Take Great Family Photos With Any Camera
by Carol Knopf
My daughter-in-law showed me the photos she had taken of my grandson. Cute as he is, his face was criss-crossed with shadows, hiding his features. "It's not exactly like yours," she told me, "but you're so great at photography." Actually, I'm not so great but along the years I've picked up a few tricks to make my photos really pop. Here is some of the best advice I've been given.
Get Down Low
Photos of children look a thousand times better when you get down at their level. If your kids are sitting on the floor, sit on the floor with them and take the photo. If you're photographing a baby laying on a bed, changing table, sofa, etc., make certain you're photographing the baby at that level. Much less effective is a photo angle from below or above your subject. Of course there are some artistic shots that can be taken pointing up or down but if you're interested in taking a portrait shot, shoot the picture at their level.
Use Your Flash Indoors and Out
We all know that using flash indoors makes for a better photograph. But use the correct flash or your subject may look washed out. Many cameras, including digital cameras, have settings for indoor photography. These cameras adjust the lighting to account for artificial light given off by lamps. The results are photos with natural looking skin tones and more true to life colors
Outdoors, flash can be equally effective. Remember the shot my daughter-in-law took of my grandson. Those shadows criss-crossing his face could have been removed if his mom had used "fill" flash. By using flash in a shady area, the face is illuminated and you can see those beautiful features that made you want to take the photo in the first place.
A few years ago, a friend of mine was getting married and asked me if I would photograph her wedding. I readily agreed because that was something I could give as a wedding present and since my friend couldn't afford a professional photographer, she and her fiance would really appreciate it.
I asked Inez where and when she was getting married. She informed me they were having the ceremony in the middle of the summer at noon in a park. "It's great", she told me. "There will be plenty of light." Well she was right about that; there's no brighter light than outside at high noon in the middle of summer. I asked if there were any trees near the wedding site and was relieved when Inez told me there were huge leafy trees all over the area.
No one - and I mean absolutely no one - looks good in bright light pouring down on them. The wedding photos were a great success; they were taken in the shadows under the trees, using fill flash. If you're photographing your family outside, find some shade to place your subjects; then use fill flash to keep shadows off their faces. The results will be terrific.
Let Subjects Interact With Each Other
Take a look at most family photos and everyone is lined up, staring at the camera. Not very creative are they? Try photographing your child playing with mom or dad or a sibling. Or if you photograph a child by himself, give him a favorite toy or stuffed animal. Children don't have to be staring at the camera to photograph well, nor do adults. When there's a connection between people, the photograph is more interesting.
Try a "Sports" or "Motion" Setting Outdoors
A friend of mine wanted some photos of her little girl, a ball of nonstop energy. After her mother tried in vain to get the little girl to sit still and pose for pictures, I made a suggestion. We let her run around to her heart's content. The photo session was being done in a public garden. There were some areas where this little ball of energy could run through fields of wildflowers. I set my camera on the "sports" setting; this is the setting that stops motion and gives the freeze-frame look to horse races, baseball, football and other games. The results were incredible. This lovely little girl was caught in stop-motion (perfectly exposed) as she ran through fields of wildflowers and down garden pathways. The flash is disabled in this setting but if there's enough light, the shadows won't mar the photo and the photo is taken so quickly the bright light won't wash out your subject.
Take Lots of Photos
During a trip to Europe many years ago, I met a professional photographer and his wife. This man had sold a great many photos to National Geographic, including a cover photo, so you know he was good at his job. I asked him how many shots he had to take to get the cover photo. "1600", he told me. I was flabbergasted. He then explained that the main difference between an amateur photographer and a professional is the number of photos they take. He took photos of the same subject from many different angles, using different settings, in different light. I took his words to heart and saw an immediate improvement in the quality of my photography. In fact, I started selling some of my work shortly after heeding this advice. I never became a full-time professional but it was a nice sideline and today I have an online store selling clothes and gifts featuring my photography.
Of course, children are not likely to stand still while you take 30 or 40 photos. But that's okay. It's better if they don't just stand there. I spent an afternoon with my grandchildren recently and watched them play. As they were playing, I was snapping away - with a digital camera that cost under $300. The results were amazing; they're as good as any professional.
It may take a little practice but try out some of these tips and see the difference in your photography. You just might find that you no longer need to pay for professionals; you've taken your own photography to new levels and created memories that your family will treasure forever.
Showing posts with label Articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Articles. Show all posts
Monday, May 19, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
How Many Megapixels Do You Need?
Digital Camera: How Many Megapixels Do You Need?
by Andrew Goodall
Digital photography has created a generation of 'experts' who love to talk technology. One of the major buzzwords may just be the most overused term in the language of digital photography. That word: "Megapixel."
Tell anyone you are thinking of buying a new digital camera, and the first question they will probably ask you is "How many megapixels does it have?" In my gallery I often overhear comments like "I would love to take better photos, but my camera doesn't have enough megapixels."
Like computers and the internet, digital photography has bred two types of 'expert.' There are people who know a lot. Then there are the people who know just a little, but think they know everything. Many of these people have been persuaded (most likely by a salesman trying to increase his commission) that the key to good photography is a high megapixel rating. By clinging to this notion, they may well be ignoring more important factors that could help them become better photographers.
The number of pixels in a photo determines how much you can enlarge the picture without losing image quality. The more megapixels, the bigger the print. But how important is this really, for most photographers in today's digital world?
Let's forget about the size of the enlargement for a moment. How many photos these days are ever printed at all, let alone enlarged to poster size? Gone are the days of shooting photos on negative film, and printing them to see the results. These days we see the results immediately in the camera, and can look at them in better detail on the computer screen. In fact, by eliminating the cost of film and developing, more people are taking more photos than ever before.
But back to the question: how many of these photos ever get printed? Most pictures live their lives on a computer screen, where we see a small version of a photo at 72dpi. In fact, if we want to share them in emails or add them to webpages, we have to make them even smaller to travel in cyberspace.
Of course there are people who print a lot of their photos. I encourage everybody to print their best photos, frame them, hang them, give them as gifts...after all, what is the purpose of all these photos if we don't do something with them? But do we need a lot of megapixels to create a good print?
In most cases, the answer is no. The vast majority of printed photos are 6x4 or 5x7 inches, and very occasionally 8x12 inches. Very few non-professional photographers will ever print a very big enlargement from their own photography. They might think they will; but almost certainly, they won't.
So, do we really need all these megapixels? I equate it to buying a car than can travel 200 kilometres per hour in a country where the speed limit is 100. The power is there, and it may give some inward pride to know it is there...but it is wasted power all the same. Apart from bragging rights, in some ways you equally well served by an old hatchback that just gets you from Point A to Point B.
You can produce good, high quality prints up to 8x12 inch (20x30cm), and probably larger, with a five megapixel camera. This is not a compromise; I doubt you would see any improvement in print quality taking the same picture on a ten megapixel camera. Certainly you would see a difference if you enlarged the photo to poster size, but (as we have discussed), very few people reading this article are likely to do that.
Please do not see these comments as negative. I would never suggest that anyone who has bought a more powerful camera has wasted their money. Your upmarket camera probably came with an extra feature or two that adds to the fun you can have with photography. And of course, it is nice to know you could make giant prints from your photos...even though we both know you possibly never will.
Rather, I want to encourage all those people who didn't buy the top-of-the-range camera and wish they did, or are currently agonizing over how much to spend on their next camera. If you want a camera that takes a decent photo, for use online or to produce small and medium sized prints, you don't need to overextend your budget. Buy the camera you can reasonably afford and be happy with it - it will do the job for you.
If there is one important buying tip that is more important than the megapixels, it is to find a camera with a good quality lens. If your photos are not crystal clear and sharp when they are small, they are not going to improve by being blown up to larger sizes. In fact, all you would acheive is to make your blurry photo bigger and blurrier.
Just as importantly, once you have your camera, learn to use it. Most digital cameras come with manual settings that allow you to be truly creative once you know the basic photography techniques. If you look at the results of most photo competitions, you will usually find that the winner did not have the most upmarket camera. Invariably, it is the person with the imagination and skills to get the best out of the camera they have.
by Andrew Goodall
Digital photography has created a generation of 'experts' who love to talk technology. One of the major buzzwords may just be the most overused term in the language of digital photography. That word: "Megapixel."
Tell anyone you are thinking of buying a new digital camera, and the first question they will probably ask you is "How many megapixels does it have?" In my gallery I often overhear comments like "I would love to take better photos, but my camera doesn't have enough megapixels."
Like computers and the internet, digital photography has bred two types of 'expert.' There are people who know a lot. Then there are the people who know just a little, but think they know everything. Many of these people have been persuaded (most likely by a salesman trying to increase his commission) that the key to good photography is a high megapixel rating. By clinging to this notion, they may well be ignoring more important factors that could help them become better photographers.
The number of pixels in a photo determines how much you can enlarge the picture without losing image quality. The more megapixels, the bigger the print. But how important is this really, for most photographers in today's digital world?
Let's forget about the size of the enlargement for a moment. How many photos these days are ever printed at all, let alone enlarged to poster size? Gone are the days of shooting photos on negative film, and printing them to see the results. These days we see the results immediately in the camera, and can look at them in better detail on the computer screen. In fact, by eliminating the cost of film and developing, more people are taking more photos than ever before.
But back to the question: how many of these photos ever get printed? Most pictures live their lives on a computer screen, where we see a small version of a photo at 72dpi. In fact, if we want to share them in emails or add them to webpages, we have to make them even smaller to travel in cyberspace.
Of course there are people who print a lot of their photos. I encourage everybody to print their best photos, frame them, hang them, give them as gifts...after all, what is the purpose of all these photos if we don't do something with them? But do we need a lot of megapixels to create a good print?
In most cases, the answer is no. The vast majority of printed photos are 6x4 or 5x7 inches, and very occasionally 8x12 inches. Very few non-professional photographers will ever print a very big enlargement from their own photography. They might think they will; but almost certainly, they won't.
So, do we really need all these megapixels? I equate it to buying a car than can travel 200 kilometres per hour in a country where the speed limit is 100. The power is there, and it may give some inward pride to know it is there...but it is wasted power all the same. Apart from bragging rights, in some ways you equally well served by an old hatchback that just gets you from Point A to Point B.
You can produce good, high quality prints up to 8x12 inch (20x30cm), and probably larger, with a five megapixel camera. This is not a compromise; I doubt you would see any improvement in print quality taking the same picture on a ten megapixel camera. Certainly you would see a difference if you enlarged the photo to poster size, but (as we have discussed), very few people reading this article are likely to do that.
Please do not see these comments as negative. I would never suggest that anyone who has bought a more powerful camera has wasted their money. Your upmarket camera probably came with an extra feature or two that adds to the fun you can have with photography. And of course, it is nice to know you could make giant prints from your photos...even though we both know you possibly never will.
Rather, I want to encourage all those people who didn't buy the top-of-the-range camera and wish they did, or are currently agonizing over how much to spend on their next camera. If you want a camera that takes a decent photo, for use online or to produce small and medium sized prints, you don't need to overextend your budget. Buy the camera you can reasonably afford and be happy with it - it will do the job for you.
If there is one important buying tip that is more important than the megapixels, it is to find a camera with a good quality lens. If your photos are not crystal clear and sharp when they are small, they are not going to improve by being blown up to larger sizes. In fact, all you would acheive is to make your blurry photo bigger and blurrier.
Just as importantly, once you have your camera, learn to use it. Most digital cameras come with manual settings that allow you to be truly creative once you know the basic photography techniques. If you look at the results of most photo competitions, you will usually find that the winner did not have the most upmarket camera. Invariably, it is the person with the imagination and skills to get the best out of the camera they have.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
A Beginner's Guide to Digital Cameras
A Beginner's Guide to Digital Cameras
by Daniel Bousho
The digital camera has become a prevalent part of modern culture. Today it seems everyone has a digital camera, from families on vacation documenting their time together to professional photographers making a living with photography, digital cameras have found their way into every niche of modern living. So evolved has digital camera technology become, causing the cameras to be produced so cheaply, that the cameras are now available as cheap giveaway items much like the coffee mugs of the past.
Digital cameras are fun to use. The technology has opened up the field of photography in new ways to millions of people. With the digital cameras instant feedback of photos anybody can feel like a famous photographer posing subjects and setting shots. This flexibility has redefined the way families capture special moments. At dinner gatherings around the globe, families catch and share moments easily using a digital camera. With the need for film and film processing gone, digital photos are instantly made available. In many cases the photos can be shared on the spot with digital memory technology.
Digital cameras share the same principles of traditional film based cameras. There is an optic system that collects and focuses light from the subject and there is a shutter and depth of field system that controls how the light is channeled into the camera. In addition to the optics, a digital camera has the additional characteristic of pixel density, or mega pixel rating. This rating tells how many individual points of data will be used to render the image, the more the number of points, the higher the quality or resolution of the picture. A camera of 10 mega pixel density will take a higher quality picture than a camera of 5 mega pixels, but the optics also plays a key role in the quality of the picture. Simply measuring by pixel resolution is not enough; the camera still needs to employ a good optic system to get the most out of picture quality.
You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a digital camera, and unless you have a really professional need, you can get into a digital camera for well under $300.00. The price you pay will drive what type of digital camera technology you get. The lower end models are typically a point and shoot technology offering a variety of optics. In this level the price point is driven by the quality of the optics and the quality or size of the electronic sensor. Typically the point and shoot models have a fixed optic system with some higher quality point and shoots offering a basic optical zoom. Point and shoot cameras fit most people's needs and have found their way into countless homes around the globe.
Higher end professional models can be priced upwards of $1000.00. These models are extremely similar to the film based models professionals use in that they offer many features professionals expect. Complete control over the subject's exposure is a key consideration in a high end professional camera. Just like the film based SLR's, high end digital cameras offer the user settings for depth of field, shutter speed and even more settings particular to the digital camera. In recent years there have been lower priced entries into the professional digital camera arena. These entries coined "prosumer" models allow many of the features of a higher end digital camera but offer the affordability of a high end point and shoot. Which format you choose depends on your budget and what type of photography you plan to do.
The most common digital camera in use today is the basic point and shoot variety. These models offer the user the basic ability to capture a photograph with ease and efficiency. The cameras typically offer a limited range of settings that allow the user some creative control of the subject, but the cameras design intent is to be a simple device to take pictures with. The term point and shoot sums up the cameras operation, simply point the camera at the subject and press the button. The point and shoot varieties are the easiest digital cameras to use and offer most users ample flexibility to enjoy the camera without getting bogged down in the technology of photography or digital cameras.
The digital SLR camera shares many of the same properties with the film based SLR camera. The user is offered a multitude of setting adjustments for the camera allowing different depths of field and shutter speeds which control the cameras exposure just like a film based SLR camera. In addition to the traditional exposure settings, the user is offered additional settings to control particular digital camera characteristics like white balance and image resolution. Not only do digital SLR cameras share in the ability to control exposure, they also share the ability to interchange lenses, a major advantage over the point and shoot models. The ability to change lenses sets the digital SLR camera into a category all its own. With digital SLR's the user controls the shots just like a film based camera, but gets the convenience and flexibility of a digital camera. Using the cameras settings and lenses the digital SLR camera provides control and flexibility to generate high quality photos.
Digital camera technology has evolved as quickly as any other electronic technology. What was cutting edge yesterday is considered old hat today. When you consider what digital camera technology is available to use, it is easy to get lost in the specifications and particulars of cameras, but just like any other technology it's what you use it for that will determine how it fits in your life. If you feel it's time to get a digital camera, your considerations are as simple as ever with a camera. How much do you need? A well equipped point and shoot that's used often is as valuable as a high end SLR that you never learn to fully use. Get the one you want to use the most.
by Daniel Bousho
The digital camera has become a prevalent part of modern culture. Today it seems everyone has a digital camera, from families on vacation documenting their time together to professional photographers making a living with photography, digital cameras have found their way into every niche of modern living. So evolved has digital camera technology become, causing the cameras to be produced so cheaply, that the cameras are now available as cheap giveaway items much like the coffee mugs of the past.
