* Select a digital camera with a maximum resolution that meets your largest output you're likely to want. If you want to make 8-by-10 prints, we recommend a 4-megapixel model, though a 3MP camera will do the job. A good 8-megapixel camera can take you all the way up to 16-by-20 prints. If all you want is to take pictures for e-mail or the Web, even 2MP camera will suffice. And remember, megapixels correspond only to image size, not quality.
* Make sure the camera has the right features for your needs, such as video recording, an optical zoom lens—perhaps even manual controls and a histogram. If you wear eyeglasses but like to take pictures without them, make sure that your camera has a focusable diopter, which lets you adjust the focus of the viewfinder so you can see your subject clearly.
* Choose a model with a bright LCD so you can see it when shooting outdoors. And make sure the screen is large enough so you can easily compose and review your images on the camera.
* When comparing costs, don't forget to calculate the extras that may or may not be included, such as rechargeable batteries and a charger, , and a memory card with a high enough capacity to hold all your pictures until you can download them to a PC.
* Nearly all digital cameras have a USB interface. For higher-megapixel models, try to find one that supports USB 2.0 so you can transfer large image files quickly.
* When looking at digital cameras with a zoom lens, what counts is the optical zoom—not the digital zoom. Digital zoom is actually a software function that involves cropping and magnifying an image, resulting in a loss of image quality.
* If you don't know an f-stop from a white balance, a digital camera that has lots of modes and manual settings will generally be overkill for your needs, as well as being higher in price and more difficult to use.
* Look for a digital camera that comes with a pocket-size instruction manual instead of one on a CD-ROM. It's easier to consult when you're out shooting.
* For small, young, or arthritic hands, look for a digital camera with a limited number of buttons, and make sure they're large and easy to access and press.
* Test how fast the camera performs. You will probably be unhappy with any digital camera that takes longer than 4 seconds to boot up or longer than 6 seconds between shots.
http://www.camera-4u.com/digital-cameras/digital-camera-top-ten-buying-tips.htm
Friday, September 28, 2007
ABC's of Digital Camera
Aperture An adjustable iris or opening through which light enters a camera's lens. The larger the aperture is, the greater the camera's photosensitivity. A smaller aperture, however, gives greater depth of field to a picture. The aperture setting is called the f-stop. A small aperture has a relatively high f-number, such as f8 or f11, and a larger aperture has a smaller number, such as f2.8. The aperture setting must be balanced against the shutter speed. The faster the shutter speed, the larger the aperture must be, and vice versa, to admit the right amount of light to the image sensor for proper exposure.
Compression A process that reduces the amount of data representing an image so that the file takes up less space in your camera, memory card, and computer. Compressing and saving an image actually takes less time than saving an uncompressed image. Smaller files are quicker to use for e-mail and on the Web. When a file is overcompressed, however, image quality can be seriously degraded.
Depth of field An indication of how much of a scene will be sharp and in focus. A greater depth of field implies an increased distance between well-focused background and foreground, with everything in between properly focused. A narrow depth of field concentrates its area of focus within a small range, based on the central subject's distance from the camera. For instance, if your subject is standing alone in a ballpark, using a narrow depth of field will make most of the ballpark look blurry; only the subject will be focused. A greater depth of field might keep most of the ballpark in focus.
Image sensor The semiconductor chip in a digital camera that replaces film. It captures the light of a scene or subject, which it turns into electrical signals that the camera can understand and use. The camera in turn converts these signals to digital data that your computer can understand and use. The most common image sensor types are CCD (charge-coupled device) and CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor).
Interpolation A process that increases the image file size and can occur either in your camera or by computer software. Interpolation allows a picture to be magnified but does not improve image quality and can decrease sharpness. It is the opposite of compression.
LCD viewfinder A small electronic screen on the back of a digital camera that displays what the lens sees. You would use it to compose your picture, choose your settings, focus and frame an image in macro mode, and view just-shot photos.
Megapixel A measure of a digital camera's resolution. A one-megapixel rating means that the camera can capture up to 1 million pixels, or points of data.
Memory card A small, removable storage device that saves the images a digital camera captures. When it is full, you can swap one memory card for another and continue shooting. A card reader can be attached to your computer for opening and saving image files outside of your camera. Memory cards come in various densities, as do any other drives or storage devices. The most common types of memory cards are CompactFlash, SmartMedia, and Secure Data (SD), with Sony's Memory Stick a distant fourth. You must use the right type of card for your digital camera.
Pixel A point of data in a digital image; the word is short for picture element. A digital camera's resolution is a measure of the number of pixels it can capture on its image sensor.
Shutter speed A measure of how long a camera allows light to fall on the active image sensor (expressed as a fraction of a second). In traditional film cameras, there is a physical, mechanical shutter in the lens that opens and closes to regulate how long the film is exposed to light. Though many digital cameras have both electronic and mechanical shutters, inexpensive models rely solely on electronic shutters that turn off the photosensitivity of the image sensors.
http://www.camera-4u.com/digital-cameras/abc-of-digital-camera.htm
Compression A process that reduces the amount of data representing an image so that the file takes up less space in your camera, memory card, and computer. Compressing and saving an image actually takes less time than saving an uncompressed image. Smaller files are quicker to use for e-mail and on the Web. When a file is overcompressed, however, image quality can be seriously degraded.
