Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Digital Cameras - Experimenting with Digital Photography

Digital cameras have given the photographer enthusiast new horizons and ways to experiment in photography. The old fashioned cameras had several restrictions and were often difficult to adjust to the perfect picture. However now with the advent of this modern technology photography has become fun and enjoyable for professionals and hobbyists alike.

The best part about using a digital camera is the fact that you can easily upload photos to photo galleries like Yahoo photo albums. This eliminates the need for sending large image files because you can just send a link to the photo gallery to friends or family.

Part of the fun of experimenting with photography is with different lightings. The ease of the digital camera to adjust to various lightings makes this more fun. You can make some spectacular looking photos by just taking them in different settings. Lighting is everything in photography and you can experiment with many different shades and exposures.

Use different angles to add to the effects. They are light and easy to handle with not too many accessories to worry about. This will make it easy to take different shots for different poses and angles.

Zooming in and out is another way to get interesting photos with digital cameras. Because of the ease that you can do this you can experiment with different focuses. This is especially fun when you take portrait photos. You can also make some interesting pictures with objects. Have fun experimenting with different focuses making part or the complete background out of focus for different effects.

Perhaps the most useful and intriguing way that digital cameras can be used is the ability you have to adjust and fine-tune your pictures even after you have taken them. This will take a little expertise in graphic programs like Photoshop but will be well worth it.

You can create many effects and adjust photos with these graphic programs. This means you can achieve a picture perfect photo before you print it, even if your original one may have been less than perfect. You can even change the file format to get a sharper, clearer image.

There are many exciting things you can do with your digital camera. It has opened the doors to a new and exciting world for photographers. Whether you are doing photography for a hobby or professionally you will enjoy this new and exciting way of taking photos.


http://www.articleblender.com/Article/Digital-Cameras---Experimenting-with-Digital-Photography/63950

Why Cant I Take Great Pictures With My Digital Camera?

Today most people have a professional digital camera and the latest computer software for it, where professional results can be obtained with a click of the button - then instantly looked at and critiqued, the area you want emphasized cropped down, the size you want, colors and areas manipulated for its improvement, and then printed or ordered.

Framing software can place it on the wall within hours after the initial shoot. That is all after the shoot, but what to do before the shoot will make the difference between an amateur looking photographs and a professional, high quality look. Knowing how to take photographs that goes beyond words is due to the knowledge of the photographer - and being at a particular spot at the exact time is because that photographer feels "this is it."

They may take excellent pictures with an inexpensive digital camera, while someone else might shoot pathetic photographs with a top of the line SLR. It is all about the photographer and his camera, not just the camera.

Light is the absolute of all photography. Its critical components are when the sun is low in the east or west - most photographers take pictures within two hours of the morning sunrise or evening sunset. Elements such as fog, mist, rain, or atmospheric haze always make things interesting to set a mood in the picture, or an overcast sky with STRONG foreground subject matter. The light during these particular times will stand out, throwing shadows and light in unique ways, created by the photographer's emotions (the ability to "feel" the picture as it is shot) as well as the technical aspects of the shoot. This makes a better picture as compared to excellent technical work with no feeling or emotions. Try to be in "sync" with the camera if at all possible.

Not all pictures can be taken inside, so a trip may need to be done for that special spot we have always wanted to shoot. A novice photographer may go out with a few other photographers at the beginning, but in order to focus on what needs to be done, and actually get a feel for things - go alone.

Nature and landscape seem to be considered solitary photography trips to most professionals but they can be dangerous. These trips can be one day, two days or more, depending on the area.

But anything more than one days need to be planned out: take enough water for about a gallon a day - one liter bottles work best; keep one day's worth of food in the vehicle plus healthy snacks for after a shoot or in-between, in addition to eating at least one or two meals out; take a first aid kit JUST in case; cell phones even if we have no bars; always let someone know where the trip will be at on a daily basis; and keep things such as a flashlight, extra batteries for everything; matches, mulit-tool; and a decent knife.

Some generic things to always keep in mind are:

-- Try to hold the camera level by aligning it with natural horizontal lines, like the horizon.

-- If you aim your camera slightly downwards on the subject's face, you will give a more complimentary effect. Take a view from one side, to get a three-quarter view of the face, which will give a better picture.

-- Avoid putting the subject in the center of the frame. This is a habit most people find hard to break. Remember to move close and put the subject slightly off center.

-- Think about the focus of your picture, when you frame the shot. If you are trying to capture the expression on your child's face, you can leave out the other children, the swing, the dog, etc.

--Turn your flash off if there is sufficient light. A camera flash may make people look pale.

-- Use soft ambient light that is available under a tree. The light filtering through a tree can give better results by warming up the skin and throwing a soft light on the features. You will get a similar effect if you shoot indoors near an open window.

-- Always be conscious of the background. Many good photos are ruined by the clutter in the frame. Change your position to avoid a messy background.

-- Change the white balance from auto to cloudy, for warmer, richer colors. The macro mode can open new possibilities for close-up photography, giving you new perspectives on everyday objects.

-- A polarizing filter can improve landscapes by reducing glare and reflections. It can give richer, saturated colors.

-- A small tripod can give you a much better shot, by lending stability. Tripods are not meant only for professionals, as some people think. Using a self-timer can put you in a number of pictures, where you are usually not visible.

-- You can use the camera with a tripod and a timer, with a slow shutter speed, to capture the effects of moving water, in streams and waterfalls.

-- Get a media card with plenty of memory, so you will not run out of space, at a crucial time. Shoot at the highest resolution allowed by your camera, to get the best results and sharper enlargements.


http://www.articleblender.com/Article/Why-Cant-I-Take-Great-Pictures-With-My-Digital-Camera-/67787

How Do Digital Cameras Differ From Film Or SLR Cameras?