Digital cameras are fun to use. The technology has opened up the field of photography in new ways to millions of people. With the digital cameras instant feedback of photos anybody can feel like a famous photographer posing subjects and setting shots. This flexibility has redefined the way families capture special moments. At dinner gatherings around the globe, families catch and share moments easily using a digital camera. With the need for film and film processing gone, digital photos are instantly made available. In many cases the photos can be shared on the spot with digital memory technology.
Digital cameras share the same principles of traditional film based cameras. There is an optic system that collects and focuses light from the subject and there is a shutter and depth of field system that controls how the light is channeled into the camera. In addition to the optics, a digital camera has the additional characteristic of pixel density, or mega pixel rating. This rating tells how many individual points of data will be used to render the image, the more the number of points, the higher the quality or resolution of the picture. A camera of 10 mega pixel density will take a higher quality picture than a camera of 5 mega pixels, but the optics also plays a key role in the quality of the picture. Simply measuring by pixel resolution is not enough; the camera still needs to employ a good optic system to get the most out of picture quality.
You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a digital camera, and unless you have a really professional need, you can get into a digital camera for well under $300.00. The price you pay will drive what type of digital camera technology you get. The lower end models are typically a point and shoot technology offering a variety of optics. In this level the price point is driven by the quality of the optics and the quality or size of the electronic sensor. Typically the point and shoot models have a fixed optic system with some higher quality point and shoots offering a basic optical zoom. Point and shoot cameras fit most people's needs and have found their way into countless homes around the globe.
Higher end professional models can be priced upwards of $1000.00. These models are extremely similar to the film based models professionals use in that they offer many features professionals expect. Complete control over the subject's exposure is a key consideration in a high end professional camera. Just like the film based SLR's, high end digital cameras offer the user settings for depth of field, shutter speed and even more settings particular to the digital camera. In recent years there have been lower priced entries into the professional digital camera arena. These entries coined "prosumer" models allow many of the features of a higher end digital camera but offer the affordability of a high end point and shoot. Which format you choose depends on your budget and what type of photography you plan to do.
The most common digital camera in use today is the basic point and shoot variety. These models offer the user the basic ability to capture a photograph with ease and efficiency. The cameras typically offer a limited range of settings that allow the user some creative control of the subject, but the cameras design intent is to be a simple device to take pictures with. The term point and shoot sums up the cameras operation, simply point the camera at the subject and press the button. The point and shoot varieties are the easiest digital cameras to use and offer most users ample flexibility to enjoy the camera without getting bogged down in the technology of photography or digital cameras.
The digital SLR camera shares many of the same properties with the film based SLR camera. The user is offered a multitude of setting adjustments for the camera allowing different depths of field and shutter speeds which control the cameras exposure just like a film based SLR camera. In addition to the traditional exposure settings, the user is offered additional settings to control particular digital camera characteristics like white balance and image resolution. Not only do digital SLR cameras share in the ability to control exposure, they also share the ability to interchange lenses, a major advantage over the point and shoot models. The ability to change lenses sets the digital SLR camera into a category all its own. With digital SLR's the user controls the shots just like a film based camera, but gets the convenience and flexibility of a digital camera. Using the cameras settings and lenses the digital SLR camera provides control and flexibility to generate high quality photos.
Digital camera technology has evolved as quickly as any other electronic technology. What was cutting edge yesterday is considered old hat today. When you consider what digital camera technology is available to use, it is easy to get lost in the specifications and particulars of cameras, but just like any other technology it's what you use it for that will determine how it fits in your life. If you feel it's time to get a digital camera, your considerations are as simple as ever with a camera. How much do you need? A well equipped point and shoot that's used often is as valuable as a high end SLR that you never learn to fully use. Get the one you want to use the most.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Digital Camera: Pentax Problems
Digital Camera: Pentax Problems
by Chris Campbell
Pentax digital camera problems are not something you hear about, but that may be because Pentax gives you very clear digital camera basics for operating their cameras. They explain everything in detail and seem to leave nothing unsaid about operating the Pentax cameras. The biggest problem with the Pentax digital cameras is the warranty coverage and the time it takes to send your camera in for repairs. It can take up to eight weeks before you receive your camera back from the manufacturer. When you buy any camera, especially a Pentax digital camera, you should check the lens to make sure no damage has been done during shipping or assembly.
As for some other Pentax digital camera problems, they are not so much about the camera as much as it is what you can and cannot do with the camera. If you buy the W30 digital camera, which is supposed to be waterproof, you might find out that not every camera stands up to this particular statement. You should always look for a underwater camera that is highly rated by users before selecting any underwater camera. The customer service is not very helpful if something happens to this and many other cameras.
Other than the usual Panasonic digital camera problems associated with user error, Panasonic cameras do hold up well when taking clear pictures. Before buying any digital cameras, you should read the reviews and check for any recall alerts from the manufacturer to ensure you are getting a good camera that will give you only the best quality pictures. You will find that some users rate the cameras poorly. You just have to use good judgment and determine if it could be a user error that causes the problem before you decide to buy any digital camera. Digital cameras are easy to use if you read the manuals.
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by Chris Campbell
Pentax digital camera problems are not something you hear about, but that may be because Pentax gives you very clear digital camera basics for operating their cameras. They explain everything in detail and seem to leave nothing unsaid about operating the Pentax cameras. The biggest problem with the Pentax digital cameras is the warranty coverage and the time it takes to send your camera in for repairs. It can take up to eight weeks before you receive your camera back from the manufacturer. When you buy any camera, especially a Pentax digital camera, you should check the lens to make sure no damage has been done during shipping or assembly.
As for some other Pentax digital camera problems, they are not so much about the camera as much as it is what you can and cannot do with the camera. If you buy the W30 digital camera, which is supposed to be waterproof, you might find out that not every camera stands up to this particular statement. You should always look for a underwater camera that is highly rated by users before selecting any underwater camera. The customer service is not very helpful if something happens to this and many other cameras.
Other than the usual Panasonic digital camera problems associated with user error, Panasonic cameras do hold up well when taking clear pictures. Before buying any digital cameras, you should read the reviews and check for any recall alerts from the manufacturer to ensure you are getting a good camera that will give you only the best quality pictures. You will find that some users rate the cameras poorly. You just have to use good judgment and determine if it could be a user error that causes the problem before you decide to buy any digital camera. Digital cameras are easy to use if you read the manuals.
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Monday, March 31, 2008
How To Improve Your Photography With A Single Lens Reflex Digital Camera
How To Improve Your Photography With A Single Lens Reflex Digital Camera
by John Philips
SLR digital cameras have always been associated with professional or, at the very least, the more serious amateur photographers because of their expense. However, because every day new models of SLR digital cameras are being launched, they are becoming more affordable, and more people who want that extra control over their photography than they can get from a compact are upgrading to them.
Even novice photographers can take remarkable pictures with these new cameras, which after a time are particularly user friendly. SLR cameras, the cheap entry level models included, surpass even the most expensive standard digital cameras and, as the digital world is moving extraordinarily fast, more and more models come onto the market and prices are falling.
There are some disadvantages, however to owning a digital SLR camera.
Even though they are becoming more affordable they still incur higher costs than basic compacts. They are bigger, weigh more, the extra expense of purchasing lenses, and there is a learning process to enable you to become familiar with the camera. But if you want your photographs to have a more professional quality then it is worth it.
The options and features appear unlimited in the world of SLR digital cameras and personal choices will depend on what you need out of a camera. Below are listed some of the more popular models, which will hopefully give you an idea of what would match your taste. This is not in the slightest an all-inclusive record, just a casual mixture. There are countless others introduced regularly.
Nikon D40
Affordable digital SLR that is easy to use and compact with a 2.5 inch LCD screen, 6.1 mega pixel and a built-in flash and hot shoe.
A user-friendly camera packed with features that make this camera a fine introduction for the newcomer to DSLR. With all the innovative options and flexibility, which has come to be expected with SLR photography, the D40 will encourage more people into the world of digital SLR than any earlier digital SLR.
Olympus Evolt E410
A compact and well built SLR with a 2.5-inch Live View HyperCrystal LCD display, 10 mega pixel and dust-free technology.
One of the most compact DSLR cameras with 30 automatic shooting modes designed to provide the uppermost adjustments for a variety of shooting circumstances, but also with a full range of manual controls to enable you take command of your photography.
Pentax K10D
Extremely well built and affordable SLR with10.2 Mega pixels, a 2.5" Active Matrix TFT Color LCD display screen and an SLR Optical Pentaprism Viewfinder.
The Pentax K10D is one of the more appealing SLR cameras presently available on the market. The well-designed body and very responsive features are combined with dust-proof seals and water-resistant body.
Canon Digital Rebel XT
One of the smallest and lightest digital cameras in its class with a 1.8 inch TFT color LCD monitor, 8 mega pixel and DIGIC II Image Processor, enabling fast, accurate image processing.
Despite the small LCD screen the Rebel XT is famed for its superb range of features and great value for money. With a sturdy build quality and a smaller, lighter but easy-to-handle design and rich colours and silky smooth resolution, which is to be expected from a Canon product.
Sony Alpha A200K
Powerful, versatile and simple to use with 10 mega pixel, 2.7-inch ClearPhoto LCD and 4x optical zoom.
With high-speed processing, high sensitivity, advanced noise reduction, lightweight and exceptionally easy to operate, the Sony Alpha gives you all you need to develop your photographic creativity. Excellent for those stepping up from point & shoot cameras.
There are many makes and models available for the SLR digital camera shopper and these are just a selection. no matter what you want out of a camera there will be one to fit you.
by John Philips
SLR digital cameras have always been associated with professional or, at the very least, the more serious amateur photographers because of their expense. However, because every day new models of SLR digital cameras are being launched, they are becoming more affordable, and more people who want that extra control over their photography than they can get from a compact are upgrading to them.
Even novice photographers can take remarkable pictures with these new cameras, which after a time are particularly user friendly. SLR cameras, the cheap entry level models included, surpass even the most expensive standard digital cameras and, as the digital world is moving extraordinarily fast, more and more models come onto the market and prices are falling.
There are some disadvantages, however to owning a digital SLR camera.
Even though they are becoming more affordable they still incur higher costs than basic compacts. They are bigger, weigh more, the extra expense of purchasing lenses, and there is a learning process to enable you to become familiar with the camera. But if you want your photographs to have a more professional quality then it is worth it.
The options and features appear unlimited in the world of SLR digital cameras and personal choices will depend on what you need out of a camera. Below are listed some of the more popular models, which will hopefully give you an idea of what would match your taste. This is not in the slightest an all-inclusive record, just a casual mixture. There are countless others introduced regularly.
Nikon D40
Affordable digital SLR that is easy to use and compact with a 2.5 inch LCD screen, 6.1 mega pixel and a built-in flash and hot shoe.
A user-friendly camera packed with features that make this camera a fine introduction for the newcomer to DSLR. With all the innovative options and flexibility, which has come to be expected with SLR photography, the D40 will encourage more people into the world of digital SLR than any earlier digital SLR.
Olympus Evolt E410
A compact and well built SLR with a 2.5-inch Live View HyperCrystal LCD display, 10 mega pixel and dust-free technology.
One of the most compact DSLR cameras with 30 automatic shooting modes designed to provide the uppermost adjustments for a variety of shooting circumstances, but also with a full range of manual controls to enable you take command of your photography.
Pentax K10D
Extremely well built and affordable SLR with10.2 Mega pixels, a 2.5" Active Matrix TFT Color LCD display screen and an SLR Optical Pentaprism Viewfinder.
The Pentax K10D is one of the more appealing SLR cameras presently available on the market. The well-designed body and very responsive features are combined with dust-proof seals and water-resistant body.
Canon Digital Rebel XT
One of the smallest and lightest digital cameras in its class with a 1.8 inch TFT color LCD monitor, 8 mega pixel and DIGIC II Image Processor, enabling fast, accurate image processing.
Despite the small LCD screen the Rebel XT is famed for its superb range of features and great value for money. With a sturdy build quality and a smaller, lighter but easy-to-handle design and rich colours and silky smooth resolution, which is to be expected from a Canon product.
Sony Alpha A200K
Powerful, versatile and simple to use with 10 mega pixel, 2.7-inch ClearPhoto LCD and 4x optical zoom.
With high-speed processing, high sensitivity, advanced noise reduction, lightweight and exceptionally easy to operate, the Sony Alpha gives you all you need to develop your photographic creativity. Excellent for those stepping up from point & shoot cameras.
There are many makes and models available for the SLR digital camera shopper and these are just a selection. no matter what you want out of a camera there will be one to fit you.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
The Photographer and the Writer
The Photographer and the Writer
by Andrew Goodall
A nature photographer and a travel writer worked together on an article for a travel magazine. The article was a success, and after publication they got together for a drink. "You know," said the travel writer, "that was some great photography. You must have a great camera"
"Thanks," said the photographer. "And that was some terrific creative writing. You must have a great typewriter."
If you get this joke, you are probably a photographer who puts up with ridiculous comments every day. If you don't get it... read on, my friend, and learn.
If you eat a great meal at a restaurant, you don't compliment the chef on the quality of his saucepans. When we appreciate a great painting, we don't automatically think about the brand of paintbrush. When you hear your favourite song... well, you can see where I am going with this. So why is it that so many people think that good photography is all about how much money you spend on your camera?
A camera is the tool a photographer uses for their craft. There are dozens of brands and models available, with myriad minor features that sound good in a camera shop. But good photography, as it always has, requires only the most basic features available in just about any camera: shutter speed, aperture, and a good quality lens.
In the days of film, these features were only available on SLR and larger format cameras, so it could be argued that they belonged to the realm of 'serious' photographers. However, in the digital age, these essential features are available on almost any camera, should the owner take the time to learn how to use them.
Regardless of what type of camera they have, a photographer uses an appreciation of light, a unique flair for composition, and a sense of timing, to capture their subject in a way that satisfies their vision. These skills are the product of experience and creativity, and have nothing to do with technology.
I was guest speaker at a camera club once, where a member brought a whole suitcase full of expensive camera gear to the meeting. There was no reason to bring cameras to that particular meeting, and by all reports he wasn't much of a photographer, but he wanted everyone to see how much gear he had. What he did not seem to grasp was that cameras don't earn you respect as a photographer - photos do.
If you want to improve your photography, never assume it will automatically happen with a better camera. Instead, settle for the camera you can afford, and learn to use the camera you have. Remember; shutter speed and aperture, a good lens, and a good sense of light and balanced composition. Master these and you will get results no matter what sort of camera you have.
Don't be intimidated by photographers with thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Instead, intimidate them with your photography... in the end, only results matter.
by Andrew Goodall
A nature photographer and a travel writer worked together on an article for a travel magazine. The article was a success, and after publication they got together for a drink. "You know," said the travel writer, "that was some great photography. You must have a great camera"
"Thanks," said the photographer. "And that was some terrific creative writing. You must have a great typewriter."
If you get this joke, you are probably a photographer who puts up with ridiculous comments every day. If you don't get it... read on, my friend, and learn.
If you eat a great meal at a restaurant, you don't compliment the chef on the quality of his saucepans. When we appreciate a great painting, we don't automatically think about the brand of paintbrush. When you hear your favourite song... well, you can see where I am going with this. So why is it that so many people think that good photography is all about how much money you spend on your camera?
A camera is the tool a photographer uses for their craft. There are dozens of brands and models available, with myriad minor features that sound good in a camera shop. But good photography, as it always has, requires only the most basic features available in just about any camera: shutter speed, aperture, and a good quality lens.