Depth of field An indication of how much of a scene will be sharp and in focus. A greater depth of field implies an increased distance between well-focused background and foreground, with everything in between properly focused. A narrow depth of field concentrates its area of focus within a small range, based on the central subject's distance from the camera. For instance, if your subject is standing alone in a ballpark, using a narrow depth of field will make most of the ballpark look blurry; only the subject will be focused. A greater depth of field might keep most of the ballpark in focus.
Image sensor The semiconductor chip in a digital camera that replaces film. It captures the light of a scene or subject, which it turns into electrical signals that the camera can understand and use. The camera in turn converts these signals to digital data that your computer can understand and use. The most common image sensor types are CCD (charge-coupled device) and CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor).
Interpolation A process that increases the image file size and can occur either in your camera or by computer software. Interpolation allows a picture to be magnified but does not improve image quality and can decrease sharpness. It is the opposite of compression.
LCD viewfinder A small electronic screen on the back of a digital camera that displays what the lens sees. You would use it to compose your picture, choose your settings, focus and frame an image in macro mode, and view just-shot photos.
Megapixel A measure of a digital camera's resolution. A one-megapixel rating means that the camera can capture up to 1 million pixels, or points of data.
Memory card A small, removable storage device that saves the images a digital camera captures. When it is full, you can swap one memory card for another and continue shooting. A card reader can be attached to your computer for opening and saving image files outside of your camera. Memory cards come in various densities, as do any other drives or storage devices. The most common types of memory cards are CompactFlash, SmartMedia, and Secure Data (SD), with Sony's Memory Stick a distant fourth. You must use the right type of card for your digital camera.
Pixel A point of data in a digital image; the word is short for picture element. A digital camera's resolution is a measure of the number of pixels it can capture on its image sensor.
Shutter speed A measure of how long a camera allows light to fall on the active image sensor (expressed as a fraction of a second). In traditional film cameras, there is a physical, mechanical shutter in the lens that opens and closes to regulate how long the film is exposed to light. Though many digital cameras have both electronic and mechanical shutters, inexpensive models rely solely on electronic shutters that turn off the photosensitivity of the image sensors.
http://www.camera-4u.com/digital-cameras/abc-of-digital-camera.htm
World's biggest digital camera to join asteroid search
The world's largest digital camera has been installed on a new telescope designed to hunt for potentially dangerous asteroids.
The camera was installed on the PS1 telescope in Maui, Hawaii, US, the first of four telescopes being built as part of a project called the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS).
Pan-STARRS will make frequent scans of the sky, searching for asteroids that could pose an impact threat to Earth (see New telescope will hunt dangerous asteroids).
Typical consumer digital cameras offer imaging chips just a few millimetres across. The new Pan-STARRS camera, by contrast, boasts a light-detecting surface that spans 40 centimetres. Sixty separate chips lie on that surface, providing a total of 1.4 billion pixels.
"This is a truly giant instrument," says John Tonry of the Institute for Astronomy (IfA) at the University of Hawaii, who led the team that developed the camera. "It allows us to measure the brightness of the sky in 1.4 billion places simultaneously."
"This camera is an incredibly complex instrument, and getting it working has been a magnificent achievement by IfA scientists and engineers," says Rolf-Peter Kudritzki, director of the IfA, which manages the Pan-STARSS project.
Watch a video about the new camera (requires Flash player).
Starting in 2010, when all four of the planned Pan-STARRS telescopes are expected to be completed, the project will image the whole sky visible from Hawaii three times per month. This should allow it to detect objects 100 times fainter than current surveys, including 99% of the asteroids 300 metres or larger that come near Earth's orbit.
NASA is expected to have found about 90% of the objects 1 kilometre or larger in Earth's neighbourhood by 2008. Smaller objects have been less well surveyed. But because the smaller objects are more numerous, they have a higher chance of hitting Earth.
The US Congress has asked NASA to identify 90% of the smaller objects – down to 140 metres across – by 2020, but NASA says it does not have the money to implement the search (see Could Venus watch for Earth-bound asteroids?
http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn12588-worlds-biggest-digital-camera-to-join-asteroid-search.html
The camera was installed on the PS1 telescope in Maui, Hawaii, US, the first of four telescopes being built as part of a project called the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS).
Pan-STARRS will make frequent scans of the sky, searching for asteroids that could pose an impact threat to Earth (see New telescope will hunt dangerous asteroids).
Typical consumer digital cameras offer imaging chips just a few millimetres across. The new Pan-STARRS camera, by contrast, boasts a light-detecting surface that spans 40 centimetres. Sixty separate chips lie on that surface, providing a total of 1.4 billion pixels.
"This is a truly giant instrument," says John Tonry of the Institute for Astronomy (IfA) at the University of Hawaii, who led the team that developed the camera. "It allows us to measure the brightness of the sky in 1.4 billion places simultaneously."
"This camera is an incredibly complex instrument, and getting it working has been a magnificent achievement by IfA scientists and engineers," says Rolf-Peter Kudritzki, director of the IfA, which manages the Pan-STARSS project.
Watch a video about the new camera (requires Flash player).
Starting in 2010, when all four of the planned Pan-STARRS telescopes are expected to be completed, the project will image the whole sky visible from Hawaii three times per month. This should allow it to detect objects 100 times fainter than current surveys, including 99% of the asteroids 300 metres or larger that come near Earth's orbit.