The conventional camera depended entirely on chemicals and mechanical processes - nothing else was required to make them work. Following along on the footsteps of major technological breakthroughs in consumer electronics, the new digital camera is part of this fundamental shift in technology.

The digital camera has two things: a built-in computer, and electronic recorded images. They have not entirely replaced the conventional camera, though, as film represents the highest quality of pictures.

The early digital cameras were used to store images on memory devices within the camera, then transferring the images to the computer with the help of cables. Today, most digital camera makers provide reusable and removable storage devices, such as SmartMedia cards, CompactFlash, cards and Memory Sticks. Some other removable storage devices include the floppy disks, hard disks, or micro-drives, writeable CDs and DVDs. This has considerably enhanced the volume of visual data that can be stored.

A digital camera uses light converted into electrical charges, instead of film, to take pictures. It focuses this light through a lens or a series of lenses onto a sensor, which records the image electronically. The sensor used the most is employed by a CCD (charge coupled device) while others use a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor).

If a CCD is used to transport the charge, its sensors create a high-quality, low-noise image, while the CMOS are more susceptible to noise while traditionally using less power. The CCDs consume as much as 100 times more power than that of a CMOS yet have been mass-produced for a longer time. They have a higher number of higher quality pixels yet both play the same role - they turn light into electricity.

What every photographer is looking for is clarity and high detail, with very little blurriness or a grainy look. This has to do with the resolution of the camera, which refers to the amount of detail the camera can capture. Hewlett Packard estimates that a 35mm film is about 20 million pixels, considered a very high-resolution picture - 1216 x 912, or 2 million total pixels, is a photo lab quality for the 4 x 5 picture.

To break it down even more, a 1 megapixel digital camera will produce images that are good for e-mailing or posting on the Web because their resolution is low. The images taken from a 2-megapixel camera are suitable for 4x5 inch prints while those taken from a 4-megapixel camera can produce 16x20 inch prints.

The digital cameras use four kinds of lenses. These are: fixed-focus, fixed-zoom lenses; optical-zoom lenses with automatic focus; digital-zoom lenses, and replaceable lens systems. The fixed focus and fixed zoom lenses are used in inexpensive cameras while the optical zoom lenses have both wide and telephoto options. The aperture and shutter speed are used to control the amount of light that reaches the sensor.

The aperture setting, or the size of the opening in the camera, is automatic in most digital cameras but a few allow manual adjustment. This is because certain professionals or amateurs want more control over the final image. The shutter speed is the time amount that passes through the aperture. This can be set electronically, which is different than using film in the conventional 35mm cameras. The digital camera has a digital shutter, rather than a mechanical shutter.

Overall, the digital camera and the traditional film camera have the same principals. The both have a viewfinder for aiming the camera, the lens for focusing, the ability to store several images and remove them later on, with a compact format for everything's storage.

Two different systems yet slightly the same - the conventional camera captured images with light-sensitive film to store them after chemical development, while the digital camera used memory storage and advanced image sensor technology, capturing images to store them in digital format that is instantly available instead of having to wait. Yet the digital camera is more environmentally friendly, keeping up with the issues of the world while photographing these issues at the moment they occur.


http://www.articleblender.com/Article/How-Do-Digital-Cameras-Differ-From-Film-Or-SLR-Cameras-/68212

Digital Camera Basics - Want To Stop Being An Idiot And Learn How Digital Cameras Work?

With the advancement of the digital camera and the software that is made for them, most pictures look professional from the first click of the camera. But like most things, it is important to understand the "how and why" for higher quality results.

The basics of a digital camera revolve around terms like pixel, pixel count, white balance, sensor, sensitivity, optical zoom, or digital zoom. These improve your understanding of what digital photography is all about, and will help you become a more efficient photographer.

For example, one important term is digital sensor. A typical digital camera may have a digital sensor element that is as big as a small finger nail. Most 5MP digital cameras use a sensor that is 7mm x 5mm in size. This is much smaller than the size of the negative of a 35 mm camera. However, high-end digital cameras have large sensors, and generate superior images. These are important things to know, to see how pictures can be better or worse.

Digital cameras also have sensitivity settings similar to ISO ratings on film. Most digital cameras will have settings for sensitivity equivalent to ISO 100 and ISO 200. Many also have a setting for ISO 400. A few expensive digital SLR cameras with large sensors have settings for ISO 3200 or even for ISO 6400.

Most digital cameras have an optical and a digital zoom. An optical zoom lens works by changing the focal length and magnification while the zoom is being utilized - with the image quality remaining high. Digital zoom works by cropping the image to a smaller size. The cropped image is enlarged to fill the frame, causing a significant loss of quality.

The manufacturers of digital cameras use the term "pixel count" to describe their camera's image properties. The word pixel originates from "(PIC)ture (EL)ement"- with the use of phonics added for emphasis. It represents a single point in a graphic image - not a dot but an abstract sample that can be reproduced in any size, without a dot or square appearance.

A pixel is important to understand because it is the basic unit of measurement, used to define a digital photograph. The more the number of pixels per square inch, the higher the resolution of a digital picture, increasing its clarity. Some examples would be 2,400 pixels per inch, 640 pixels per line, or spaced 10 pixels apart. Designers, artists, and photographers sometimes interchange the pixel terminology, such as dots per inch (dpi) with pixels per inch (ppi). The dpi is used when it refers to the printer's resolution for the printing density. Each pixel is made up of three color channels - red, green and blue -- and has a numerical value of between 0 and 255.

The pixel count also decides the size of a print in case you want to print photographs. A 3MP camera can provide excellent 4x6 inch prints, while a 4 or 5MP digital camera can deliver high quality 8x10 inch prints. With a digital camera you can pick the white balance to suit the light source. This is meant to ensure that white looks white, and not yellow or blue. Normally, your digital camera will do this automatically. You can also set the white balance yourself for better effects.