In the days of film, these features were only available on SLR and larger format cameras, so it could be argued that they belonged to the realm of 'serious' photographers. However, in the digital age, these essential features are available on almost any camera, should the owner take the time to learn how to use them.
Regardless of what type of camera they have, a photographer uses an appreciation of light, a unique flair for composition, and a sense of timing, to capture their subject in a way that satisfies their vision. These skills are the product of experience and creativity, and have nothing to do with technology.
I was guest speaker at a camera club once, where a member brought a whole suitcase full of expensive camera gear to the meeting. There was no reason to bring cameras to that particular meeting, and by all reports he wasn't much of a photographer, but he wanted everyone to see how much gear he had. What he did not seem to grasp was that cameras don't earn you respect as a photographer - photos do.
If you want to improve your photography, never assume it will automatically happen with a better camera. Instead, settle for the camera you can afford, and learn to use the camera you have. Remember; shutter speed and aperture, a good lens, and a good sense of light and balanced composition. Master these and you will get results no matter what sort of camera you have.
Don't be intimidated by photographers with thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Instead, intimidate them with your photography... in the end, only results matter.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The Best All Around Digital Camera
The Best All Around Digital Camera
by Chris Campbell
Why is so difficult for camera companies to come up with one good all around digital camera that's perfect for all occasions? I suppose it's not really in their best interests to encourage consumers to only own one perfect camera, when they can sell them several. If I were more of a conspiracy theory advocate, I'd suggest they do it on purpose. But, I'm not, and I do believe there are other factors at work here. With all that being said, it doesn't mean we can at least try to find the most likely candidate for best all around digital camera.
The three most distinguishable features or dividing factors when it comes to digital cameras are size, ease of use, and image quality. To lesser and greater degrees, these traits seem to be mutually exclusive when it comes to camera design and build.
Smaller sized camera designs are very portable, but usually affect ease of use and image quality in negative ways. The smaller a camera is, the smaller the controls are, which makes them harder to use. Single control buttons and wheels are often used for multiple functions which can increase user confusion. Smaller cameras often mean, that features like viewfinders get left off in the effort to add bigger LCD screens. Smaller often means zoom lenses are less powerful, and overall lens quality suffers. The most successful small sized cameras I like are the Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital Elph, and the Olympus Stylus 790SW.
Ease of use usually means lots of auto settings, which is great for newbie photographers, as little skill is required to snap a picture. But, it also means camera designers are forced to compromise on default settings that are OK for most pictures, but not great for all pictures. Factory set defaults will have to do until cameras become smart enough to detect all the nuances of a particular shot regarding lighting, color, and artistic intention. The Canon Powershot A570IS is one of the better cameras in terms of simplifying things at a reasonable price.
The ultimate in image quality usually means big bulky SLR cameras with a case load of lenses and controlled lighting for different types of shooting environments. SLR photography also involves micro managing of all the various camera settings such as aperture, ISO settings, white balance, f-stop and so on. You really have to know what your doing. The Canon Rebel XTi Digital SLR, or the Nikon D40 are good cameras in this category that don't break the bank.
To build one camera that can do everything would be ideal, but were not there yet. I believe we will be at some point, but a number of technologies still need to make some considerable advances before that can happen. Lens technology and camera intelligence being the two main ones. Until then, the best all around digital camera will just have to be the one your holding right now. Like the song says, "Love the one your with".
by Chris Campbell
Why is so difficult for camera companies to come up with one good all around digital camera that's perfect for all occasions? I suppose it's not really in their best interests to encourage consumers to only own one perfect camera, when they can sell them several. If I were more of a conspiracy theory advocate, I'd suggest they do it on purpose. But, I'm not, and I do believe there are other factors at work here. With all that being said, it doesn't mean we can at least try to find the most likely candidate for best all around digital camera.
The three most distinguishable features or dividing factors when it comes to digital cameras are size, ease of use, and image quality. To lesser and greater degrees, these traits seem to be mutually exclusive when it comes to camera design and build.
Smaller sized camera designs are very portable, but usually affect ease of use and image quality in negative ways. The smaller a camera is, the smaller the controls are, which makes them harder to use. Single control buttons and wheels are often used for multiple functions which can increase user confusion. Smaller cameras often mean, that features like viewfinders get left off in the effort to add bigger LCD screens. Smaller often means zoom lenses are less powerful, and overall lens quality suffers. The most successful small sized cameras I like are the Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital Elph, and the Olympus Stylus 790SW.
Ease of use usually means lots of auto settings, which is great for newbie photographers, as little skill is required to snap a picture. But, it also means camera designers are forced to compromise on default settings that are OK for most pictures, but not great for all pictures. Factory set defaults will have to do until cameras become smart enough to detect all the nuances of a particular shot regarding lighting, color, and artistic intention. The Canon Powershot A570IS is one of the better cameras in terms of simplifying things at a reasonable price.
The ultimate in image quality usually means big bulky SLR cameras with a case load of lenses and controlled lighting for different types of shooting environments. SLR photography also involves micro managing of all the various camera settings such as aperture, ISO settings, white balance, f-stop and so on. You really have to know what your doing. The Canon Rebel XTi Digital SLR, or the Nikon D40 are good cameras in this category that don't break the bank.
To build one camera that can do everything would be ideal, but were not there yet. I believe we will be at some point, but a number of technologies still need to make some considerable advances before that can happen. Lens technology and camera intelligence being the two main ones. Until then, the best all around digital camera will just have to be the one your holding right now. Like the song says, "Love the one your with".
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Never Buy A Kodak EasyShare M753 Digital Camera
Never Buy A Kodak EasyShare M753 Digital Camera
by Chris Campbell
Is it really possible, to get more than you pay for? We all like to believe that, as we're walking out the store with our brand new purchase still shrink wrapped neatly tucked under our arm. But, how long until the shrink wrap is cracked, and buyers remorse starts to settle in. In the case of the Kodak EasyShare M753 Digital Camera, it may not take too long. But, whose fault is that? The consumers or Kodaks?
I've bought EasyShare cameras in the past, and they all seem to experience the same problem with the mode selection wheel. It never seems to stay put. Every time you slip the M753 into a case (not included by the way) you have to make sure you didn't accidentally turn it own. Otherwise, that's a sure fire way to churn thru batteries. Even using the camera, you'll find it annoying to have to check the mode wheel, to make sure it hasn't slipped. There nothing worse than thinking your taking a still picture, when the EasyShare is actually in movie mode.
Kodak made a strange decision with the EasyShare M753 when it comes to the battery. It comes with a rechargeable battery, which some people will like, but others will hate. The only way to charge it out of the box, is to plug the M753 into your computers USB port. For those with no computer, this could be an awkward proposition. You can get a separate wall battery charger, but that of course is extra. Even if you do have a computer, this may not be the best camera for an extended trip. Unless you plan on dragging your desktop computer (aka: camera battery charger) with you. The exclusion of a battery meter doesn't really help much either.
While camera manufacturers seem thrilled to throw lots of megapixels into a camera, they really cheap out with internal memory. The M753 only has enough for a few pictures. Be sure to budget for an additional memory card, as a 7MP camera can fill up a small memory card pretty quick.
While I know, that less than $100 is not much for a camera these days, Kodak could have made the case a little stronger. An extra few millimeters of plastic can't cost that much can it? Or failing that, how about bundling the M753 with a protective carrying case. One that won't mess with the power switch would be nice.
In terms of image quality, don't set your expectations too high here. For less than $100, you don't really get much here. If your planning on only shooting outside on nice sunny days with plenty of natural light, you should be ok. Of course if you already have a phone camera, you'll probably get just as good pictures using that instead of an EasyShare M753.
Not the nicest review I know, but it's hard to say anything glowing about cameras in this category. I guess if you go through a lot of disposable cameras, the EasyShare M753 may be a better choice. Other than that, I'd scrounge another hundred bucks or so, and get a whole lot more camera. For another two hundred, you can actually get into some really amazing cameras.
by Chris Campbell
Is it really possible, to get more than you pay for? We all like to believe that, as we're walking out the store with our brand new purchase still shrink wrapped neatly tucked under our arm. But, how long until the shrink wrap is cracked, and buyers remorse starts to settle in. In the case of the Kodak EasyShare M753 Digital Camera, it may not take too long. But, whose fault is that? The consumers or Kodaks?
I've bought EasyShare cameras in the past, and they all seem to experience the same problem with the mode selection wheel. It never seems to stay put. Every time you slip the M753 into a case (not included by the way) you have to make sure you didn't accidentally turn it own. Otherwise, that's a sure fire way to churn thru batteries. Even using the camera, you'll find it annoying to have to check the mode wheel, to make sure it hasn't slipped. There nothing worse than thinking your taking a still picture, when the EasyShare is actually in movie mode.
Kodak made a strange decision with the EasyShare M753 when it comes to the battery. It comes with a rechargeable battery, which some people will like, but others will hate. The only way to charge it out of the box, is to plug the M753 into your computers USB port. For those with no computer, this could be an awkward proposition. You can get a separate wall battery charger, but that of course is extra. Even if you do have a computer, this may not be the best camera for an extended trip. Unless you plan on dragging your desktop computer (aka: camera battery charger) with you. The exclusion of a battery meter doesn't really help much either.
While camera manufacturers seem thrilled to throw lots of megapixels into a camera, they really cheap out with internal memory. The M753 only has enough for a few pictures. Be sure to budget for an additional memory card, as a 7MP camera can fill up a small memory card pretty quick.
While I know, that less than $100 is not much for a camera these days, Kodak could have made the case a little stronger. An extra few millimeters of plastic can't cost that much can it? Or failing that, how about bundling the M753 with a protective carrying case. One that won't mess with the power switch would be nice.
In terms of image quality, don't set your expectations too high here. For less than $100, you don't really get much here. If your planning on only shooting outside on nice sunny days with plenty of natural light, you should be ok. Of course if you already have a phone camera, you'll probably get just as good pictures using that instead of an EasyShare M753.
Not the nicest review I know, but it's hard to say anything glowing about cameras in this category. I guess if you go through a lot of disposable cameras, the EasyShare M753 may be a better choice. Other than that, I'd scrounge another hundred bucks or so, and get a whole lot more camera. For another two hundred, you can actually get into some really amazing cameras.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
The Benefits of a Digital Camera Over a Film Camera
The Benefits of a Digital Camera Over a Film Camera
by Gabriel J. Adams
Most individuals are now opting for the digital camera instead of the standard camera because of its amazing versatility. The capability to store the photographs using a memory card instead of the typical use of film is also a nice bonus! The amount of photos that can be stored on these cards usually varies with the amount of megapixels used to take the photo. The higher the amount of megapixels used for the photo, the lower the amount of photos that will be able to be stored on the memory card. Many individuals simply transfer the photos to their computer in order to free up space on those memory cards and there are several online storage sites available for use that enable photo sharing with individuals of your choice.
Photographs taken with a digital camera can be easily edited on your computer through the utilization of several different programs, though many cameras offer the ability to edit photos effectively right on the camera. The photographs can also be e-mailed to friends and relatives instantly upon transfer to your computer. The many individuals working in the media will find the digital camera to be very useful for coverage of the latest events due to the ability to instantly transmit photographs around the world; enabling the meeting of very short deadlines.
Digital cameras can be used for taking still photographs but they can also record a series of events. An interesting event that takes place can be instantly captured by a digital camera by way of a short film and then can be processed with the assistance of the computer to create a short video clip.
Most of the digital cameras available today come with custom viewfinders and LCD screens, which will enable the person to view the photo before capturing it in the camera, and thus enables you to capture only what you actually want.
The advancements in digital camera technology enable the user to take photos at a magnified version, using the macro lens and powerful zoom features, which will help in uncovering the beauty present in the universe at the micro level. Digital cameras are used to perfection in many of the adventurous activities that we participate in today. They can be used to take photos of all types of events, from underwater explorations to capture the life beneath the sea to the emotional and exciting birth of your first child.
Most of the digital cameras have been provided with their own image handling software, which is used to edit the pictures in the computer. The pictures can be saved in standard formats such as PNG, GIF, or JPEG. The software can be used to further enhance the quality of the picture. Advanced computer software, such as CorelDraw or Photoshop, can be used to further refine the photos that are captured by the digital camera and these stunning pictures can easily be developed using the digital camera in tandem with your home computer and printer.
For the average user, a digital camera is much superior to a film camera.
by Gabriel J. Adams
Most individuals are now opting for the digital camera instead of the standard camera because of its amazing versatility. The capability to store the photographs using a memory card instead of the typical use of film is also a nice bonus! The amount of photos that can be stored on these cards usually varies with the amount of megapixels used to take the photo. The higher the amount of megapixels used for the photo, the lower the amount of photos that will be able to be stored on the memory card. Many individuals simply transfer the photos to their computer in order to free up space on those memory cards and there are several online storage sites available for use that enable photo sharing with individuals of your choice.
Photographs taken with a digital camera can be easily edited on your computer through the utilization of several different programs, though many cameras offer the ability to edit photos effectively right on the camera. The photographs can also be e-mailed to friends and relatives instantly upon transfer to your computer. The many individuals working in the media will find the digital camera to be very useful for coverage of the latest events due to the ability to instantly transmit photographs around the world; enabling the meeting of very short deadlines.
Digital cameras can be used for taking still photographs but they can also record a series of events. An interesting event that takes place can be instantly captured by a digital camera by way of a short film and then can be processed with the assistance of the computer to create a short video clip.
Most of the digital cameras available today come with custom viewfinders and LCD screens, which will enable the person to view the photo before capturing it in the camera, and thus enables you to capture only what you actually want.
The advancements in digital camera technology enable the user to take photos at a magnified version, using the macro lens and powerful zoom features, which will help in uncovering the beauty present in the universe at the micro level. Digital cameras are used to perfection in many of the adventurous activities that we participate in today. They can be used to take photos of all types of events, from underwater explorations to capture the life beneath the sea to the emotional and exciting birth of your first child.
Most of the digital cameras have been provided with their own image handling software, which is used to edit the pictures in the computer. The pictures can be saved in standard formats such as PNG, GIF, or JPEG. The software can be used to further enhance the quality of the picture. Advanced computer software, such as CorelDraw or Photoshop, can be used to further refine the photos that are captured by the digital camera and these stunning pictures can easily be developed using the digital camera in tandem with your home computer and printer.
For the average user, a digital camera is much superior to a film camera.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
To Buy or Not To Buy: Nikon D40 Digital SLR Camera
To Buy or Not To Buy: Nikon D40 Digital SLR Camera
by Chris Campbell
The Nikon D40 Digital SLR Camera has been on a multitude of top ten lists and received numerous five star ratings. But, every camera has it's quirks and some of them can be quite glaring. Then Nikon D40 is no exception. They say there's no such thing as a bad camera, only bad photographers. I'd like to take that a bit further, and say that there's no such thing as a bad photographer, only good photographers using the wrong camera. So, let's be a little critical with the D40 SLR, and see if it's really the right camera for you.
The most obvious shortcoming of the Nikon D40 camera, is the absence of an autofocus driver in the camera body. What this means, is that if autofocus is important to the way you take pictures, they you are somewhat limited in the number of lenses you can use with the D40. Only about ten percent of the available lenses for the Nikon D40 have autofocus drives built into the lenses. Needless to say, those lenses are considerably more expensive than lenses without autofocus (upwards of $500 or more). Autofocus would be important to anyone shooting shots with lots of movement, such as sports or wildlife.
Nikon decided that a depth of field preview feature was not necessary for the D40. Depending on your preference for taking pictures, this may or may not be of concern. Some photographers find this very helpful, but others may just experiment with different aperture settings and figure out from that what stays in focus, and what doesn't. I would suggest, that someone learning photography could really benefit from a depth of field preview as it helps to teach the principles of objects in focus and defocused.