NASA is expected to have found about 90% of the objects 1 kilometre or larger in Earth's neighbourhood by 2008. Smaller objects have been less well surveyed. But because the smaller objects are more numerous, they have a higher chance of hitting Earth.
The US Congress has asked NASA to identify 90% of the smaller objects – down to 140 metres across – by 2020, but NASA says it does not have the money to implement the search (see Could Venus watch for Earth-bound asteroids?
http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn12588-worlds-biggest-digital-camera-to-join-asteroid-search.html
How to choose the correct memory card for your digital camera
Gone are the days when snapping a picture meant hours of tedious work both for the photographer and the subject. The advent of the digital cameras has made shooting as well as posing for pictures a pleasurable experience.
One of the major advantages of a digital camera is the fact that there is no need for you to shop around for good quality film. Memory cards have replaced the ubiquitous photographic film in the digital camera.
These removable memory cards are necessary for storing the images. These days’ digital cameras are equipped with memory cards that are standardized in sizes of either 16 MB or 32 MB.
More often than not, a professional or even an active photographer finds that this memory is simply not enough. That is why choosing the correct memory card for your digital camera is a necessary evil. An extra memory card with a greater capacity will provide additional space to store more images.
An additional advantage is that users can simply upgrade to a number of memory cards without having to purchase new hardware in the form of different cameras. By using memory card readers, users can also transfer images to their computers; erase them from the card and reuse it seamlessly.
Most digital camera manufacturers do not reveal the exact number of pictures that can be taken using in-built memory cards. Hence the user needs to be aware that these in-built cards do not have optimal storage capacities thus increasing the need to have an additional memory card to store data.
Memory cards are a pre-requisite if you are on vacation and need plenty of images to preserve the memories. Running out of memory in your digital camera is not a good idea at this stage, so stock on memory cards. Extra memory cards are a photographer’s inseparable companion. Therefore it is vital to have plenty of space for that memorable picture.
The capacity of a memory card determines how many pictures can be stored on it. Greater the capacity, more the number of pictures that can be saved on the card. The capacity of a memory card is usually measured in MB (Mega Bytes) or GB (Giga Bytes). The latter is equivalent to 1,000 mega bytes and can store enormous number pictures.
There are several types of memory cards that can be used in a digital camera. These include CompactFlash , Secure Digital, Memory Stick, SmartMedia, MultiMedia Card (MMC), and xD Picture Card.
Although these memory cards are compatible with several digital cameras, SmartMedia and CompactFlash continue to be the most widely used cards. Compact Flash cards have the biggest storage capacity and are extensively used in high-resolution digital cameras because of their increased storage capacity.
These cards are of two types; type I that is 3.0 mm thick, and type II which is 5.0 mm thick. Professional photographers often go for type II memory cards as they have bigger storage capacity than the type I cards. That need not be the case for an average consumer.
These cards also have a controller chip, which allows for greater transfer rates. However only digital SLRs can use this chip comfortably because the average digital camera does not have the internal buffer required to use this chip. CompactFlash cards are the cheapest of the memory cards available for a digital camera and are quite popular among camera owners.
MicroDrives are much cheaper than CompactFlash memory cards and may interest a less active photographer. However these cards are slower than CompactFlash cards and can also undergo shock damage wiping out all saved data. These cards are delicate and any rough handling can damage them completely.
Secure Digital and MultiMediaCard memory are the smallest available memory cards, but are not ideal for digital cameras and are very rarely used here.
Recently companies like Fuji and Olympus have shifted the emphasis on xD cards, thus taking away the importance of SmartMedia cards in cameras. The xD Picture Card can be used in small cameras as well as in CompactFlash compatible cameras.
Memory Stick cards were developed by Sony for use in the Cybershot series of digital cameras. Memory Stick is compatible exclusively with Sony digital cameras and is of no use in other brands.
It is of vital importance that you choose non-exclusive Memory card formats for your digital cameras. This is because some companies have designed cards that work only on their branded cameras.
One of the things to be kept in mind while choosing any memory card for your digital camera is the time required to transfer the images or files to your PC. Often times the bigger cards require a lot of time to transfer the data to a PC and consumers are left twiddling their thumbs.
An additional criterion in choosing the right memory card for your digital camera is speed. High speed memory cards can record data more quickly and also allow rapid data transfer thus saving time. However you need to be aware of the fact that a large memory card does not necessarily mean a fast one.
One large memory card could simply be more costly than a number of smaller ones, which could suit your requirements. Older digital cameras are also not designed to hold large cards. So opting for large memory cards may not be the wisest move.
First of all, determine what format and size is supported by your digital camera. If the support is only for 16x, it makes no sense to buy a 32x card. Another point to note is that an external card reader can easily help you transfer files to your computer. Memory card readers allow users to connect to their PC without the need to connect their digital camera as well.
http://www.memorybits.co.uk/articles/digital-camera-articles/120
One of the major advantages of a digital camera is the fact that there is no need for you to shop around for good quality film. Memory cards have replaced the ubiquitous photographic film in the digital camera.
These removable memory cards are necessary for storing the images. These days’ digital cameras are equipped with memory cards that are standardized in sizes of either 16 MB or 32 MB.