Since each pixel generates three bytes of data, a photographer using a 3MP camera will need a storage space of 9 million bytes or 9MB to store a single image. This is a huge amount of space. Camera companies therefore allow for a compression of image using a format called JPEG. This reduces the file size significantly but while doing so a lot of data is lost. To overcome this problem companies have come up with different storage formats. Canon calls it RAW while Nikon calls it NEF. The data loss is less in these formats.

The low end cameras used by beginners can shoot images whose pixel count is one million is categorized as 1 MP or one million pixel camera because the intensity of each pixel is variable, with each pixel having three or four dimensions of variability - such as red, green and blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. The high-end cameras used by professionals, can range from 14MP to 22MP with a pixel count as high as 14 million or 22 million per image.

The thing to remember is the higher the resolution, the more realistic the image is, matching closest what the actual image is. So take your time, do some research, and talk to people who know cameras. Otherwise, a lot of money will be spent on something that is barely adequate for what you want.


http://www.articleblender.com/Article/Digital-Camera-Basics---Want-To-Stop-Being-An-Idiot-And-Learn-How-Digital-Cameras-Work-/68224

The Mystical Zoom Effect Of Digital Cameras Explained In Plain English

Most of the digital cameras within the mid-priced range include a 3x/4x lens - the first number refers to the optical zoom with the second number referring to the digital zoom. A few of the lower-end priced cameras have only a digital zoom, but their photos are rather dull and slightly fuzzy. The zoom effect in a digital camera is similar to, yet different, from that of a conventional camera. It brings distant subjects closer.

However, in a digital camera there are two kinds of 'zooms'. The first is similar to that of a conventional camera and is known as the optical zoom. The second is the digital zoom, and is more interesting. It 'simulates' optical zoom by enlarging a portion of the image -- that is the digital zoom selects a portion of the photograph and blows it up.

The zoom effect should not be confused with photo editing, where an image editing software is used to crop and blow a picture on a computer screen. Cropping a picture can refer to enlarging the main subject, or an area of choice - thereby eliminating the remaining parts. Another misconception associated with digital zoom is that it is very handy in capturing long distance images. Nothing can be more misleading. Optical zoom matters more in a digital camera.

The zoom that should be used for comparing cameras is optical zoom, and not digital zoom or total zoom. A camera's quality depends upon the value of optical zoom; a camera with higher optical zoom is better than a camera with lower optical zoom. In fact, today the digital camera manufacturers have started using a new term - "total zoom." This term only confuses the customer for there is nothing like total zoom. At best, it can be used to indicate the fact that a digital camera has both kinds of zoom - optical zoom and digital zoom.

Individuals who previously used the 35mm camera or an APS camera used only optical zoom. This uses the lens to bring the subject of the picture closer. Digital zoom are associated with the digital video cameras.

Many photographers do not really associate digital zoom as "zoom" in the digital cameras, as it only enlarges a portion of the image. In layman's terms, the camera crops a certain aspect of the image, and then enlarges it back to size which causes a loss in image quality. But what it actually does is replace the image editing for cropping.

Another zoom effect that has been developed recently is the "smart zoom". This particular zoom maintains the image quality by avoiding interpolation of the image. However, smart zoom works only if you select an image smaller than the full available image size.

Sometimes optical zoom is compared to resolution while buying a digital camera. Nothing can be more absurd. These are two different values and have no common link. Resolution is used to indicate the number of pixels in an image while optical zoom is used to define the lens power. It can neither increase nor decrease the resolution.

There is also a tendency today to disable digital zoom. Some photographers prefer to crop and enlarge an image on a computer screen. They don't trust the camera to do it for them. This is not a good practice because it reduces the effectiveness of your camera.


http://www.articleblender.com/Article/The-Mystical-Zoom-Effect-Of-Digital-Cameras-Explained-In-Plain-English/68291

Traveling With A Digital Camera - What Do I Need To Know?

When traveling it is not as easy as with a conventional camera with a roll or two of film. A digital camera has a fixed storage capacity and we can only add to it by buying expensive flash memory cards. To compensate for this, it therefore makes sense to carry a notebook computer - if we have one -- and transfer the pictures to it periodically to free the badly needed camera memory.

We can also preview the pictures and decide if we want to want to erase them, e-mail them, or post them on the web. If our notebook computer has a CD writer then we can transfer the images to a CD. We can even carry a small printer and print the images, or have them printed at a shop that provides this service.

If we do not want to carry a notebook, the images can be transferred directly to a portable hard drive. This battery-powered, palm-sized device may come with or without a monitor. Or we can also transfer pictures to a Clik! drive, which is a portable storage device, powered by a rechargeable battery.

Once the images have been transferred to the Clik! drive, we can free up space on our flash memory card by erasing the images. When a Clik! disc gets filled we can replace it with another one, which may cost $10. Once we return from the trip, we can transfer the images to our computer. If a person is planning on a lot of traveling with a digital camera, this would be the way to go.

Electricity and power are not the same in different areas of the world and there will be many ways to compensate for it. In the US, the power supply is 110 volts and 60 Hz, whereas when you travel overseas, the voltage may be 220 volts and 50 Hz. The wall outlets may also be different. We will need an adapter kit, to plug in our notebook computer, AC adapter, or battery charger.

A transformer is suitable for use with electronic devices. A converter can be used with electrical appliances like hair driers. It can harm devices over time and should not be used for more than a few hours. Transformers can be used for longer periods, though they tend to be heavier.

When traveling, if a modem will be needed we would need to find out about the type of adapters that are used in the country where we are going. While hiking, canoeing, or sailing, we will need a solar-powered battery charger, to recharge our batteries.

The digital camera, laptop computer, flash cards, audio and video tapes, floppy discs and films will remain unharmed by the X-ray machines installed at airports. However, a metal detector may harm magnetic media like Clik! Discs. Please keep this in mind while traveling by air and be prepared.


http://www.articleblender.com/Article/Traveling-With-A-Digital-Camera---What-Do-I-Need-To-Know-/68376

What Are The Best Batteries For A Digital Camera?

