The Kodak EasyShare CX7430 is an excellent point-and-shoot digital camera that is currently selling very well. Just consider its features: 4 megapixel resolution, 3x optical zoom, 16MB of memory, as well as a movie mode. Given it’s low price (around $190), it’s an amazing deal. This camera is most suitable for beginners – it has all of the basic functions you need in a simple digital camera. Let’s have a look at its various features:
Design and Construction
Like all point-and-shoot digital cameras, the Kodak EasyShare CX7430 is designed to be compact enough to fit in your pocket. It’s silvery finish will certainly attract lots of attention too. Its dimensions are 4.0 inches by 2.6 inches by 1.25 inches (weight-height-depth), and it weighs only 6.3 ounces. There is a little 1.6 inch LCD screen behind the camera for viewing images. Initially, I found the LCD screen a tad on the small side, but I got used to it after snapping a couple of photos.
Optics and Resolution
The Kodak EasyShare CX7430 is equipped with a Kodak Retinar lens and offers with a 4 megapixel resolution. There’s also a 3x optical zoom for taking subjects faraway. What is interesting about this camera is its wide range of scene modes. Most point-and-shoot cameras have a handful (maybe 5) scene modes for photography under different conditions: macro, landscape, night photography, etc. The Kodak EasyShare CX7430 has 9 scene modes to choose from, which is much more than the competition.
I didn’t expect much in terms of manual control in the camera’s optics. If you’re looking to play around with shutter speed, aperture, white balance and other photography options, then this camera is not for you. Sure, there are some basic exposure controls but they are nowhere near the fine settings allowed in advanced digital SLR cameras.
That being said, the quality of photos taken by the Kodak EasyShare CX7430 were nothing short of outstanding. The photos, when printed out, were of extremely high quality. So if you’re the type you just whips out a camera and takes quick shots, with a minimum of fuss, then this camera will be great for you.
User Controls
The user controls in the Kodak CX7430 are located on both sides of the LCD and also on mode dial at the top surface of the camera. Those more accustomed to Canon or Sony models will find that the controls take a little getting used to. However, I did not have any problems reaching commonly used functions like flash control or image viewing.
Movie Mode
If you like to shoot some spontaneous movies with your digital camera, then you’ll be glad to know that the CX7430 comes with a movie mode. You can capture video at 13 frames per second (fps) at VGA size 640 x 480. The movie mode is continuous, meaning that the camera allows you to record movies up to the memory limit of your memory card.
Storage and Transfer
In terms of storage, the Kodak CX7430 comes with internal memory of 16MB. You’ll certainly want to purchase a SD or MMC memory card to add on to the amount of memory available. In terms of image transfer, the camera supports USB 1.1 ports. This is enough for fast image transfers between the camera and your computer.
Battery Life
The Kodak CX7430 uses AA batteries. The ones that come in the box are alkaline batteries – I’d recommend that you get some NiMH rechargables. They will pay for themselves very quickly. The support for AA batteries is a great bonus because AA batteries are easily found in any convenience store, even when you’re overseas.
Shortcomings
The bad points about the Kodak EasyShare CX7430? Well, here’s a few shortcomings I’d point out – Kodak would sell many more units if they were corrected:
* Videos taken by the camera are at very low frame rate
* The door covering the memory card slot doesn’t latch strongly
* The bundled software isn’t very impressive
Conclusion
Despite its shortcomings, the Kodak EasyShare CX7430 is one heck of a good camera. If you’re just starting out in digital photography, this it the camera to buy. Take it with you anywhere you likeFree Articles, snap many photos and immerse yourself in the world of photography. You can always upgrade to a better camera when you grow in your skills.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gary Hendricks runs a hobby site at www.basic-digital-photography.com. Read his tips on digital photography and learn to shoot better photos with your digicam.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Getting the right digital camera for you
With so many digital cameras on the market these days, choosing the right one to buy may seem like a daunting task. Chris Thomas provides a simple camera-buying guide to help you work out which camera type is going to be right for you and your budget!
There are really great advantages in digital photography:
You can shoot till you drop
Taking digital images on your camera has no implication other then you have captured the image. Then you can review each image on the small screen on the back of your camera. You can shoot as many pictures of the same scene as you like – store them in memory – delete the ones that you do not like and print the one(s) you like.
Each image is a winner
Alternatively you can put an image up on a computer screen or email it to all you friends – can black mail be this easy?
Print at home or in a lab
You can print your image at home on a photo printer – turn your image into a greeting card, calendar, or a whole other list of photo memorabilia. Or hand over the job to the professionals.
So what digital camera should I buy?
A question we are often asked is ’what sort of camera should I buy’? There are literally hundreds of different models available from a large number of well known manufacturers.
