Monday, September 24, 2007

How to Retouch a Digital Camera Picture

Retouching can be considered the act of blending in those colors that make a seamless presentation. It is often used to correct for blemishes on a person’s skin, or the “red-eye” effect that can occur with flash photography. It is also a restorative process for photos or other source artwork that has some areas that have been compromised by handling or scratching, etc. The retoucher will use their judgment to restore the colors to segments of the picture that tend to reconstitute the image as it was before being damaged.

Two application programs that are useful in retouching will be discussed, MS Paint and JASC's Paint Shop Pro.

Because the specific technique useful for a given project will call upon a series of complex and arcane steps, only an overview of the capabilities of these two applications will be discussed. The user is encouraged to become familiar with the basics of the program you intend to use – to experiment with some of the steps relevant to a chosen retouching technique – to call on the “Help” files to obtain guidance on how to use the features, etc.

The two applications have some tools that are similar, and the principles of operation have commonality. The “eyedropper” tool is used to sample color from the source artwork or from a color palette. There are a variety of application tools for applying this color to the areas you choose. You can create a custom palette of colors, or you can “measure” the color that has been sampled by using “custom colors.” The measure of a color is defined by its saturation, intensity, and hue. In regard to the colors that appear on your screen, they are defined by a “triad” of the colors red, green, and blue (RGB), with the intensity of each defined by an eight-bit number. The decimal value of this number ranges from zero for black, or absence of intensity to 255 for the maximum intensity of that basic RGB color. Note that a specific color includes an intensity value for each of the colors red, green, and blue.

Oftentimes, there will be an equivalent of the decimal value stated in some other way, perhaps as a two-character hexadecimal number or as a character symbol that is part of a defined character group that has a corresponding number between 0 and 255, as in an ASCII (American Society for Character Information Interchange) code. Regarding hexadecimal numbers in relation to decimal numbers, F in hexadecimal corresponds to 15 in decimal and FF corresponds to 255. Hexadecimal is a base-16 counting system, and decimal is a base-10 counting system. Hexadecimal has features that make it convenient to use with computer systems and with characterizing intensity levels of the RGB color triad.

Either application can be used to insert chosen colors into areas that need retouching. MS Paint allows you to place discrete colors within any pixel. It allows you to sample the color existing within a given pixel and apply that color over one or more pixels in patterns that are governed by the application tool. It also allows you to sample a rectangular patch of pixels, over which the colors may vary, and replicate that patch wherever you wish.

Paint Shop Pro has application tools that allow you to sample a color and apply it in a manner in which the density of the applied color is greatest at the point of application and diminishes as you get farther from the point of application. In other words, the application tool can be much like an airbrush, with the greatest density under the spray nozzle, and an over-spray that can be adjusted by settings. Paint Shop Pro also has a layering feature that lets you determine the relative opacity of either layer – that is, you can make a custom layer with a pattern of applied colors that have a tendency to correct the source artwork, and determine later how much influence this layer should have in the evolution of the final image. In general, the custom layer overlays the source artwork in the temporary image seen by the program. You can manipulate the pattern of color and it’s density, as well as control the transparency of this layer so you can obtain the desired result. When satisfied with the result, save the temporary image to a permanent image file.

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Vivitar Digital Cameras - Cornering The Market On Style And Versatility

There are countless brands of digital cameras to choose from so if you are seeking one that is sporty, versatile and easy to use, look no further than the Vivitar brand. There are seventeen current models of Vivitar digital cameras to choose from including three DVR models, which include not only digital camera functions but also an MP3 player and DVR functions.

Vivitar digital cameras have gotten good press through a variety of venues, including introductions to the celebrity mainstream. Entertainers at The Sundance Film Festival and even the MTV Music Awards enjoyed some of Vivitar’s line of cameras, which made for some great PR for the company. The bottom line is that Vivitar digital cameras are popular because they are affordable, easy to use and produce great pictures.

Make A Splash With This Special Vivitar Camera

One of the coolest Vivitar digital cameras of late has been the ViviCam 6200w because of its waterproof capabilities. The body of the camera is armored in rubber and is waterproof up to 30 feet under water, which makes it a great companion for snorkeling, swimming pool and diving fun!

Other great features of the ViviCam 6200w include resolution at a respectable 6.0 mega pixels as well as a two inch color screen on the back of the camera to preview your picture shots. With built-in flash, support for up to 1 GB memory cards and even great imaging software support, this camera has quickly become a favorite for active digital camera enthusiasts.

Be Your Own Star With The DVR-530

Among the Vivitar digital cameras are three DVR representations and the DVR-530 just stands out. What is so great about this model is that not only can you record your own movies; you can also play MP3 music files and take some great pictures. With a decent 5.0 mega pixel along with 4x digital zoom and a large 2.5 inch display screen to view your movies and pictures from, you will love this DVR model. Add great software and 1 GB flash card memory along with a few bells and whistles and you have a winning combination for those home movie fans.

