let's start with Britney. Brit doesn't have a big budget, but is looking to spend no more than $150, and takes pictures mostly of family, friends, and pets. She's never owned a digital camera before, and the whole prospect of spelunking through mountains of digital camera reviews and technical sales speak just sounds boring. She'd like to have a camera that's fairly portable, so it can slip into a pocket, purse, or backpack. Britney plans on loading the pictures up to her computer, iPod Touch, and maybe her FaceBook and MySpace accounts. Ease of use is important, as she basically just wants to be able to pull the camera out of her pants pocket and take a few pics on the spur of the moment.

What Britney is looking for, and something that a lot of younger YouTube generation types would like is termed an ultra-compact digital camera. A small low profile camera that's easy to use, and can be tucked away into any small corner of your clothes or bag. Something like a Canon PowerShot SD1000 7.1MB Digital Elph, a Canon PowerShot SD750 7.1MB Digital Elph, or a Sony Cybershot DSCW55 7.2MP Digital Camera would fit the bill here. Just enough functionality, size, and cool factor for a card carrying member of the YouTube crowd.

As we move on to Paris, we also move up the ladder in the digital camera food chain so to speak. Not only in size, buy also in functionality, image quality, and of course, the all important price tag. Paris, is not so concerned in size and portability, but more in the quality of pictures and features her camera can offer. She doesn't plan to carry her camera just anywhere she goes, but will definitely bring it out for specific occasions . Birthdays, Christmas, vacations, and other holidays are all important events in the life of Paris, as her family grows. She wants to capture those moments on film (or disk these days) and be able to look back on them for years to come. Being a busy mom, Paris doesn't have time to fiddle with f-stops,aperture settings, and white balance. She doesn't even know (or want to know), what those things are. Simplicity is still important here.

For Paris, it's time to move into a more mainstream point and shoot digital camera. These digitals, often have better lenses (sometimes with zoom), better flashes, good viewfinders, and more menu options with features like face recognition, and image stabilization. Nice digital features, that still fall under the heading of easy to use. Just point and click. Some great cameras in this category would be the Canon PowerShot A570IS 7.1MP Digital Camera, the Canon PowerShot SD850IS 8.0MP Digital Elph Camera, or even the slightly more adventurous Canon PowerShot Pro Series S5 IS 8.0MP with 12X optical image stabilized zoom. The S5 is slightly more money, but still simple to use, has lots of features, and room to grow into.

Speaking of growing into, lets take a look at our somewhat more mature Lindsay, with her matching mature taste in the realm of digital cameras. Lindsay has had her fill of the ultra simple compact point and shoots with their mediocre image quality and flaws. Her interest in photography has been peaked when viewing some of the photo's of a professional photographer friend, and would like to begin taking better pictures. She's heard of SLR cameras, and has some inclination of what they can do, but still appreciates some of the simple joy of taking pictures on the spur of the moment without a lot of fiddling. Price is not a big concern, as she's willing to spend upwards of $1000.

A great camera for someone ready to learn more about photography, but who still appreciates the graceful simplicity of the point and shoots would fall into the entry level SLR category. These cameras are kind of a comfortable easy bridge from the simple to the complex. It's also a very popular niche, as the plummeting price of digital cameras, has pushed manufacturers like Canon, Nikon, and Olympus to offer some very nice cameras at very attractive prices. A great short list to choose from here are the Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm lens, the Nikon D40x 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens, and the Olympus Evolt E510 10MP Digital SLR Camera with CCD Shift Image Stabilization and 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 and 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 Zuiko Lenses. These are all amazing cameras, and even more amazingly, they're all currently priced under $650 brand new. That's a lot of camera for anyone like Lindsay with a bit of budget, and a desire to do some serious photography work.

Well, there you have it, something for everyone. All our girls are happy. And you should be to. A camera for every taste, and room to grow. If you still can't decide which digital camera you should buy, then what the heck, take one of each. With a little careful shopping around, you should be able to buy one camera from each category for a grand total less then $1000. Then the hardest decision you'll have to make, is which one to grab on your way out the door to your next big photo adventure.

By Chris Campbell

Digital Camera Basic Information

A digital camera is an electronic gadget that can capture photographs and then store them. Instead of employing photographic films like the traditional cameras or using magnetic tapes to record images in an analog format like in video cameras, a digital camera stores photographs in an electronic way in a digital format. Nowadays we also get modern and multifunctional compact digital cameras that can record and store sound and video apart from pictures.

Digital cameras have become a rage everywhere in the world. They are amongst the top items of must-have lists of every home. Not only much more technically advanced with better features than their older versions, digital cameras are also very handy and practical. They come in a wide range and variety to suit everyone`s tastes and budget.

Apart from having a better picture quality, the most obvious advantage of digital cameras over the conventional ones is that you can click and store as many pictures as you want without worrying about wasting the film roll. After you have transferred the pictures to your computer, you can easily keep those you want, discard others, print some and may even edit the not so flattering ones. This clearly gives you a lot of options and choices as you can change the background of photograph edit brightness and contrast and make other changes according to your whims.

Digital cameras can be of various types. The first in the category is the video camera which is mainly used to record moving images. Then you have digital still camera or live preview cameras. These cameras are usually of two types, compact and bridge. Compact digital camera has small zooms and is characterized by easy focusing and easy operation. They usually have a built in flash. Bridge digital cameras have super zoom lenses and are capable of taking good images.

Then we have digital single lens reflex cameras with a mirror and reflex system, digital rangefinders which is nothing but a camera that has a rangefinder and the professional modular digital camera system that is a very professional camera with different modular parts like grips, winders etc to suit different purposes. These types of cameras are usually used for commercial purposes in studios as they are quite big and bulky.