This is a difficult question, which might be answered in a complex way. Rather, here we have tried to emphasise the salient points and assist you in your decision.
Key components of the camera, which will influence your buying decision will include:
What do I want to use the camera for? How big an image can I print? Does the camera have a zoom? What size and weight is the camera?
How big an image can I print?
If your objective is to take a camera on holiday, take it onto the beach and up a mountain and to print memorable images of your time on 6 x 4 inch prints, then do not spend a lot of money on your camera. A small compact camera with an image resolution of 2 or 3 Mega Pixels will be adequate for your needs and should you drop the camera or get sand in its workings then you will be pleased that you did not spend too much money.
More serious photographers will want to make bigger pints or selectively enlarge. They will want a higher image resolution and will benefit from a zoom lens.
So – what is this MegaPixel thing? Well it is the image size – quality – taken by the camera. The higher the number – the better the quality and the larger the prints which can be made.
Does the camera have a zoom?
In past times zoom lenses were regarded as second best because of their distortion and fogging. This is no longer the case – zoom lenses are truly brilliant. 3 x zooms are common and 6 x zooms feature on the more expensive cameras. So you can have a single lens which covers both wide angle views and provides a short telephoto. All very usefully packaged in a lightweight camera.
Beware of Digital Zoom. This is a technique, which zooms in on a portion of the image by processing the picture and interpolating the image between pixels – a technique which always produces inferior results.
What is the size and weight of the camera?
Digital cameras do not have to be bulky or heavy. Indeed there are some very small models available, which will fit inside a handbag. However the more sophisticated gear tends to be bulkier – and heavier. Professional models with interchangeable lenses and external flash guns will require their own hold all.
Making the Right Selection
There is a fantastic range of digital cameras available on the market. Nonetheless manufacturers focus on their customers and target specific models at certain sectors of the market. The table below summarises the information, which we have discussed.
Basic camera
A fixed lens camera priced at less than £50 [Or $90 USD] which takes digital images of up to 1 MegaPixel - will be adequate for computer or television screen display.
Party Camera
A compact design camera with a fixed lens – cost up to £150 [Or $280 USD] - taking images of up to 2 MegaPixel - will generate good quality images suitable for printing up to 4 x 5 inches
Holiday Camera
Another compact design but with a 2 – 1 zoom lens and costing between £200 and £400 [$350 - $800 USD] taking images or between 3 and 5 MegaPixel which will be suitable for printing up to 10 x 8 inches
Serious Camera
A SLR style camera with a 5 – 1 zoom lens costing between £600 and £1000 [$1000 - $2000 USD] and producing images of up to 6 MegaPixel which will produce prints of up to 12 x 16 inches
Professional Camera
An SLR camera with interchangeable lenses and costing upwards of £1,500 [Or around $3000 USD], which will take images of up to 8 MegaPixel, which will print to poster size.
SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex. These are cameras, which do not have a separate viewfinder. Rather the operator looks through the lens of the camera. Momentarily before the shutter is opened a mirror flicks up and the light passing through the lens is allowed to hit the sensitive surface of the camera. In many cases the lens at the front of the camera can be changed for another type. A variation on this presents the image as seen by the camera in a digital liquid crystal display either on the back of the camera or through a viewfinder.
Flash. Many of the inexpensive cameras will have on board flash – remember that these will only work up to about 10 feet, and they might produce red eye. More expensive cameras will expect the user to use an independent external flashgun.
Camera Accessories
Most digital cameras come with interface cables and PC software bundled. So if you have a PC at home or work you can ‘download’ images from your camera to your PC, do basic editing such as removing red eye and delete the images you do not want! Your valued images you can store for future generations on CD Rom or another recording medium.
Digital Memory Media
Sometimes known as Smart Card, Compact Flash, Multi Media Card, Memory Stick. These are the memory chips on which your images are stored – some people refer to them as digital film. The larger the capacity of the mediaFeature Articles, the more images it can store. So buy one larger then you need – for now. Images can be deleted from the media – but back them up on a CD Rom or DVD before you erase the card.
Final Hint – Keep lots of batteries handy. Digital cameras use a lot of power!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christopher Thomas is a keen photographer and company director of Viewlink Ltd based in Amersham, Uk. The company provides digital photo developing for both amateur and commercial photographers. For more articles by Christopher Thomas please visit the company website at http://www.view-link.com/guides.html
There are really great advantages in digital photography:
You can shoot till you drop
Taking digital images on your camera has no implication other then you have captured the image. Then you can review each image on the small screen on the back of your camera. You can shoot as many pictures of the same scene as you like – store them in memory – delete the ones that you do not like and print the one(s) you like.
Each image is a winner
Alternatively you can put an image up on a computer screen or email it to all you friends – can black mail be this easy?
