Wednesday, September 12, 2007

A new digital camera is 'Braun'

The Braun D410 Digital Camera

Pros A camera compact in shape and function - size of a packet of 20 cigarettes. Designed for simplicity in use and the ladies handbag with a neat case included 4MByte sensor - very respectable: and a three times optical zoom - a good lens. Simple to use and gives excellent results - prints of up to 10 x 8 inches are feasible on best settings.

Cons Only space for two AA batteries - but the case is small! - take some spares. Lacks an optical viewfinder, LCD display difficult to see on a sunny day. Flash is good up
to 10 feet max - but then that is true of most on camera flashes.
The Braun D410 is a compact camera that comes compete with batteries and camera case - rare nowadays - and a set of leads for connection to your PC or to your TV. While this is a still picture and a movie camera, this review is more concerned about the still picture capability of the Braun D410.

I was able to operate the camera from the box - but then I am a photographer.

Reading the first few pages of the manual will get you going - and that will probably be all you require. As with all things electronic, there are many functions included, most of which you will never use. Indeed the camera manual - printed in 7 languages - is considerably larger and heavier than the camera - so leave it at home! Same applies to the CD Rom containing software for your PC.

Inserting a 256Mbyte SD Memory card allows the camera to store in excess of 100 images at its highest resolution - 4Mega Pixels. This card can be used to transfer images to your PC or can be taken to a photo lab to get the images printed. The camera will take either Secure Digital or Multimedia memory cards - they are physically identical. The only difference is that the SD card has a small switch in its side to lock the contents of its memory. Take care when inserting batteries or cards. This is a small and delicate piece of equipment! The cards can be inserted the wrong way around - but the battery cover will not fit back into place!

Switch on the Braun D410 camera by pressing the small button at the centre of the command dial at the top of the camera. The dial sets the mode of the camera - fully automatic or a range of options including landscapes, portraits, sport subjects (rapidly moving) and night photography.

The controls are intuitive to operate starting with the upper toggle switch on the rear of the camera switching between wide angle and telephoto. The image you are focussing on is displayed on a small screen on the rear of the camera - there is no eye piece as such.

Slight pressure on the picture taking button causes the camera to focus and calculate exposure - a full press causes the camera to take a picture - there is a small delay between pressing the button and taking the shot - so keep the camera still!

Most users will use the fully automatic mode which involves no thinking or playing. The built in flash gun switches itself on as and when needed for individual groups or small portraits. Do not expect it to fill a hall though - this is a compact camera!

The screen on the back of the camera is able to review images taken and stored in memory. Press the playback arrow button to go into review mode - press it again to go back to photograph mode. Use the lower toggle switch to step through the shots you have taken. Individual images can be deleted - and taken again - if required. I found the screen difficult to use on a very bright sunny day.

A drawback of any small camera is that there is little room for the batteries. The Braun D410 accepts 2 AA size batteries. So take some spares with you as they soon run down should you be making use of the camera over a period. The motors for the telephoto lens, flash and other circuits drain the cells.

I am not going to go through all of the options and control functions of the camera. The manual does that very well. So I would suggest that should you buy this camera you spend half an hour reading the manual and then put it to one side and take some photographs! The advantage of digital is that you are not exposing film - and you can delete the images you do not want to keep.

The camera can take short bursts of video as well, but I am not going to describe that!

In summary The Braun D410 is a very competent consumer camera which will delight the user in its simplicity and quality. Ideal for the ladies and their handbag!

For more information on this product visit http://www.view-link.com/contact.html

About the Author

Christopher Thomas is a keen photographer and company director at Viewlink Ltd based in Amersham, Uk. The company specialises in digital photo developing for both amateur and commercial [hotographers as well as supplying a range of photographic supplies. For more articles by Christopher Thomas please visit the company website at http://www.view-link.com

A Guide to Disposable Digital Cameras -

Disposable Cameras (also called single-use cameras) first came on the market as film cameras. You would take the entire camera back where you bought it and they would crack it open, take out the film and process it, resulting in photos that were virtually indistinguishable
from photos taken with a more conventional camera. Now, following the trends in conventional cameras, there is a choice between using film or digital disposable cameras.

Some people think digital cameras are too hard to use; the disposable digital cameras offer a solution. Disposable digital cameras still have all of the great features that attract people to digital cameras such viewing your pictures before printing and photo manipulation. With a disposable digital camera, you get a flash, a timer, and a viewing monitor (depending on the model you buy). This means that you can see whether you want to take the picture over or not, as you also have the ability to delete an unwanted photo, and retake it if you have the opportunity. Additionally, a free picture CD is usually included with your prints in a disposable digital camera package.

Does a disposable digital camera offer the same features as a regular digital camera? It does offer the most frequently used features, but you will not get zoom or night shots, or most of the other bells and whistles that come with a $400.00 camera. But disposable digital cameras do not cost anywhere near $400, and they do allow you to leave your valuable cameras safe at home and still have the technology that you may crave in a camera for between $10.00 and $20.00, and sometimes even cheaper.

However, you cannot connect your disposable digital camera to your PC or Mac. The photos must be developed at a retailer that provides the proper equipment for your particular brand of disposable digital camera. This may actually be a plus for the technologically challenged, though, since you don't have to hook up the wire, crop, fix the color -- no need to waste hours in front of a computer, as it's all done for you. Your time is valuable

About the author:

Disposable Cameras Info provides detailed information about digital, wedding, and underwater disposable cameras, as well as cheap and wholesale disposable cameras. Disposable Cameras Info is the sister site of Underwater Cameras Web.