With a wide variety of digital cameras available in the market, it is obvious to get confused as to which will be the best-buy amongst them. However you need to understand that each camera has its unique function and specialty and you need to check out each one to determine your pick. As for example, if your purchased camera is going to be a gift then you need to know which type of digital camera will be suitable for the person. For instance, teens will obviously like cameras that are funky and cool, while mums will be delighted to get cameras that will allow easy image sharing for family pictures.

Before buying a digital camera it is important that you get your basic information right so that you can get the best deal. There are lots of factors that you need to consider like the resolution of the photograph and the size of camera. Another important consideration is the Digital Camera Storage or Memory Cards. Semi-professional photographers would also like to consider having a decent Digital Camera Zoom.

Last but not the least, after you get your brand new digital camera then learn about the basics of its maintenance and operation. Get acquainted with its various features; learn how to share your images with friends and family and steps to take to troubleshoot your camera.

By Roberto Sedycias

Digital Camera Buyers Guide

Time to get started on this topic. Take a few moments to read every aspect of this paper hopefully it will be of great help.

We use cameras to take pictures of a diversity of things. These can be special events in our lives or marvellous sights that we want to see time and time again. To take these pictures we can use a diverseness of cameras. These can be of the normal cameras where you wait for the picture to develop or they can be digital cameras. To buy a good calibre digital photographic camera these days it helps to look at a digital photographic camera buyers guide.

There are many unlike types of digital photographic camera buyers guide magazines that you can buy. While they will look unlike in styles and formatting they are all configured to help you select the best digital photographic camera for you. These digital camera buyers guides should not be that expensive and sometimes you can get one for free with a picture taking magazine.

When you look at a digital camera buyers guide cover you will be able to see the versatile products that will be reviewed and if they can be of any use to you in your photographic pursuits.
You will be able to see purchasing selective information about digital cameras, compact cameras, camera printers, lenses and some of the accessories that are requisite for photography. You will also see the types of digital cameras that are presently "hot".
You can also find tips for purchasing these cameras as parts of kits in the digital photographic camera buyers guide. The table of contents of the digital camera buyers guide will show you the main articles and product features that you can expect to read about when you buy this magazine.
Sometimes you will get worthful purchasing data about the newest digital cameras and the best types of camera lens. These articles will cover in-depth the assorted features and procedure abilities of the unlike devices. You will be able to see which digital and compact cameras are well thought out to be good value for your money and what you can expect to see from these products.
With a digital camera buyers guide you will be informed about the cost of the different compact cameras, digital cameras, lenses and even the latest photographic camera printers. Also looking at the purchasing advantages and prices of these products a digital camera buyers guide will also let you know what are the high end digital cameras and what can be reasoned as bargains... to find more on this subject, please check our web site by clicking on our link below...

I hope you enjoyed reading this article and found the information useful and interesting.

Michael Malega presents several Digital Camera Buyers Guide articles for your information. You can visit Michael's web site at: Digital Camera Buyers Guide [http://www.canon-cheap-digital-cameras.com/Digital-Camera-Buyers-Guide.php]

By Michael Malega

Digital Camera - The Future Of Conventional Cameras

Basically a digital camera is a deice use to capture pictures without the use of films. Unlike the conventional camera, the digital camera does not rely on mechanical and chemical processes. It has a built in computer and records the images it captures in an electronic form. Having and operating one does not even require the use of electricity.

Since the images that a digital camera captures is in electronic form, it is a language recognized by computers. This language is called pixels, tiny colored dots represented by ones and zeros that make up the picture that you just took. Just like any conventional cameras, a digital camera is furnished with a series of lenses that focus the light and creates the image that you want to capture. The difference here is then; a conventional camera focuses its light on a film while a digital camera focuses the light into a semiconductor device that electronically records the light. Remember the built in computer, it comes in here and breaks this information to digital data resulting to all the features of the digital camera.

Another feature of the digital camera is that it has a sensor that converts light into electrical charges. A charge coupled device or CCD is an image sensor that is found in a digital camera. While other low-end digital camera use complementary metal oxide semiconductor or CMOS as an image device, it can still become better and more famous in the future but most engineers are do not believe that it can replace the CCD for higher-end digital cameras.

A collection of tiny diodes, the CCD gathers electrons when they are struck by photons or the light particles. Each diode or photosite is sensitive to light, meaning that the brighter the light, the number of the electrons gathering will be larger

The price of a digital camera nowadays have been depreciating, one of the main reasons of this is because of the introduction of CMOS image sensors, this is because CMOS sensors are less expensive and are easier to manufacture than CCD sensors. A CCD and CMOS sensor works the same way at first, by converting the light electrical charges into photosites. Simply putting it, is to think that a digital camera works in such a way as thinking that the millions of tiny solar cells, each of which forms a part of the whole image. Both CCD and CMOS do this task using different methods.

When shopping for the best digital camera, take note of these key features.

Image quality

Check the resolution of the camera. The higher the resolution, the more thou will be able to enlarge your picture without the grainy or the out-of-focus effect that we all want to avoid.

Lens

Choose a digital camera with better digital zoom. The digital zoom of the camera will enable you take the pixels from the image sensor and incorporate them to make an image.
Power. Always opt for rechargeable batteries, they can always come in handy, plus you don't waste as much money on the disposable ones.

Options

So you can brag to your friends how good a photographer or artist you are. Or choose the one that gives options that best cater to your lifestyle, so you won't ever whine how you never get the right pictures.