One last small grievance. Most SLR's in this price range, allow you to take pictures in the RAW format, and the D40 is no exception. What is a bit surprising, is that when you take pictures with the RAW and JPEG format at the same time, the D40 only uses a very basic JPEG format. For a camera in this price range I would have expected better. Again, your photo taking preferences come into play here. If all you ever take is only RAW, or only JPEG format pictures, then don't concern yourself with this issue.
So, at this point you may still be convinced that the Nikon D40 SLR is still the best camera for you. That's fine, like I said earlier, it really depends on what is the right camera for you. It's hard to beat a good photographer with the right camera.
by Chris Campbell
The Nikon D40 Digital SLR Camera has been on a multitude of top ten lists and received numerous five star ratings. But, every camera has it's quirks and some of them can be quite glaring. Then Nikon D40 is no exception. They say there's no such thing as a bad camera, only bad photographers. I'd like to take that a bit further, and say that there's no such thing as a bad photographer, only good photographers using the wrong camera. So, let's be a little critical with the D40 SLR, and see if it's really the right camera for you.
The most obvious shortcoming of the Nikon D40 camera, is the absence of an autofocus driver in the camera body. What this means, is that if autofocus is important to the way you take pictures, they you are somewhat limited in the number of lenses you can use with the D40. Only about ten percent of the available lenses for the Nikon D40 have autofocus drives built into the lenses. Needless to say, those lenses are considerably more expensive than lenses without autofocus (upwards of $500 or more). Autofocus would be important to anyone shooting shots with lots of movement, such as sports or wildlife.
Nikon decided that a depth of field preview feature was not necessary for the D40. Depending on your preference for taking pictures, this may or may not be of concern. Some photographers find this very helpful, but others may just experiment with different aperture settings and figure out from that what stays in focus, and what doesn't. I would suggest, that someone learning photography could really benefit from a depth of field preview as it helps to teach the principles of objects in focus and defocused.
One last small grievance. Most SLR's in this price range, allow you to take pictures in the RAW format, and the D40 is no exception. What is a bit surprising, is that when you take pictures with the RAW and JPEG format at the same time, the D40 only uses a very basic JPEG format. For a camera in this price range I would have expected better. Again, your photo taking preferences come into play here. If all you ever take is only RAW, or only JPEG format pictures, then don't concern yourself with this issue.
So, at this point you may still be convinced that the Nikon D40 SLR is still the best camera for you. That's fine, like I said earlier, it really depends on what is the right camera for you. It's hard to beat a good photographer with the right camera.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Simply The Best Digital SLR Camera - Period.
Simply The Best Digital SLR Camera - Period.
by Chris Campbell
So, you've decided to make the jump from simple point and shoot cameras into the realm of SLR photography. If you've done any sort of research, your mind and eyeballs are probably reeling from an overload of information. Digital SLR photography, is one those hobbies that is rich with technological jargon. It gets worse, if your one of the perfectionist type that really likes to minutely analyze any major purchase... intent on getting the best digital SLR camera for your money. You could be in for a long bumpy ride. Today it's time to shorten that ride and smooth out the bumps.
Lets get right to it. It's very true, that the immense popularity of digital cameras (SLR and otherwise) and rapid technical advances have produced a glut of choices and features that can be bewildering to the average consumer. Those same trends have have also pushed manufactures and retail establishments to be highly competitive in both design and pricing. That's something that can only benefit the consumer. In a couple of ways actually. Not only do you have a bevy of choices, but the vast majority of those SLR choices are really good cameras. Long story short... it's hard to go wrong in this category. I'll make it even simpler for you. Pick any one of the following three digital SLR cameras, and you won't be disappointed. They are the Canon Digital Rebel XTi, the Nikon D40, and the Olympus Evolt E510. As of this writing, the 10 megapixels flavors for these cameras are all available for about $600. That includes a basic kit lens. That feels like highway robbery, compared to the $1000 I paid for a good point and shoot digital just a few years back.
When looking for the best digital SLR camera you can find, the important word to remember is "YOU". Ask a dozen camera enthusiasts why they their favourite camera is their favourite, and you likely get a dozen answers. Every photographer takes pictures for different reasons, values different attributes in the finished pictures, and handles a camera differently. And so will you. A good hands-on exercise before making your final selection, would be to go to a speciality camera store with lots of models on hand, during a non busy time. Try out as many models as you can, taking pictures of people, things, shadows, and any odd lighting areas of the store you can. Try different lenses to. Have lots of questions for the sales people, but take their answers with a grain of salt. They are sales people after all. The actual experience of handling and using the camera should be your final factor in making your decision. Not specifications like burst mode, megapixels, ISO, or sensor size. The best digital camera, is the one that enables YOU to take the best pictures you can.
Still feel a need to look some more? That's fine. Like I said there are a crazy number of choices when it comes to digital SLRs. It never hurts to take a peek into what Canon, Nikon, Olympus and others are offering as the latest and greatest SLR cameras. Just remember, the more time you spend looking for a camera, the less time you spend taking pictures.
by Chris Campbell
So, you've decided to make the jump from simple point and shoot cameras into the realm of SLR photography. If you've done any sort of research, your mind and eyeballs are probably reeling from an overload of information. Digital SLR photography, is one those hobbies that is rich with technological jargon. It gets worse, if your one of the perfectionist type that really likes to minutely analyze any major purchase... intent on getting the best digital SLR camera for your money. You could be in for a long bumpy ride. Today it's time to shorten that ride and smooth out the bumps.
Lets get right to it. It's very true, that the immense popularity of digital cameras (SLR and otherwise) and rapid technical advances have produced a glut of choices and features that can be bewildering to the average consumer. Those same trends have have also pushed manufactures and retail establishments to be highly competitive in both design and pricing. That's something that can only benefit the consumer. In a couple of ways actually. Not only do you have a bevy of choices, but the vast majority of those SLR choices are really good cameras. Long story short... it's hard to go wrong in this category. I'll make it even simpler for you. Pick any one of the following three digital SLR cameras, and you won't be disappointed. They are the Canon Digital Rebel XTi, the Nikon D40, and the Olympus Evolt E510. As of this writing, the 10 megapixels flavors for these cameras are all available for about $600. That includes a basic kit lens. That feels like highway robbery, compared to the $1000 I paid for a good point and shoot digital just a few years back.
When looking for the best digital SLR camera you can find, the important word to remember is "YOU". Ask a dozen camera enthusiasts why they their favourite camera is their favourite, and you likely get a dozen answers. Every photographer takes pictures for different reasons, values different attributes in the finished pictures, and handles a camera differently. And so will you. A good hands-on exercise before making your final selection, would be to go to a speciality camera store with lots of models on hand, during a non busy time. Try out as many models as you can, taking pictures of people, things, shadows, and any odd lighting areas of the store you can. Try different lenses to. Have lots of questions for the sales people, but take their answers with a grain of salt. They are sales people after all. The actual experience of handling and using the camera should be your final factor in making your decision. Not specifications like burst mode, megapixels, ISO, or sensor size. The best digital camera, is the one that enables YOU to take the best pictures you can.
Still feel a need to look some more? That's fine. Like I said there are a crazy number of choices when it comes to digital SLRs. It never hurts to take a peek into what Canon, Nikon, Olympus and others are offering as the latest and greatest SLR cameras. Just remember, the more time you spend looking for a camera, the less time you spend taking pictures.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
What Is A Good Digital Camera?
What Is A Good Digital Camera?
by Claude Fullinfaw
Digital Photography for Beginners
The latest cameras on the market are so easy to operate that both professionals as well as the amateur can now take excellent photos. The photo resolution and the shutter speed of these new camera devices are so perfect that it's a breeze to take your photographs now. If these features do not operative to the high standards that we expect them to, all we have to do then is jump onto our computers and get into one of those fancy software programs that make editing your photos so easy. An excellent way to bring life back to your precious moments you had captured on your digital camera.
Do you remember the last time you took a photograph? May I ask you if it was perfect in every detail? Well! The reality is that you may have not taken a really good shot after all. Quite often we take good snaps but if we were to look at all the elements that make up a good photo the chances are our photo may fall short in quite a few key areas. Perhaps you paid a lot of attention to framing your photo but paid less attention to the lighting factor that may affect the final picture. Maybe you did pay attention to the lighting detail but you completely forgot that you had to include a flash or you may have slipped up on the final adjustments and the red-eye reduction settings were one of them. This would certainly make your photos look quite ordinary. To avoid this human error in taking photos we now have at our disposal the modern digital camera that allows us to take photography to the next level giving our snaps the professional look they deserve.
What Is A Good Digital Camera?
A good digital camera is so clever that it is able to adjust its settings to take on what ever it's asked to do. I certainly am not so smart as these small gadgets. It can bring to life pictures taken in the dark shadows in the steamy rain forest or among the bright backgrounds present among the roses in the garden. It's program is smart to work it around all the different scenarios that may arise in its short life to bring pleasure to its you as it's owner with gifts of beautiful memories for you to cherish.
Digital cameras are so powerful that within minutes you could have your picture edited and in a frame on your dining table ready for your guests to take a look at before they leave the family reunion. Imagine all of you crowded around looking at your little baby boy gaping up at the camera. The grandparents would certainly love to be able to share in those captured moments in your child's life especially id they live away from you. The digital technology that comes today with your camera includes the red-eye reduction, crop features, zoom and automatic color enhancements. Certainly it has been a great help to have these tools at hand to be able to just shoot and print beautiful photos. It just cannot get easier. At least it may seem like that for the moment at least. We can never tell what good surprises invention has in store for us mortals to get even lazier and let these little cameras take over.
Are you are aware that you could do digital photos without a digital camera or any of the software that is out there to create photos? The camera is only a part of the entire process taking and making perfect snaps. The camera is only an instrument if I may say in taking the perfect photograph. From here on it gets better as we have numerous software programs designed to take your photographs to the next level to get the most out of them. It's certainly wonderful as this is where the dirt hits the road and the magic happens. We can turn into magicians for a moment and transform our photographs completely around by changing the looks of the images with the brilliant software at hand. And we can do almost anything to the image to make it jump out of the photograph at us.
Claude Fullinfaw is a successful publisher of digital photography tips at Digital-Photography-For-Beginners.com where he provides more information on digital photography that you can research in your pajamas on his website at Digital Photography.
by Claude Fullinfaw
Digital Photography for Beginners
The latest cameras on the market are so easy to operate that both professionals as well as the amateur can now take excellent photos. The photo resolution and the shutter speed of these new camera devices are so perfect that it's a breeze to take your photographs now. If these features do not operative to the high standards that we expect them to, all we have to do then is jump onto our computers and get into one of those fancy software programs that make editing your photos so easy. An excellent way to bring life back to your precious moments you had captured on your digital camera.
Do you remember the last time you took a photograph? May I ask you if it was perfect in every detail? Well! The reality is that you may have not taken a really good shot after all. Quite often we take good snaps but if we were to look at all the elements that make up a good photo the chances are our photo may fall short in quite a few key areas. Perhaps you paid a lot of attention to framing your photo but paid less attention to the lighting factor that may affect the final picture. Maybe you did pay attention to the lighting detail but you completely forgot that you had to include a flash or you may have slipped up on the final adjustments and the red-eye reduction settings were one of them. This would certainly make your photos look quite ordinary. To avoid this human error in taking photos we now have at our disposal the modern digital camera that allows us to take photography to the next level giving our snaps the professional look they deserve.
What Is A Good Digital Camera?
A good digital camera is so clever that it is able to adjust its settings to take on what ever it's asked to do. I certainly am not so smart as these small gadgets. It can bring to life pictures taken in the dark shadows in the steamy rain forest or among the bright backgrounds present among the roses in the garden. It's program is smart to work it around all the different scenarios that may arise in its short life to bring pleasure to its you as it's owner with gifts of beautiful memories for you to cherish.
Digital cameras are so powerful that within minutes you could have your picture edited and in a frame on your dining table ready for your guests to take a look at before they leave the family reunion. Imagine all of you crowded around looking at your little baby boy gaping up at the camera. The grandparents would certainly love to be able to share in those captured moments in your child's life especially id they live away from you. The digital technology that comes today with your camera includes the red-eye reduction, crop features, zoom and automatic color enhancements. Certainly it has been a great help to have these tools at hand to be able to just shoot and print beautiful photos. It just cannot get easier. At least it may seem like that for the moment at least. We can never tell what good surprises invention has in store for us mortals to get even lazier and let these little cameras take over.
Are you are aware that you could do digital photos without a digital camera or any of the software that is out there to create photos? The camera is only a part of the entire process taking and making perfect snaps. The camera is only an instrument if I may say in taking the perfect photograph. From here on it gets better as we have numerous software programs designed to take your photographs to the next level to get the most out of them. It's certainly wonderful as this is where the dirt hits the road and the magic happens. We can turn into magicians for a moment and transform our photographs completely around by changing the looks of the images with the brilliant software at hand. And we can do almost anything to the image to make it jump out of the photograph at us.
Claude Fullinfaw is a successful publisher of digital photography tips at Digital-Photography-For-Beginners.com where he provides more information on digital photography that you can research in your pajamas on his website at Digital Photography.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
How to (No Kidding) Read Your Camera Manual
How to (No Kidding) Read Your Camera Manual
by Barry Tanenbaum
As a writer and editor in the photo business I find myself from time to time in the office of Lindsay Silverman, senior technical manager at Nikon. Invariably, there'll be a stack of camera manuals on his desk. Nothing unusual there, but what distinguishes Lindsay's collection is the fact that the pages of these manuals bristle with tiny color tags.
One day I asked, "What's with the Post-it flags?"
"That's the way I read manuals," Lindsay said.
"You mean that's the way you mark them for future reference."
"Well, yes and no," he said. "C'mon, I'll buy you a cup of coffee and explain it."
To start with, he said, manuals in general have a bad reputation. "I hear it all the time: 'Who wrote this stupid manual?' 'Why does it have to be so long?' But the problem isn't the manual, it's the way a lot of people read it�or don't read it. They take the camera out of the box and while the battery charges up they'll either ignore the manual and go do something else, or they'll sit down and start to read the manual, intending to go cover to cover."
"It's not a novel," he said. "It's a lot of information, and like a manual for any product that involves a degree of technology, a camera manual can be confusing simply because it's hard to digest in one shot."
"And you suggest�?"
"Here's what I do. I break it down into categories of information: What do I already know? What do I need to know right now? What do I need to know a lot of the time? What do I need to know some of the time?
"Let's say it's a digital SLR, like the D200. I know how to mount a lens, how to put the battery in�I work at Nikon, I gotta know that! I also know how to go into the custom settings menu because I'm familiar with those steps from a previous Nikon model, so I can set some basic functions.
"Next, what do I need to know now? For me that's metering and autofocus choices, the speed of the frame advance and details of the custom settings. I don't sell the custom settings short: they're what makes the camera mine and makes it work for me the way I want it to work. Custom settings aren't something I get to eventually, I go there pretty quickly."
"Okay," I said, "I got the order of things. But the color tabs�.?"
"I know, it may sound weird, and my colleagues chide me on this, but we all have our ways of learning and doing things. As I read the sections I'm interested in�and this can be over a period of days�I'll get to things I want to know about, and I mark the sections according to my own code of interests: red for flash info, yellow for the operating modes of the camera and so on. Now I can go right to the information I need when I need it."
"Making it accessible and digestible," I said.
"Right. To me it makes no sense to read any manual front to back. There's no narrative there; there's no story. There's information, facts and suggestions, and I want to go to them as I need them."
"What about the quick setup guides that come with the cameras?
"They come with everything these days," Lindsay said, "and they're the easy way in. But they tell you what you need to get started, not what you need to get into the things that allow you to really control and customize your camera, the things you need to get the most out of the camera."