Buying Digital Camera Batteries

A digital camera battery is probably the most important digital camera accessory. Some digital cameras can consume power at an alarming rate, providing no more than a few hours of continuous shooting time before the battery is drained. Other cameras are renowned for the long life of their digital camera battery which allows users to snap away
with barely a thought to power consumption. It is important to know how you intend to use your camera and what type of battery it needs.

There are two types of digital camera battery. The most widely available digital camera battery is a standard AA-size battery. The other type of digital camera battery is a rechargeable battery that is made by the manufacturer, otherwise known as a proprietary battery.

A proprietary digital camera battery offers the advantage of being lighter and more compact, but they are substantially more expensive, making the prospect of buying one or two backup sets much less appealing.

The alkaline AA-size digital camera battery usually has a very short life - less than an hour in extreme cases - when used in a digital camera. This type of battery makes an acceptable emergency backup, especially if you are travelling with your camera. However, the Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) digital camera battery can be used instead of the alkaline ones with a charger and this rechargeable NiMH digital camera battery has a substantially longer life at an affordable price.

Another type of AA-size battery is the non-rechargeable Lithium batteries and rechargeable Nickel Cadmium (NiCD) batteries. The lithium digital camera battery has a superior life to alkaline AA's and offers good cold-weather performance but their price and non-rechargeable nature make them less useful than rechargeable NiMH batteries. It is also important to ensure that your camera can take a lithium digital camera battery. On the other hand the NiCD digital camera battery offers the advantage of retaining their charge while unused, unlike NiMH cells, but have shorter lives and need to be discharged completely before recharging which can be extremely inconvenient.

The LCD screen of a digital camera is responsible for consuming the most power from a digital camera battery so it is worth only using the LCD when necessary to help conserve the battery life. Always try to carry at least one backup set of batteries, especially if you plan on being away from power outlets for an extended period of time. The universally-available alkaline AA-size battery can make a convenient emergency backup if your regular digital camera battery fails.


About the Author:

Steve Gargin is the administrator of http://digital-camera-reviews.helper-guru.com/dsc717/index.html which is a great website dedicated to giving free advice on Digital Cameras.

A Guide To Buying A Digital Camera Equipment

How to Buy Digital Camera Equipment

There are so many digital cameras that it can be confusing trying to buy digital camera equipment. Here are some tips to help you decide which the best choice is for you and buy digital camera equipment that you will get the best results with:

The first step before you buy digital camera equipment is to set a
basic budget on how much money you want to spend. You do need to be realistic about the fact you won't be able to get the best of every feature, as you may have to make tradeoffs when you actually buy digital camera equipment.

Your experience level has to have a big influence in your decision to buy digital camera equipment. There is no point in buying too much buy digital camera equipment than you can actually use. For a novice you should buy digital camera equipment that is point and shoot so that you don't have to worry about manually changing any settings. Digital zoom is not as important a part in the process of choosing to buy digital camera equipment as you may first think. Basically it just means that the camera crops the picture and gives you the center piece of it. You do not need to buy digital camera equipment that does this as you can do it better yourself after you take the picture. You can usually move closer to the subject anyway and to buy digital camera equipment that includes an optical zoom can add a lot of unnecessary cost and weight to the camera. Of course, expert photographers will want to buy digital camera equipment that gives them more manual control over the exposure process.

* Next you need to consider what you will use your camera to capture before you set out to buy digital camera equipment. A fast shutter speed is necessary for moving subjects. You can also buy digital camera equipment that has special features to enable you to take multiple pictures in quick succession for high-action pictures.

* There are a number of helpful websites that give reviews on photographic products to help you decide on the best camera for your needs before you buy digital camera equipment. Of course, you can also ask friends and family about their digital camera choices. Price comparison websites are also essential to help you to buy digital camera equipment at the best possible prices. Remember that when you buy digital camera equipment there are often a list of extras that you may want to purchase, including batteries and memory cards.

Don't be tempted to go for a trendy-looking, colorful camera if you really want to buy a less cool looking one that does more of what you want. Make sure that you have got as many of the features that you wanted to have in the first place and haven't compromised too much on them for the sake of a few extra dollars. It is important to ensure that you buy digital camera equipment that you are happy with and enables you to take the photographs that you want.

About the Author

Steve Gargin is the administrator of http://digital-camera-reviews.helper-guru.com/camera-card-digital-memory-review/index.html which is a great website dedicated to giving free advice on Digital Cameras.

10 Steps To Buying A Digital Camera You Must Know

You are anxious to purchase your new digital camera! You want to get it in your hands quickly so you can begin to enjoy it. Are you going to go to the store right now and pick one out? Wrong! You must have some basic knowledge and know-how prior to entering into the world of salesmen and digital cameras! Here are the steps to buying the digital camera that is right for you.
1. Know your budget. Yes, you have to do the number crunching this time. No sense in
getting your hopes up for a high powered digital camera you can't afford. Do not be afraid to tell the salesman straight away what your budget is either. Don't waste your time looking for cameras that don't fit this budget.
2. Know what you want to use the camera for. Is this for a professional or to take pictures of your kids? Will it be used mostly indoors, outdoors, or both? Knowing this information can help narrow down your search as well.

3. Needs versus desires. Okay so just about everyone wants the digital camera that is loaded with features and added bonuses. But, is it really what you need? Cutting down all these extras will help you cut the extra costs as well. But, don't skimp either. Take some time to check out several of the available digital cameras in your price range. Know what to expect for your money.