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Warranties and Sony Digital Cameras

Sony is a name that people are familiar with for a great variety of reasons. It was Sony who revolutionized a great variety of home electronics products. Probably their greatest achievement was the release of the Betamax in the 1970’s. Granted, JVC’s VHS system essentially drove the proverbial nail in the coffin of beta, but the inroads that Sony made in the home video market were so vast they laid the foundation for all the amazing products that are available today. Actually, many of those amazing products are also made by Sony!

One of Sony’s more amazing achievements has been their relatively recent venture into the realm of digital cameras. Their achievements have been fairly pronounced as Sony digital cameras have become remarkably popular with consumers and this has led to Sony digital cameras gaining a solid amount of the market share of the consumer digital camera realm.

Now, while Sony digital cameras are very well made, very reliable and very cutting edge, the fact remains that they are not indestructible. As such, it becomes critical to fill out and mail in all required warranty forms so as to make sure that your camera is properly covered in case of an accident.

The Benefits of Warranties to Safeguard and Investment in Sony Digital Cameras

One of the reasons that people opt to purchase Sony digital cameras is the fact that these cameras are top notch, high quality cameras. This quality of product can also be translated as having a long life so to speak. Because of this many people will neglect properly filing their warranty forms because they feel Sony digital cameras are of such a high quality, what could go wrong?

Well, the answer to that is anything! As previously mentioned, no product is invulnerable and because of this a little insurance in the form of a warranty will save a great deal of money in case of an unforeseen catastrophe.

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Olympus Digital Cameras Are Among The Finest You Can Buy

Buying Olympus digital cameras means buying from one of the finest and foremost camera making companies, which is why they are being widely used throughout the world today. Even though digital cameras had been offered by various other manufacturers during the eighties and nineties, they were not of very high quality and were mainly suited for web publishing and making low resolution prints. Thus, when in the year 1996, Olympus came out with its Olympus digital cameras including the P&S type of cameras that had an excellent resolution, the world of digital cameras underwent a radical change, and when in the year 2000, the Olympus digital cameras started to offer two and even three mega pixel cameras, the digital cameras as we know them today had finally arrived.

Quick Access To Its Features

The fact is that Olympus digital cameras are designed such that users get quick access to most if not all features including setting flash and also deleting pictures that simply requires pressing a single button, and they also allow users to simply print pictures without the need of any connecting cables. Other notable features of the Olympus digital cameras include stabilizing digital images so that blurs can be done away that may have been caused by shaking cameras or because of objects that were moving, which allows users to obtain crisper as well as clearer pictures, and also images that are more sensitive thanks to quick shutter speeds. In addition, another notable feature of the Olympus digital cameras is that they can be used in all weather conditions and the design allows for seals and gaskets that protect the camera and which allow users to shoot without worrying about rain, or snow, or even sunshine.

Olympus digital cameras are also well know for their ability to preview pictures even in low lighting conditions and even a flash may not be required, and you also have the option of shooting in manual or auto modes, and in fact, users won’t find much to hold them back from taking any kind of pictures as is witnessed with excellence in zoom features and best quality of lenses used.

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Digital Camera Basics Made Simple

Digital cameras can be perplexing to many beginners. When shopping for a digital camera it is very likely that you will encounter terms like white balance, pixel, ppi and dpi mean and how they affect image and print quality.

You may be probably expected to know the difference between things like optical zoom and digital zoom as well as the advantages and disadvantages between storage formats such as Compact Flash (CF), Microdrives, Sony Memory Stick, Secure Digital (SD), Multimedia and camera interface technologies such as USB 1.1, USB 2.0 and Firewire IEEE 1394. Lets make things simple and go to the basic things you actually need to know.

Pixels

A pixel is a abbreviation of the term PIcture ELement. Digital images are basically made up of small squares, just like a tile mosaic on your kitchen or bathroom wall. Are the more pixels the better? For viewing on the internet, resolutions of 640 X 480 is enough. For a typical 4R photo, you need a resolution of 1200 X 1800.

Difference Between Digital Zoom and Optical Zoom

Most cameras have both optical zoom and digital zoom functions. Optical zoom works just like a zoom lens on a traditional film camera. The lens changes focal length and magnification as it is zoomed. Image quality is high throughout the zoom range. Digital zoom simply crops the image to a smaller size and enlarges the cropped portion to fill the frame again. Digital zoom always results in a considerable loss of quality.

The Storage Wars

There are quite a few different memory cards used in different digital cameras.

Compact Flash (CF) - The original memory card. Somewhat larger than the others, but used on all high end DSLRs. Available in capacities up to 2GB.