Memory

If you're a photo freak, be sure that you have enough memory in your camera to take all the wacky, freaky, funny and just about any photo you can. Think 512MB if you're a photo junkie and takes pictures of just about anything.

Computer Interface

Always make sure that it is compatible with your PC, laptop, palmtop or whatever your local picture printer software is, you don't want to go running around the whole state or the country looking for a computer that's compatible with your digital camera, wont you?!

Physical

If you are going to be bringing it everywhere, choose a handy and portable digital camera. This way, it won't always feel as heavy and bulky as those cameras that you see professional photographers are always dragging on their neck. Don't they ever get tired of that?!

These are just the basic things you have to look for in a digital camera when you buy one. A digital camera is so great that it is quickly replacing all conventional cameras in the market, with all its technology and portability, truly the digital camera is the future of cameras.

Amy Hughes writes for [http://www.camera-stores.net] – the online yellow pages to camera stores and photography product outlets across the United States.

By Amy Hughes

Finding A Discount Digital Camera

If you have a passion for photography but don't exactly have a lot of cash, finding a suitable camera may be hard for you. Digital cameras don't come cheap because of the numerous features involved that are lacking in the traditional manual camera. But you don't have to fret about how much you have to cash out because a discount digital camera is actually available.

A discount digital camera is a camera that is being sold for a lesser price because either it has already gone out of fashion or the manufacturer has already produced a more advanced model. Discount digital cameras come in two kinds - brand-new and used. For some, it is better to buy a specific camera several months to a year after its release because it is cheaper. Though new cameras offer a wider range of features, a discount digital camera offers close to the same features though they can be a bit out of date. You can find discount digital cameras from Discount Camera in the San Francisco Bay area.

Discount digital cameras surfaced when digital cameras broke into the single-use trade. This means that products are used only once and then returned. With a single-use camera, the amount of pictures to be taken is set on a certain limit. After using the camera, it is then sold for a lesser price. The popularity of this market eventually led to the dropping of the prices of newly released cameras. Consumers are predisposed to buy cheaper cameras due to tight budgets. Only avid photographers splurge on highly expensive cameras for better image quality.

The drop of the price point resulted in a fierce competition, which is inevitable in any consumer market. Most manufacturers today compensate through a barrage of advertisements. Features are either highlighted or omitted, depending on the target audience. So it is tasking to select the best digital camera. Even choosing a discount digital camera is difficult. What you have to remember is the reason why you are buying a camera at all. If it is just for recreational use, then you will find a lot of cameras that will suit you. They are relatively cheap compared to high-end professional digital cameras.

When choosing a discount digital camera, you have to check for cuts and scratches if it is used. You also need to measure its performance; image quality, type of battery and media, zoom performance and megapixels. Color sharpness is important in any digital camera. Your only issue with it is choosing the camera with the best image quality that is within your budget. Ensure that the batteries you need aren't expensive or if the camera needs a special type of battery to be operational. You also have to consider the memory stick or card that comes with your camera. Take into account its compatibility with your equipment. With zoom performance, you only need to check the optical zoom. Digital zoom is equally important but not as much as optical zoom. If your camera has a high optical zoom, this prevents your image from getting broken into minute pixels when you enlarge it. The degree of megapixels assures you of the quality of the image.

To find a discount digital camera, you only have to scope out your local area. By being resourceful, you just need a little cash to support a lifetime hobby.

Get your listings of discount digital camera [http://digitalcameratechnology.info/the-latest-digital-cameras] at www.DigitalCameraTechnology.Info [http://digitalcameratechnology.info]

By Matt Peters

Capturing Special Moments With A Digital Camera

There are millions of people around the world who share a keen interest in photography. The charm of capturing a moment in a camera is truly amazing. Probably, this is one of the strongest reasons why a growing number of people are joining the cult of professional photographic pursuit. Traditionally, taking photographs, film processing and developing them in the dark room was a painfully long process. But as digital technology evolved, it enabled camera manufacturing companies to come up with high-end digital cameras.

Digital cameras are an ideal gadget for taking pictures without having to worry about running out of snaps of roll which is the case with the traditional film cameras. This apart, there is no need of having to wait till the entire roll of film gets used just to find the blown-up pictures in the dark room. Digital cameras allow you to take any number of photographs and see each one of them right after you take them. Also you can connect your camera to the USB port of you Personal Computer and store your snaps there in a folder. What is more is that you can customize each photograph, thru software, just the way like it. In case, you want to take a hard-copy of the pictures, you can always use the printer to get your favorite photograph printed out.

Buying a digital camera is a matter of serious deliberation. Since different brands of companies are offering cameras with special features, you have be aware of the standard features of the digital cameras in order to be able to make the right purchase. The following are some of the must-know tips that you should be familiar with before you swipe you credit card in a digital camera kiosk of a shopping mall or punch in the CVV number in the box while shopping online for a captivating camera.

Price Range:

The price of digital photographic cameras can usually range anything from US$100 to $1000. If you are buying a digital compact camera for the first time, then don`t go for an expensive one. It is quite easy to get tempted into spending a lot of money to buy a digital SLR camera offering features that are just of no use to you. Get to know your needs and settle for a prudent purchase. Ensure that the digital camera you pick should be light-weighted and easy-to-use. Later on, after you learn the basics of digital camera photograph, you may opt for an high-end edition.

Features:

The standard features of digital cameras of all make are almost similar except for some special features introduced by some renowned brands in the market. Features such as zoom, automatic functions, special effects, black & white images and video recording facilities are usually offered by most brands. However, as a prudent buyer you have be careful of the claims some manufactures might be making. For instance, the feature of digital zoom magnifications may not actually live up to your expectation level if you are hoping to get the optimal clarity especially if you are aiming at say 8x10 or larger size photos. Do not be tempted by the flashy promotional gimmickry of the brands. Consider the features keeping your pre-established price range in mind.