Well, I didn't go out and buy Post-it flags after talking with Lindsay, but I did take his suggestions to heart: no more cover-to-cover for any manual�camera, DVD recorder, electronic keyboard, anything. I'm going right to what I need to know immediately, and I'll learn the rest as I need to and as I go along. Hey, my cell phone manual has more pages than The Old Man and the Sea, but it's nowhere near as engaging.
by Barry Tanenbaum
As a writer and editor in the photo business I find myself from time to time in the office of Lindsay Silverman, senior technical manager at Nikon. Invariably, there'll be a stack of camera manuals on his desk. Nothing unusual there, but what distinguishes Lindsay's collection is the fact that the pages of these manuals bristle with tiny color tags.
One day I asked, "What's with the Post-it flags?"
"That's the way I read manuals," Lindsay said.
"You mean that's the way you mark them for future reference."
"Well, yes and no," he said. "C'mon, I'll buy you a cup of coffee and explain it."
To start with, he said, manuals in general have a bad reputation. "I hear it all the time: 'Who wrote this stupid manual?' 'Why does it have to be so long?' But the problem isn't the manual, it's the way a lot of people read it�or don't read it. They take the camera out of the box and while the battery charges up they'll either ignore the manual and go do something else, or they'll sit down and start to read the manual, intending to go cover to cover."
"It's not a novel," he said. "It's a lot of information, and like a manual for any product that involves a degree of technology, a camera manual can be confusing simply because it's hard to digest in one shot."
"And you suggest�?"
"Here's what I do. I break it down into categories of information: What do I already know? What do I need to know right now? What do I need to know a lot of the time? What do I need to know some of the time?
"Let's say it's a digital SLR, like the D200. I know how to mount a lens, how to put the battery in�I work at Nikon, I gotta know that! I also know how to go into the custom settings menu because I'm familiar with those steps from a previous Nikon model, so I can set some basic functions.
"Next, what do I need to know now? For me that's metering and autofocus choices, the speed of the frame advance and details of the custom settings. I don't sell the custom settings short: they're what makes the camera mine and makes it work for me the way I want it to work. Custom settings aren't something I get to eventually, I go there pretty quickly."
"Okay," I said, "I got the order of things. But the color tabs�.?"
"I know, it may sound weird, and my colleagues chide me on this, but we all have our ways of learning and doing things. As I read the sections I'm interested in�and this can be over a period of days�I'll get to things I want to know about, and I mark the sections according to my own code of interests: red for flash info, yellow for the operating modes of the camera and so on. Now I can go right to the information I need when I need it."
"Making it accessible and digestible," I said.
"Right. To me it makes no sense to read any manual front to back. There's no narrative there; there's no story. There's information, facts and suggestions, and I want to go to them as I need them."
"What about the quick setup guides that come with the cameras?
"They come with everything these days," Lindsay said, "and they're the easy way in. But they tell you what you need to get started, not what you need to get into the things that allow you to really control and customize your camera, the things you need to get the most out of the camera."
Well, I didn't go out and buy Post-it flags after talking with Lindsay, but I did take his suggestions to heart: no more cover-to-cover for any manual�camera, DVD recorder, electronic keyboard, anything. I'm going right to what I need to know immediately, and I'll learn the rest as I need to and as I go along. Hey, my cell phone manual has more pages than The Old Man and the Sea, but it's nowhere near as engaging.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Common Digital Terms | Glossary
Common Digital Terms | Glossary
Unclear about megabytes and kilobytes? Can't remember the difference between memory cards and MultiMedia cards? Is confusion about battery types draining you of energy? Then let our glossary of common digital terms help unravel the mysteries and jumpstart your digital education!
Bit
A "bit" is a condensed combination of the two words binary + digit. It is the smallest unit of memory in a computer.
Card reader
A card reader is a dedicated drive into which you can insert your camera�s memory card. A card reader transfers the images from the memory card in your camera to your computer. You can choose from cards that accept Compact Flash readers, Secure Digital (SD) cards, or multi-card readers that accept several different types of cards.
Digital zoom
A digital zoom magnifies just a portion of the image as opposed to an optical zoom that lets you actually change the focal length of your lens and enlarge the whole image. With a digital zoom, the image loses its sharpness as it gets bigger.
Digital SLR (DSLR)
A DSLR camera is a digital camera that allows you to change the lenses. It�s used mostly by professionals and comes with lots of advanced manual and automatic features. SLR �Single-Lens-Reflex� means that you are looking at your image through the lens before you take the picture.
Digitize
To digitize an image refers to converting analog information into digital format so it can be used on a computer. People can digitize old photos by scanning them with a scanner.
Docking station
A docking station is a device that you can attach your camera to facilitate download and sometimes perform rechargeable functions. The docking station is connected to the computer full-time and acts as an intermediary between the camera and the computer.
DPI (Dots Per Inch)
DPI refers to the number of dots a printer or device (like a monitor) can display per linear inch. For example, a laser printer with a resolution of 300 dpi makes prints with 300 dots per square inch. The higher the DPI, the better the resolution.
EXIF (Exchangeable Image File format)
EXIF refers to the information about each picture you take, such as date and time, resolution, orientation, etc., The information is �recorded with� the images when you take the picture.
Flash memory
Flash memory refers to the removable memory cards that record images in a digital camera. When the power is turned off, flash memory retains the images and memory space can be continually erased and used again. Compact Flash, Secure Digital and Memory Stick are the most popular types of flash memory.
Image sensor
The image sensor is the light sensitive chip in your camera that records exposure data when you take the picture.
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
JPEG is a standardized file format used to compress and store digital images of natural, real-world scenes (as opposed to illustrations or drawings). This format is also commonly used for images you see on the Web and for images attached to e-mails.
Kilobyte
A kilobyte is equal to 1024 bytes and refers to computer memory, disk space, or document size.
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
An LCD is a full-color display screen on a digital camera that lets you preview and review pictures. On many models, it will also allow you to view information, such as menu options and camera settings.
Lithium battery
Lithium batteries are batteries that use lithium in the process of creating power. Lithium batteries are standard disposable batteries while lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable. They are very efficient and powerful batteries and usually perform better than Alkaline or NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries.
Megabyte
A megabyte is an amount of computer memory consisting of about one million bytes. (The actual value is 1,048,576 bytes or 1024 KB.)
Megapixel
A megapixel is equal to 1 million pixels. The more pixels in an image, the higher the pictures fidelity and detail and the greater the print quality will be.
Memory
Memory is what digital cameras need instead of film to store images. Some digital cameras have a certain amount of memory which stores a limited number of images depending on how large the memory capacity is. You can add memory to most digital cameras by using a memory card.
Memory cards
Memory cards are devices that provide extra storage for digital media such as pictures, sound and movie files. They come in a variety of capacities. Typical memory capacities are 16MB, 32MB, 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, etc. The higher the capacity the more images can be stored.
MMC (MultiMedia cards)
MultiMedia cards are one type of removable memory card.
NiMH
NiMH stands for Nickel-Metal Hydride and refers to a type of rechargeable batteries used in most digital cameras. NiMH rechargeable batteries do not need to be depleted of power before being recharged.
Photo kiosk
A photo-kiosk is a computer-driven device that allows users to edit and print pictures from negatives, prints, or digital files on a picture card, CD, or disk. Kiosks can usually be found in retail stores.
Pixel
A pixel is a condensed combination of the words PICture ELement. It refers to the smallest element, or dot, that makes up a digitized image. The number of pixels determines the resolution.
PPI (Pixels Per Inch)
PPI refers to the number of pixels per linear inch used to describe image resolution. A higher ppi means your images will have more detail which, in turn, means higher image fidelity.
Resolution
Resolution refers to the number of units in a whole, pixels in an image, dots in a print, etc. A high-resolution image means the image fidelity/detail will be higher. It's expressed as horizontal pixels times vertical pixels, such as 800 x 600, 1600 x 1200, or 2048 x 1536.
SD (Secure Digital) memory card
An SD memory card is an extremely small type of removable memory card used in most of the newer digital cameras.
USB Port (universal serial bus)
A USB port is a connection point on the back of the computer where you plug in your digital camera or card reader or other USB devices. When you connect to the USB port, you can download your photos from your camera to your computer.
Unclear about megabytes and kilobytes? Can't remember the difference between memory cards and MultiMedia cards? Is confusion about battery types draining you of energy? Then let our glossary of common digital terms help unravel the mysteries and jumpstart your digital education!
Bit
A "bit" is a condensed combination of the two words binary + digit. It is the smallest unit of memory in a computer.
Card reader
A card reader is a dedicated drive into which you can insert your camera�s memory card. A card reader transfers the images from the memory card in your camera to your computer. You can choose from cards that accept Compact Flash readers, Secure Digital (SD) cards, or multi-card readers that accept several different types of cards.
Digital zoom
A digital zoom magnifies just a portion of the image as opposed to an optical zoom that lets you actually change the focal length of your lens and enlarge the whole image. With a digital zoom, the image loses its sharpness as it gets bigger.
Digital SLR (DSLR)
A DSLR camera is a digital camera that allows you to change the lenses. It�s used mostly by professionals and comes with lots of advanced manual and automatic features. SLR �Single-Lens-Reflex� means that you are looking at your image through the lens before you take the picture.
Digitize
To digitize an image refers to converting analog information into digital format so it can be used on a computer. People can digitize old photos by scanning them with a scanner.
Docking station
A docking station is a device that you can attach your camera to facilitate download and sometimes perform rechargeable functions. The docking station is connected to the computer full-time and acts as an intermediary between the camera and the computer.
DPI (Dots Per Inch)
DPI refers to the number of dots a printer or device (like a monitor) can display per linear inch. For example, a laser printer with a resolution of 300 dpi makes prints with 300 dots per square inch. The higher the DPI, the better the resolution.
EXIF (Exchangeable Image File format)
EXIF refers to the information about each picture you take, such as date and time, resolution, orientation, etc., The information is �recorded with� the images when you take the picture.
Flash memory
Flash memory refers to the removable memory cards that record images in a digital camera. When the power is turned off, flash memory retains the images and memory space can be continually erased and used again. Compact Flash, Secure Digital and Memory Stick are the most popular types of flash memory.
Image sensor
The image sensor is the light sensitive chip in your camera that records exposure data when you take the picture.
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
JPEG is a standardized file format used to compress and store digital images of natural, real-world scenes (as opposed to illustrations or drawings). This format is also commonly used for images you see on the Web and for images attached to e-mails.
Kilobyte
A kilobyte is equal to 1024 bytes and refers to computer memory, disk space, or document size.
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
An LCD is a full-color display screen on a digital camera that lets you preview and review pictures. On many models, it will also allow you to view information, such as menu options and camera settings.
Lithium battery
Lithium batteries are batteries that use lithium in the process of creating power. Lithium batteries are standard disposable batteries while lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable. They are very efficient and powerful batteries and usually perform better than Alkaline or NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries.
Megabyte
A megabyte is an amount of computer memory consisting of about one million bytes. (The actual value is 1,048,576 bytes or 1024 KB.)
Megapixel
A megapixel is equal to 1 million pixels. The more pixels in an image, the higher the pictures fidelity and detail and the greater the print quality will be.
Memory
Memory is what digital cameras need instead of film to store images. Some digital cameras have a certain amount of memory which stores a limited number of images depending on how large the memory capacity is. You can add memory to most digital cameras by using a memory card.
Memory cards
Memory cards are devices that provide extra storage for digital media such as pictures, sound and movie files. They come in a variety of capacities. Typical memory capacities are 16MB, 32MB, 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, etc. The higher the capacity the more images can be stored.
MMC (MultiMedia cards)
MultiMedia cards are one type of removable memory card.
NiMH
NiMH stands for Nickel-Metal Hydride and refers to a type of rechargeable batteries used in most digital cameras. NiMH rechargeable batteries do not need to be depleted of power before being recharged.
Photo kiosk
A photo-kiosk is a computer-driven device that allows users to edit and print pictures from negatives, prints, or digital files on a picture card, CD, or disk. Kiosks can usually be found in retail stores.
Pixel
A pixel is a condensed combination of the words PICture ELement. It refers to the smallest element, or dot, that makes up a digitized image. The number of pixels determines the resolution.
PPI (Pixels Per Inch)
PPI refers to the number of pixels per linear inch used to describe image resolution. A higher ppi means your images will have more detail which, in turn, means higher image fidelity.
Resolution
Resolution refers to the number of units in a whole, pixels in an image, dots in a print, etc. A high-resolution image means the image fidelity/detail will be higher. It's expressed as horizontal pixels times vertical pixels, such as 800 x 600, 1600 x 1200, or 2048 x 1536.
SD (Secure Digital) memory card
An SD memory card is an extremely small type of removable memory card used in most of the newer digital cameras.
USB Port (universal serial bus)
A USB port is a connection point on the back of the computer where you plug in your digital camera or card reader or other USB devices. When you connect to the USB port, you can download your photos from your camera to your computer.
Source: Pentax
Selecting a Digital Camera
Selecting a Digital Camera
So you've decided to buy a digital camera. That's great! But with the huge assortment of digital cameras to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you? Which features are most important? Where do you begin?
Digital Camera Usage
You've decided to invest in a digital camera. The great times are about to begin! But what should you look for in a camera so it does want you want it to do? Let us help. Our top five points to consider can help you determine your needs. Once you learn everything your camera can do, you'll never want to put it down again!
1. Megapixels and resolution: In clearer terms, what size pictures do you want to print?
There's lots of talk about megapixels and resolution�but what are they and what do they do? Pixels are the dots, or image points, that make up a picture. A megapixel is equal to one million pixels. The more megapixels your camera has, the larger your prints can be and still look good. And that leads us to resolution.
Resolution refers to the total number of pixels and affects the sharpness and definition of your image. High-resolution cameras have two or three megapixels or more and are perfect for making large prints. Low-resolution cameras have one megapixel and are better suited for emailing images or making prints smaller than 4x6 inches. Carefully consider the best print size for your needs and it'll help you solve the megapixel puzzle. The more megapixels in your image, the fewer you can store on your memory card�another one of those trade offs!
2. Lenses: Just focus on the kind of pictures you want to take.
Do you like to take close-up pictures with lots of great details and sharpness? Or do you want to be able to zoom in on the action even if you're far away? Your answers will help you choose a camera with the right lens system suited to your style.
Almost everyone needs a zoom lens. Zoom lenses come in two types, optical and digital. You want an optical zoom. Optical zoom allows you to follow your subject and adjust the lens forward and backward just like with a film camera. Digital zoom, on the other hand, simply enlarges or "blows up" the image and crops in on the part you see on the LCD monitor. This process reduces the quality of the image. Zoom in too close and your prints will lack clarity and sharpness.
If close-ups are your passion, you'll need a camera with a macro setting. Many digital cameras have a macro mode. This mode lets you get very close to objects and greatly enlarge the image, such as a petal on a flower or a ring on a finger. Whether you choose zoom or macro or both, be sure to experiment with your camera's lens system in the store.
3. Memory: Don't forget to buy enough.
Digital cameras don't use film. Instead, they use digital memory such as memory cards or small hard disks to store images. But, just like film, memory cards get full. When this happens, you need to free up space before you can take more pictures.
Digital cameras let you free up space by deleting them or downloading pictures from the camera onto your computer. This system works fine if you're always near a computer, but it's not always practical if you're traveling or carrying your camera with you for long periods of time. In these cases, you'll want a higher capacity memory card with lots of image storage capacity.
When choosing a digital camera, find out how many pictures can be stored on its card when images are taken at default resolution. The most popular cards on the market are very durable and come in a variety of sizes, from 4 megabytes to 1 gigabyte or higher. While higher capacity cards can be somewhat expensive, they'll give you the freedom to take as many pictures as you want.