Secure Digital (SD) - Very small - about 24mm x 32mm and 2mm thick. SD cards have a built in write-protect switch to prevent any unintentional removal and certain encryption capabilities. This may be of very little interest for most digital camera owners.

Multimedia - Same size as SD but with less features and no encryption capability. There are some that can be used in some SD cameras but they aren't 100% compatible with SD cards in all applications.

Memory Stick - It is introduced by Sony and used only by Sony cameras.

XD - Developed and used by Fuji, Olympus and Toshiba - even smaller than SD. 20mm x 25mm by 1.7mm thick

There's really no reason to pick a camera with one brand over another unless you have multiple cameras or other devices which may also use the same memory cards. Then it is more convenient if they can share the same cards.

Buying a Digital Camera

Some magazines advertise cameras at low prices yet they charge high shipping cost or they may tell you it is out of stock. Of course they have a more expensive model for you. Shop for cameras only from reputable dealers. At least they probably have a more responsive customer service.

To find out more information on the Best Digital Cameras and digital cameras buying guide, visit The Digital Camera Explained.


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Panasonic Digital Camera - Get Animated About The Digital DMC-FZ5!

When Panasonic Digital Cameras introduced their Lumix DMC-FZ5 they brought some real color competition into play for this class of camera!

On the one hand this Panasonic digital camera is a real step up from its predecessor - the DMC-FZ3 - in terms of color accuracy. On the other hand it also outperforms many cameras in its type and price group when it comes to true color rendition.

As such - and incorporating the same Leica-branded DC Vario-Elmarit zoom with its 12x optical range as the DMC-FZ3 - this digital camera is a serious contender in the higher-end prosumer market, as Panasonic digital camera reviews point out. This lens system contributes to a very good image resolution.

Having said that, expert consumer photographers might very well expect to be able to manipulate those colorful image files in RAW format, whereas the DMC-FZ5 only supports TIFF.

One of the most appreciated features of the Panasonic Digital Camera DMC-FZ5 is its highly effective Mega Optical Image Stabilization system. It comes with two modes of which the first offers continuous image stabilization, which is said to assist during image composition.

The second mode - which reportedly is even more effective, only comes into play during the actual release of the shutter.

This Panasonic digital camera also features a real-time histogram, which is always welcome on a digital camera. This ensures that you get a balanced exposure and not blow away the highlights! It is a challenge to learn how to interpret a histogram instinctively in the field, but worth the effort for the improved results you will be getting.

A handy feature highlighted in Panasonic digital camera reviews, is the ability of the DMC-FZ5 to record sound with still images. If you have a number of similar objects to record, the 5 second sound input can help you make sense of your pictures afterwards!

As far as power consumption is concerned, the Panasonic Digital Camera DMC-FZ5 has a sleep mode to conserve power, and will then retract the zoom lens. It can be set to come into action after 1-10 minutes, or when you press any button. It uses a proprietary rechargeable battery, with a charger included. Battery life is longer than with its DMC-FZ3 predecessor.

If you're tired of serious photography and want to play around a bit, this Panasonic digital camera offers you an animation feature. It lets you take a number of sequential-movement stills which you can then transform automatically into a movie sequence.

So if you or the kids have some clay lying around, this feature could keep everyone suitably amused for an afternoon...

If not, it will be just as easy to enjoy hours of entertainment discovering all the superb features of the DMC-FZ5 Panasonic Digital Camera.

For more information visit Best-Digital-Photography.com


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Investing In The Nikon D70 Digital Camera Body

If you have reached the point where you are ready to begin adding custom lenses and accessories to your photographic armory, then you'll need a digital camera body that is ready to work as hard as you do. The Nikon D70 is an ideal choice.

It is affordable and is compatible with a number of different types and styles of lenses. The software is easy to use and the in-camera editing features let you decide which pictures stay and which ones go while you are in the middle of a shoot.

The Nikon D70 digital SLR camera is one of the most popular digital camera body types because the accessories you can add really increases the usability of the camera.

You can custom-build and supply your own small arsenal of lenses and other accessories by purchasing compatible products online and matching them up with your camera to give it more flexibility than complete packages. If you don't know too much about digital cameras, you should buy a full set first.

If you're interested in the D70 digital SLR from Nikon, be prepared to spend around $900 for the body of the camera. After that, you can expect to spend quite a bit more money to add the lens you want, as well as any other accessories to go with it such as a camera bag or memory stick.

The expensive price of the body might seem costly to some that are used to inferior products, but the Nikon D70 digital camera body is a steal if you're into digital photography and have a passion for it.
Some of the technical features of this camera include:
* 6.1 million effective pixels
* USB mass storage
* Built-in Speedlight flash
* Rapid shutter speed
* Several auto shooting modes, including landscape and close-up
* Built-in lighting system and a 3D Color Matrix meter

If the D70 digital camera body is a lot less expensive than some of the other products that your local dealer may be trying to sell you, make sure you talk to some other photographers. You'll quickly find that the value of the D70 is real.