More often than not, a professional or even an active photographer finds that this memory is simply not enough. That is why choosing the correct memory card for your digital camera is a necessary evil. An extra memory card with a greater capacity will provide additional space to store more images.
An additional advantage is that users can simply upgrade to a number of memory cards without having to purchase new hardware in the form of different cameras. By using memory card readers, users can also transfer images to their computers; erase them from the card and reuse it seamlessly.
Most digital camera manufacturers do not reveal the exact number of pictures that can be taken using in-built memory cards. Hence the user needs to be aware that these in-built cards do not have optimal storage capacities thus increasing the need to have an additional memory card to store data.
Memory cards are a pre-requisite if you are on vacation and need plenty of images to preserve the memories. Running out of memory in your digital camera is not a good idea at this stage, so stock on memory cards. Extra memory cards are a photographer’s inseparable companion. Therefore it is vital to have plenty of space for that memorable picture.
The capacity of a memory card determines how many pictures can be stored on it. Greater the capacity, more the number of pictures that can be saved on the card. The capacity of a memory card is usually measured in MB (Mega Bytes) or GB (Giga Bytes). The latter is equivalent to 1,000 mega bytes and can store enormous number pictures.
There are several types of memory cards that can be used in a digital camera. These include CompactFlash , Secure Digital, Memory Stick, SmartMedia, MultiMedia Card (MMC), and xD Picture Card.
Although these memory cards are compatible with several digital cameras, SmartMedia and CompactFlash continue to be the most widely used cards. Compact Flash cards have the biggest storage capacity and are extensively used in high-resolution digital cameras because of their increased storage capacity.
These cards are of two types; type I that is 3.0 mm thick, and type II which is 5.0 mm thick. Professional photographers often go for type II memory cards as they have bigger storage capacity than the type I cards. That need not be the case for an average consumer.
These cards also have a controller chip, which allows for greater transfer rates. However only digital SLRs can use this chip comfortably because the average digital camera does not have the internal buffer required to use this chip. CompactFlash cards are the cheapest of the memory cards available for a digital camera and are quite popular among camera owners.
MicroDrives are much cheaper than CompactFlash memory cards and may interest a less active photographer. However these cards are slower than CompactFlash cards and can also undergo shock damage wiping out all saved data. These cards are delicate and any rough handling can damage them completely.
Secure Digital and MultiMediaCard memory are the smallest available memory cards, but are not ideal for digital cameras and are very rarely used here.
Recently companies like Fuji and Olympus have shifted the emphasis on xD cards, thus taking away the importance of SmartMedia cards in cameras. The xD Picture Card can be used in small cameras as well as in CompactFlash compatible cameras.
Memory Stick cards were developed by Sony for use in the Cybershot series of digital cameras. Memory Stick is compatible exclusively with Sony digital cameras and is of no use in other brands.
It is of vital importance that you choose non-exclusive Memory card formats for your digital cameras. This is because some companies have designed cards that work only on their branded cameras.
One of the things to be kept in mind while choosing any memory card for your digital camera is the time required to transfer the images or files to your PC. Often times the bigger cards require a lot of time to transfer the data to a PC and consumers are left twiddling their thumbs.
An additional criterion in choosing the right memory card for your digital camera is speed. High speed memory cards can record data more quickly and also allow rapid data transfer thus saving time. However you need to be aware of the fact that a large memory card does not necessarily mean a fast one.
One large memory card could simply be more costly than a number of smaller ones, which could suit your requirements. Older digital cameras are also not designed to hold large cards. So opting for large memory cards may not be the wisest move.
First of all, determine what format and size is supported by your digital camera. If the support is only for 16x, it makes no sense to buy a 32x card. Another point to note is that an external card reader can easily help you transfer files to your computer. Memory card readers allow users to connect to their PC without the need to connect their digital camera as well.
http://www.memorybits.co.uk/articles/digital-camera-articles/120
Canon Camera Memory Cards
Canon Inc. has consistently released quality cameras, so it should be no surprise that in 2006, Canon dominated the market. Canon’s Digital Rebel line of cameras gained them many ardent fans, and their latest in the series, the Digital Rebel XTi(400D), looks to be a smash hit as well.
Canon is known for producing a wide variety of digital cameras. Their standard point and shoot cameras have always been a top choice for the budget minded consumer. And their high quality digital SLR’s are ideal for professional photography. Canon cameras have consistently received high ratings for solid construction, and superior image quality.
Another reason for Canon’s continued success is their use of Secure Digital (SD) Memory Cards. Other camera manufacturers, such as Sony, made the decision to use proprietary formats that will only work interchangeably within the brand. Digital memory cards are the modern day equivalent of rolls of film. They are measured in megabytes (MB) and can range in size from 16MB to 4GB. Depending on the format of the images, and the size of the card, you can potentially store thousands of pictures. One of the primary advantages with this type of media becomes evident when your storage is full. Instead of having to buy a new roll of film, you can transfer the photos to your computer, or delete them off the card, directly from your camera.
Digital cameras usually come with either a minimal amount of built-in memory, or a small memory card. These standard options, in almost every case, do not provide enough storage space for practical use. Even casual users will appreciate the increased capacity memory cards offer. Those who plan to use their cameras for professional photography, or require ultra-high resolutions should consider high-capacity cards that can handle larger file types.