4. Do your research. Trust me, once you walk into that saleroom, chances are you are going to want to lay your hands on a camera and leave with it. But, this is not a smart choice. You need to either decide not to do this until you have checked out several places or you can do the smarter thing. That is doing your research online from home, far away from the store itself. Just keep going from site to site to determine what are the basic cameras available in your price range. Who is offering the most bang for your buck?

5. LCD screen or not? Most of us want to be able to preview the image we are going to take using the LCD screen. But, it is a costly addition to the camera. Consider whether it is right for you or not.

6. Memory Cards. Will you need to purchase a memory card for your digital camera as well or will one be provided. How many should you buy depends on how much you will use the camera in between downloading them. How much memory will be on the cards for the camera you plan to purchase?

7. Pixels and Resolution. Just, what is all that about? The better quality cameras which have higher pixels and resolution provide a clearer picture with much more detail then others. Again, compare the different models once you are at the store. Which model, in your budget range, has the best picture? Or, which camera has the best picture for what you are willing or able to spend. Test them out prior to purchasing to see the difference here.

8. Is the camera compatible with your computer? This is very important here since this is how most people download and even print off their pictures! This is usually not a problem unless you own an older computer.

9. Ease of use. Purchasing a digital camera is supposed to make your life easier, right? Make sure you are choosing one you can understand how to use and one that is simple to use. When you want to take a picture, you usually don't have 5 minutes to figure it out.

10. Cost of features over name brand. Our last comment has to do with name brands. Surely, you know that just because a name brand sticker is on an item it is not a way to tell if it is the best model out there. Compare the features and items listed above to find the best camera available to you, not the label.

Putting all of this together can produce a great digital camera that suits your needs, your budget, and even your desires. Now, that you have an idea of what to look for, go ahead, run to your retailer with the best deal and get the digital camera you have been waiting for!

About the Author

John Howard is an avid digital photographer. Visit his site for tips and advice at Digital Cameras 2005 John Howard All Rights Reserved. This article may be published in web based or email form as long as this credit box is attached and the URL is active.

Compact Digital Cameras: Photography's Mighty Mites

Size may matter, and a lot, to some people, when it comes to some things. But when it comes to cameras, the ongoing advances in digital technology have made compact digital cameras a photography force to be reckoned with.

Compact digital cameras can be safely transported into places and situations in which a larger camera would just be an awkward nuisance, and have to be lugged around in your backpack which is already overloaded and chafing you through your T-shirt. A palm-sized compact digital camera can go unobtrusively wherever you choose to take it, and be ready for action when you are.

What You May Give Up

What compact digital cameras achieve in convenience of dimension, however, they must compensate for in other areas. You'll have to adjust to their smaller controls, and some earlier models of compact digital cameras may take longer than you like to ready their flashes, open their lenses, and be up and running. Some of them may take as long as five seconds, in fact, to be fully operational. Five seconds in the world of photography, as you are no doubt well aware, can mean the difference between winning and losing a Pulitzer Prize.

Things in compact digital camera land, however, are slowly but surely improving. Compact digital cameras are now available with fast activation, and self-adjusting zoom lenses which will let you capture even rapid motion shots. If the compact digital cameras you are looking at does not have speed settings, it will be useless in environments with changing light, and useless to you as well. Put it back and continue your search.

Compact Digital camera batteries

Before you decide to go the compact digital camera rout, you will also benefit from an education in their battery capacity. Every digital camera will drain its batteries; some will do it more quickly than others.

You should research both the batteries themselves and choose only those which have the best track records for staying power, and then research the compact digital cameras either by reading consumer reviews on them, or borrowing one, adding your own new battery, and snapping away until the battery gives up the ghost.

Of curse, you can always purchase a charger and rechargeable batteries, but that's not always convenient if you are on a two week camping trip in Yosemite back country.

Another reason to research a compact digital camera before you buy is to satisfy yourself as to the quality of the pictures it takes. The good thing about digital cameras is that they allow you to view your work immediately, even when using a demonstration compact digital camera in the store. You'll know right away if the camera provides sharply defined, brightly colored, or fuzzy-edged, washed out images.

About the Author

You can also find more info on Digital Camera Software Downloads and Digital Camera Online. Topdigitalcamerareviews.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Digital Cameras.

A Few Things to Consider When Purchasing a Digital Camera

Looking for a new hobby? Perhaps, you should look at getting into photography. It can be relaxing and rewarding at the same time and with all of the technological advances, digital photography keeps getting better. Higher resolution, more sophisticated controls, and better technology all make taking great pictures easier than ever.

When buying a digital camera you may feel like you are drowning in specifications and other confusing numbers. By the time you figure out the difference between an mp and a ppi, your head can be spinning. You'll be pleasantly surprised to find though, it isn't as puzzling as you may think.

It seems like there are hundreds of different cameras available with each having a dozen or so diverse features, which change everyday it seems. When searching for a digital camera there are a few factors that you should keep in mind. So, we're here to help you with a breakdown of some of those features.

1. Appreciate dpi quality - Dots per inch or dpi, measures the printer resolution in terms of dots of ink placed on a page as an image is printed. Photo-quality ink jet printers range normally from 1200 to 4800 dpi.

2. Understand ppi - Pixels per inch, also referred to as ppi, measures the image's resolution which determines the size an image and how good of a quality it will print. The more ppi the better, but it is possible to have too much. You won't want a camera above 300ppi since that usually is the highest value that ink jet printers can handle.

# Think megapixels - One megapixel, mp, equals one million pixels. The megapixels of your camera measures how many pixels it will capture. No amount of editing can change this once the picture is taken even if you are a Photoshop master. It is pretty easy to think of it this way: The more megapixels, the better the quality. Also, the more you start with, the more you can afford to throw away when you crop the image.