Lens:

All digital cameras provide two types of zoom features: optical and digital. While the optical zoom feature is based on the lens magnification and gives you images with a sharp and crystal-clear clarity, digital zoom relies on the magnification of the digital image which results in less sharp and fuzzy images. Make sure that the digital camera you buy should at least have the optical zoom features. However, as mentioned earlier, you have to be careful of the digital zoom magnification claim. You can look for digital cameras having lens auto focus and image stabilization features.

Image Resolution:

Image Resolution or Pixel Resolution is one of the most striking features of digital cameras. For personal and email purpose digital cameras having 2.0 mega pixels will deliver clear photos. However, many manufactures are now offering digital cameras with 8.0 and above mega pixels. You get better and clearer images with higher mega pixels. High mega pixel resolution plays a key role in image enlargement. So if size matters to you, consider this aspect seriously.

Battery Type and Longevity:

If you are likely to use the digital camera for outdoor activities, it is important to consider how long the built-in batteries will last. Even if you think of using some extra rechargeable batteries, just make sure whether the digital camera you are buying support the same batteries.

LCD Screen:

Every digital camera has the LCD Screen feature. Just make sure that the screen size should be at least 2 inches or above. It will give you better and clear images.

This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author's name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.

This article can also be accessed in portuguese language from the Article section of page www.polomercantil.com.br/camera-digital.php
Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for www.PoloMercantil.com.br

By Roberto Sedycias

Digital Camera Basics-Images

In the past twenty years, most of the major technological breakthroughs in consumer electronics have been built around the same basic process: converting conventional analog information (represented by a fluctuating wave) into digital information (binary information represented by ones and zeros, or bits). This fundamental shift in technology has changed how we handle visual and audio information -- it completely redefined what is possible.

The digital camera is one of the most notable examples of this shift because it is so truly different from its predecessor. Conventional film cameras depend entirely on chemical and mechanical processes -- you don't need any electricity whatsoever to operate them, other than for a flash. On the other hand, all digital cameras have a built-in computer, and all of them record images electronically.

The new approach has been enormously successful. Since film usually provides better picture quality, digital cameras have not completely replaced conventional cameras. But, as digital imaging technology has improved, and prices dramatically decreased, digital cameras have rapidly become more popular.

In this article, we'll find out exactly what's going on inside these amazing digital-age devices.

Understanding the Basics
Let's say you want to take a picture and e-mail it to a friend. To do this, you need the image to be represented in the language that computers recognize -- bits and bytes, or binary information. Essentially, a digital image is just a long string of 1s and 0s that represent all the tiny colored dots -- or pixels -- that collectively make up the image. If you want to get a picture into this form, you have two options:

1) You can take a photograph using a conventional film camera, take the film to a developing lab that processes the film chemically, prints it onto photographic paper, and then place the picture on a digital scanner to sample the print (record the pattern of light as a series of pixel values).

2) You can directly sample the original light that bounces off your subject, immediately breaking that light pattern down into a series of pixel values -- in other words, you can use a digital camera.

At its most basic level, this is all there is to a digital camera. Just like a conventional film camera, it has a series of lenses that focus light to create an image of a scene. But instead of focusing this light onto a piece of film, it focuses it onto a semiconductor device that records light electronically. A computer then breaks this electronic information down into digital data. All the fun and interesting features of digital cameras come as a direct result of this process.

Instead of film, a digital camera has a sensor that converts light into electrical charges.

The image sensor employed by most digital cameras is a charge coupled device (CCD). Some cameras use complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology instead. Both CCD and CMOS image sensors convert light into electrons. Without getting too technical, a simplified way to think about these sensors is to think of a 2-dimentional array of thousands or millions of tiny solar cells.

Once the sensor converts the light into electrons, it reads the value (accumulated charge) of each cell in the image. This is where the differences between the two main sensor types become a factor:

A CCD transports the charge across the chip and reads it at one corner of the array. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) then turns each pixel's value into a digital value by measuring the amount of charge at each photosite and converting that measurement to binary form. CCD sensors create high-quality, low-noise images. CCD sensors have been mass produced for a longer period of time, so they are more mature. They tend to have higher quality pixels, and more of them.

CMOS devices use several transistors at each pixel to amplify and move the charge using ordinary wires. The CMOS signal is digital, so it needs no ADC. Because each pixel on a CMOS sensor has several transistors located next to it, the light sensitivity of a CMOS chip is lower (many of the photons hit the transistors instead of the photodiode.) CMOS sensors traditionally consume little power. CCDs, on the other hand, use a process that consumes lots of power.

Resolution
The amount of detail that the camera can capture is called the resolution, and it is measured in pixels. The more pixels a camera has, the more detail it can capture and the larger pictures can be without becoming blurry or "grainy." High-end consumer cameras can capture over 12 million pixels. Some professional cameras support over 16 million pixels, or 20 million pixels for large-format cameras. For comparison, Hewlett Packard estimates that the quality of 35mm film is about 20 million pixels.

Exposure and Focus
Just as with film, a digital camera has to control the amount of light that reaches the sensor. The two components it uses to do this, the aperture and shutter speed, are also present on conventional cameras.

Aperture: The size of the opening in the camera. The aperture is automatic in most digital cameras, but some allow manual adjustment to give professionals and hobbyists more control over the final image.