Memory cards come in a variety of formats including Secure Digital, CompactFlash, and Memory Stick, to name a few. There is little difference in image quality between the major brands, so it’s best to base your choice on the amount of memory the cards offer, as well as their write speed. Depending on which card you purchase, you may have the ability to use it for additional storage on your other media devices, including digital music players. The majority of cameras will require one specific type so it is important to purchase a card that will be compatible.
Recently, several high-speed cards have been released to the market. These cards are often more expensive than their regular speed counterparts, but avid photographers will find this to be an invaluable enhancement. A faster write speed means that less time is tied up in saving the image. This becomes extremely noticeable during the live-action photography used for sports games.
One of Canon’s most popular cameras is the PowerShot SD600. It offers six megapixel resolutions for highly detailed images. It also features a 3x optical zoom, and the legendary DIGIC II imaging processor. The DIGIC processor offers many enhancements in addition to a 35% reduction in power consumption. It also increases photo resolution, vibrancy, and color, while speeding up startup, autofocus, and shutter response. The SD600 also has the ability to color correct, and edit photos right from the camera. Not needing a computer for post-processing has proven to be a major advantage for photo enthusiasts. The camera uses the latest in MultiMedia Card (MMC) technology, the MMCplus. Fully backwards compatible with standard MMC’s, the latest cards offer a 52MB/sec transfer speed to provide the highest data transfer rate available. Compatible cards range in sizes from 128MB to 2GB so you can take up to 1100 photos at the SD600’s highest resolution. Best of all, Canon has found a way to compress all these features into a lightweight, pocket-sized package.
The IXUS is another popular line of Canon cameras. The IXUS 430 has a wide appeal due to its sleek design and ease of use. With 4.3 megapixles, and a 3x zoom, you’re able to capture even the most distant targets, with crisp clarity. Navigating the menus is fairly intuitive, and the controls are all conveniently located. The IXUS uses Compact Flash cards for storage which range in size from 128MB, all the way up to 8GB, giving you an extensive variety of cards to choose from. The Integral 512MB I-Pro Compact Flash card is ideal for high resolution images as well as rapid shooting. It can save up to 380 pictures at the IXUS 430’s highest resolution. The SanDisk Extreme III 2.0 GB Compact Flash card is another great option. Designed specifically with professional photographers in mind, it offers some of the latest features in digital storage. It has a minimum of 20MB/sec read and write speed which allow for faster image capture, and data transfer. It uses Enhanced Super-Parallel Processing Technology to provide superior performance in all conditions. The Extreme III is shock and vibration tested for handling the rigors of travel. The card also ships with a mini-CD with software to help retrieve photos that are accidentally deleted, as well as a travel case. The Extreme III can hold 1524 at the IXUS’s highest resolution.
Transferring the photos from your flash card to your PC is an easy task. Many of today’s personal computers come with several different types of memory card readers already built-in. Should your computer not have this option, you can always purchase a memory card reader. These readers connect to your computer and allow you to transfer files with ease. Photo printers are also commonly built ready to accept photos directly from memory cards. The ability to transfer your photos across devices is one of the main advantages of removable storage.
Canon has always made a quality product, and consumers have noticed. Their sales are booming as their cameras reach a wider audience. To get the most out of your camera, you’ll need a memory card. It will allow you the freedom to snap as many shots as you need, without having to worry about running out of room, and this should put a smile on every photographers’ face.
http://www.memorybits.co.uk/articles/digital-camera-articles/120
Canon is known for producing a wide variety of digital cameras. Their standard point and shoot cameras have always been a top choice for the budget minded consumer. And their high quality digital SLR’s are ideal for professional photography. Canon cameras have consistently received high ratings for solid construction, and superior image quality.
Another reason for Canon’s continued success is their use of Secure Digital (SD) Memory Cards. Other camera manufacturers, such as Sony, made the decision to use proprietary formats that will only work interchangeably within the brand. Digital memory cards are the modern day equivalent of rolls of film. They are measured in megabytes (MB) and can range in size from 16MB to 4GB. Depending on the format of the images, and the size of the card, you can potentially store thousands of pictures. One of the primary advantages with this type of media becomes evident when your storage is full. Instead of having to buy a new roll of film, you can transfer the photos to your computer, or delete them off the card, directly from your camera.
Digital cameras usually come with either a minimal amount of built-in memory, or a small memory card. These standard options, in almost every case, do not provide enough storage space for practical use. Even casual users will appreciate the increased capacity memory cards offer. Those who plan to use their cameras for professional photography, or require ultra-high resolutions should consider high-capacity cards that can handle larger file types.
Memory cards come in a variety of formats including Secure Digital, CompactFlash, and Memory Stick, to name a few. There is little difference in image quality between the major brands, so it’s best to base your choice on the amount of memory the cards offer, as well as their write speed. Depending on which card you purchase, you may have the ability to use it for additional storage on your other media devices, including digital music players. The majority of cameras will require one specific type so it is important to purchase a card that will be compatible.
Recently, several high-speed cards have been released to the market. These cards are often more expensive than their regular speed counterparts, but avid photographers will find this to be an invaluable enhancement. A faster write speed means that less time is tied up in saving the image. This becomes extremely noticeable during the live-action photography used for sports games.