# What are your needs? - Mainly, you need to know what you will be using your pictures for. If you are going to be printing them, what size? Are you going to be editing them with digital software for online website use?

# Will a higher end 5MP camera be too much? - These are for big boys of the photography world. These are the cameras used by professional photographers with very high-end equipment. You may want to consider a higher end camera if you are going to be doing a lot of cropping in digital editing programs.

# Know about typical quality output - Most cameras range from 2MP to 5MP. A 3MP yields excellent quality 4 inch by 6 inch prints and good quality five inches by seven inch prints. A 4MP or 5MP camera is best for prints larger than 8 inches by 10 inches, although a lower megapixel camera is capable of producing acceptable but not great quality prints.

# Finish your homework - There is nothing wrong with doing a little studying up beforehand. Read some reviews in digital camera magazines or online to help you narrow down the field.


http://www.cryosphere.f2s.com/articles/cameras/things-to-consider-when-purchasing-a-digital-camera.html

Your Guide To Buying Digital Photography Books

Looking for the best digital photography books around? There are many claimants to the title at the moment; we'd even go as far as to say the market is flooded with books full of hints, tips and techniques. But which ones should you actually trust? After all it's your hard earned cash you'll be parting with! So here at YDP we've decided to do the hard work reviews for you and bring you the 5 bestselling digital Photography books currently leaving the shelves.

We got our hands on a copy of each of the best digital photography books at present, judged on sales and popularity, then set to work wading through the pages to bring you a concise review of these latest chart toppers. Although we were inundated with book submissions to consider, we found the titles below to be outstanding in terms of content, user information, illustration quality and overall usefulness. So if you're looking for the best digital photography Books, we'd thoroughly recommend any of these 5:

1. The Digital SLR Handbook, Michael Freeman.
2. The Complete Guide to Digital Photography, Freeman,M.
3. 40 Digital Photography Techniques, YoungJin.
4. Digital Photography for Dummies!
5. The Digital Photography Handbook: An Illustrated Guide

1. The Digital SLR Handbook, Michael Freeman:

The ultimate reference for serious photographers making the switch from film to digital, The Digital SLR Handbook tackles head on all the issues with which traditional photographers struggle when getting to grips with shooting digital and digital image processing. Drawing on his own experience and his discussions with fellow photographers, best-selling digital photography author Michael Freeman answers the questions that photographers ask most often, and explains matters they can find confusing or difficult to understand. From sensors, storage media, and resolution, through formats, histograms, and dynamic range, to digital noise vs. film grain, color management, and image workflow - this book gives you all the information you need. Comprehensive in its scope and unrivaled in its depth, The Digital SLR Handbook is the definitive reference source for every professional or enthusiast photographer. A bestselling digital photography book of top quality.

2. The Complete Guide To Digital Photography.

It is well designed, well laid out, and diagrams and illustrations are generally of a high quality. I agree that sometimes it is difficult to see the difference between "before" and "after" shots but this really is a minor gripe and close scrutiny will pay off in this respect. This was also one of the few that didn't waste 30 pages showing what you can do with the "artistic" and "3D" effects that come with most photo software. As earlier reviews have said, the author is clearly first and foremost a photographer and this shows. In terms of useful content, this is one of the best digital photography books we've reviewed.


3. 40 Digital Photography Techniques, YoungJin

How is this book different? Written for new digital camera owners in a language that's easy to understand; presents inspiring, full-color images on every page; lets you dive right in and have fun with your digital camera; helps film photographers make a smooth transition to digital; combines technical instruction with creative ideas to help boost your skills; groups topics thematically for quick reference; provides a thorough explanation of how digital cameras work; uses practical step-by-step instructions, explanations, shortcuts, and tips; shows you how to shoot professional-looking images with any digital camera. Who is it for? Anyone interested in correcting, enhancing, or creating digital images - for home or professional use; photography hobbyists, professional photographers, print and web designers; contents; using Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 effectively; correcting lighting and contrast; coloring black-and-white photos; removing red eye, eliminating blemishes, and enhancing facial features; using lens blur cleaning up, combining, and resizing images.

4. Digital Photography for Dummies.

Although the author claims this is one of 'the' best digital photography books around, her advice, from the most basic to the more advanced aspects of the field, is well thought out and simple without being condescending. She informs readers, for example, that you needn't use high pixel resolutions simply for placing images on a Web page. Such tips come as a relief to fledgling photographers on a budget, or novices who may be led to believe they have to use the highest-quality settings at all times. This was YDP's selection for 'best digital photography book' in January. This is probably the best digital photography book for beginners. A sure fire winner!

5. The Digital Photography Handbook: An Illustrated Guide.

Going Digital - the basics, including choosing a camera and equipment, setting up, taking shots and camera care Using your Digital Camera - tips for taking great photographs, with inspirational ideas for every genre: portraits, holidays, weddings, children, flora & fauna, abstracts, etc. The Digital Darkroom - improving, adapting and rescuing images on a computer: basic, advanced and professional techniques. Output - getting the best end result, on-line or in print, and creating a portfolio. This is a definite contender for 'best digital photography book' for summer 2006.


http://www.cryosphere.f2s.com/articles/cameras/your-guide-to-buying-digital-photography-books.html

The Best Of Digital Photography Equipment

Digital photography equipment is just as important today as the digital cameras that have become the technology of choice for people all over the world.

When digital cameras emerged in the marketplace, people were quickly won over, swept up in the excitement of new technology. It didn't take long for the public to become savvy digital picture-takers, drawing on their long-time skills with film. Digital cameras are everywhere now, in cell phones, shop windows and dangling off the wrists of people everywhere, but unfortunately digital photography equipment is not.