Shutter speed: The amount of time that light can pass through the aperture. Unlike film, the light sensor in a digital camera can be reset electronically, so digital cameras have a digital shutter rather than a mechanical shutter.
These two aspects work together to capture the amount of light needed to make a good image. In photographic terms, they set the exposure of the sensor.

Brian Lee is co-owner of http://www.WorldCameraVideo.com, offering a large selection of digital cameras, camcorders, webcams, security cameras, and more.

By B Lee

What to Look for When Shopping for a Digital Camera

Shopping for digital camera for the first time can be a confusing and daunting experience. With so many models and features from which to select, first-time purchasers often rely upon the advice of a sales person as to which is the best digital camera. Someone who may not be all that knowledgeable about available products and features, or does not know what the main function of the camera will be. All of which are very important.

First-time purchasers also often make the mistake of purchasing a digital camera solely because of its appearance, brand name, or price; without knowing a thing about digital camera photo quality or camera memory.

There is a wiser method of determining which camera to buy. First and foremost, determine the purpose for the camera. Will it be for semi-regular personal use, to take photographs as a hobby, or for professional purposes? Only after determining primary camera use is it time to move on to what specific features are most desirable in a camera.

Digital Camera Resolution

Digital camera resolution is very important. The resolution determines how many pixels make up a photo. The term 'Pixel' is short for 'picture element.' Each pixel refers to a single point in an image.

Pixels are usually measured in horizontal x vertical resolution. High picture resolution results in a shaper picture. For the most part, higher-end cameras are capable of a higher picture resolution; lower priced cameras usually have a lower resolution capacity.

Because a high resolution camera takes up more camera memory, most cameras allow you to change picture resolution. If you want to e-mail photos to friends, a low resolution such as 640 x 480 work's fine. If you want to print photos, a high picture resolution is necessary for a clear picture that is not grainy.

Digital camera compression is another important aspect. It is the process that shrinks a photo's file size. Pictures saved as JPEG files take up less memory space. Compression also makes it faster to save and download photos; it makes it easier to send and download e-mail pictures. However, compression affects image quality.

Because compression causes a small amount of data loss, if you want to take pictures for professional purposes you will want a camera that can take uncompressed photos.

Digital Camera Memory

Digital camera memory equals film to a conventional camera. It is storage space for pictures. If you plan to download pictures from your digital camera directly to a computer or other source, a high camera memory capacity might not be important. However, if you take many pictures at one time without downloading, you will want a camera that has a lot of internal memory, or one with expandable memory so that you can purchase a large-capacity digital camera memory chip or memory card.

These important aspects, along with required power source and connection functions, and consideration of extra features such as an LCD viewfinder, self-timer, built-in flash, and capacity for audio recording - and the price - should all enter into the decision making process when it comes to purchasing the best digital camera for your purposes.

You only other consideration is buying the best quality digital camera you can, within your budget. Persons who will be using the digital camera mainly for e-mail purposes can get away with a used digital camera, or inexpensive model. Where as hobbyists and professionals will want to get the best, top digital camera they can afford.

Lori S. Anton is a published writer with 30 yrs. experience, and founder of WRITE2YOU [http://www.write2you.com], providing unique web site content, SEO content, and free content. With a passion for creative writing, Lori has learned to exploit the effectiveness of engaging titles and compelling contentt. She resides in Wyoming with her husband, Jeff, and diabetic canine darling, Muffy. CLICK HERE [http://www.writerswritenow.com/free.htm] for more free content; available at Lor's other web site, WRITERS WRITE NOW [http://www.writerswritenow.com].

By Lori Anton

A Simplified Guide To Quickly And Easily Understanding Your Digital Camera

A digital camera can appear complicated, but there are certain basic points that can be quickly learned and will help you become a better photographer. It is worth it to spend some time thinking about your camera's pixel count, white balance, sensor, sensitivity, optical zoom, digital zoom, etc. These features will improve your pictures and increase the enjoyment you get from your digital camera.

A digital camera's basic unit of measurement is its number of pixels. The clarity and resolution of your pictures improve with the number of pixels per square inch your camera has. Each pixel contains within it three color channels (red, green and blue) and carries a numerical value of between 0 and 255.

Digital camera manufacturers use the pixel count as one way to describe their product. The pixel count of low-end digital cameras are usually around 1 million, a number that seems large, but is strictly for beginners! Better digital cameras and those used by professionals range in the 14 million to 22 million pixels-per-image.

Pixel number also determines the quality of your pictures at a given size. For example, a 3MP camera can give you beautiful 4"x6" prints, but would not give you the same quality at 5"x7" or larger. A 4 or 5 MP digital camera is necessary for excellent quality bigger prints.

You should also be familiar with your digital camera's digital sensor. The sensor element in most digital cameras is small, about the size of a fingernail, which is much smaller than a 35mm camera's negative. Again, high-end cameras have the larger sensors, which produce better quality large prints.

Another helpful feature of your digital camera is the white balance. This is adjusted to suit the light source and keeps your colors true, ensuring that whites are pure and not yellow or blue looking. Generally, your digital camera adjusts automatically, but for a really beautiful shot, you can manually adjust to get results exactly as you want them.

A digital camera's sensitivity setting is similar to ISO ratings on film. Generally, the sensitivity settings of digital cameras compare to ISO100 and ISO 200. Some have a setting for ISO 400. A few digital cameras with large sensors (and large price tags) have a setting for ISO 3200 or ISO 6400.