Battery consumption on a digital camera is worse than on the older film cameras, due to their onboard electronics. The thing to remember is the word battery does not mean only one cell, as some digital cameras require approximately four AA cells. And those four batteries can drain in about an hour or less of shooting. All of this adds up to the fact that batteries will always be a number one concern for any photographer to keep the camera running - cheaply, effectively, high capacity, rechargeable, and environmentally friendly.

Two very safe types for the environment are the NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) and the Ki-Ion (Lithium Ion) batteries which are less expensive to use than the traditional alkaline battery. These are an alternative to the 15 million alkaline batteries which are thrown away after a single usage. But regardless of which battery we are using, we cannot predict how long our digital camera will run by simply knowing the capacity rating of its battery. One example is the AA alkaline batteries which have a rating of over 2,500 mAh with the NiMH batteries only having a rating capacity of 1,200 to 1,900 mAh.

These numbers are what cause many photographers to falsely believe that the alkaline batteries have more power than the environmentally safe NiMH batteries. But for a fact, the NiMH batteries or the Li-Ion batteries will run the camera three to four times as long as alkaline batteries can deliver their full capacity only if the device is used slowly.

A NiMH battery with a rated capacity of 1,800 mAh will take more photographs than an alkaline battery does at the 2,800 mAh capacity. The digital cameras place a high-power drain on all batteries, which makes the rechargeable NiMH or NiCd (Nickel cadium) batteries better. The lithium batteries will also work, but are much more expensive and usually cannot be charged. The Duracell Ultra and Energizer Advanced Formula batteries also can last longer in the digital camera - but only 30% longer - which means a jump from 15 to 25 images on up to 20 to 40 images.

Many photographers place alkaline batteries in a freezer, thinking this will recharge them or keep them from running down. The fact is, alkaline batteries lose power at less than two per cent a year, so refrigerating or freezing them will not make much difference. But if they are stored in higher temperature surroundings, they lose their capacity a lot more - such as 5% a year at 85 degrees, or 25% at 100 degrees - which would require the refrigeration due to the outside heat.

The NiMH or NiCd batteries do lose power every day at 70 degree or higher weather, so refrigerating them will slow this down, while freezing them will keep its power at 90% capacity.

Another important step is the charging of the rechargeable batteries. A basic statement in a technical sense, states that "a battery that is always slow-charged will last longer than one that is rapid-charged".

Many rumors have said to quick charge a battery such as NiMh will reduce its life, but if the battery charger has been purchased that is specifically designed to rapid charge the NiMH cells there will not be a problem; the reduction of its power is more often to occur with an "overnight" charger which relies on unplugging them after a certain number of hours. What happens if they are forgotten and they charge more than they should - the life of the batteries will be reduced is what happens.



http://www.articleblender.com/Article/What-Are-The-Best-Batteries-For-A-Digital-Camera-/68652

Using a digital camera panoramic photography mode

Panoramic digital photos cover a wide angle of view. In its extreme a panoramic photo can cover 360 degrees of view. Such panoramic photos are for example taken from a sky scraper to convey the view it provides. Most new digital cameras provide a panoramic mode that supports such photography.

There is no formal or definitive definition of what a panoramic photo is. It is common practice to define panoramic photos as such that cover a wide angle of view. How wide? A common definition is “wider than our eyes can see” – or in other worlds – provide an artificial view that otherwise we could not have gotten by just looking at the scene (without moving our head left and right or up and down of course). Panoramic digital photos can be taken in a single shot using special panoramic wide angle lenses. This technique is limited of course as for example a 360 degree panoramic photo can not be taken this way.

Another way in which panoramic photos are created is in segments – a few photos are taken in series and are later attached to each other to create one big panoramic photo. The process of attaching the photos together is fast and easy thanks to modern digital photo processing software (as long as you’re following some guidelines when taking the photos). Panoramic photos are not limited to capturing landscape or wide angle view. They can be very useful when capturing objects that are just too big to be captured from where you stand. For example if you are standing too close to a tall tower and can not retreat to a farther position – using panoramic photography will enable you to capture the complete tower (in 2 or more shots).
Most digital cameras support a special panoramic mode. In this mode the camera optimizes its optical settings for panoramic wide angle photography. But more than just setting the optical parameters the camera also provides tools that allow you to more easily take the photos series and later on stitch them together. When put in panoramic mode the camera will first let you choose if you plan to take a horizontal panoramic photo (i.e. taking photos from left to right or right to left while keeping the vertical position fixed) or to take a vertical panoramic photo (i.e. taking the photos from bottom to top or top to bottom while keeping the horizontal position fixed). You can also choose a combination.

After you choose the panoramic mode – the camera will let you start taking the photos. On its LCD screen you would always see the previous photo you took and the new photo you are taking. This allows you to easily compose each photo in a way that it complements the previous one. You would also want to make sure the photo overlaps a bit with the previous photo – this allows for easier photo stitching later on. The camera also names the digital photos files in a special format that further helps stitching.

Photo stitching can be easily done on a computer at home. Many digital cameras come with a photo stitching software. If your digital camera did not come with one you can find either free or low priced commercial software that can stitch single photos. Basically what the photo stitching software does is: based on the photo file names it orders the photos in their right order. Then it identifies the overlapping areas in each pair of photos and places the photos in a way that these overlapping areas match (this is why having a bit of overlap is important). The final step is to attach all those pairs of files and create a single panoramic digital photo.