Print at home or in a lab
You can print your image at home on a photo printer – turn your image into a greeting card, calendar, or a whole other list of photo memorabilia. Or hand over the job to the professionals.
So what digital camera should I buy?
A question we are often asked is ’what sort of camera should I buy’? There are literally hundreds of different models available from a large number of well known manufacturers.
This is a difficult question, which might be answered in a complex way. Rather, here we have tried to emphasise the salient points and assist you in your decision.
Key components of the camera, which will influence your buying decision will include:
What do I want to use the camera for? How big an image can I print? Does the camera have a zoom? What size and weight is the camera?
How big an image can I print?
If your objective is to take a camera on holiday, take it onto the beach and up a mountain and to print memorable images of your time on 6 x 4 inch prints, then do not spend a lot of money on your camera. A small compact camera with an image resolution of 2 or 3 Mega Pixels will be adequate for your needs and should you drop the camera or get sand in its workings then you will be pleased that you did not spend too much money.
More serious photographers will want to make bigger pints or selectively enlarge. They will want a higher image resolution and will benefit from a zoom lens.
So – what is this MegaPixel thing? Well it is the image size – quality – taken by the camera. The higher the number – the better the quality and the larger the prints which can be made.
Does the camera have a zoom?
In past times zoom lenses were regarded as second best because of their distortion and fogging. This is no longer the case – zoom lenses are truly brilliant. 3 x zooms are common and 6 x zooms feature on the more expensive cameras. So you can have a single lens which covers both wide angle views and provides a short telephoto. All very usefully packaged in a lightweight camera.
Beware of Digital Zoom. This is a technique, which zooms in on a portion of the image by processing the picture and interpolating the image between pixels – a technique which always produces inferior results.
What is the size and weight of the camera?
Digital cameras do not have to be bulky or heavy. Indeed there are some very small models available, which will fit inside a handbag. However the more sophisticated gear tends to be bulkier – and heavier. Professional models with interchangeable lenses and external flash guns will require their own hold all.
Making the Right Selection
There is a fantastic range of digital cameras available on the market. Nonetheless manufacturers focus on their customers and target specific models at certain sectors of the market. The table below summarises the information, which we have discussed.
Basic camera
A fixed lens camera priced at less than £50 [Or $90 USD] which takes digital images of up to 1 MegaPixel - will be adequate for computer or television screen display.
Party Camera
A compact design camera with a fixed lens – cost up to £150 [Or $280 USD] - taking images of up to 2 MegaPixel - will generate good quality images suitable for printing up to 4 x 5 inches
Holiday Camera
Another compact design but with a 2 – 1 zoom lens and costing between £200 and £400 [$350 - $800 USD] taking images or between 3 and 5 MegaPixel which will be suitable for printing up to 10 x 8 inches
Serious Camera
A SLR style camera with a 5 – 1 zoom lens costing between £600 and £1000 [$1000 - $2000 USD] and producing images of up to 6 MegaPixel which will produce prints of up to 12 x 16 inches
Professional Camera
An SLR camera with interchangeable lenses and costing upwards of £1,500 [Or around $3000 USD], which will take images of up to 8 MegaPixel, which will print to poster size.
SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex. These are cameras, which do not have a separate viewfinder. Rather the operator looks through the lens of the camera. Momentarily before the shutter is opened a mirror flicks up and the light passing through the lens is allowed to hit the sensitive surface of the camera. In many cases the lens at the front of the camera can be changed for another type. A variation on this presents the image as seen by the camera in a digital liquid crystal display either on the back of the camera or through a viewfinder.
Flash. Many of the inexpensive cameras will have on board flash – remember that these will only work up to about 10 feet, and they might produce red eye. More expensive cameras will expect the user to use an independent external flashgun.
Camera Accessories
Most digital cameras come with interface cables and PC software bundled. So if you have a PC at home or work you can ‘download’ images from your camera to your PC, do basic editing such as removing red eye and delete the images you do not want! Your valued images you can store for future generations on CD Rom or another recording medium.
Digital Memory Media
Sometimes known as Smart Card, Compact Flash, Multi Media Card, Memory Stick. These are the memory chips on which your images are stored – some people refer to them as digital film. The larger the capacity of the mediaFeature Articles, the more images it can store. So buy one larger then you need – for now. Images can be deleted from the media – but back them up on a CD Rom or DVD before you erase the card.
Final Hint – Keep lots of batteries handy. Digital cameras use a lot of power!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christopher Thomas is a keen photographer and company director of Viewlink Ltd based in Amersham, Uk. The company provides digital photo developing for both amateur and commercial photographers. For more articles by Christopher Thomas please visit the company website at http://www.view-link.com/guides.html
Digital Camera Buyers Guide
Take the time to read the following article, Surely you will gain from the research that been conducted in order for it to be written.