Another very important feature to be familiar with is optical versus digital zoom. Both are important, but for different reasons. Digital zoom physically crops the image to a smaller size; this cropped image expands to fill the frame. This cool feature allows you to cut out ugly background or focus on a particular object in the frame that might not be centered. Depending on the amount you "zoomed" out, there may a significant loss of quality in your pictures. The optical zoom lens actually changes the magnification and focal length, drawing subjects in and out depending on your desire.

Picture image storage can also be an issue and it's important to familiarize yourself with the manner in which data is stored. Each pixel generates three bytes of data. A photographer using a modest 3MP will need an amazing nine million bites to store each picture! Compressing an image using a format called JPEG significantly reduces the file size, which causes a corresponding loss of quality. For some purposes, this loss is not important, but as a rule, it is not preferable. Digital camera manufacturers have come up with different storage format designed to minimize this data loss. The format is not uniform; for example, Nikon calls its process NEF, while Canon calls its format RAW.

For more information on the advantages of digital photography [http://www.digital-photo-tips.info/Advantages-of-Digital-Photography.html] please visit Digital-Photo-Tips.info [http://www.Digital-Photo-Tips.info] where you will find a digital camera buying guide and helpful information on how a digital camera works [http://www.digital-photo-tips.info/How-A-Digital-Camera-Works.html].

By Tim Gorman

Choosing The Right Digital Camera

By Gordon Brenzil

Let's get something straight right out of the box. If you're looking to buy a new digital camera, you don't really have to be an expert in pixels and mega pixels and all that kind of stuff. If you expect to find that kind of deep technical discussion here, you're in the wrong place.

Actually, there's a whole lot of stuff you don't really need to know before tackling the daunting task of choosing the right digital camera for you.

First of all, forget all the high-tech jargon. It's mostly a lot of sales hype anyway. Choosing a good unit is pretty simple really...pretty much all you have to remember is that the higher the mega pixel rating on the front of the camera, the bigger picture you can make without it breaking up into little chunks (called pixels) and most likely the more cash it's likely going to pry out of your pocket. Each model has an array of techno-widgets that go by different names but they all have the same basic focus, to help you take a better picture.

I have a quick (and admittedly simplistic) overview of the pixel story. The shot on the left on my web page

http://www.great-nature-photography.com/digital-cameras.html

is one I took with a high pixel rating and the one on the right was with a much lower rating. They've been enlarged way beyond what you would normally do, but I do have a point to make here.
If you look carefully you can see there's a terrific difference in the way they look or, in the 'resolution'. The image on the right has already broken up into small pieces (pixels) (I hope) you can readily see. The picture on the left was magnified several times more than the one on the right which should give you an idea of how big you can enlarge it and still retain a fairly decent result. By the way, these shots are of a very, very small piece of a picture I took of snapdragons in our front yard.

A camera with a 5.0 mega pixel rating or higher can produce a decent 16X20 print but one with a 2.0 mega pixel rating or lower should be restricted to a maximum of 4X6 prints. For the most part, you won't be happy with pictures any larger than 4X6 from the lower rated camera.

Okay, Let's Pick A Camera...

Well, I have my favorites and my not-so favorites.

When I looked at all the digital cameras available, I was more than a little astounded at the vast selection of available equipment. It seems that every company that's ever heard the word "computer" has jumped on the bandwagon. It seems they lay their hands on some lenses, wrap a computerized box around them, added a few techno-widgets and bingo, instant digital camera! What can you say...it's money in the bank!

Where did I start looking? Well, I went back to my tried and true method of buying a film camera that I talk about later. It's always worked for me and didn't let me down this time either.

My personal digital camera finally wound up to be an Olympus C-5050. By the way, in my opinion Olympus didn't do themselves or their customers any favors by dumping the f1.8 lens on the C-5060.

I chose this camera for the fast f1.8 lens and ease of use. I'm lazy at best and wanted a unit that's going to do most of the work for me while leaving me with the option of doing what I want to do when I want to do it.

This unit has all the automatic features I'll ever need but I also have the ability to set up the camera completely manually. I can still do minimum depth-of-field work among other things. I never want to completely lose control to a mindless computer although they do have their uses at times.

The first thing I did after I opened the box was print off the user manual - all 265 pages of it! I figured I had done my duty by it and promptly ignored it.

After very quickly killing my first two sets of "high-capacity" alkaline batteries, I sprung for a couple sets of Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) rechargeables. Not only did they last longer but it was a heck of a lot cheaper than replacing the alkalines every darn time I picked up the camera.

It boils me to have to admit this but I actually had to go back to the user manual. I wasn't getting the results I wanted and there was also some 'stuff' on the camera I had no clue about using. The moral of this story is that you're gonna have to at least have a nodding acquaintance with your user manual. Sorry, but that's just the way it is.

Back to choosing a camera...

Throughout the years I've learned that if a camera 'fit' my hand it worked well for me. It may sound a little strange at first but just think about it. If you're handling something that feels awkward, your results are going to look like it. I had a Mamiya RB-67 for a lot of years. It was a big, ungainly unit but it was a good 'fit' for me and produced a great image. I also used a Hasselblad for quite a while but I much preferred the Mamiya and it gave me better results than the Hasselblad. (Don't tell Hasselblad lovers I said this, they'll kill me!)

So, rule of thumb...if it fits your hand nicely, if the main controls are handy to your fingers, if it has the mega pixel number you want and falls within your budget, you can be pretty confident this will do the job you want it to do. Oh yes, if it's a brand you've never heard of before, be very, very wary. It may work well and it may not. If it doesn't, there may not be any tech backup for you to be able to access.

The major camera companies spend lots of money developing new photo technologies. Although the latest techno-widgets go by different names, they all have the same goal, to make your pictures look as good as possible.