One of Canon’s most popular cameras is the PowerShot SD600. It offers six megapixel resolutions for highly detailed images. It also features a 3x optical zoom, and the legendary DIGIC II imaging processor. The DIGIC processor offers many enhancements in addition to a 35% reduction in power consumption. It also increases photo resolution, vibrancy, and color, while speeding up startup, autofocus, and shutter response. The SD600 also has the ability to color correct, and edit photos right from the camera. Not needing a computer for post-processing has proven to be a major advantage for photo enthusiasts. The camera uses the latest in MultiMedia Card (MMC) technology, the MMCplus. Fully backwards compatible with standard MMC’s, the latest cards offer a 52MB/sec transfer speed to provide the highest data transfer rate available. Compatible cards range in sizes from 128MB to 2GB so you can take up to 1100 photos at the SD600’s highest resolution. Best of all, Canon has found a way to compress all these features into a lightweight, pocket-sized package.
The IXUS is another popular line of Canon cameras. The IXUS 430 has a wide appeal due to its sleek design and ease of use. With 4.3 megapixles, and a 3x zoom, you’re able to capture even the most distant targets, with crisp clarity. Navigating the menus is fairly intuitive, and the controls are all conveniently located. The IXUS uses Compact Flash cards for storage which range in size from 128MB, all the way up to 8GB, giving you an extensive variety of cards to choose from. The Integral 512MB I-Pro Compact Flash card is ideal for high resolution images as well as rapid shooting. It can save up to 380 pictures at the IXUS 430’s highest resolution. The SanDisk Extreme III 2.0 GB Compact Flash card is another great option. Designed specifically with professional photographers in mind, it offers some of the latest features in digital storage. It has a minimum of 20MB/sec read and write speed which allow for faster image capture, and data transfer. It uses Enhanced Super-Parallel Processing Technology to provide superior performance in all conditions. The Extreme III is shock and vibration tested for handling the rigors of travel. The card also ships with a mini-CD with software to help retrieve photos that are accidentally deleted, as well as a travel case. The Extreme III can hold 1524 at the IXUS’s highest resolution.
Transferring the photos from your flash card to your PC is an easy task. Many of today’s personal computers come with several different types of memory card readers already built-in. Should your computer not have this option, you can always purchase a memory card reader. These readers connect to your computer and allow you to transfer files with ease. Photo printers are also commonly built ready to accept photos directly from memory cards. The ability to transfer your photos across devices is one of the main advantages of removable storage.
Canon has always made a quality product, and consumers have noticed. Their sales are booming as their cameras reach a wider audience. To get the most out of your camera, you’ll need a memory card. It will allow you the freedom to snap as many shots as you need, without having to worry about running out of room, and this should put a smile on every photographers’ face.
http://www.memorybits.co.uk/articles/digital-camera-articles/120
Purchasing a Digital Camera
Purchasing a Digital Camera
The term "Digital Photography" can be used to cover both still and video photography, when purchasing either of these technologies the same criteria can be used to make sure that you acquire the correct piece of equipment for your needs.
There are many things to consider when buying either a digital camera. The first thing to do is to figure out what your budget is. Camera prices range from a few pounds for low-end models to thousands for the high-end models for professional use. Decide how much money you would like to spend and what the usage of the camera will be. Try to answer questions such as: Are you going to take family photos, shoot landscape photos, travel a lot with the camera, use a lot of flash photography, Speed of aperture for the faster action shot is also important with the stills camera. The same applies for camcorders, are you looking for camcorder to work in bright sunny conditions or darker cloudy conditions such as using on a skiing trip
Once you have decided on the budget and the usage look for potential cameras. If you have decided to look for your camera on the web you may want to make use of a more specific search engine phrase such as" Sony digital camera" or "digital photo printing services", in doing this your results are going to be highly targeted to your particular digital camera needs.
If you create a table you can list the cost and features of each of the different types of camera or camcorder, this will help you to narrow down your search for the correct camera to fit your needs.
The features you should be looking to add to your list should be the following:
New cameras are packed with an ever increasing number of mega pixels. Is more mega pixels better? A quick answer would be yes - but a better answer would be "it really depends". More mega pixels are important if you are going to print photos (especially enlargements) or if you are going to zoom in and crop fine details out of big photos. If you plan to watch your photos on your computer screen and maybe just print a few 4X6 prints every now and then than 2 mega pixels is more than enough (yes... just 2). Most screen resolutions are about 1024X768 so even when viewing the photo in full screen mode you can only view 1024X768 which is less than 1 mega pixels. A 2 mega pixels, 4X6 photo print will have a DPI higher than 300 which is more than enough for a high quality print. If you plan to print photo enlargements then a rule of thumb is to be able to print at least 300DPI resolution. The following is a table for different print sizes and the mega pixels needed for such print quality:
page 4X6 2MP
page 5X7 3MP
page 8X10 7MP
page 11X14 14MP
page 16X20 28MP
page 20X30 54MP
Unless you budget is infinite when you buy a camera with more mega pixels you make a compromise between mega pixels and other features. For example is it better to spend money on more mega pixels or on better lenses? Or maybe on an external flash? It all depends on how you will use your camera. Evaluate your usage and decide what is more important to you.
In some situations it is very useful to have a good zoom capability. For example when you take a portrait photo you want to make sure the object's face fills the photo frame while when you take a group photo you want to make sure everybody is in the photo frame.