We use cameras to take pictures of a diversity of things. These can be special events in our lives or terrific sights that we want to see time and time again. To take these pictures we can use a diverseness of cameras. These can be of the normal cameras where you wait for the picture to develop or they can be digital cameras. To buy a good caliber digital camera these days it helps to look at a digital camera buyers guide.
There are many dissimilar types of digital camera buyers guide magazines that you can buy. While they will look dissimilar in styles and format they are all configured to help you select the best digital camera for you. These digital camera buyers guides should not be that expensive and sometimes you can get one for free with a picture taking magazine.
When you look at a digital camera buyers guide cover you will be able to see the various products that will be reviewed and if they can be of any use to you in your photographic pursuits.
You will be able to see buying info about digital cameras, compact cameras, camera printers, lenses and some of the accessories that are required for photography. You will also see the types of digital cameras that are presently “hot”.
You can also find tips for buying these cameras as parts of kits in the digital camera buyers guide. The table of contents of the digital camera buyers guide will show you the main articles and product features that you can expect to read about when you buy this magazine.
Sometimes you will get valuable purchasing information about the up-to-the-minute digital cameras and the best types of camera lens. These articles will cover in-depth the assorted features and operation abilities of the dissimilar devices. You will be able to see which digital and compact cameras are reasoned to be good value for your money and what you can expect to see from these products.
With a digital camera buyers guide you will be informed about the monetary value of the another(a) compendious cameras, digital cameras, lenses and even the latest photographic camera printers. Also look at the purchasing advantages and prices of these products a digital camera buyers guide will also let you know what are the high end digital cameras and what can be well thought out as bargains.
These are just a few of the products and services that you can find when you look at a digital camera buyers guide. These magazines are jam-packed with lots of info that is necessary for the person who wants to bargain a quality digital photographic camera and of necessity good adviceComputer Technology Articles, and these guides can be reasoned invaluable.
Thanks for reading and good luck putt this data to good use.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Malega presents several Digital Camera Buyers Guide articles for your information. You can visit Michael's WWW site at: http://www.canon-cheap-digital-cameras.com/Digital-Camera-Buyers-Guide.php
We use cameras to take pictures of a diversity of things. These can be special events in our lives or terrific sights that we want to see time and time again. To take these pictures we can use a diverseness of cameras. These can be of the normal cameras where you wait for the picture to develop or they can be digital cameras. To buy a good caliber digital camera these days it helps to look at a digital camera buyers guide.
There are many dissimilar types of digital camera buyers guide magazines that you can buy. While they will look dissimilar in styles and format they are all configured to help you select the best digital camera for you. These digital camera buyers guides should not be that expensive and sometimes you can get one for free with a picture taking magazine.
When you look at a digital camera buyers guide cover you will be able to see the various products that will be reviewed and if they can be of any use to you in your photographic pursuits.
You will be able to see buying info about digital cameras, compact cameras, camera printers, lenses and some of the accessories that are required for photography. You will also see the types of digital cameras that are presently “hot”.
You can also find tips for buying these cameras as parts of kits in the digital camera buyers guide. The table of contents of the digital camera buyers guide will show you the main articles and product features that you can expect to read about when you buy this magazine.
Sometimes you will get valuable purchasing information about the up-to-the-minute digital cameras and the best types of camera lens. These articles will cover in-depth the assorted features and operation abilities of the dissimilar devices. You will be able to see which digital and compact cameras are reasoned to be good value for your money and what you can expect to see from these products.
With a digital camera buyers guide you will be informed about the monetary value of the another(a) compendious cameras, digital cameras, lenses and even the latest photographic camera printers. Also look at the purchasing advantages and prices of these products a digital camera buyers guide will also let you know what are the high end digital cameras and what can be well thought out as bargains.
These are just a few of the products and services that you can find when you look at a digital camera buyers guide. These magazines are jam-packed with lots of info that is necessary for the person who wants to bargain a quality digital photographic camera and of necessity good adviceComputer Technology Articles, and these guides can be reasoned invaluable.
Thanks for reading and good luck putt this data to good use.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Malega presents several Digital Camera Buyers Guide articles for your information. You can visit Michael's WWW site at: http://www.canon-cheap-digital-cameras.com/Digital-Camera-Buyers-Guide.php
Monday, May 7, 2007
A new digital camera is 'Braun'
From shavers to hair dryers, Germany's 'Braun' unveil their latest product - a digital camera. With Braun virtually unknown in the camera market Chris Thomas takes a look at what they have to offer.
he 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 right 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 wellFree Reprint Articles, 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
he 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 right 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 wellFree Reprint Articles, 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 photographers 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
Saturday, May 5, 2007
My Review of the JVC Digital Video Camera
My brother is an amateur film-maker. It was he who introduced me to the wonderful JVC digital video camera. He loved it so much that I was tempted to buy one of my own. After a few years I finally had enough dough to purchase my very own JVC digital video camera. I had no idea that I would be in for quite a surprise.