Pretty well every company in the world that has even come close to producing a good digital camera has gotten into the "SLR Wars".

Single lens reflex cameras dominated the photo market for years until digital technology hit the market. Because of design and price limitations, SLR technology has not been widely available in the non-professional digital cameras until the last year or so.

The furious pace of technological developments has completely overtaken the market and even professional photographers are being boggled trying to keep up.

Remember the old Nikon F2? It was the major link in the Nikon chain of professional cameras for over 10 years! This was pretty much the norm until the computer hit the photographic industry big time.

Changes used to come slowly and deliberately and it wasn't hard to keep up with the latest and greatest when major new developments came along only two or three times in a decade.
The battle now is to produce digital cameras that operate faster, can be sold cheaper and will produce a better picture. Severe competition even exists within the same corporate structure where teams of developers do their utmost to 'outgun' other camera designers who work in the same building as they do!

Nikon has a distinct advantage over many of the other manufacturers in that owners of some of the older series of Nikon lenses can use them with the new digital bodies, a tremendous dollar saving to the photographer.

Most of this rapid development is focused on the professional photographer. But, with technology changing as rapidly as it is, a camera technology that sells for several thousands of dollars today will undoubtedly become available to people like you and me in the next couple of years for a whole lot less money.

One of the hardest jobs a new camera buyer will have is determine which of the new techno-widgets does the best job and is the best value.

One thing to keep in mind about camera features...they all have the same job and that's to help you take a better photo.

Picture this if you will. If you lined up 10 cameras from different manufacturers, each with similar basic features, took the same picture with each, I think even the camera manufacturers would have a tough time picking out which of the resulting photos came from their units.

Getting feedback from all kinds of users is one very excellent use of newsgroups. Serious photographers, amateur and professional both, love to talk about their latest 'toys'. This is a good way to spend time and a good place to ask questions and (sometimes) get intelligent answers.

Don't wait until you've made the investment to start doing your homework.

Another rule of thumb, if you're happy with a particular brand name already, my suggestion is to stick with it. You'll probably be more satisfied in the long run.

Now, having said all that, there are currently five search engine 'favorite' companies among the people looking for information on the Internet, Sony, Canon, Olympus, Kodak and Nikon in this order of popularity. Of this group, Sony is the only one with no prior experience in camera building before digital.

Understanding how to set your camera's resolution is absolutely vital. There's no shortcut and there's no way around it. This is the core of taking a good, reproducible photograph. If, for instance, your camera is set for 240X360, you can forget making any kind of decent print above a 'thumbnail' size.

The low-end cameras are not a bargain if you're looking for good photo reproduction. Labs are constantly arguing with customers who submit low resolution digital images from a cheap camera for printing and then aren't happy with the results. They simply don't understand why the pictures from their brand new digital camera are so lousy. Lenses and the type of digital image recording technology are also critical factors.

I won't get into the technical details of why but I will suggest you consider spending in the $250 to $400 range if you want something that will satisfy you.

Let's spend a few minutes on lenses. Pretty well all of the digital cameras these days have a form of zoom lens. Most of the higher-end cameras have the capability for the user to add either an external telephoto or wide-angle lens. Depending on the type of photography you want to do will determine whether or not this is of value to you.

One thing to watch out for. The higher end cameras have very good glass lenses. It's part of what you're paying for. The lower-end units have progressively less expensive lenses and consequently, a lower image definition.

There are both optical and digital zoom capabilities on digital cameras. The term "optical zoom" simply means you're using the glass lenses to do the magnification. "Digital zoom" on the other hand simply increases the size of the pixels to make the image larger. For reasons of image clarity, the optical zoom is a far better way to go.

One last note - if you run across the "best deal in town" on a very low-priced name brand camera, check to make sure it isn't badly out-dated. Buying well-priced clearance stock is okay if it isn't too old. In this computer age, pretty well anything over a year old is considered 'old technology'. As new technologies are developed the price keeps going down so you could actually be money ahead by investing in the 'latest and greatest'.

Always keep in mind the old adage that 'you usually get what you pay for.

If you go to a 'box' store looking for the best price, don't expect service. The folks there simply don't know what they're selling. Their job is to move as much merchandise as they can as quickly as possible. It's not to give you advice.

Go to the Internet to get the latest data directly from the manufacturers. It changes very, very quickly. When you do this, try to climb through all the sales hype to get to the 'meat' of what the cameras are all about. Newsgroups can also a very excellent source of advice for 'newbies'.

Most people will be very happy to give you their personal opinion of what you should buy. Just remember, they won't usually tell you what the downside to their purchase is. They don't want to look less than 'expert' in your eyes. Do your own homework. This is an investment you probably won't repeat for several years.

A specialty camera store on the other hand gives the buyer both service and product and usually very well. Keep in mind that the specialty store personnel are quite often very highly trained and will probably be well prepared to help you find the best equipment for you and will also give you a 'leg-up' in getting started using it.

We need to spend a couple of moments on storage media. Whatever size media card you stick in your camera will determine the number of pictures you can take and store. It's like a roll of film, the bigger the roll the more pictures you can take.
Digital images are no different. The greater the number of available megabytes (Mb), the higher the number of pictures you can take.

A word of caution - never, never, never leave your media card in a photo lab. The incidence of loss is high and most labs won't replace lost cards. Quite frankly, I don't blame them. Far, far too many false claims have been made and labs now refuse to take any responsibility for your memory cards.

That's it for now. Keep your film dry your lenses clean!