Digital photography equipment can make everyone's digital photography experience better. There are many aids available for consumers that can increase the success and convenience of picture-taking. These vary widely from accessories that can be used while photographing and during the editing process.

The first piece of digital photography equipment that any person needs is a digital photography camera. It is also the most important, since without a camera there is no photography. Buy a camera that is well-priced and meets your needs. For instance, if you need a camera for easy picture-taking, buy a point-and-shoot model. If you are interested in photography as a hobby or as a career, you should consider a digital SLR photography camera.

Another important part of digital photography is the memory key you will use to store photographs. These can store any number of images depending on the size of the memory. Purchase the memory key that is best for you. For instance, if you travel regularly, you will likely want a large memory key to capture all your tourist destinations. If the camera is just for snap shots, a smaller memory key will likely suffice. You might also want to consider having a backup memory key or second memory key in case you fill up the first one or in case of theft or loss.

Batteries are also another important piece of digital photography equipment. Alkaline batteries will die quickly in a digital camera as its functions draw lots of power. Many people prefer to purchase nickel metal hydrate or NiMH batteries. These will hold charge much longer and can be recharged easily with a small plug-in model charger.

Another piece of digital photography equipment to consider is a tripod. Whether this is a small tabletop version or a larger one, a tripod can improve many pictures. Digital photography can be tricky without a steady hand. Images can appear blurred or distorted. A simple tripod will steady the photographs and the result will be more professional pictures. You don't have to be a professional photographer to use a tripod.

Something else in the way of digital photography equipment is digital photography software. This can help fix minor problems in some images, including redeye, uninteresting composition and poor focus. It can also allow you to get more creative with the colouring and composition of your images.

When purchasing digital photography equipment, always consult family and friends, search on the Internet and visit local retailers. Compare options and prices carefully before making any decisions. The process should be fun and you will ultimately get the equipment you need. Remember, digital photography equipment will help you get the most out of your photographs.

At Len Cecchetto's site on Digital Photography, you'll find loads of information on everything you need to know about Digital Photography resources. For more info, you can find him at this website: ozmarketing.info


http://www.cryosphere.f2s.com/articles/cameras/the-best-of-digital-photography-equipment.html

Taking Better Digital Photos With Auto Settings Part 2:

Using the auto mode on a digital camera gives you a point and shoot camera that allows you to concentrate on the subject while the camera makes the necessary settings to give you a well exposed and properly focused image.

But like most automatic features, knowing how they function will help you keep the camera from getting fooled in those special situations that often yield the most dramatic photos: including when your subject is backlit or off-center.

Understanding White Balance

All digital cameras have an auto white balance setting that allows the camera to detect the color of the light and balance it correctly.

When you look at a white object, say the page of a book or a sheet of white paper, it appears white to you regardless of the light source. When lit by an ordinary household bulb, or a fluorescent light, or outside in daylight, it still looks white to your eye.

But to the camera's eye, each of these light sources is different and each produces a tint of color on the white object. And unless the camera makes some sort of adjustment for this variation in light color, a white object will not appear white in your photos.

In fact, everything in your photo will have a color cast to it, it's just more obvious in the whites and near whites than in other colors. This is the function of the white balance feature in digital cameras.

Why White Balance Is Important

Light is measured in degrees Kelvin, such as 3200K or 5800K. This is known as the color temperature of a light source. With film cameras you could use different kinds of film or filters to get the correct color.

But with digital photography the camera's image sensor is your film and it doesn't change, so it is necessary to tell the sensor what color light source it is recording or it won't be able to reproduce colors correctly in your photos.

Overriding Auto White Balance

Some cameras offer an option to override the automatic setting and let you set the white balance manually. You may have a selection of several settings from which to choose.

The more common ones are: sunlight, shade or cloudy daylight, tungsten or indoor, fluorescent and electronic flash.

Go Ahead and Experiment

If your camera has the option to override the auto white balance setting, you may find it fun experimenting with the various settings. While most of the time you will want accurate color reproduction, there are times when using a deliberate color cast can be a useful tool in creative photography.

You may want to change the light balance to enhance a certain mood, or create an unusual effect that is more interesting than properly balanced color would produce. So experiment with these options and add them to your toolbox of creative controls.

Understanding Color Balancing

The human eye can easily adapt to different light conditions so that objects maintain their 'true' color. If we look at a blue ball, for example, we see the same shade of blue indoors and outdoors and under cloudy or sunny conditions.

In fact, each type of light amplifies a certain color in the spectrum. What we consider to be 'white' light only occurs during the noon hours of a clear day. Sunlight in the early evening or late afternoon gives everything a reddish tint, and cloudy days bring out the blue end of the spectrum.

Each type of artificial light also has a particular color cast. Incandescent lighting is yellowish and fluorescent lighting can be either blue or green.

All of these different lighting conditions affect the color balance in photographs.

Most digital cameras allow you to adjust the color balance for different types of light. This can be done manually or automatically, although the automatic settings can produce uneven results from one picture to another.

Manual settings can be done by selecting a preset such as 'sunlight' or 'cloudy', but these settings can be fine-tuned to match very specific lighting conditions.

Color balance is achieved by adjusting the camera so that 'white' is truly 'white'. Once the camera is set to correctly reproduce white, the other colors should appear to be their natural shade. This can be quickly checked by looking through the viewfinder of your digital camera. Holding up a piece of white paper in front of the camera will allow you to see whether it is the correct shade or not.