Some manufacturers state the camera's zoom figure without specifying if it is optical or digital. Optical zoom works by physically moving the camera's lenses and changing the focal length. By changing the focal length you can make objects appear bigger and fit the full photo frame. Digital zoom works by applying built-in software in the camera to define a portion of the photo which you are interested in. Once chosen the software crops the rest of the photo and enlarges the area you chose to fit the complete photo frame. The downside of this digital process is that the enlarged photo quality is lower than the original photo's. The conclusion is that optical zoom is superior to digital zoom so when you compare different camera's zoom always compare their optical zoom capabilities. You can totally ignore the digital zoom figures.
With ever growing storage capacities digital cameras today can hold hundreds and sometimes thousands of photos on a single media. You can always have a few more in your pocket and changing is very fast. The result is that a digital camera has practically infinite capacity. You can shoot as many photos as you want and at the end of the day just dump them on your computer disk. There is no time lost changing film and there are no photo opportunities lost due to lack of film or reserving film for later.
Advances such as the internet can make us neglect the many different digital photography resources that are currently freely available to us such as the town book shop or town library which can often be an obvious place to obtain guidance about digital camera products, you should certainly make use of these kinds of havens of great digital camera data as suitable digital camera product information may very often be hard to find
About the Author
Peter has been supplying electrical consumer goods since the early eighties and has a particular intrest in making sure that consumers purchase the correct equipment for their required use. Peter can be found at http://www.ultimate-digital.co.uk
The term "Digital Photography" can be used to cover both still and video photography, when purchasing either of these technologies the same criteria can be used to make sure that you acquire the correct piece of equipment for your needs.
There are many things to consider when buying either a digital camera. The first thing to do is to figure out what your budget is. Camera prices range from a few pounds for low-end models to thousands for the high-end models for professional use. Decide how much money you would like to spend and what the usage of the camera will be. Try to answer questions such as: Are you going to take family photos, shoot landscape photos, travel a lot with the camera, use a lot of flash photography, Speed of aperture for the faster action shot is also important with the stills camera. The same applies for camcorders, are you looking for camcorder to work in bright sunny conditions or darker cloudy conditions such as using on a skiing trip
Once you have decided on the budget and the usage look for potential cameras. If you have decided to look for your camera on the web you may want to make use of a more specific search engine phrase such as" Sony digital camera" or "digital photo printing services", in doing this your results are going to be highly targeted to your particular digital camera needs.
If you create a table you can list the cost and features of each of the different types of camera or camcorder, this will help you to narrow down your search for the correct camera to fit your needs.
The features you should be looking to add to your list should be the following:
New cameras are packed with an ever increasing number of mega pixels. Is more mega pixels better? A quick answer would be yes - but a better answer would be "it really depends". More mega pixels are important if you are going to print photos (especially enlargements) or if you are going to zoom in and crop fine details out of big photos. If you plan to watch your photos on your computer screen and maybe just print a few 4X6 prints every now and then than 2 mega pixels is more than enough (yes... just 2). Most screen resolutions are about 1024X768 so even when viewing the photo in full screen mode you can only view 1024X768 which is less than 1 mega pixels. A 2 mega pixels, 4X6 photo print will have a DPI higher than 300 which is more than enough for a high quality print. If you plan to print photo enlargements then a rule of thumb is to be able to print at least 300DPI resolution. The following is a table for different print sizes and the mega pixels needed for such print quality:
page 4X6 2MP
page 5X7 3MP
page 8X10 7MP
page 11X14 14MP
page 16X20 28MP
page 20X30 54MP
Unless you budget is infinite when you buy a camera with more mega pixels you make a compromise between mega pixels and other features. For example is it better to spend money on more mega pixels or on better lenses? Or maybe on an external flash? It all depends on how you will use your camera. Evaluate your usage and decide what is more important to you.
In some situations it is very useful to have a good zoom capability. For example when you take a portrait photo you want to make sure the object's face fills the photo frame while when you take a group photo you want to make sure everybody is in the photo frame.
Some manufacturers state the camera's zoom figure without specifying if it is optical or digital. Optical zoom works by physically moving the camera's lenses and changing the focal length. By changing the focal length you can make objects appear bigger and fit the full photo frame. Digital zoom works by applying built-in software in the camera to define a portion of the photo which you are interested in. Once chosen the software crops the rest of the photo and enlarges the area you chose to fit the complete photo frame. The downside of this digital process is that the enlarged photo quality is lower than the original photo's. The conclusion is that optical zoom is superior to digital zoom so when you compare different camera's zoom always compare their optical zoom capabilities. You can totally ignore the digital zoom figures.
With ever growing storage capacities digital cameras today can hold hundreds and sometimes thousands of photos on a single media. You can always have a few more in your pocket and changing is very fast. The result is that a digital camera has practically infinite capacity. You can shoot as many photos as you want and at the end of the day just dump them on your computer disk. There is no time lost changing film and there are no photo opportunities lost due to lack of film or reserving film for later.