You will get high-quality performance for a lower price than other manufacturers are willing to give. If you want to create professional-looking photographs with a great camera, you must consider the Nikon D70.

If you are serious about outfitting your own camera body, then check the product specs for the Nikon D70 at http://nikonimaging.com. As you compare with other digital SLR camera bodies that are on the market, you will find that the Nikon stands way ahead of everyone else's product.

If want to put together a camera bag that will be as versatile as you are creative, then don't settle for anything less than the D70.

Find out how digital cameras technology can make you an exceptional film photographer using the Nikon D70 Digital Camera Body from Mike Selvon informative collection of articles and let us know what your think at the digital photography blog.



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The Differences Between A Digital Camera And A Traditional Camera - Digital Camera Inner Workings

Digital Cameras use lenses and a shutter to capture light inside the body of the camera just like traditional film cameras, but that is where the similarity ends.

Instead of using film to capture an image as the traditional cameras do, the digital camera captures the image using an image sensor.

These sensors are completely electronic in their operation. They have various internal electronic devices to measure light intensity and a host of other duties.

The complexity of the image sensor determines its rating, measured in MegaPixels. The higher the number of megapixels that a digital camera offers, the greater the clarity and quality of the resulting picture. Also the higher the megapixel rating of the digital camera, the higher the cost of the camera.

Digital cameras function by converting light into an electrical signal that is, in turn, converted into binary (1's and 0's) so they can be processed through the digital camera's on-board computer. After the binary numbers are processed they are stored on the digital memory card or floppy disk.

The digital camera processes the light in such a way that the light is converted into the primary colors of Red, Green and Blue using internal filters. The photographs must be further refined by computer processing to produce the full color photograph. This process is called Demosaicing.

Many cameras offer photo sharpening to make the digital photographs clearer; usually, there are controls on the digital camera to adjust brightness, contrast, and color saturation.

After all this is done -- inside the digital camera -- the last step is to compress the image and then store it on the memory card.

To load images from a digital camera onto a computer and give you the ability to process the digital picture manually, requires a digital camera that offers this cability. If you would like this feature you should ask if the camera you are considering includes it before making your purchase.

For more cutting edge information on the advantages of digital photography try visiting http://www.digital-photo-tips.info, a popular website that offers tips, advice and digital camera resources to include a digital camera buying guide that can save you money and show you the best digital camera to purchase.



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Digital Camera Information

You've decided to buy a digital camera. The problem is - which one? Unless you have good digital camera information, it can get quite confusing. There are five main types of digital cameras available for different photography needs. In this article, we will discuss the five different types.

The five types are compact digital cameras, subcompact digital cameras, advanced compact cameras, super-zoom cameras, and SLR cameras.

Compact Digital Cameras are best for everyday use. They are perfect for your family vacations and get togethers. They are very easy to use but they also have limited manual controls for exposure and composition. So if you want a camera that you can just pick up and take a great picture – this is it. The cost for a compact digital camera ranges from $150 to $300.

The subcompact digital camera is great for carrying anywhere you want to go. It’s small so it will fit into your purse or tote bag and not too heavy that you don’t mind carrying it around. As with the compact, it has limited controls so if you're wanting to get started with some creative and artistic photography, this isn't the camera for you. However, if you want great pictures without having to study the “in’s and out’s” of your camera, this could be the one. Subcompact digital cameras range in price from $250 to $450.

The advanced compact camera is a step up from the compact and subcompact digital cameras. This camera is relatively large and heavy so it’s not one that you would want to tote around all day on vacation. But, if you know that you are going out looking for some great shots, this camera can handle it. This camera does well when the lighting could be a challenge such as dimly lit rooms and subjects, and outdoor situations such as sunsets. The advanced compact digital camera has very versatile controls, long zoom, and can store RAW images. The price range for these cameras is between $300 to $600.

The super-zoom digital cameras would be the best choice for you if you are interested in photographing nature, sports, and travel. They have a very long zoom range with a powerful telephoto setting which make it perfect for those nature photos. On the down side, they are larger, bulkier, and heavier than the compact models. The price range is between $250 to $450.

If you are truly interested in artistic photography, then you need to invest in an SLR digital camera. SLR is the acronym for “standard lens reflex.” These cameras perform beautifully; have instant startup, minimal shutter lag, interchangeable lenses, large image sensors, fast continuous shooting, can store RAW images, and excellent battery life. As can be expected, they are larger and heavier which is the price you pay for the artistic abilities that this camera has. They are also considerably more expensive ranging from $900 to $1,500.

Whether you're looking for a great point-and-shoot camera, or an advanced camera that you can hone your photographic skills with, you’ll find it in digital cameras. From the subcompacts to the SLRs, whatever your needs, there is a digital camera made just for you.

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