Some cameras can be set this way -- place a sheet of white paper in front of the viewfinder and select 'Auto Correct'.

Remember that the presets are general guidelines and may not be suitable for every type of lighting condition. If your camera has a setting for fluorescent lights, for example, it may still require further tweaking to get the correct color balance.

Although it is best to try to get the proper color balance when you are taking photographs, the color of an image can also be adjusted using software. This should not be thought of as an alternative to proper color balancing, but it can be used to good effect on some digital images.

Some computer software can automatically adjust color as well as brightness and contrast. Start out with these 'auto' settings -- sometimes the results can be surprisingly good.

If you wish to adjust the color manually, some knowledge of the physics of color is necessary. All color is made up of the three primary colors -- red, green, and blue. Three other colors called the 'subtractive primary colors' are obtained by removing one of the primary colors where the other two are mixed. The three subtractive primary colors are yellow, cyan, and magenta.

This knowledge of how colors interact allows you to correct improper color balances. For example, if an image is too red, adding some cyan (the opposite of red) can help to naturalize the color.

Software can also be used to adjust color intensity. Subtle use of imaging software can help to turn good photographs into great photographs.


http://www.cryosphere.f2s.com/articles/cameras/taking-better-digital-photos-with-auto-white-and-color.html

Digital Cameras Responsiveness And Photo Shooting Delays

Digital cameras have many advantages but they also have some disadvantages and response time is one of them. There are three response times that you should care about: the delay between pressing down the shutter button and shooting a photo, the delay between turning on the camera and shooting a photo and the delay between shooting a photo and shooting a subsequent one. This article explains the causes for these delays and suggests ways to overcome them.

There are three response times or delays that are important to understand and to be aware of when shooting photos. Here is the list with the causes and ideas for how to effectively handle them:

Shutter delay: There is a noticeable delay between pressing the shutter button and capturing a photo. When you press the shutter button the camera goes through a series of setup processes in order to get all its electronics ready. Only when this processing is done can the camera capture a photo. Some cameras will also initiate a focus process when the shutter button is held down and will only take the photo when this focusing process is completed. The delay time varies from camera to camera but is usually less than one second. If you used film cameras before you are probably not used to that delay which did not exist with most film cameras.

Although less than a one second delay sounds very short it can be significant when shooting photos of moving objects such as in sports events. There are a few photo shooting practices that can help in avoiding the delays' results. One way to handle shutter delay is to hold down the shutter half way when taking photos of moving objects. This method can work if the object is in more or less a fixed distance from the camera or is in infinite focus. Holding down the shutter half way locks the focus and forces the camera to do some setup processing work. When you are ready to take your photo press the shutter button all the way down - the result will be a significantly shorter delay as most of the processing work and focus were already done. Another way to minimize the shutter delay is to avoid the automatic focus process which usually starts when the shutter button is held down. One way to do that is to hold the shutter button half way down. In most cameras the result will be a one time focus process and then a focus lock. The camera will stay in focus and when the shutter is fully pressed down it will take a photo without re-focusing. Another option is to put the camera in manual focus.

Subsequent photo delay: This is the delay between taking one photo and when the camera is ready to take a subsequent one. With film cameras this delay was very short as it only involved the camera rolling the film to the next fresh negative. With digital cameras there is processing and housekeeping that needs to be done after each photo is taken. For example the camera has to execute a computational process that compresses the photo (turns the raw pixels into a compressed JPG file) and then it has to store the photo on its memory card (storing files on flash based memory cards is a slow process due to memory technologies used). Another way is using the camera's burst mode (if the camera supports one). In burst mode the camera shoots a fast series of photos for as long as the shutter button is held down or until the camera's memory is full. In this mode the camera writes the photos to a temporary volatile memory which is very fast but small. When the shutter button is released or the memory is full the camera starts the slow process of writing the photos to the memory card. Using burst mode you can shoot fast photos of an action event and then choose the one that best captured the event. The speed and the amount of photos that the burst mode supports vary between cameras. For example some high end cameras can take as much as ten photos over the course of one second.

Initial delay: When you turn the camera on the camera has to run some processing in order to get ready to take photos. The processing includes resetting its electronics, initializing the built-in software, checking the memory card and more. This processing can take a few seconds. The result is that if you want to take a photo when your camera is turned off - you will have to turn it on, wait a few seconds and only then take the photo. In some cases the photo opportunity is gone by that time. Most cameras also enter a standby mode if they are not used for a certain time - usually a few minutes or more. When the camera goes into standby mode it turns off most of its electronics in order to save power. Pressing the shutter button will restart the camera but such a restart process is similar to the process executed when turning the camera on and can take a few seconds. The result is a noticeable delay when taking a photo after the camera was idle for some time. In order to avoid this you would ha ve to make sure that your camera is turned on and does not go into standby mode when taking action photos. Some cameras allow you to disable the automatic standby feature through a menu option. If your camera does not allow that you can keep it on by pressing the shutter button half way down every now and then. The downside of leaving the camera on all the time is wasting battery power. In order to maximize battery life in such scenarios you can disable the camera's LCD screen which consumes a lot of energy and use the view finder instead.

New digital cameras have enhanced software and hardware and reduced response times. If you are shooting action photos or are a semi-professional photographer make sure that you check what the delays are (shutter delay, Initial delay and subsequent photo delay) before you buy your next camera. It is a good idea to practice shooting action photos in order to get a better feeling of your cameras delays and responsiveness.



http://www.cryosphere.f2s.com/articles/cameras/digital-cameras-responsiveness-and-photo-shooting-delays.html

Buying A Digital Camera To Replace Your Old Film Camera

I'm very conservative when it comes to buying myself new "toys". I don't buy every new gadget that comes out, but when I do buy - I get the latest technology and the highest quality I can afford. That way my investment holds its value for a long time and I'm not tempted to replace it so soon.