After buying it I began a thrilling adventure as an amateur film-maker. The quality you get from this amazing camera was close to that of feature length films made in Hollywood. As long as you have proper lighting, and acquire a competent sound boom, you can make a decent movie with the help of a JVC digital video camera. All at the cost of the camcorder and the editing software needed to put your movie together.
I become hooked with the idea of being a film-maker after trying out my JVC digital video camera. Watching movies is great, but it pales in comparison to the thrill you can get from making your own movie. I was also able to involve my fiends in my new found hobby.
We would fashion out a script and with my JVC digital video camera and a few necessary filming equipmentComputer Technology Articles, we were on our way in making a potential blockbuster. It usually takes a couple of weeks to finish a respectable twenty minute film.
We would then get together and watch the finished product and try to figure out ways to improve our project. The JVC digital video camera is also excellent for filming the final project. WE entered our project in a amateur movie contest and although we have yet to win a competition our work elicited a good bit of encouraging feedback.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning JVC Digital Video Camera. Visit our site for more helpful information about JVC Digital Video Camera and other similar topics.
After buying it I began a thrilling adventure as an amateur film-maker. The quality you get from this amazing camera was close to that of feature length films made in Hollywood. As long as you have proper lighting, and acquire a competent sound boom, you can make a decent movie with the help of a JVC digital video camera. All at the cost of the camcorder and the editing software needed to put your movie together.
I become hooked with the idea of being a film-maker after trying out my JVC digital video camera. Watching movies is great, but it pales in comparison to the thrill you can get from making your own movie. I was also able to involve my fiends in my new found hobby.
We would fashion out a script and with my JVC digital video camera and a few necessary filming equipmentComputer Technology Articles, we were on our way in making a potential blockbuster. It usually takes a couple of weeks to finish a respectable twenty minute film.
We would then get together and watch the finished product and try to figure out ways to improve our project. The JVC digital video camera is also excellent for filming the final project. WE entered our project in a amateur movie contest and although we have yet to win a competition our work elicited a good bit of encouraging feedback.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning JVC Digital Video Camera. Visit our site for more helpful information about JVC Digital Video Camera and other similar topics.
Traveling to Europe with your digital camera?
The Vacation Season is fast approaching and naturally you will be taking your digital camera along for the journey. After all your vacations are far and few between and it is nice to look back on those memories as you slave away at your job. However, when you travel with a digital camera, it is a completely different experience from that of traveling with a film camera. This is a lesson that far too many travelers seem to be learning the hard way, especially if you’re traveling to Europe. After a couples years of relying mostly on digital for taking photos when I travel, there are things you should consider before you head off on your next trip.
Charging Batteries is one of the biggest stumbling blocks you'll face when you travel. Outlets can be scarce in hotels. On a recent trip to Europe, only one of the five modern hotels I stayed in had more than one outlet available for use when charging up electronics. Charging your battery can be more of a hassle if you're traveling by train: If you take an overnight train in Europe, they don't have power adapters at the seats (certain trains do, but it's not something you can count on). I suggest bringing at least two rechargeable batteries, three if you plan to travel with overnight trains, or don't think you'll be able to charge every night. If your camera uses regular AA batteries, consider yourself lucky-you'll find those everywhere. Scope out the situation in your room when you check in: You should get at least one usable outlet, but don't count on more than that.
Bring your plugs. Some digital cameras typically come with a power brick that can handle international voltages, so you won't need a voltage adapter. However, you will need a power plug adapter to convert a US outlet plug to the local plug. Most of Europe is on the same outlet now-but not all countries accept the general "Europe" plug. Be sure to research what you'll need to jack in, and try to buy it before you leave (try CompUSA, Radio Shack, Rand McNally, or your local luggage store). If you don't have a chance to get what you need Stateside, don't fret: You should have no trouble finding an outlet converter overseas.