4. Batteries: A powerful consideration.
Digital cameras go through batteries like kids eat candy. This is because the batteries have to power an image sensor, the LCD panel, and the microprocessor all at once. Add a flash and zoom to the mix and batteries become an important camera feature to consider in your decision-making process.
Batteries come in a variety shapes and sizes. Before buying a digital camera, find out what your options are. One option is alkaline batteries. While they're convenient and relatively cost-effective, they're usually not strong enough to power most cameras for more than a few dozen images. Disposable lithium batteries are a more powerful alternative, but this can be an expensive proposition if you're replacing them on a regular basis.
Another option is rechargeable batteries. In a single charge, rechargeable batteries will power a good camera long enough for you to take about 100 pictures. Many cameras come with chargers; if they do, this is an extra you should definitely consider for its convenience and cost-effectiveness. Whatever battery option you choose, understand that many things affect battery life, such as using the optical viewfinder instead of the LCD monitor to conserve power.
Battery life is worth researching and is often covered in camera reviews or the owner's manual. If you travel or plan on using your camera for long periods of time, consider buying and carrying additional batteries for it. This way you'll always be powered up to capture life's special moments.
5. Size: It should only matter to you
Everything is being made smaller these days�and that goes for digital cameras too. But is smaller better? Should you choose a larger camera over a compact model? The answer is: it depends.
Compact cameras are very popular, but the most important question to ask yourself is: how much camera do I want to carry? Obviously, smaller model weigh less and fit nicely into pockets and purses. But compact models may sacrifice some of the more advanced features you want to accommodate for their miniscule size. For instance, compact models hold smaller batteries that may not power a camera as long as larger batteries do. So if long battery life is on your priority list, a compact style may serve you better.
Full-size models offer the same trade-offs. While they hold larger batteries and are often packed with lots of advanced features, most will not fit in your pocket. A camera bag will do the job while protecting your camera and giving you the option of carrying accessories such as extra batteries or a flash.
So you've decided to buy a digital camera. That's great! But with the huge assortment of digital cameras to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you? Which features are most important? Where do you begin?
Digital Camera Usage
You've decided to invest in a digital camera. The great times are about to begin! But what should you look for in a camera so it does want you want it to do? Let us help. Our top five points to consider can help you determine your needs. Once you learn everything your camera can do, you'll never want to put it down again!
1. Megapixels and resolution: In clearer terms, what size pictures do you want to print?
There's lots of talk about megapixels and resolution�but what are they and what do they do? Pixels are the dots, or image points, that make up a picture. A megapixel is equal to one million pixels. The more megapixels your camera has, the larger your prints can be and still look good. And that leads us to resolution.
Resolution refers to the total number of pixels and affects the sharpness and definition of your image. High-resolution cameras have two or three megapixels or more and are perfect for making large prints. Low-resolution cameras have one megapixel and are better suited for emailing images or making prints smaller than 4x6 inches. Carefully consider the best print size for your needs and it'll help you solve the megapixel puzzle. The more megapixels in your image, the fewer you can store on your memory card�another one of those trade offs!
2. Lenses: Just focus on the kind of pictures you want to take.
Do you like to take close-up pictures with lots of great details and sharpness? Or do you want to be able to zoom in on the action even if you're far away? Your answers will help you choose a camera with the right lens system suited to your style.
Almost everyone needs a zoom lens. Zoom lenses come in two types, optical and digital. You want an optical zoom. Optical zoom allows you to follow your subject and adjust the lens forward and backward just like with a film camera. Digital zoom, on the other hand, simply enlarges or "blows up" the image and crops in on the part you see on the LCD monitor. This process reduces the quality of the image. Zoom in too close and your prints will lack clarity and sharpness.
If close-ups are your passion, you'll need a camera with a macro setting. Many digital cameras have a macro mode. This mode lets you get very close to objects and greatly enlarge the image, such as a petal on a flower or a ring on a finger. Whether you choose zoom or macro or both, be sure to experiment with your camera's lens system in the store.
3. Memory: Don't forget to buy enough.
Digital cameras don't use film. Instead, they use digital memory such as memory cards or small hard disks to store images. But, just like film, memory cards get full. When this happens, you need to free up space before you can take more pictures.
Digital cameras let you free up space by deleting them or downloading pictures from the camera onto your computer. This system works fine if you're always near a computer, but it's not always practical if you're traveling or carrying your camera with you for long periods of time. In these cases, you'll want a higher capacity memory card with lots of image storage capacity.
When choosing a digital camera, find out how many pictures can be stored on its card when images are taken at default resolution. The most popular cards on the market are very durable and come in a variety of sizes, from 4 megabytes to 1 gigabyte or higher. While higher capacity cards can be somewhat expensive, they'll give you the freedom to take as many pictures as you want.
4. Batteries: A powerful consideration.
Digital cameras go through batteries like kids eat candy. This is because the batteries have to power an image sensor, the LCD panel, and the microprocessor all at once. Add a flash and zoom to the mix and batteries become an important camera feature to consider in your decision-making process.
Batteries come in a variety shapes and sizes. Before buying a digital camera, find out what your options are. One option is alkaline batteries. While they're convenient and relatively cost-effective, they're usually not strong enough to power most cameras for more than a few dozen images. Disposable lithium batteries are a more powerful alternative, but this can be an expensive proposition if you're replacing them on a regular basis.
Another option is rechargeable batteries. In a single charge, rechargeable batteries will power a good camera long enough for you to take about 100 pictures. Many cameras come with chargers; if they do, this is an extra you should definitely consider for its convenience and cost-effectiveness. Whatever battery option you choose, understand that many things affect battery life, such as using the optical viewfinder instead of the LCD monitor to conserve power.
Battery life is worth researching and is often covered in camera reviews or the owner's manual. If you travel or plan on using your camera for long periods of time, consider buying and carrying additional batteries for it. This way you'll always be powered up to capture life's special moments.
5. Size: It should only matter to you
Everything is being made smaller these days�and that goes for digital cameras too. But is smaller better? Should you choose a larger camera over a compact model? The answer is: it depends.
Compact cameras are very popular, but the most important question to ask yourself is: how much camera do I want to carry? Obviously, smaller model weigh less and fit nicely into pockets and purses. But compact models may sacrifice some of the more advanced features you want to accommodate for their miniscule size. For instance, compact models hold smaller batteries that may not power a camera as long as larger batteries do. So if long battery life is on your priority list, a compact style may serve you better.
Full-size models offer the same trade-offs. While they hold larger batteries and are often packed with lots of advanced features, most will not fit in your pocket. A camera bag will do the job while protecting your camera and giving you the option of carrying accessories such as extra batteries or a flash.
Source: Pentax
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Pentax Optio Z10 with 7x Zoom and Tiny Optio S10 Digital Cameras
Pentax Optio Z10 with 7x Zoom and Tiny Optio S10 Digital Cameras
The PENTAX Optio Z10 is equipped with a 7X optical zoom lens, the highest magnification among current PENTAX compact digital camera models. Designed with a refraction lens system so the lens never protrudes from the camera while zooming, the 7X optical zoom covers a broad range, from wide-angle to telephoto zoom, and offers an ultra high-magnification of up to approximately 35.7X when combined with digital zoom. With 8.0 megapixels, the Optio Z10 also features high speed detection time Face Recognition for improved portraits and digital Shake Reduction that allows ISO to 3200 to capture sharper images even in low light settings. The sleek, stylish PENTAX Optio Z10 body design also features a sliding lens cover for extra protection that also operates the on/off camera setting.
The PENTAX Optio S10 compact digital camera with 10.0 effective megapixels (the latest model in the popular PENTAX Optio S series) offers digital Shake Reduction and a high-speed Face Recognition AF&AE function for fast, high quality portraits. The Optio S10 is the seventh DivX Certified� digital camera from PENTAX. Now enhanced with digital Shake Reduction, the DivX format enables users to create high-quality video files that may be played back on a wide-variety of DivX DVD players and other devices. The PENTAX Optio S10 digital camera is one of the smallest, lightest 10.0 megapixel digital cameras in the world.
PENTAX Optio Z10 FACT SHEET
High magnification 7X optical zoom
The Optio Z10 features a 7X optical zoom lens that covers focal lengths from 6.3 to 44.1mm (equivalent to 38-266mm for 35mm format) and features a refraction lens system so the lens never protrudes from the camera while zooming. This optical zoom covers a broad range, from wide-angle to telephoto zoom, and offers ultra-high magnification of up to approximately 35.7X when combined with digital zoom.
8.0 effective megapixels produces exceptionally fine-detailed photos
With 8.0 effective megapixels and a high performance PENTAX lens, the Optio Z10 delivers high resolution photos. Compatible with SD memory cards and SDHC memory cards, the Optio Z10 offers a generous 52 MB of built-in-memory.
High-speed Face Recognition AF&AE function of approximately 0.03 seconds
The Optio Z10 is equipped with a Face Recognition AF&AE function* that automatically adjusts the focus and sets the exposure so users may capture photos of people easily. In addition, this function can detect the faces of up to 15 people at once, and the detection time has been reduced to approximately 0.03 seconds at minimum.
*Available when the picture mode is Natural Skin Tone, Portrait, or Kid, and the camera is directed at people from the front.
Digital Shake Reduction
The Digital Shake Reduction mode reduces camera shake and blurring of the subject when photographing still images. The sensitivity is adjusted automatically, to as high a sensitivity as ISO 3200, to match the brightness of the subjects. This enables photography with fast shutter speeds and images with less blurring. In addition, an electronic Shake Reduction function corrects blurring in images during image playback.
Easily viewable LCD monitor with a wide viewing angle
The Optio Z10 comes with a high resolution 2.5 inch LCD monitor with approximately 230,000 pixels that enables images and text to be clearly displayed. The LCD monitor offers a wide viewing angle of 170 degrees from all directions, making it easy to confirm images, even when looking at the screen from a side angle.
Auto Picture mode automatically determines the best setting for the shooting conditions
The Auto Picture mode sets the camera automatically for various shooting conditions such as Landscape, Portrait, Night Scene, and Normal mode and choose the optimal settings for each subject.
Additional features
� Digital wide function converts two images into approximately 28mm wide angle expression (equivalent to 35mm format)
� Mode palette provides quick access to 15 shooting modes and 15 playback modes
� Data imprint function for easier image categorizing
� FotoNation's red-eye compensation function for flash shots
� Includes the ACDsee for PENTAX 3.0 image viewer/image management software that supports Windows Vista
� Support PictBridge, DPOF functions, Eixf Print, and PRINT Image Matching III
PENTAX OPTIO S10 FACT SHEET
Ultra compact body with a stylish design
The PENTAX Optio S10 design is stylish and convenient to carry for travel and business, and the aluminum alloy exterior with a glossy spindle finish gives the camera an elegant appearance. With a 3X optical zoom lens and a large 2.5 inch LCD monitor, this latest 10 megapixel model in the Optio S series is still one of the smallest and the lightest ultra compact camera bodies in the world. The innovative PENTAX camera incorporates a miniaturized circuit board featuring high-density compact mounting technology.
10.0 effective megapixels with high resolution
With 10.0 effective megapixels, the Optio S10 ensures high resolution and delivers clear and crisp images even when enlarged to 11 x 17 inches. The new 1/1.8 inch CCD image sensor with a larger sensing area provides excellent performance for tone reproduction, texture delineation and noise reduction.
Digital Shake Reduction
The Digital Shake Reduction mode helps reduce camera shake and blurring of the subject when photographing still images. The sensitivity is adjusted automatically, to as high as the ultra-high sensitivity of ISO 3200, to match the brightness of the subjects. This enables photography with faster shutter speeds and images with less blur.
*Recording image is fixed at 5MB (2592x1944pixels) when �Digital SR� mode is selected
Face Recognition AF&AE function captures portraits more beautifully with simple operation
The Optio S10 is equipped with a Face Recognition AF&AE function* that automatically detects and focuses on faces. In addition, the Optio S10 also offers a new function that applies face recognition technology such as Natural Skin Tone mode to enhance skin texture and a Half-length Portrait mode,** which automatically captures close-up photographs of the upper body by cropping images of people from the waist up within the photo frame.
*Available when the picture mode is Portrait, Natural Skin Tone, Kids, or Half-length Portrait and the camera is directed at people directly from the front.
**Recording size is fixed at 3MB (2048x1536 pixels) when Half �length Portrait mode is selected. This camera's Face Recognition AF & AE function uses Face Tracker face-recognition technology from FotoNation.
Bright and easy-to-view LCD monitor
The high sensitivity LCD monitor is equipped with an LCD booster that adjusts the brightness of the screen so users may easily check the screen even outdoors. At 2.5 inches and featuring a high resolution of 232,000 pixels, the LCD makes it easy to confirm picture composition and focus. With a wide viewing angle, the screen can also be easily viewed even from a side angle.
Auto Picture mode automatically determines the best settings for the shooting conditions
For ease in shooting, the Auto Picture mode lets the camera automatically determine shooting conditions for Landscape, Portrait, Night Scene, and Normal mode and choose the optimal settings for each subject.
Video recording function enabling high-quality recording for long period of time
The Optio S10 captures movies at 30 fps (frames per second) at sizes up to 640x480 pixels with image quality rivaling camcorders. With the DivX� * (MPEG-4) movie format, the Optio S10 records high-quality movies with Movie Shake Reduction and helps correct blurred images with software.
*The Optio S10 is DivX� certified. Movie playback is not supported on Macintosh operating systems.
Additional features
� A �Green button� that enables you to assign functions that are frequently used, and recall them in just one touch
� An �Intelligent zoom� function which enables images to be magnified even larger and stored, while maintaining the image quality of optical zoom
� Mode palette provides quick access to 18 shooting modes and 15 playback modes
� Data imprint function for easier image categorizing
� Approximately 22.0 MB of built-in-memory
� Compatible with SD memory cards and SDHC memory cards
� FotoNation's red-eye compensation function for flash shots
� Includes the ACDsee for PENTAX image viewer/image management software
� Support PictBridge, DPOF functions, Eixf Print, and PRINT Image Matching III
The PENTAX Optio Z10 is equipped with a 7X optical zoom lens, the highest magnification among current PENTAX compact digital camera models. Designed with a refraction lens system so the lens never protrudes from the camera while zooming, the 7X optical zoom covers a broad range, from wide-angle to telephoto zoom, and offers an ultra high-magnification of up to approximately 35.7X when combined with digital zoom. With 8.0 megapixels, the Optio Z10 also features high speed detection time Face Recognition for improved portraits and digital Shake Reduction that allows ISO to 3200 to capture sharper images even in low light settings. The sleek, stylish PENTAX Optio Z10 body design also features a sliding lens cover for extra protection that also operates the on/off camera setting.
The PENTAX Optio S10 compact digital camera with 10.0 effective megapixels (the latest model in the popular PENTAX Optio S series) offers digital Shake Reduction and a high-speed Face Recognition AF&AE function for fast, high quality portraits. The Optio S10 is the seventh DivX Certified� digital camera from PENTAX. Now enhanced with digital Shake Reduction, the DivX format enables users to create high-quality video files that may be played back on a wide-variety of DivX DVD players and other devices. The PENTAX Optio S10 digital camera is one of the smallest, lightest 10.0 megapixel digital cameras in the world.
PENTAX Optio Z10 FACT SHEET
High magnification 7X optical zoom
The Optio Z10 features a 7X optical zoom lens that covers focal lengths from 6.3 to 44.1mm (equivalent to 38-266mm for 35mm format) and features a refraction lens system so the lens never protrudes from the camera while zooming. This optical zoom covers a broad range, from wide-angle to telephoto zoom, and offers ultra-high magnification of up to approximately 35.7X when combined with digital zoom.