It is a good practice to use a tripod when taking panoramic photos. A tripod will help you maintaining either a fixed horizontal or a fixed vertical position. Also it is good practice to keep the optical settings fixed between shots and to make sure that the lighting stays the same. As always practice makes perfect – go and experiment with panoramic photography and master your digital camera panoramic mode.


http://www.articleblender.com/Article/Using-a-digital-camera-panoramic-photography-mode/78124

Digital Cameras, What You Should Look For

The old days when of waiting for film to be developed from your camera are long gone. Welcome to the world of digital cameras. The advanced versions of the point and shoot digital cameras are the semi professional digital cameras. Point and shoot digital cameras have photographers excited as their simplistic design makes it one of the best cameras on the market.

If you are a photographer or just an enthusiast you will surely need a point and shoot digital camera. The basic reason for of the immense popularity of digital cameras can be attributed to their many advantages. Fuji continues to make its mark with the series of digital cameras.

Noise in digital SLR cameras is much less than grain. You can compare the various cameras on differing factors. At ISO 100 and 200, the digital SLR cameras exhibit no visible noise. You can keep the photographs from a digital camera in their original shape in many physical locations, like computer hard disk or CDs making photo storage easy. Today you can find a digital camera ranging from 2 megapixels to 12 megapixels. Higher megapixels means higher quality pictures for you.

Every camera has its own capacity to add up the memory space in itself. You will also get the memory related information outside the pack of any digital camera. If you want to purchase a digital camera, then you would get completely lost on which one to buy. Before purchase a digital camera it is imporatnt that you understand your budget. Cameras can range from $100 to $5000 in price, so knowing what you can spend will help you determine the right camera and it`s features.

You will surely have the best digital camera deal if you know what all you will get within the different price ranges.Compare the top digital cameras before buying almost all the major brands such as Fuji, Kodak, Samsung, Olympus, Nikon and HP have their digital cameras available at cost effective prices. If you understand the various digital camera prices then it will be easy for you to find the best camera.

Never rule out comparing prices online for a camera, as you will have alot more options than just the few local photography shops in town. A digital camera is a large investment for the hobbiest, but surely one of the better investments you can make. As a professional photographer uses his camera for work, you could possibly write off the expense when it comes tax time as tools of the trade.

Digital Cameras have revolutionized the way we we take pictures.


http://www.articleblender.com/Article/Digital-Cameras--What-You-Should-Look-For/78659

Digital camera flash units

Digital cameras flash units come in many shapes and sizes. Low end digital cameras include low energy built in flash units. High end digital SLR cameras can support sophisticated external flash units which can provide superior lighting in difficult scenarios. Here are some basic facts about flash units both built in and external.

Flash units came a long way since their early days. Back then flash units were using powder that was lit by electrical current and literally “blew up” to produce the light energy. Using these flash units was a risky business. It was also difficult as the flash units were not automatically synchronized to the camera’s shutter. The photographer had to make sure that the flash goes off at the exact right time synchronized with the shooting of the photo.

Nowadays flash units are sophisticated technology devices. They use an electronic flash tube that is automatically synchronized to the camera. The photographer merely needs to do nothing. New digital cameras can decide on their own if the flash is needed, they can set its intensity and other parameters and they can fire the flash at the exact right time when the shutter is opened. All this is done automatically in the background. Digital camera also provide the user with the ability to manually control the flash, force it to either fire or not to fire, set its intensity and more.

Flash units are divided into two categories: Internal built-in flash units or external flash units. Internal flash units are built into the camera. Almost all digital cameras include such a unit and allow the user some control over it through the camera’s menus and buttons. External flash units are attached to the camera’s body through a dedicated slide-in slot or by using an electrical cable. Not all digital cameras support external flash units. Usually the lower end pocket cameras do not allow external flash units while all high end digital SLR cameras do allow such external flash units. External flash units can vary a lot. They can have different light energy levels that they can emit and different mechanical characteristics. Some external flash units also include smart sensors to measure ambient light, distance and other optical parameters in order to optimize the flash effect.

Digital cameras can use their flash units in automatic or in manual mode. In automatic mode the camera measures ambient light and fires the flash when not enough ambient light is available. Sometimes the camera will make the wrong decision as to using the flash and will either fire or not fire the flash when the opposite was needed. Setting the flash intensity is important too. If the flash unit fires too much light energy on objects that are too close to the camera the digital photo will be washed out. On the other hand if the flash unit fires a small amount of light energy on an object that is farther away from the digital camera the digital photo will be a too dark.
Flash units have limitations too. They can not light any scene and any object at any distance from the camera. It is important to know your flash unit limitations. For example check what the maximum light energy that it can emit is and what the farthest that an object can be effectively lit from. This is also known as the effective flash range. If the object is out of the effective flash range it is actually better to turn off the flash altogether and use a tripod with a longer exposure. Sometimes it is useful to use the flash even if there is enough ambient light. In such cases you can manually force the camera to fire the flash. This is also known as fill-in flash as it is usually used to fill-in shadowed areas on objects in the digital photo.



http://www.articleblender.com/Article/Digital-camera-flash-units/78832

Olympus - From Microscopes To Digital Cameras And Video Recorders

In 1919, Olympus was known for its advanced technology that went from its first microscope, the Asahi, to the cameras, digital players, and voice recorders of today.

Founded originally under the name of TakachihoSeisakusho, the name Olympus has now also become synonymous with top of the line voice recorders and accessories for the consummate businessman and attentive student.

Now, Olympus has combined this flare for voice recording electronics with the consumer's need for digital music players, with their line of digital voice recorders with music players

With the highest consumer vote of extreme popularity of all the Olympus lines of digital player/voice recorders, the Olympus WS-300M weighs in at only 1.6 ounces with LCD audio system built-in display. Its price ranges from $102.79 up to $149.99, with several online stores offering free shipping - such as buydig.com or Beach Camera.

A compact brush silver device, it is equipped with 256MB of internal memory, for up to 68 hours of recording time and stores up to 120 music tracks. It can plug directly into any PC or Mac, and then uploads or downloads files as chosen. The big seller for it is no cables, docking station, and no special software.