Gordon

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Gordon has been involved in the photo industry in one way or another for over 30 years. Long after he stopped using his mother's pie plates as developing trays in the family bathroom, among other things, he owned his own photo lab and professional studio for a number of years. See more at: http://www.great-nature-photography.com

Knowing what Digital Camera Accessories you Need

By Luvi Marie Corcuera

Capturing a moment is best done with photography and in this time and age, the best option for this is through digital photography using a digital camera. Whether you are the type of person that is into photography or simply someone fascinated with capturing the beauty of certain views, then with a digital camera you will be able to tell the story of a moment that cannot be brought back. Digital photography allows you to touch many lives through the images of beauty and art which you are able to capture and be able to store electronically. It may perhaps be an option for others to be a profession and this could profession could even bring a lucrative compensation should you decide to take this path.

Living in today's high-tech world allows us to make use of the digital camera technology making it easier for us to shoot pictures on the go and be able to have them available in less time and with the use of digital camera accessories be able to improve or enhance the quality and experience of digital photography. The digital camera accessories available today as tools makes it better choice for us to invest in them especially if this becomes a hobby or a profession.

The Basic Necessities for Capturing the Moment

It doesn't really matter whether or not you do photography for profit or simply for leisure, it is probable that the next best equipment you need to invest in other than a nice new digital SLR camera are the digital camera accessories that you will use along with it. There are various types of digital camera accessories available that you may either need immediately or would need in the future which would help you with keeping your equipment in good shape, improve the quality of your photos, add additional capacity to your work output, reduce the complexities or simply just enhance your own photography experience. Some of the digital camera accessories may include any of the following and depending on your needs may even be further augmented as the need arises:

Camera Bags

The first probable investment being the camera bag, this is where you will place all the things that you will need when you are location shooting or traveling and it would also serve as your basic kit where all your photography equipment is stored and protected well. It is also one of the most inexpensive accessories that you may ever buy and add to this is that they enable you carry and protect the expensive equipment that you carry around. Camera bags come in many different shapes, sizes and colors through a wide variety of different brand names that specialize in this, and they are available for anyone's personal preference.

Camera Tripod

Of the camera accessories, perhaps the camera tripod is one that will help a lot of people since it helps reduce the amount of "camera shakes" when taking photos and allows you to take shots from a variety of angles. While does seem that this is a bulky and cumbersome accessory you should know that a great majority of tripods are either foldable or retractable and should be able to fit in most of the medium size to larger camera bags. If you happen to have one of the older tripods which you have used for your traditional cameras, then you should be ware that some of them are actually compatible with today's digital cameras and you may not need to re-invest in a new camera tripod. Just the ability to have steadier shot and a finer finished product is a must for many and this makes the camera tripod a great digital camera accessory to have and perhaps even a necessity for some.

Battery Chargers

For people who take vacations and for those that visit remote locations without the convenience or availability of digital camera accessories shops, the use of a battery charger is important. Even if you carry with you extra batteries sometimes these batteries just all of a sudden get drained and you are left with no power to your digital camera thereby rendering them useless. Having a battery charger is very handy in some situations and this may be the difference in being able to take that critical photo should the need arise. Being extremely affordable, it should be considered whenever deciding to but that those additional digital camera accessories on your next shopping spree.

Memory Cards

The memory card for a digital camera is perhaps the most important digital camera accessory for many as akin to a traditional camera that needs film, a digital camera needs memory for storage of images. Most people take this likely since the capacity of the memory cards they purchase with their digital camera is sometimes sufficient, it should however be known that some people do not delete or transfer the contents of the memory to other devices like PC's and in some cases the memory becomes full. Having that extra memory card with you will help reduce this from happening and will also be of great assistance during times when a large volume of photos need to be taken especially for professionals and for those that take a vacation in remote places where they are unable to transfer the images, and with no shops readily available in the vicinity.

You never know when your existing memory card will fail so keeping an extra card can pay dividends when the time comes. Just be aware though of what type of memory card your digital camera uses as there are various types of cards available for different digital cameras such as SD cards and Sony memory sticks. You don't want to buy a memory card that is not compatible to your digital camera.

Other Important Accessories

Lastly, one of the digital camera accessories that you may want to have is the digital photo printer, which is especially useful if you want to print your photos from the comfort of your home. Most locals now have photo shops that can process the printing of your digital images but for some the ability be able to print from home or from anywhere, then a photo printer is a must. All you will really need is to have printing consumables always available, your personal choice of photo paper such as matte or gloss and you will be able to print off any photo you want, at the sizes and quality you need. Most of the printers in the market today are already of photo output quality and the choice these days is what size of footprint you want, depending on your needs i.e. if you travel a lot then perhaps a small size printer will be best for you.

Conclusion

Whether you are a professional photographer or just enjoy taking pictures, you should be fully aware of the various digital camera accessories that are available in the market that can perhaps help you reduce the amount of effort in your profession or simply improve your photography experience. Some of these accessories can be expensive but a majority of them are indeed quite affordable and for many are in fact a necessity, and by being able to to have them can sometimes make the difference of being able to have that all important and perhaps even life changing moment captured. Availability for most of the accessories for your digital camera is in most cases excellent with a great number of electronic equipment shops in most locals and not to forget the growth of internet shops that specialize in providing thee services.

As a final note, even if the requirement for digital camera accessories is not for you, then perhaps someone you know such as family and friends has these needs and this actually makes for great gifts on special occasions like birthdays. Anyone with a digital camera will be more than happy to receive these accessories as gifts and this should give you more options when giving away gifts this Christmas or any other occasion during the year.

Luvi Marie Corcuera is a full time Mom and works part time as the Editor of Informational sites such as: Acne Treatment [http://www.acnehealthguide.com] and Cake Decoration