8.0 effective megapixels produces exceptionally fine-detailed photos
With 8.0 effective megapixels and a high performance PENTAX lens, the Optio Z10 delivers high resolution photos. Compatible with SD memory cards and SDHC memory cards, the Optio Z10 offers a generous 52 MB of built-in-memory.
High-speed Face Recognition AF&AE function of approximately 0.03 seconds
The Optio Z10 is equipped with a Face Recognition AF&AE function* that automatically adjusts the focus and sets the exposure so users may capture photos of people easily. In addition, this function can detect the faces of up to 15 people at once, and the detection time has been reduced to approximately 0.03 seconds at minimum.
*Available when the picture mode is Natural Skin Tone, Portrait, or Kid, and the camera is directed at people from the front.
Digital Shake Reduction
The Digital Shake Reduction mode reduces camera shake and blurring of the subject when photographing still images. The sensitivity is adjusted automatically, to as high a sensitivity as ISO 3200, to match the brightness of the subjects. This enables photography with fast shutter speeds and images with less blurring. In addition, an electronic Shake Reduction function corrects blurring in images during image playback.
Easily viewable LCD monitor with a wide viewing angle
The Optio Z10 comes with a high resolution 2.5 inch LCD monitor with approximately 230,000 pixels that enables images and text to be clearly displayed. The LCD monitor offers a wide viewing angle of 170 degrees from all directions, making it easy to confirm images, even when looking at the screen from a side angle.
Auto Picture mode automatically determines the best setting for the shooting conditions
The Auto Picture mode sets the camera automatically for various shooting conditions such as Landscape, Portrait, Night Scene, and Normal mode and choose the optimal settings for each subject.
Additional features
� Digital wide function converts two images into approximately 28mm wide angle expression (equivalent to 35mm format)
� Mode palette provides quick access to 15 shooting modes and 15 playback modes
� Data imprint function for easier image categorizing
� FotoNation's red-eye compensation function for flash shots
� Includes the ACDsee for PENTAX 3.0 image viewer/image management software that supports Windows Vista
� Support PictBridge, DPOF functions, Eixf Print, and PRINT Image Matching III
PENTAX OPTIO S10 FACT SHEET
Ultra compact body with a stylish design
The PENTAX Optio S10 design is stylish and convenient to carry for travel and business, and the aluminum alloy exterior with a glossy spindle finish gives the camera an elegant appearance. With a 3X optical zoom lens and a large 2.5 inch LCD monitor, this latest 10 megapixel model in the Optio S series is still one of the smallest and the lightest ultra compact camera bodies in the world. The innovative PENTAX camera incorporates a miniaturized circuit board featuring high-density compact mounting technology.
10.0 effective megapixels with high resolution
With 10.0 effective megapixels, the Optio S10 ensures high resolution and delivers clear and crisp images even when enlarged to 11 x 17 inches. The new 1/1.8 inch CCD image sensor with a larger sensing area provides excellent performance for tone reproduction, texture delineation and noise reduction.
Digital Shake Reduction
The Digital Shake Reduction mode helps reduce camera shake and blurring of the subject when photographing still images. The sensitivity is adjusted automatically, to as high as the ultra-high sensitivity of ISO 3200, to match the brightness of the subjects. This enables photography with faster shutter speeds and images with less blur.
*Recording image is fixed at 5MB (2592x1944pixels) when �Digital SR� mode is selected
Face Recognition AF&AE function captures portraits more beautifully with simple operation
The Optio S10 is equipped with a Face Recognition AF&AE function* that automatically detects and focuses on faces. In addition, the Optio S10 also offers a new function that applies face recognition technology such as Natural Skin Tone mode to enhance skin texture and a Half-length Portrait mode,** which automatically captures close-up photographs of the upper body by cropping images of people from the waist up within the photo frame.
*Available when the picture mode is Portrait, Natural Skin Tone, Kids, or Half-length Portrait and the camera is directed at people directly from the front.
**Recording size is fixed at 3MB (2048x1536 pixels) when Half �length Portrait mode is selected. This camera's Face Recognition AF & AE function uses Face Tracker face-recognition technology from FotoNation.
Bright and easy-to-view LCD monitor
The high sensitivity LCD monitor is equipped with an LCD booster that adjusts the brightness of the screen so users may easily check the screen even outdoors. At 2.5 inches and featuring a high resolution of 232,000 pixels, the LCD makes it easy to confirm picture composition and focus. With a wide viewing angle, the screen can also be easily viewed even from a side angle.
Auto Picture mode automatically determines the best settings for the shooting conditions
For ease in shooting, the Auto Picture mode lets the camera automatically determine shooting conditions for Landscape, Portrait, Night Scene, and Normal mode and choose the optimal settings for each subject.
Video recording function enabling high-quality recording for long period of time
The Optio S10 captures movies at 30 fps (frames per second) at sizes up to 640x480 pixels with image quality rivaling camcorders. With the DivX� * (MPEG-4) movie format, the Optio S10 records high-quality movies with Movie Shake Reduction and helps correct blurred images with software.
*The Optio S10 is DivX� certified. Movie playback is not supported on Macintosh operating systems.
Additional features
� A �Green button� that enables you to assign functions that are frequently used, and recall them in just one touch
� An �Intelligent zoom� function which enables images to be magnified even larger and stored, while maintaining the image quality of optical zoom
� Mode palette provides quick access to 18 shooting modes and 15 playback modes
� Data imprint function for easier image categorizing
� Approximately 22.0 MB of built-in-memory
� Compatible with SD memory cards and SDHC memory cards
� FotoNation's red-eye compensation function for flash shots
� Includes the ACDsee for PENTAX image viewer/image management software
� Support PictBridge, DPOF functions, Eixf Print, and PRINT Image Matching III
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Canon PowerShot G9 Digital Camera
Canon PowerShot G9 Digital Camera
Canon G-series has a new top-of-the line model - the PowerShot G9 digital camera. The PowerShot G9 digital camera offers serious shooters and value-minded professionals a feature-packed camera with many of the advanced photographic capabilities of a high-end Digital SLR camera, in a lightweight, compact package at an affordable price.
The PowerShot G9 digital camera features the same matte black, retro-hip design that G-series fans have come to appreciate, with a simplified control layout that is versatile yet easy to understand. This camera is loaded with Canon's latest and most advanced technologies, while raising the bar with the addition of RAW Mode, usually reserved for larger and more expensive SLR cameras. Advanced photographers also have the option of using RAW+JPEG simultaneous capture functionality, giving photographers the best of both worlds - JPEGs for immediate use and RAW images for faithful image reproduction, and extensive, non-destructive image editing capability.
The PowerShot G9 digital camera features class-leading 12.1-megapixel resolution for stunning, deeply detailed images that allow enlargements up to poster size with cropping. A 6x optical zoom lens brings the photographer right into the action, and by incorporating Canon's Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS), excellent-quality images are assured in situations prone to camera shake and image blurring. So, whether you are shooting outdoors at dusk or inside without a flash, camera shake is detected and effectively canceled. Photographers will find it quick and easy to review and compare photos for printing with Canon's Image Inspection Tool. And, because Image Inspection is now linked with Advanced Face Detection technology, they can save considerable time while reviewing, because the main subject is automatically detected and enlarged, eliminating the need to zoom and scroll manually, while at the same time making it simple to determine if facial expressions are pleasing before moving on to the next photo.
"The PowerShot G9 digital camera brings our highest levels of performance and usability to the G-series," said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. "By combining RAW Mode with our other key technologies in this camera, we're providing a high-performing and affordable option to advanced photo enthusiasts who want the creative power of a Digital SLR in a smaller body form."
The PowerShot G9 digital camera comes equipped with 23 shooting modes, allowing for a myriad of different photo preferences and conditions including Automatic, Manual, Shutter-speed-Priority, Aperture-Priority, and two Custom modes as well as special scene modes such as Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Sports, Indoor, Beach and Snow, offering users Digital SLR-like capability in a compact digital camera. The PowerShot G9 also features Canon's powerful DIGIC III Image Processor, delivering superior image quality, ultra-responsive performance, extended battery life and advanced Face Detection technology, so users can be confident that the face they want, is the face that they capture. And, with a new large, three-inch PureColor LCD II screen and easy-to-access ISO and manual mode dials, customized shooting, reviewing and menu adjustments are especially convenient. The PowerShot G9 digital camera is also compatible with optional high-quality Canon wide-angle, telephoto and macro supplementary lenses, as well as EOS Speedlite flashes and a waterproof case rated to a depth of 40 meters/130 feet, giving photographers more robust photographic capabilities that are in line with professional and expensive SLRs.
True to Canon's industry leadership position, the PowerShot G9 digital camera gives consumers interested in the ease of a compact camera many of the technological advancements that are the result of Canon's 70-year heritage as an imaging innovator, differentiating it from competitive products.
New Canon PowerShot Product Lines' Standard Advanced Technologies
DIGIC III
The "brain" of this new PowerShot camera is DIGIC III, the gold standard on all new Canon digital cameras. The DIGIC III image processor accounts for the camera's higher performance levels, including faster start-up, faster autofocus and quicker shutter response times that leave long-lag competitors in the dust. The DIGIC III chip design improves image quality and offers more efficient power consumption, resulting in extended battery life under typical shooting conditions.
ADVANCED FACE DETECTION
With Canon's new Genuine Face Detection technology, the camera can detect, lock-on and track up to nine forward-looking human faces in a scene. The Face Detection algorithm automatically prioritizes and selects faces and not simply the closest object (based on Canon's Intelligent Scene Analysis/iSAPS technology). It will then optimize the focus, exposure and flash to ensure the best possible results. Using Canon's Face Detection, photographers can keep up to nine faces in focus at any one time no matter where they are within the image. The PowerShot G9 camera also introduces an exclusive new function called Face Select and Track. With this feature, when multiple faces are detected, photographers can select any individual face they want the camera to specifically track and be a primary focus. This feature is ideal for many shooting situations such as birthday parties or graduation ceremonies, where many people are present, but the photographer is primarily interested in just one of them. Working in concert with Face Detection, the G9's "Red-Eye Correction" feature helps to detect and correct red-eye during playback mode. Images can be corrected automatically or manually while viewing photos on the LCD screen. All in all, Canon's new Face Detection Technology makes for even easier picture-taking moments, helping users ensure in-focus smiles, and assisting in the elimination of over-exposed faces.
OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION (OIS)
The extended zoom range of the PowerShot G9 camera makes optical image stabilization (OIS) essential. Canon's lens shift OIS provides an effective antidote to camera shake, particularly at longer zoom lengths or during long exposures when even the slightest hand-held shake is magnified to picture-blurring proportions. Superior to electronic image stabilization systems that simply use software to mask movement, OIS actually shifts the lens proportionately to compensate for unwanted motion, making it easier to snap great images. The OIS found in Canon PowerShot digital cameras is based on technology developed for Canon's renowned high-end professional SLR cameras.
The steady effectiveness is further enhanced when paired with the new "Auto ISO Shift" feature which, at the touch of a button, can automatically increase the ISO speed setting as required to maintain fast shutter speeds when shooting in low light conditions without a flash.
PRINTING MADE EASY
All Canon PowerShot digital cameras work seamlessly with Canon's compact photo printers to deliver stunning high-quality borderless prints. Consumers simply connect their PowerShot digital camera to a Canon compact photo printer, press the Print/Share button, and moments later a brilliant, borderless 4" x 6" print begins to emerge; it's that simple. Canon's compact photo printers are PictBridge compatible, so they work with PictBridge enabled digital cameras to provide users with excellent image quality and ease-of-use, especially when paired with a Canon digital camera.
HIGH-CAPACITY MEMORY CARD CAPABILITY
As an added convenience, Canon PowerShot digital cameras also accommodate MultiMedia MMC memory cards, as well as standard SD memory cards and the new, high-capacity SDHC memory cards. This way, consumers do not have to carry around multiple memory cards in order to be able to continue to save those special moments during extended vacations or high-photo-taking adventures. Canon PowerShot owners can travel in sleek style.
Powerful Software
The PowerShot G9 is bundled with the latest versions of Canon's powerful digital imaging software, including ZoomBrowser EX 6.0 and ImageBrowser 6.0 for easy downloading, viewing and printing. RAW Image Task software is also supplied to facilitate high-quality processing of the PowerShot G9's new RAW images.
In stores in October, the PowerShot G9 digital camera kit includes a lithium-ion rechargeable battery and battery charger, a 32MB MMC plus memory card, a USB interface cable, an AV cable, a neck strap, and Canon's software suite.
Canon G-series has a new top-of-the line model - the PowerShot G9 digital camera. The PowerShot G9 digital camera offers serious shooters and value-minded professionals a feature-packed camera with many of the advanced photographic capabilities of a high-end Digital SLR camera, in a lightweight, compact package at an affordable price.
The PowerShot G9 digital camera features the same matte black, retro-hip design that G-series fans have come to appreciate, with a simplified control layout that is versatile yet easy to understand. This camera is loaded with Canon's latest and most advanced technologies, while raising the bar with the addition of RAW Mode, usually reserved for larger and more expensive SLR cameras. Advanced photographers also have the option of using RAW+JPEG simultaneous capture functionality, giving photographers the best of both worlds - JPEGs for immediate use and RAW images for faithful image reproduction, and extensive, non-destructive image editing capability.
The PowerShot G9 digital camera features class-leading 12.1-megapixel resolution for stunning, deeply detailed images that allow enlargements up to poster size with cropping. A 6x optical zoom lens brings the photographer right into the action, and by incorporating Canon's Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS), excellent-quality images are assured in situations prone to camera shake and image blurring. So, whether you are shooting outdoors at dusk or inside without a flash, camera shake is detected and effectively canceled. Photographers will find it quick and easy to review and compare photos for printing with Canon's Image Inspection Tool. And, because Image Inspection is now linked with Advanced Face Detection technology, they can save considerable time while reviewing, because the main subject is automatically detected and enlarged, eliminating the need to zoom and scroll manually, while at the same time making it simple to determine if facial expressions are pleasing before moving on to the next photo.
"The PowerShot G9 digital camera brings our highest levels of performance and usability to the G-series," said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. "By combining RAW Mode with our other key technologies in this camera, we're providing a high-performing and affordable option to advanced photo enthusiasts who want the creative power of a Digital SLR in a smaller body form."
The PowerShot G9 digital camera comes equipped with 23 shooting modes, allowing for a myriad of different photo preferences and conditions including Automatic, Manual, Shutter-speed-Priority, Aperture-Priority, and two Custom modes as well as special scene modes such as Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Sports, Indoor, Beach and Snow, offering users Digital SLR-like capability in a compact digital camera. The PowerShot G9 also features Canon's powerful DIGIC III Image Processor, delivering superior image quality, ultra-responsive performance, extended battery life and advanced Face Detection technology, so users can be confident that the face they want, is the face that they capture. And, with a new large, three-inch PureColor LCD II screen and easy-to-access ISO and manual mode dials, customized shooting, reviewing and menu adjustments are especially convenient. The PowerShot G9 digital camera is also compatible with optional high-quality Canon wide-angle, telephoto and macro supplementary lenses, as well as EOS Speedlite flashes and a waterproof case rated to a depth of 40 meters/130 feet, giving photographers more robust photographic capabilities that are in line with professional and expensive SLRs.
True to Canon's industry leadership position, the PowerShot G9 digital camera gives consumers interested in the ease of a compact camera many of the technological advancements that are the result of Canon's 70-year heritage as an imaging innovator, differentiating it from competitive products.
New Canon PowerShot Product Lines' Standard Advanced Technologies
DIGIC III
The "brain" of this new PowerShot camera is DIGIC III, the gold standard on all new Canon digital cameras. The DIGIC III image processor accounts for the camera's higher performance levels, including faster start-up, faster autofocus and quicker shutter response times that leave long-lag competitors in the dust. The DIGIC III chip design improves image quality and offers more efficient power consumption, resulting in extended battery life under typical shooting conditions.