How do I offload my images? For fellow travelers using digicams, this was the number one problem I have heard repeatedly. Many comments from folks traveling for a week or more are: "I'm taking more pictures than I expected to." "I'm not shooting at the best resolution, because I need the room on my memory card." "I'm only halfway through my trip, and I have only 50 shots left." When you travel, odds are you'll take more pictures than you expect to also. A 1 GB card is very useful, and should suffice for low-usage shooters. But for those of us, who can go through a gigabyte or more in a day, not a week? Whether it's because your a high-volume shooter, shooting in RAW format, or a combination of the two. What I discovered is many who had digital SLRs, that had 5 megapixel or more reported they were traveling with a laptop to off load their images. None of these folks were traveling on business, so they didn't need to bring a laptop along. The sad fact is, for now, a laptop remains the most efficient and usable means of off loading images. Epson and Nikon have dedicated handheld units with a hard drive, card reader, and LCD display for copying over and viewing your images. But neither has a full-blown keyboard. If you're first buying a laptop, and intend to travel with it, I suggest going for the smallest one you can. Fujitsu, Panasonic, Sharp, and Sony all have models under four pounds. A laptop provides several additional advantages. For one thing, you can see your pictures on a big screen-to view how you're doing, and if you see any problems you want to correct with your exposure, for example, or if your pictures are being affected by dirt. For another thing, you can properly label your folders, so you know which pictures were taken where. Most newer laptops have integrated memory card readers, but otherwise, you can buy a small external card reader. For the wire-free approach, use a PC Card slot adapter for your memory card; and invest in a 32-bit Cardbus adapter (Delkin and Lexar Media offer these), for speedier transfers. Nothing's worse than coming back to the hotel after a long day of sightseeing, and needing to stay awake another 40 minutes just to off -load two 1 GB cards, at about 20 minutes a pop. If you bring a laptop, I also suggest investing in a portable hard drive. A portable hard drive can serve multiple purposes: It can be a means of backing up your photos on the go; a means of giving you a way to take your photos with you if you have to leave your laptop unattended; and a means of expansion, if you somehow manage to fill up your laptop's built-in hard disk. If you don't want to bring a laptop, and already have an Apple iPod, Belkin sells an attachment for using your iPod with memory cards; or, consider the pricey units from Nikon and Epson. And if you're in a bind, remember you can always buy memory overseas. I was surprised that when I went to Europe, the prices were high, but not so outrageously so that I wouldn't buy another card if I were in a bind. Cards were more readily available, too, than they were when I last traveled through Europe three years ago. Look at it this way: Even if you overpay on the card, you can still reuse it-which beats overpaying for a single use 35mm film cartridge when you were in a bind in years' past.
Be prepared for problems. Things happen when you travel and I've had more things go awry carrying my digital SLR than I have had with my 35mm over the years. Lens paper is always useful to have on hand, but if you have a digital SLR, another supply is absolutely critical: An air blower bulb, to blast out the dust and dirt that will inevitably get trapped inside your camera. I never had problems with my 35mm SLR, but with my digital SLR, I constantly find dirt gets trapped inside, when I change lenses. And there's nothing worse than having a splotch marring your otherwise awesome shots. Finally, remember the philosophy of redundancy. Whether your battery dies and you have no way to charge it, or you run out of space on your memory card(s), and don't want to buy another at a higher-than-usual priceScience Articles, I suggest packing a second camera if you can. A digital point and shoot is a good option but I usually carry a point and shoot 35mm to use if I run into any problems just so I won’t lose any precious pictures.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Doug Rogers has worked as a freelance photographer for the past 25 years in various fields of photography. In the past two years he has become an avid and devoted fan of digital photography. For tips on better digital photography and the latest reviews on the newest digital equipment that hits the market, Subscribe to his monthly Newsletter “The ViewFinder” at http://www.best-digital-cameras-review.com
Charging Batteries is one of the biggest stumbling blocks you'll face when you travel. Outlets can be scarce in hotels. On a recent trip to Europe, only one of the five modern hotels I stayed in had more than one outlet available for use when charging up electronics. Charging your battery can be more of a hassle if you're traveling by train: If you take an overnight train in Europe, they don't have power adapters at the seats (certain trains do, but it's not something you can count on). I suggest bringing at least two rechargeable batteries, three if you plan to travel with overnight trains, or don't think you'll be able to charge every night. If your camera uses regular AA batteries, consider yourself lucky-you'll find those everywhere. Scope out the situation in your room when you check in: You should get at least one usable outlet, but don't count on more than that.
Bring your plugs. Some digital cameras typically come with a power brick that can handle international voltages, so you won't need a voltage adapter. However, you will need a power plug adapter to convert a US outlet plug to the local plug. Most of Europe is on the same outlet now-but not all countries accept the general "Europe" plug. Be sure to research what you'll need to jack in, and try to buy it before you leave (try CompUSA, Radio Shack, Rand McNally, or your local luggage store). If you don't have a chance to get what you need Stateside, don't fret: You should have no trouble finding an outlet converter overseas.