It is simply a mass storage device for music, dictation, images and data digital data files. No driver installation is necessary and its USB direct. The WS-300M is a high quality WMA/MP3 music playback function with WOW/SRS effect. It has a backlit, full dot, LCD display - with four recording modes (SHQ/HQ/SP/LP) and five folders for file management.

The second highest popular digital player and voice recorder that was chosen by the mainstream is the Olympus WS-320M. Basically the same as the WS-300M, it has the ability to store and play up to 266 songs, with the track and artist name on the LCD display. There is an average 277 hours of recording time, with a direct USB port link to upload or download immediately, and a built-in stereo microphone.

The real big difference between the two is the price: as stated above, the 300M has a price tag of $102.79-$149.99, while the price tag of the 320M has a price tag of $159.99-$179.99. There also seemed to be more merchants carrying the 300M (16) than the 320M (3) in the online stores.

The installed memory of the Olympus WS-300M is 256MB while the memory of the 320M is 1 GB. Both audio formats were WMA andMP3, with a USB interface, headphones, and microphone. Both had PC and Mac system compatibility. Neck straps are available on both devices, with a silver color on the 300M and black on the 320M. The power source for both is AAA type batteries, weighing .1 lbs, with dimensions of 3.7" x 1.5" x .4" for similar dimensions.

Olympus presents its WS-300M, WS-310M, and WS-320M for consumers needing more recording time with an easier transfer process. The WS-300M gives 68 hours of recording time and the ability to download approximately 66 songs, the WS-310M provides 138 hours of recording time and 132 songs, and the WS-320M is capable of recording 277 hours of audio while holding 266 songs.

http://www.articleblender.com/Article/Olympus---From-Microscopes-To-Digital-Cameras-And-Video-Recorders/78992

How does a digital camera passive auto focus work

In focus objects in a digital photo is a very basic requirement for high quality photography. There are two different ways to focus on such objects: manual or automatic. There are a few automatic focus methods one of them is known as passive auto focus.

High quality sharp and crisp digital photos are a result of many optical parameters that need to be set right. One of the most important optical parameters is focus. When objects in a digital photo are out of focus they look blurry and are missing details and clarity. When objects are in focus they look sharp and crisp.

While focus can be set manually by the photographer in most cases using the digital camera’s automatic focus feature is much easier and faster. There are many different algorithms and methods that digital cameras use in order to automatically determine the right focus for a specific scenario. One of those methods is knows as passive auto focus.
Passive auto focus

In many ways the passive auto focus imitates the way in which we set the focus manually. The digital camera defines one or more regions in the picture to focus on. These areas are usually around the center of the photo and are marked as rectangles on the viewfinder or the LCD. The digital camera then analyzes the captured picture seen through those regions.

The digital camera has a built-in computer chip that can run image processing algorithms. The camera executes such image processing algorithms to determine a Focus Level number. The exact way in which such a number is calculated is out of the scope of this article. A very simplistic explanation is that the digital camera transforms the digital image to a frequency space and measures the amount of high frequencies in the photo (high frequency in an image correlates to high contrast or to focus). The more high frequencies present the more in focus an image is and the higher the Focus Level number is.

The digital camera goal is to maximize the Focus Level number. In this way the digital camera achieves the best possible focus (or at least theoretically achieves such a focus). The digital camera does that by moving its lenses back and forth as it recalculates the Focus Level number. The camera is searching for a position where the Focus Level number is the highest.
When such a position is found the digital camera compares the Focus Level number to a predetermined threshold. If it is higher the digital camera announces a successful focus (usually by coloring the focused areas in green). If it is lower the digital camera announces a failure (usually by coloring the non-focused areas in red).

The passive auto focus method is relatively cheap to implement as it does not require extra sensors (such as distance sensors for active focus solutions). However passive auto focus can also fail. The reasons can vary: poor lighting conditions, low contrast objects that are hard to focus on like walls or solid surfaces and others. When the auto focus fails you can either try to focus on other objects in the same distance from the digital camera, lock the focus and pan back to the original objects you wanted to capture or you can revert to old fashion manual focus.


http://www.articleblender.com/Article/How-does-a-digital-camera-passive-auto-focus-work/79005

How does a digital camera active auto focus work

In focus objects in a digital photo is a very basic requirement for high quality photography. There are two different ways to focus on such objects: manual or automatic. There are a few automatic focus methods one of them is known as active auto focus.

High quality sharp and crisp digital photos are a result of many optical parameters that need to be set right. One of the most important optical parameters is focus. When objects in a digital photo are out of focus they look blurry and are missing details and clarity. When objects are in focus they look sharp and crisp.

While focus can be set manually by the photographer in most cases using the digital camera’s automatic focus feature is much easier and faster. There are many different algorithms and methods that digital cameras use in order to automatically determine the right focus for a specific scenario. One of those methods is knows as active auto focus.

Active auto focus
Setting the digital camera focus to its right position can be easy if only you knew the exact distance between the camera and the object or objects that you are trying to focus on. If you know the lenses that you are using, the aperture and all the other optical settings then by simply by knowing the distance to the object or objects in the digital photo the exact focus can be calculated and set.

This is exactly how active focus works. Digital cameras that are equipped with an active auto focus system use distance sensors that measure the distance from the camera to the objects in the scene. Usually the camera measures the distance to the object or objects around the center of the photo.

There are a few techniques to measure the distance. One of them is by using an ultrasonic sensor. Such a sensor transmits an ultrasonic signal toward the object. When the signal hits the object it bounces back and some of its bounced energy is received back by the digital camera sensors. The digital camera measures the time it took the signal to reach back the camera and since the speed of such an ultrasonic signal is known the distance can be calculated. Other methods use infrared signals. Once the camera determined the distance to the objects the focus can be set by calculating the exact position of the lenses and by moving the lenses to that position.