I didn't buy a digital camera when they first came out. All you could get were 1 megapixel models with no optical zoom capability. Maybe a good replacement for the cardboard throwaways you get at the supermarket, but I much preferred the quality images I got from my (now 20 year old) Nikon 35mm SLR film camera.

When I finally did buy a digital camera a few years ago, I picked up a slightly used 2.1 megapixel from Olympus digital camera with a 3x autofocus optical zoom. At the time, it was as good a value as you could get when buying a digital camera, but technology being what it is - it's now considered a midrange consumer level camera.

Well, while I'm still satisfied with my Nikon film-based camera, I've been thinking about buying a new digital camera for a few months now. That's because I've seen the amazing shots that my friends have taken with their cameras, and I want to be able to get the same results. In addition, I'm using my 35mm SLR much less these days just because it's so much more convenient to use my digital camera, and I've got a bag full of film that I've never found the time to have developed. It's finally time to buy a new digital camera to actually replace the 35mm camera.

Towards that end, I've been reading online guides and digital camera reviews to catch up on exactly what to look for when buying a digital camera. This research is very helpful, as I evaluate which cameras are easy to use, produce high-quality photos, come packed with features, and are the best bargains. In fact, these resources make the task of buying a digital camera easier than I imagined it would be.

Since I've been doing all this research beforehand, I'm ready to make my purchase now that I've decided that buying a digital camera is the right move for me. I've read about people getting fantastic bargains from online stores, so that's where I'll look first. I also read store reviews as part of my research into buying a digital camera, so I know which websites were trustworthy and which ones to avoid. As a result, I'll be able to complete my purchase without a single problem.

Now that I've made the decision, I really can't remember what was preventing me from buying a new digital camera a long time ago! I can't wait to get it so I can play around with the settings, and try out the different features that are available on these newer digital cameras. If you ask me, this is the way photography was meant to be.

If you've been thinking about buying a digital camera, I recommend that you go ahead and do it sooner rather than later. You'll be amazed at how much easier it is to take pictures with this kind of equipment and how much better the pictures turn out.


About the Author

Brandon Layne is a "serious amateur" using both film and digital cameras to shoot primarily outdoor and action shots, and publishes a review of digital cameras on the web.

Basic Digital Photography:

Personal photography has gone through a sort of mini evolution in the past 20 years as digital cameras have become popular. With the ability to take huge numbers of pictures, save them on computer, and share them over the internet, the cost of film and developing are no longer limiting factors. Although group photographs, portraits, celebrations, and vacations are still common images, personal photography now captures more impromptu and daily types of events. Photographs of fast moving action are more common as well as people are able to experiment to obtain the type of images they want without fear of "ruining" a shot that requires more skill to take. Capturing action can be challenging for a beginning photographer and requires quite a bit of practice to master. The following outlines a few pointers that can get the novice started off on the right foot.

1. When trying to obtain shots of action, the photographer can use one of two approaches:

* Follow subjects with the camera as they wait for action to happen.
* Focus the camera on a particular spot where action is anticipated and wait for it to happen. An example would be focusing on the basketball goal or 1st base. When using this method it is often best to observe through the Optical Viewfinder and keep both eyes open so that it is easy to anticipate shots as action approaches.

2. Reduce lag time and latency:

* Shutter lag is the delay between the time the shutter button is pressed and the time when the camera actually takes the picture. During this lag time the camera is setting the exposure and focus. Shutter lag is particularly problematic when trying to capture action shots. One way of decreasing shutter lag is to press the shutter button halfway down, hold it, and then press the button down completely when ready to take the shot. This process allows the camera to perform some of the focusing function prior to taking the shot thereby reducing the shutter lag time.
* Latency is the time it takes the digital camera to write/store images before the next shot can be taken. To reduce latency, a photographer should use flash cards with fast write times. In some instances, a lower resolution setting can be used for the shot so that the camera has less information to process and store, but this technique of reducing latency must be used carefully as image quality can be compromised.


http://www.cryosphere.f2s.com/articles/cameras/basic-digital-photography-taking-action-shots.html

A Brief History Of Photography

For centuries images have been projected onto surfaces. The camera obscura and the camera lucida were used by artists to trace scenes as early as the 16th century. These early cameras did not fix an image in time; they only projected what passed through an opening in the wall of a darkened room onto a surface. In effect, the entire room was turned into a large pinhole camera. Indeed, the phrase camera obscura literally means "darkened room," and it is after these darkened rooms that all modern cameras have been named.

The first photograph is considered to be an image produced in 1826 by the French inventor Nicéphore Niépce on a polished pewter plate covered with a petroleum derivative called bitumen of Judea. It was produced with a camera, and required an eight hour exposure in bright sunshine. However this process turned out to be a dead end and Niépce began experimenting with silver compounds based on a Johann Heinrich Schultz discovery in 1724 that a silver and chalk mixture darkens when exposed to light.

Niépce, in Chalon-sur-Saône, and the artist Louis Daguerre, in Paris, refined the existing silver process in a partnership. In 1833 Niépce died of a stroke, leaving his notes to Daguerre. While he had no scientific background, Daguerre made two pivotal contributions to the process.

He discovered that by exposing the silver first to iodine vapour, before exposure to light, and then to mercury fumes after the photograph was taken, a latent image could be formed and made visible. By then bathing the plate in a salt bath the image could be fixed.