ADVANCED FACE DETECTION
With Canon's new Genuine Face Detection technology, the camera can detect, lock-on and track up to nine forward-looking human faces in a scene. The Face Detection algorithm automatically prioritizes and selects faces and not simply the closest object (based on Canon's Intelligent Scene Analysis/iSAPS technology). It will then optimize the focus, exposure and flash to ensure the best possible results. Using Canon's Face Detection, photographers can keep up to nine faces in focus at any one time no matter where they are within the image. The PowerShot G9 camera also introduces an exclusive new function called Face Select and Track. With this feature, when multiple faces are detected, photographers can select any individual face they want the camera to specifically track and be a primary focus. This feature is ideal for many shooting situations such as birthday parties or graduation ceremonies, where many people are present, but the photographer is primarily interested in just one of them. Working in concert with Face Detection, the G9's "Red-Eye Correction" feature helps to detect and correct red-eye during playback mode. Images can be corrected automatically or manually while viewing photos on the LCD screen. All in all, Canon's new Face Detection Technology makes for even easier picture-taking moments, helping users ensure in-focus smiles, and assisting in the elimination of over-exposed faces.
OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION (OIS)
The extended zoom range of the PowerShot G9 camera makes optical image stabilization (OIS) essential. Canon's lens shift OIS provides an effective antidote to camera shake, particularly at longer zoom lengths or during long exposures when even the slightest hand-held shake is magnified to picture-blurring proportions. Superior to electronic image stabilization systems that simply use software to mask movement, OIS actually shifts the lens proportionately to compensate for unwanted motion, making it easier to snap great images. The OIS found in Canon PowerShot digital cameras is based on technology developed for Canon's renowned high-end professional SLR cameras.
The steady effectiveness is further enhanced when paired with the new "Auto ISO Shift" feature which, at the touch of a button, can automatically increase the ISO speed setting as required to maintain fast shutter speeds when shooting in low light conditions without a flash.
PRINTING MADE EASY
All Canon PowerShot digital cameras work seamlessly with Canon's compact photo printers to deliver stunning high-quality borderless prints. Consumers simply connect their PowerShot digital camera to a Canon compact photo printer, press the Print/Share button, and moments later a brilliant, borderless 4" x 6" print begins to emerge; it's that simple. Canon's compact photo printers are PictBridge compatible, so they work with PictBridge enabled digital cameras to provide users with excellent image quality and ease-of-use, especially when paired with a Canon digital camera.
HIGH-CAPACITY MEMORY CARD CAPABILITY
As an added convenience, Canon PowerShot digital cameras also accommodate MultiMedia MMC memory cards, as well as standard SD memory cards and the new, high-capacity SDHC memory cards. This way, consumers do not have to carry around multiple memory cards in order to be able to continue to save those special moments during extended vacations or high-photo-taking adventures. Canon PowerShot owners can travel in sleek style.
Powerful Software
The PowerShot G9 is bundled with the latest versions of Canon's powerful digital imaging software, including ZoomBrowser EX 6.0 and ImageBrowser 6.0 for easy downloading, viewing and printing. RAW Image Task software is also supplied to facilitate high-quality processing of the PowerShot G9's new RAW images.
In stores in October, the PowerShot G9 digital camera kit includes a lithium-ion rechargeable battery and battery charger, a 32MB MMC plus memory card, a USB interface cable, an AV cable, a neck strap, and Canon's software suite.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Protecting Your Digital Photos
Protecting Your Digital Photos
Pictures are more than a visual representation of a moment in time. Pictures create a unique connection between our past and future generations.
To make your memories last more than a lifetime, follow these simple tips to let future generations enjoy your pictures.
Organize Your Photos
With today's digital cameras, it's easy to take a lot of photos. Organize your images in a way that makes it easy to find them in the future. Organize by categories, by date, by subject - use whatever method makes the most sense to you.
Organize each time you save your pictures to keep the task from becoming overwhelming.
Perform Regular Backups
Your images may be saved to your PC, but did you know that the average life span of a computer hard drive is only 5 years? Worse yet, they can fail without warning making you unable to get to your pictures.
To keep your memories safe, create backup copies of your image files on CDs, DVDs, or a second hard drive; or upload them to an online photo service for storage. For your most valued photos, high quality prints and photo books are a foolproof way to ensure your memories will endure despite changing technology.
Keep Current with Storage Technology
Digital storage technologies are constantly improving and evolving, often making older technologies obsolete and unreadable. Formats that were common in the 90's, such as the floppy disk are no longer supported on most PCs. Even current storage technologies such as CDs and DVDs may become unreadable over time due to chemical or physical degradation.
Watch the industry for technology developments and keep your files backed up using the current standards.
Pictures are more than a visual representation of a moment in time. Pictures create a unique connection between our past and future generations.
To make your memories last more than a lifetime, follow these simple tips to let future generations enjoy your pictures.
Organize Your Photos
With today's digital cameras, it's easy to take a lot of photos. Organize your images in a way that makes it easy to find them in the future. Organize by categories, by date, by subject - use whatever method makes the most sense to you.
Organize each time you save your pictures to keep the task from becoming overwhelming.
Perform Regular Backups
Your images may be saved to your PC, but did you know that the average life span of a computer hard drive is only 5 years? Worse yet, they can fail without warning making you unable to get to your pictures.
To keep your memories safe, create backup copies of your image files on CDs, DVDs, or a second hard drive; or upload them to an online photo service for storage. For your most valued photos, high quality prints and photo books are a foolproof way to ensure your memories will endure despite changing technology.
Keep Current with Storage Technology
Digital storage technologies are constantly improving and evolving, often making older technologies obsolete and unreadable. Formats that were common in the 90's, such as the floppy disk are no longer supported on most PCs. Even current storage technologies such as CDs and DVDs may become unreadable over time due to chemical or physical degradation.
Watch the industry for technology developments and keep your files backed up using the current standards.
Source: Kodak
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Digital Camera Pointers - The Best Buy
Digital Camera Pointers - The Best Buy
By Julia Hall
Cheap is not always best nor is best always cheap � but here are a few suggestions to help you select the best digital camera to fit your needs at a reasonable price. There are many versions of the digital cameral available � each with various options and capabilities � so it is best to maintain a list of your demands before you begin to compare models and prices. Excellent deals are always being advertised via computer websites and local retail stores.
The #1 reason most people want a digital camera is because it eliminates the need for traditional camera film and viewing is immediate. The top item for consideration in your quest for a digital camera should be resolution. The highest resolution provides the best photographs � normally between 2 and 3 megapixels or two to three million pixels). Your intended use for pictures is an important factor. If you will only be downloading pictures for web pages, personal viewing, or e-mailing, you might want to consider a digital camera with a 640 by 480 pixel resolution as it will provide excellent photographs.
It seems that there are few �best buy� digital camera offers with high resolution and sometimes, the resolution may only apply when used with software to achieve the true optical resolution. Be aware of each camera�s properties before you purchase. Printed photographs from a color printer require a high resolution � at least 720 dots per inch. Digital cameras are often advertised as a best buy that use a plastic lens. One hundred percent glass lenses are best, and camera packages should have an adequate RAM storage. The higher the RAM, the more pictures one can store. Downloading is then required less often. Zoom capabilities is another area of concern, and one should compare both optical and digital zoom capabilities. This feature is used most often on digital cameras, and one must have the capability to take pictures both close and at a distance.
Accessories are another point for consideration before making a decision to buy. Some packages include all the accessories needed or required while others may require additional purchases of extra cables and software to enable functionality. If one has to buy all these extra things to enable connectivity, then the purchase will not be considered such a good deal. If your purchase is made from a website or catalog retailer, be aware of the actual shipping costs. Shipping charges can make even the greatest deal more than you want to pay. Many retailers will advertise low prices and then charge exorbitantly high shipping costs.
With all these considerations, one should be able to find a great digital camera with many accessories at a great cost. Just remember, the higher resolution with more pixels means beautiful pictures.
A leader in technology reporting, Julia Hall has published articles about the latest digital devices and gadgets for over ten years. After graduating from MIT with a degree in electrical engineering, Julia turned down huge salaries from some of the most recognized fortune 500 companies in the world to pursue his dream of becoming a leading consumer advocate. Julia uses her expertise to cut through the too good to be true deals offered by high tech companies to reveal the real steals and the real duds that we're bombarded with daily. If you enjoy staying on the cutting edge of technology, whether for business or pleasure, but find yourself occasionally confused by the overwhelming information out there let Julia be your guide.
Source: Julia Hall
Digital Camera Pointers - The Best Buy
By Julia Hall
Cheap is not always best nor is best always cheap � but here are a few suggestions to help you select the best digital camera to fit your needs at a reasonable price. There are many versions of the digital cameral available � each with various options and capabilities � so it is best to maintain a list of your demands before you begin to compare models and prices. Excellent deals are always being advertised via computer websites and local retail stores.
The #1 reason most people want a digital camera is because it eliminates the need for traditional camera film and viewing is immediate. The top item for consideration in your quest for a digital camera should be resolution. The highest resolution provides the best photographs � normally between 2 and 3 megapixels or two to three million pixels). Your intended use for pictures is an important factor. If you will only be downloading pictures for web pages, personal viewing, or e-mailing, you might want to consider a digital camera with a 640 by 480 pixel resolution as it will provide excellent photographs.
It seems that there are few �best buy� digital camera offers with high resolution and sometimes, the resolution may only apply when used with software to achieve the true optical resolution. Be aware of each camera�s properties before you purchase. Printed photographs from a color printer require a high resolution � at least 720 dots per inch. Digital cameras are often advertised as a best buy that use a plastic lens. One hundred percent glass lenses are best, and camera packages should have an adequate RAM storage. The higher the RAM, the more pictures one can store. Downloading is then required less often. Zoom capabilities is another area of concern, and one should compare both optical and digital zoom capabilities. This feature is used most often on digital cameras, and one must have the capability to take pictures both close and at a distance.
Accessories are another point for consideration before making a decision to buy. Some packages include all the accessories needed or required while others may require additional purchases of extra cables and software to enable functionality. If one has to buy all these extra things to enable connectivity, then the purchase will not be considered such a good deal. If your purchase is made from a website or catalog retailer, be aware of the actual shipping costs. Shipping charges can make even the greatest deal more than you want to pay. Many retailers will advertise low prices and then charge exorbitantly high shipping costs.
With all these considerations, one should be able to find a great digital camera with many accessories at a great cost. Just remember, the higher resolution with more pixels means beautiful pictures.
A leader in technology reporting, Julia Hall has published articles about the latest digital devices and gadgets for over ten years. After graduating from MIT with a degree in electrical engineering, Julia turned down huge salaries from some of the most recognized fortune 500 companies in the world to pursue his dream of becoming a leading consumer advocate. Julia uses her expertise to cut through the too good to be true deals offered by high tech companies to reveal the real steals and the real duds that we're bombarded with daily. If you enjoy staying on the cutting edge of technology, whether for business or pleasure, but find yourself occasionally confused by the overwhelming information out there let Julia be your guide.
Source: Julia Hall
Digital Camera Pointers - The Best Buy
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Digital Camera: The Magic Of The Professional Digital Camera
Digital Camera: The Magic Of The Professional Digital Camera
By Matt Peters
In the world of digital professional photography, taking pictures is not as simple as clicking that shutter button. Though digital imaging has made it easier and affordable for photographers, the quality of the pictures would still be questioned. A lot of factors have to be taken into consideration if you want to be successful at professional photography. Light, composition and background affect pictures. The professional photographer knows this so he or she often ends up chasing light to achieve that perfect photo.
A normal digital camera is not enough in this endeavor. A photographer needs to be armed with a professional digital camera to get all the details. It produces the best image quality and has the capacity to operate even when exposed to low light. It has complicated settings that a novice would not understand at first glance. Photographers often learn through trial and error. This is why a professional digital camera comes in handy because it eliminates the need for films that are expensive to print.
And when you go by trial and error, you would make a lot of mistakes along the way. With a professional digital camera, you would be able to check the result immediately without printing the picture. You would also be able to capture extremely small subjects even if it�s too far away because of its zoom capacity. The high-end professional digital cameras allow this and you would be able to get every last detail. Fast-moving subjects are also not a problem with a professional digital camera. It has special controls that let you capture the subject. For example, you are at a basketball game. You can�t exactly order the players to stand still while you take a picture.
The great thing about a professional digital camera is it gives you more control on how you want your pictures to come out. It allows you more freedom on how to play with light. You can set how much light can enter for a particular shot or if you just want to get a picture of a silhouette. This eliminates blurs because you fixed your camera at the right setting. It�s all a matter of how you adjust your shutter speed and play with natural light.
Most digital cameras focus automatically so you don�t have a choice if you want to go about this manually. With the professional digital camera, you could fix it to focus on your subject automatically or not. Another advantage is that you could attach different accessories; specialty lenses, waterproof housing and filters. Special filters would emphasize your photos and add effects. They could also neutralize the light if it is too bright or dark.
The only problem with the professional digital camera is its cost. Because of its quality and features, it is justifiably expensive. But you can buy discount goods at your local discount store so this could solve this issue. Even if it is still expensive at the discount store, the price point has been reduced because it is either used or refurbished.
So if you want to take the best photos, buy a professional digital camera. Your investment would pay off when you see the quality of your pictures.
For more information, reviews, and links to professional digital camera, please visit www.digitalcameratechnology.info
Source: Matt Peters
Digital Camera: The Magic Of The Professional Digital Camera
By Matt Peters
In the world of digital professional photography, taking pictures is not as simple as clicking that shutter button. Though digital imaging has made it easier and affordable for photographers, the quality of the pictures would still be questioned. A lot of factors have to be taken into consideration if you want to be successful at professional photography. Light, composition and background affect pictures. The professional photographer knows this so he or she often ends up chasing light to achieve that perfect photo.
A normal digital camera is not enough in this endeavor. A photographer needs to be armed with a professional digital camera to get all the details. It produces the best image quality and has the capacity to operate even when exposed to low light. It has complicated settings that a novice would not understand at first glance. Photographers often learn through trial and error. This is why a professional digital camera comes in handy because it eliminates the need for films that are expensive to print.
And when you go by trial and error, you would make a lot of mistakes along the way. With a professional digital camera, you would be able to check the result immediately without printing the picture. You would also be able to capture extremely small subjects even if it�s too far away because of its zoom capacity. The high-end professional digital cameras allow this and you would be able to get every last detail. Fast-moving subjects are also not a problem with a professional digital camera. It has special controls that let you capture the subject. For example, you are at a basketball game. You can�t exactly order the players to stand still while you take a picture.
The great thing about a professional digital camera is it gives you more control on how you want your pictures to come out. It allows you more freedom on how to play with light. You can set how much light can enter for a particular shot or if you just want to get a picture of a silhouette. This eliminates blurs because you fixed your camera at the right setting. It�s all a matter of how you adjust your shutter speed and play with natural light.
Most digital cameras focus automatically so you don�t have a choice if you want to go about this manually. With the professional digital camera, you could fix it to focus on your subject automatically or not. Another advantage is that you could attach different accessories; specialty lenses, waterproof housing and filters. Special filters would emphasize your photos and add effects. They could also neutralize the light if it is too bright or dark.
The only problem with the professional digital camera is its cost. Because of its quality and features, it is justifiably expensive. But you can buy discount goods at your local discount store so this could solve this issue. Even if it is still expensive at the discount store, the price point has been reduced because it is either used or refurbished.
So if you want to take the best photos, buy a professional digital camera. Your investment would pay off when you see the quality of your pictures.
For more information, reviews, and links to professional digital camera, please visit www.digitalcameratechnology.info
Source: Matt Peters
Digital Camera: The Magic Of The Professional Digital Camera
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