Active auto focus has the advantage of working in complete darkness. Since the camera does not rely on measurements done on the captured photo the camera sensors can calculate the distance to the object in complete darkness and in focus high quality digital photos can be taken in scenarios where otherwise focus would have been impossible.

Since the active auto focus method requires extra sensors it is more expensive to implement and is usually found in higher end digital SLR cameras. Active auto focus can sometimes fail. The reasons can vary: some objects tend to absorb the transmitted signal energy instead of bouncing it back while other objects actually radiate similar signals (for example candles radiate infrared energy) and can confuse the digital camera sensors. When the auto focus fails you can either try to focus on other objects in the same distance from the digital camera, lock the focus and pan back to the original objects you wanted to capture or you can revert to old fashion manual focus.


http://www.articleblender.com/Article/How-does-a-digital-camera-active-auto-focus-work/79067

How does a digital camera combined auto focus work

Objects in good focus in a digital photo is a very basic requirement for high quality photography. There are two different ways to focus on such objects: manual or automatic. There are a few automatic focus methods – combined auto focus systems use more than one such method.
High quality sharp and crisp digital photos are a result of many optical parameters that need to be set right. One of the most important optical parameters is focus. When objects in a digital photo are out of focus they look blurry and are missing details and clarity. When objects are in focus they look sharp and crisp.

While the focus can be manually set by the photographer in most cases using the digital camera’s automatic focus feature is much easier and faster. There are many different algorithms and methods that digital cameras use in order to automatically determine the right focus for a specific scenario. Such algorithms include passive and active auto focus. One type of combined automatic focus system uses these two algorithms to delivery superior automatic focus.
Combined passive and active auto focus

Active auto focus systems use distance sensors that measure the distance from the camera to the objects in the scene. Usually the camera measures the distance to the object or objects around the center of the photo. By knowing that distance the camera can then set the camera lenses to achieve good focus. One of active auto focus biggest advantages is that it can work in complete darkness. On the other hand active focus can fail in problematic scenarios such as when objects emit certain energies (like infrared) are photographed or when surfaces in the scene absorb the energy used to measure the distance.

Passive auto focus systems use software that runs on the digital camera built-in computer. The camera executes such image processing algorithms to determine a Focus Level number. The exact way in which such a number is calculated is out of the scope of this article. Suffice is to say that the camera uses some image processing algorithms with which it can calculate how good the focus is. Using these algorithms the camera can find the best focus for the scene. In some scenes the passive auto focus is limited or not functional at all. It does not work well in poor lighting conditions and does not work at all in dark scenes. It is also hard to focus on low contrast objects such as walls or solid surfaces.

Cameras that are equipped with combined auto focus systems pick the right system for the specific scene or cross check by using both systems at the same time. The photographer can also manually decide to use one of the two options. For example when shooting blue skies the camera can try to use the active system and measure the distance. Since the distance is infinite the camera can set the focus and skip the passive focus. In other cases when the distance is not infinite the camera can use the active system to put the lens in approximately the right position and then use the passive system for fine tuning. In dark scenarios the camera can opt to use the active system since the passive system will not work.


http://www.articleblender.com/Article/How-does-a-digital-camera-combined-auto-focus-work/83073

Digital Cameras - The Advantages

One of the major advantages of digital cameras is that you can take as many pictures as you want at any point of time. The basic reason for of the immense popularity of these cameras can be attributed to their multiple advantages. You will get Photo Advantage from these Cameras. There are many factors to consider when searching for the perfect equipment.

Some digital cameras have at the most 4 mega pixels, with limited user controls. These cameras are the best buys if you like to click and exchange the images on the internet. If you enjoy photography as a hobby, the point and shoot digital cameras are the best ones for you. The quality and clarity of the image depends upon the number of mega pixels. You should compare the various cameras according to the megapixel numbers as per your requirement.

Some lower end cameras offer only 3 mega pixels. If you are a professional photographer, than you will want a camera that offers 6 or more mega pixels. Purchase a camera with lower mega pixels and your pictures will not be as clear and your investment will be for nothing.

The mega pixel feature of digital camera is responsible for providing a bigger picture. You must have heard of the terms like mega pixels, LCD and memory cards as advertising jargons of these high-tech cameras. You can view an object clearly by zooming in and out with these cameras. Fuji continues to make its mark with the series of digital cameras.

If you are a serious photographer then a superior resolution is a must for your new camera. The cost of these cameras is determined due to a number of megapixels they offer. Before going in for a camera comparison, you should know what to compare and how to compare.

Some of the basic things you need to decide while comparing the cameras are suitability, quality, price and size of the digital camera. Almost all the major brands such as Fuji, Kodak, Samsung, Olympus, Nikon and HP have their digital cameras available at cost effective prices. The net is an extensive place where you can find out some great cameras in really cheap prices. It is not easy to choose a the perfect camera. All sorts of bewildering models and brands with multiple attractive features have hoarded the market.

Also searching ebay, you could just find an incredible deal. Compare prices for the same models and grab the best deal.


http://www.articleblender.com/Article/Digital-Cameras---The-Advantages/84401

How To Set Your Digital Camera To Save The Best Photos!

Your digital camera will save your photo files one of three ways.

It will save your photos in a file format as '.jpeg', '.tiff' or '.raw', or as a combination of these!

But how do '.jpeg', '.tiff' and '.raw' work? Which one should you use? And what will give you the best photo?

Well, most use '.jpeg' as it can shrink the file size greatly making it fast and easy.

Tiff will provide an extremely high quality image because it doesn't use compression.

Raw will record the image exactly as the camera sees it - with no image adjusting at all, unlike '.jpeg' or '.tiff'.

Depending on your camera, not all formats will be available. Don't fear - all digital cameras are set to '.jpeg' by default and it can give you exceptional images if you follow these simple tips below!

What do these file formats mean and when should you use them?