In 1839 Daguerre announced that he had invented a process using silver on a copper plate called the Daguerreotype. A similar process is still used today for Polaroids. The French government bought the patent and immediately made it public domain.

Across the English Channel, William Fox Talbot had earlier discovered another means to fix a silver process image but had kept it secret. After reading about Daguerre's invention Talbot refined his process, so that it might be fast enough to take photographs of people as Daguerre had done and by 1840 he had invented the calotype process.

He coated paper sheets with silver chloride to create an intermediate negative image. Unlike a daguerreotype a calotype negative could be used to reproduce positive prints, like most chemical films do today. Talbot patented this process which greatly limited its adoption.

He spent the rest of his life in lawsuits defending the patent until he gave up on photography altogether. But later this process was refined by George Eastman and is today the basic technology used by chemical film cameras. Hippolyte Bayard also developed a method of photography but delayed announcing it, and so was not recognized as its inventor.

In the darkroomIn 1851 Frederick Scott Archer invented the collodion process. It was the process used by Lewis Carroll.

Slovene Janez Puhar invented the technical procedure for making photographs on glass in 1841. The invention was recognized on July 17th 1852 in Paris by the Académie Nationale Agricole, Manufacturière et Commerciale.

The Daguerreotype proved popular in responding to the demand for portraiture emerging from the middle classes during the Industrial Revolution. This demand, that could not be met in volume and in cost by oil painting, may well have been the push for the development of photography.

However daguerreotypes, while beautiful, were fragile and difficult to copy. A single photograph taken in a portrait studio could cost US$1000 in 2006 dollars. Photographers also encouraged chemists to refine the process of making many copies cheaply, which eventually led them back to Talbot's process. Ultimately, the modern photographic process came about from a series of refinements and improvements in the first 20 years.

In 1884 George Eastman, of Rochester, New York, developed dry gel on paper, or film, to replace the photographic plate so that a photographer no longer needed to carry boxes of plates and toxic chemicals around. In July of 1888 Eastman's Kodak camera went on the market with the slogan "You press the button, we do the rest". Now anyone could take a photograph and leave the complex parts of the process to others. Photography became available for the mass-market in 1901 with the introduction of Kodak Brownie.

Since then color film has become standard, as well as automatic focus and automatic exposure. Digital recording of images is becoming increasingly common, as digital cameras allow instant previews on LCD screens and the resolution of top of the range models has exceeded high quality 35mm film while lower resolution models have become affordable. For the enthusiast photographer processing black and white film, little has changed since the introduction of the 35mm film Leica camera in 1925.


http://www.cryosphere.f2s.com/articles/cameras/a-brief-history-of-photography.html

All In One? Purchasing a Wireless Camera Kit

Security in your home or office is important, especially in this day and age of rampant crime, and especially if you live or work in an area where crime rates are high. If you are planning to put up security measures to protect your home, you might be interested in home security systems, which can include alarms, password-protected areas, even that generic baseball bat under your bed or revolver under your pillow. On the other hand, if you are planning to put up security measures to protect your office, you might be interested in office security systems, which can include monitors, cameras, security guards, and sophisticated digital equipment.

No security system is complete without security cameras, and in this day and age, we all can avail of wireless cameras to fit our security needs. If you are well acquainted with wireless cameras, then you might also have encountered a wireless camera kit, which has many components that all come into play when you wish to protect your home or office. If you are interested in buying a wireless camera kit, you need to know the functions of the basic components, as well as how you can set about buying one.

Wireless cameras offer the advantage of fewer wires, and hence, fewer hassles in setting up a system for your home or office. Wireless cameras, however, operate at a certain frequency that can be interfered with should thieves choose to disable your security system. If you are looking for a wireless camera kit, acquaint yourself well with the frequency at which the kit operates. You might also want to purchase two kits operating at two different frequencies, so that you always have a back up system to take care of your security should the other one be interfered with.

Your wireless camera kit will of course include your wireless camera, along with a mount that can hold it to a wall. When buying your wireless camera, make sure that its resolution is relatively high. This is important if your wireless camera is far away from important locations, such as a safe or cash register; high resolution wireless cameras can show thieves' or intruders' faces more clearly, a clear advantage when you want to catch criminals immediately after they wreak havoc on your home or business. Look for a wireless camera that can sweep through a large angle, moreover, so that you can monitor a large area for a longer time.

You might also want to look for a wireless camera that is weather and water resistant. Many other security cameras can be damaged if exposed to moisture, or can be destroyed easily in extremely dry conditions. Many security cameras that come with kits, moreover, might not be of the same quality as those that you can purchase individually. If you are purchasing a wireless camera kit, make sure that you are getting one that has the best components, along with the greatest value for your money.

Some wireless camera kits might also have a wireless digital video recorder, or DVR. This can allow you to record any activities remotely as they are picked up by the wireless security camera. When coupled to a high quality wireless security camera, a digital video recorder can record crucial evidence that can be used in court. All you need is a DVR that can record footage in a variety of formats, so that these formats can be stored in your computer or in a retrieval system without any danger of the footage being damaged or destroyed.

These are only a few tips that you can follow when shopping for that wireless camera kit. Be sure to get your wireless camera kit from licensed suppliers, and be sure to examine each component for good quality. If you have a great wireless camera kit, you can use it for a much longer time, and rest assured that your home or office will always be safe.

About author:

Rajesh Karavadia is the author and webmaster of www.thecctvreviews.com, an informative website about CCTV and security systems. Different types of security systems are discussed including information on cctv camera systems and cctv camera.