How do I offload my images? For fellow travelers using digicams, this was the number one problem I have heard repeatedly. Many comments from folks traveling for a week or more are: "I'm taking more pictures than I expected to." "I'm not shooting at the best resolution, because I need the room on my memory card." "I'm only halfway through my trip, and I have only 50 shots left." When you travel, odds are you'll take more pictures than you expect to also. A 1 GB card is very useful, and should suffice for low-usage shooters. But for those of us, who can go through a gigabyte or more in a day, not a week? Whether it's because your a high-volume shooter, shooting in RAW format, or a combination of the two. What I discovered is many who had digital SLRs, that had 5 megapixel or more reported they were traveling with a laptop to off load their images. None of these folks were traveling on business, so they didn't need to bring a laptop along. The sad fact is, for now, a laptop remains the most efficient and usable means of off loading images. Epson and Nikon have dedicated handheld units with a hard drive, card reader, and LCD display for copying over and viewing your images. But neither has a full-blown keyboard. If you're first buying a laptop, and intend to travel with it, I suggest going for the smallest one you can. Fujitsu, Panasonic, Sharp, and Sony all have models under four pounds. A laptop provides several additional advantages. For one thing, you can see your pictures on a big screen-to view how you're doing, and if you see any problems you want to correct with your exposure, for example, or if your pictures are being affected by dirt. For another thing, you can properly label your folders, so you know which pictures were taken where. Most newer laptops have integrated memory card readers, but otherwise, you can buy a small external card reader. For the wire-free approach, use a PC Card slot adapter for your memory card; and invest in a 32-bit Cardbus adapter (Delkin and Lexar Media offer these), for speedier transfers. Nothing's worse than coming back to the hotel after a long day of sightseeing, and needing to stay awake another 40 minutes just to off -load two 1 GB cards, at about 20 minutes a pop. If you bring a laptop, I also suggest investing in a portable hard drive. A portable hard drive can serve multiple purposes: It can be a means of backing up your photos on the go; a means of giving you a way to take your photos with you if you have to leave your laptop unattended; and a means of expansion, if you somehow manage to fill up your laptop's built-in hard disk. If you don't want to bring a laptop, and already have an Apple iPod, Belkin sells an attachment for using your iPod with memory cards; or, consider the pricey units from Nikon and Epson. And if you're in a bind, remember you can always buy memory overseas. I was surprised that when I went to Europe, the prices were high, but not so outrageously so that I wouldn't buy another card if I were in a bind. Cards were more readily available, too, than they were when I last traveled through Europe three years ago. Look at it this way: Even if you overpay on the card, you can still reuse it-which beats overpaying for a single use 35mm film cartridge when you were in a bind in years' past.
Be prepared for problems. Things happen when you travel and I've had more things go awry carrying my digital SLR than I have had with my 35mm over the years. Lens paper is always useful to have on hand, but if you have a digital SLR, another supply is absolutely critical: An air blower bulb, to blast out the dust and dirt that will inevitably get trapped inside your camera. I never had problems with my 35mm SLR, but with my digital SLR, I constantly find dirt gets trapped inside, when I change lenses. And there's nothing worse than having a splotch marring your otherwise awesome shots. Finally, remember the philosophy of redundancy. Whether your battery dies and you have no way to charge it, or you run out of space on your memory card(s), and don't want to buy another at a higher-than-usual priceScience Articles, I suggest packing a second camera if you can. A digital point and shoot is a good option but I usually carry a point and shoot 35mm to use if I run into any problems just so I won’t lose any precious pictures.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Doug Rogers has worked as a freelance photographer for the past 25 years in various fields of photography. In the past two years he has become an avid and devoted fan of digital photography. For tips on better digital photography and the latest reviews on the newest digital equipment that hits the market, Subscribe to his monthly Newsletter “The ViewFinder” at http://www.best-digital-cameras-review.com
How to Buy a Digital Camera
Are buying your first digital camera? Well, you must be confused by the bewildering range of models out there. How do you know which model will suit your needs? To make things worse, digital cameras do not come cheap. Choosing a bad camera will easily cost you a few hundred dollars.
In fact, buying a digital camera need not be a difficult task. I'll highlight the key considerations you need to think through before making that purchase decision. Always, always remember to consider these factors when buying a digital camera:
* Battery Life
* Number of Megapixels
* Zoom Lens
* Exposure Control
* User Controls
Battery Life
This has got to be one of the most overlooked features in digital cameras. I know many people who go for the latest and greatest digital cameras which are short in the battery life department. If you want to take good photos, your camera needs to powered for extended periods of time. I've found that cost and battery life don't go together - many cheap cameras have good battery life, while some high-end models drain your battery really fast. Make sure you choose a camera that has good battery life.
Number of Megapixels
The megapixel rating of a digital camera determines how much fine detail you can capture in your shots. Typically, the number of megapixels can range around from 2 megapixels to 8 megapixels. How do you decide how many megapixels you need? As a rule of thumb, if you're only interested in taking small snapshots to send via email or for posting on the Web, you won't need more than 2-megapixels. If you want large print outs of your gorgeous photographs, then you'll probably want to get 5-megapixel cameras and above.