Advances such as the internet can make us neglect the many different digital photography resources that are currently freely available to us such as the town book shop or town library which can often be an obvious place to obtain guidance about digital camera products, you should certainly make use of these kinds of havens of great digital camera data as suitable digital camera product information may very often be hard to find
About the Author
Peter has been supplying electrical consumer goods since the early eighties and has a particular intrest in making sure that consumers purchase the correct equipment for their required use. Peter can be found at http://www.ultimate-digital.co.uk
Battery Devouring Digital Cameras and the People Who Love Them
Millions of people have fallen in love with their digital camera; and for good reason. They are compact making them easy to tote along anywhere a person may wander, they are capable of producing images of outstanding quality which can easily be shared online with others anywhere in the world, and with digital storage, they are a space saving wonder. In addition, digital cameras allow users to save the expense of film and developing. But perhaps the greatest attraction of these cameras is the control they provide over the images one creates during the editing process.
Unfortunately, most of those who love digital cameras have also come to know their dark side; their thirst for power. From the first touch of the button to power a digital camera on, setting the focus, shutter speed, zooming, and providing a flash for image capture, to reviewing images taken and editing, these cameras are energy junkies.
The good news is that there are things which can be done to help make it easier to live with power craving cameras and to curb their appetite. Certainly, having a camera with rechargeable batteries is by far the best option and charging the battery per manufacturer's guidelines can help sustain optimal functioning. For the people who love their digital camera, there are also steps that can be taken in the way they use it to help reduce the rate of power consumption.
* When finished shooting, remove the batteries from the camera if it will not be used for another 2 or 3 weeks. This will prevent a trickling discharge that can occur when left in the camera.
* Use the on/off function appropriately. Certainly a digital camera should not be left on for any extended period of time as the energy is wasted. However, if another shot will be taken within a few minutes it is better to leave the camera on as it consumes a great deal of energy to power on/off. If the camera has a sleep mode, it is best to set the timer for that function to the shortest interval in case the user forgets to turn the camera off.
* Disable or don't use features that aren't needed. Zoom for instance uses a great deal of power. If the same result can easily be achieved by simply moving the subject or stepping closer, do that instead. Use of the flash function is also energy intensive. Flash should be used only when it will be effective. For instance, if lighting is already sufficient or the subject is out of flash range anyway, don't use the flash function.
* When possible use the viewfinder to set up a shot as the LCD screen consumes a great deal of battery power. Use of the LCD screen can improve some shots such as in the case of close-up/macro photography but in most instances use of the viewfinder is sufficient. (Remember, photographers operated without LCD screens throughout the history of photography!)
* Use other power sources when appropriate. For instance, use an AC adapter when downloading images and use the computer for review and image deletion rather than performing such functions directly on the camera.
* Do things manually when feasible. From powering the camera off to focusing; auto anything takes more power.
* Some experts indicate that some types of media storage consume more energy as well. For instance, Compact Flash is said to be a more energy conscious form of storage than MicroDrive Media.
Certainly, the many features offered on a digital camera are convenient and desirable. Users merely need to be aware of the tremendous demands placed on the camera battery by these same features. Understanding this allows a digital camera owner to make a choice between ease of use and conservation of the battery.
About the Author
Unfortunately, most of those who love digital cameras have also come to know their dark side; their thirst for power. From the first touch of the button to power a digital camera on, setting the focus, shutter speed, zooming, and providing a flash for image capture, to reviewing images taken and editing, these cameras are energy junkies.
The good news is that there are things which can be done to help make it easier to live with power craving cameras and to curb their appetite. Certainly, having a camera with rechargeable batteries is by far the best option and charging the battery per manufacturer's guidelines can help sustain optimal functioning. For the people who love their digital camera, there are also steps that can be taken in the way they use it to help reduce the rate of power consumption.
* When finished shooting, remove the batteries from the camera if it will not be used for another 2 or 3 weeks. This will prevent a trickling discharge that can occur when left in the camera.
* Use the on/off function appropriately. Certainly a digital camera should not be left on for any extended period of time as the energy is wasted. However, if another shot will be taken within a few minutes it is better to leave the camera on as it consumes a great deal of energy to power on/off. If the camera has a sleep mode, it is best to set the timer for that function to the shortest interval in case the user forgets to turn the camera off.
* Disable or don't use features that aren't needed. Zoom for instance uses a great deal of power. If the same result can easily be achieved by simply moving the subject or stepping closer, do that instead. Use of the flash function is also energy intensive. Flash should be used only when it will be effective. For instance, if lighting is already sufficient or the subject is out of flash range anyway, don't use the flash function.
* When possible use the viewfinder to set up a shot as the LCD screen consumes a great deal of battery power. Use of the LCD screen can improve some shots such as in the case of close-up/macro photography but in most instances use of the viewfinder is sufficient. (Remember, photographers operated without LCD screens throughout the history of photography!)
* Use other power sources when appropriate. For instance, use an AC adapter when downloading images and use the computer for review and image deletion rather than performing such functions directly on the camera.
* Do things manually when feasible. From powering the camera off to focusing; auto anything takes more power.
* Some experts indicate that some types of media storage consume more energy as well. For instance, Compact Flash is said to be a more energy conscious form of storage than MicroDrive Media.
Certainly, the many features offered on a digital camera are convenient and desirable. Users merely need to be aware of the tremendous demands placed on the camera battery by these same features. Understanding this allows a digital camera owner to make a choice between ease of use and conservation of the battery.
About the Author
Christine Peppler shares information on home entertainment and home electronics products, including digital cameras, on her website at: http://www.homemedias.info.
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