**Jpeg**

The default format on your camera will most likely be '.jpeg'. It will save your photo files quickly to the memory card whilst producing the smallest file.

Jpeg - which stands for 'Joint Photographic Experts Group' - will shrink your file as it saves it to your memory card. It uses a 'lossy' compression, which will 'throw away' parts of your image data to reduce the file size.

However rather than being a 'bad' format, '.jpeg' will produce fast, small image files that are easy to use in photo-editing software.

~*~ What you should know about '.jpeg'!

Your digital camera's menu settings for saving jpeg files are often called 'high', 'medium' and 'low'. Your photo will be saved as the quality you select.

Choosing 'high' will give you the best photo quality, take the longest to save and produces the biggest file size - which takes up the most room on your memory card.

'Low' saves the poorest quality photo in a smaller file that takes up less room on your memory card.

'Medium' is in- between.

I.e. you can take more photos on the same memory card with a 'low' setting than you can with 'high'.

However I would strongly recommend you always use 'high' or the 'best' setting on your camera.

Choosing 'low' or 'medium' will reduce the quality of your photo dramatically!

It also effectively reduces mega-pixels that your digital camera can take!

So if you've got a 6 mega-pixel digital camera and set the jpeg quality to anything other than the 'best' setting, you will be affectively taking photos with a 4 mega-pixel camera or less! Why would you use a 6 mega-pixel camera as a 4 mega-pixel?

~*~ Do not reduce your jpeg quality - ever!

Always set it to the very best setting available.

That way if you want to crop or enlarge that 'idyllic' landscape you took last week to a reasonable size there will be no problem. Reduce the jpeg quality and you could be unhappy with the result!

~*~ One final note on jpeg:

You should never open, edit and save '.jpeg' repeatedly on your computer, as it will give you poor results!

Opening and saving the same image as '.jpeg' over and over will case the image to become 'soft' and in extreme cases, even blurry. Saving the image once or twice will be fine but if you need to do multiple editing use 'save-as' and then select '.tiff' instead of '.jpeg'.

**Tiff**

Tiff (Tagged Image File Format) offers high quality images because it does not use any compression.

Not every digital camera will have '.tiff' as a file format option.

You will need a good size memory card if you use '.tiff' as the files can be very large.

So why would you use '.tiff'?

When you see that 'gorgeous' sunset or 'perfect' scene and you know that you will probably enlarge it to poster size - then shoot with '.tiff'.

However, for everyday photos, save yourself time and memory space, set the camera to highest quality jpeg, and your pictures will still look awesome!

**Raw**

Many professional photographers use '.raw' as their file format.

Raw saves the image with no adjustments whatsoever and most consider it the true 'digital negative'.

That means no sharpening, no color adjustment, no exposure correction and no white balance. You need to do these later on your computer.

To use '.raw' you must have a photo-editing program that can translate the '.raw' file, which often comes with your camera.

The file sizes of '.raw' are larger than '.jpeg' but only about 1/3 the size of '.tiff'.

Using '.raw' takes some practice, as often the results may be not what you expected! Digital cameras make so many adjustments automatically that an image taken without them can be startling!

Raw will suit the advanced amateur or professional photographer.

~*~*~*~*~*~

So of these file formats of '.jpeg', '.tiff' and '.raw', which one should you use on a regular basis?

Jpeg will give you swiftness and acceptable compressing. And it'll give you exceptional images whilst not taking up valuable memory space.

To compare a high quality '.jpeg' with a '.tiff' or '.raw' at an enlargement of 8x10 or 11x14 inches, you won't find dramatic differences - when taken on the same camera.

Most photographers prefer the widely used '.jpeg'. You will find it extremely easy to use with very good speed; and set at the best quality, rarely will you need to venture past it.

However, if you do see that once-in-a-lifetime shot - use '.raw' so adjustments can be made later… but you should be comfortable with its format.


http://www.articleblender.com/Article/How-To-Set-Your-Digital-Camera-To-Save-The-Best-Photos-/86275

Looking for a Digital Photography Software?

Now days digital cameras are used everywhere, for special occasion and more. One thing amazing about digital photography is the ability to modify or fix the pictures taken. But to do that you need to transfer those pictures to your computer and use digital photography software. There is a wide variety of it available on the market.

Very often you will be provided with a copy of you own digital photography software with the digital camera you buy. This digital photography software usually comes with various features. This software is usually very useful to manipulate the pictures taken with your camera.

If you are looking for a digital photography software don’t worry there are plenty that can be found. You can choose from a wide variety of digital photography softwares here are some very good ones:

- ZoomBrowser EX 5.1
- ArcSoft PhotoStudio
- ImageBrowser5.1

Those are only a few of the digital photography software you can use. You will need to make sure that every features of the software you use areworking properly before downloading any of your stored images.

You will also need to take into consideration the different kind of digital photography software you can use for windows and for Mac computers. There a few differences that can be found in the browsers programs. For example the ImageBrowser 5.1 is to be with Mac computers. You will have the ability to view, archive and manage your digital photographs. The same holds true for ZoomBrowser 5.1 for windows.

A very important factor you will need to look into is the drivers you need to install for your digital photography software to work correctly on your computer. Normally these drivers should be provided to you with the software you are going to buy. A good thing would be to look on the company website to see if there are updates for your drivers. This will ensure you have the latest drivers for your digital photography software.

Another thing you need to have beside your digital photography software is a picture transfer protocol or a PTP on your computer. This will make sure you are able to transfer your images on your camera to your computer.

By looking at the different features that those digital photography software’s offers, you will be able to see which one you want to get based on what you need it for. There is a huge amount of software available on the market and they should not be that expensive.

One important point to remember is you will need to make sure that these various programs are compatible with your computer and your digital camera. From those software features you will be able to fix your pictures and even make masterpieces out of them.


http://www.articleblender.com/Article/Looking-for-a-Digital-Photography-Software-/110153