Zoom Lens
You'll definitely want a camera with decent optical zoom. Now the keyword here is optical zoom (as opposed to digital zoom). Optical zoom physically moves the camera lenses to zoom in on a subject. Digital zoom, however, digitally averages and magnifies the image within the camera's microchip - resulting in poor picture quality. Many manufacturers' advertisements talk about digital zoom instead of optical zoom - so do be careful when choosing. I'd recommend getting at least 3x optical zoom in any camera you buy.
Exposure Control
The ability to control exposure settings such as shutter speed and lens opening is critical to professional photographers. Cheaper digital cameras only allow you to shoot photos in automatic mode - just press the shutter release and voila, your picture is taken. More advanced users prefer to tweak the shutter speed and aperture to capture fast moving objects or blur the image background. Choose a camera with good exposure control if you foresee yourself taking on photography as a serious hobby.
User Controls
If you are getting a point-and-shoot camera, make sure you find one that's easy to use. User controls to set resolution, macro mode, flash and exposure should be within easy reach. Of course, if you're a serious photography buff who wants to take the time to tweak all sorts of manual settings, then this many not be so critical. I prefer to try out the camera first in the store - play with the controls and get comfortable with them. Only then will you know whether it's comfortable enough for you.
Conclusion
Well, I do hope this article has helped you understand what factors to consider when buying a digital camera. A general piece of advice I can give is - if you're a total newbie, don't go for the latest digital SLR. It may be tempting to get that Nikon D70 right from the start, but I'd reckon its much better to start off with a cheaper camera first. Learn, experiment and build up your digital photography skills. Once you're more skilledPsychology Articles, then proceed to upgrade to a better camera. Good luck and happy shopping!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gary Hendricks runs a hobby site on digital photography. Visit his
website at http://www.basic-digital-photography.com for tips and
tricks on buying digital cameras, as well as shooting great photos.
In fact, buying a digital camera need not be a difficult task. I'll highlight the key considerations you need to think through before making that purchase decision. Always, always remember to consider these factors when buying a digital camera:
* Battery Life
* Number of Megapixels
* Zoom Lens
* Exposure Control
* User Controls
Battery Life
This has got to be one of the most overlooked features in digital cameras. I know many people who go for the latest and greatest digital cameras which are short in the battery life department. If you want to take good photos, your camera needs to powered for extended periods of time. I've found that cost and battery life don't go together - many cheap cameras have good battery life, while some high-end models drain your battery really fast. Make sure you choose a camera that has good battery life.
Number of Megapixels
The megapixel rating of a digital camera determines how much fine detail you can capture in your shots. Typically, the number of megapixels can range around from 2 megapixels to 8 megapixels. How do you decide how many megapixels you need? As a rule of thumb, if you're only interested in taking small snapshots to send via email or for posting on the Web, you won't need more than 2-megapixels. If you want large print outs of your gorgeous photographs, then you'll probably want to get 5-megapixel cameras and above.
Zoom Lens
You'll definitely want a camera with decent optical zoom. Now the keyword here is optical zoom (as opposed to digital zoom). Optical zoom physically moves the camera lenses to zoom in on a subject. Digital zoom, however, digitally averages and magnifies the image within the camera's microchip - resulting in poor picture quality. Many manufacturers' advertisements talk about digital zoom instead of optical zoom - so do be careful when choosing. I'd recommend getting at least 3x optical zoom in any camera you buy.
Exposure Control
The ability to control exposure settings such as shutter speed and lens opening is critical to professional photographers. Cheaper digital cameras only allow you to shoot photos in automatic mode - just press the shutter release and voila, your picture is taken. More advanced users prefer to tweak the shutter speed and aperture to capture fast moving objects or blur the image background. Choose a camera with good exposure control if you foresee yourself taking on photography as a serious hobby.
User Controls
If you are getting a point-and-shoot camera, make sure you find one that's easy to use. User controls to set resolution, macro mode, flash and exposure should be within easy reach. Of course, if you're a serious photography buff who wants to take the time to tweak all sorts of manual settings, then this many not be so critical. I prefer to try out the camera first in the store - play with the controls and get comfortable with them. Only then will you know whether it's comfortable enough for you.
Conclusion
Well, I do hope this article has helped you understand what factors to consider when buying a digital camera. A general piece of advice I can give is - if you're a total newbie, don't go for the latest digital SLR. It may be tempting to get that Nikon D70 right from the start, but I'd reckon its much better to start off with a cheaper camera first. Learn, experiment and build up your digital photography skills. Once you're more skilledPsychology Articles, then proceed to upgrade to a better camera. Good luck and happy shopping!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gary Hendricks runs a hobby site on digital photography. Visit his
website at http://www.basic-digital-photography.com for tips and
tricks on buying digital cameras, as well as shooting great photos.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)