30th Anniversary of the Digital Camera

marks the 30th anniversary of the one of the hottest consumer electronic products in the world today – the digital camera. In 1975, the world’s first digital photograph was taken at a Kodak lab in Rochester, NY, USA, in an event that preceded the Compact Disc, the Personal Computer and the Internet. In 1974 Steven Sasson, an engineer at Kodak’s Applied Electronics Research Centre, was tasked with devising an “electronic handheld still camera”. The following year his first working prototype – weighing 8.5 pounds, powered by 16 AA batteries and recording images on a cassette – took the first ever digital still camera photograph. That’s Steve, the world’s first digital camera and the world’s first ever digital photograph at right.

“When I took the first digital image in 1975, I had no idea of the impact it would have on the world of photography,” enthuses Sasson, who still works for Kodak today. “Kodak’s flair for fostering innovation allowed us to continue developing our vision of digital imaging, which has come to fruition through the advent of the PC and the Internet. Kodak has continued to push the limits of the technology, ensuring that we stay at the cutting edge of photographic innovation.”

Sasson predicted the digital revolution more than 15 years ahead of time. He knew that digital imaging would be huge, but not until technology in the computer environment had caught up. Now that has happened, digital imaging has revolutionised photography. Digital cameras’ instant results have generated mass consumer appeal to the degree that digital images are now used in everyday communications at home and at work. In 2004, the 74 million digital cameras sold worldwide outstripped film camera sales for the first time. Forty billion digital snapshots will be taken in 2005.

Kodak’s 125th anniversary year is also a year of digital milestones. In addition to the 30th anniversary of the world’s first digital camera prototype and announcement of the world’s first wireless camera, the company is also celebrating its 15th year in digital document scanners, and the 10th anniversary of the first Kodak-branded consumer digital camera.

http://www.gizmag.com/go/4717/

The SANYO VPC-CA6 weatherproof digital movie camera

We’ve always thought it was kinda dumb that cameras should be so averse to water – they are, after all, there to capture special moments and some of those moments occur while it’s raining. So it’s partly with disbelief that we are writing up a digital movie camera with weatherproof functionality as being all that special, though a lack of such functionality elsewhere does make this camera special. Shouldn’t they all be weatherproof? Shouldn’t all cameras be portable and durable? If you think this should be standard fare, as we do, then Sanyo’s newly launched VPC-CA6 weatherproof digital movie camera is designed for you – presumably a user with an active lifestyle that involves water recreational activities. The hardwearing splash-proof VPC-CA6 body offers carefree video recording by the pool, camping, at the beach or on the water, allowing users to capture their treasured moments with wet hands. The camera’s compact ergonomic design enables one handed usage, which can prove useful.

Featuring MPEG-4 digital recording for DVD movie quality, with high resolution of 6.0 megapixels, the SANYO VPC-CA6 captures high quality images producing professional looking footage of holidays, sporting events and family events.

The SANYO VPC-CA6 features a 5x optical and 12x digital zoom. The optical zoom magnifies the image using a real multifocal-length lens ensuring the finest picture quality even when using the zoom function.

For a professional final result, the SANYO VPC-CA6 weatherproof includes an editing function for quick and easy editing directly from the camera, as well as USB storage support, and a PC movie editing kit. Video clips and images can be played back or recorded through the DVD recorder connection, or viewed through the TV connection.

The SANYO VPC-CA6 can also be used as a still digital camera and video camera simultaneously. By simply pressing the shutter button users can capture still images while recording video.

Fast paced lifestyles can lead to easy-to-miss situations; however the SANYO VPC-CA6 has a rapid start-up time of 1.3 seconds, so memorable moments can be quickly captured.

The SANYO VPC-CA6 also features a digital stereo and noise reduction function for clear and accurate sounds and a digital image stabiliser to correct unintentional camera shake.

For a limited time, the SANYO VPC-CA6 weatherproof movie camera will include a bonus 1GB SD memory card, giving extra space to store precious memories. Users can take pictures anywhere and anytime and keep them saved on the card, which is great for holidays when downloading images and movies might not be an option.

http://www.gizmag.com/go/6602/

Sensor size and Depth of field in film and digital cameras

Depth of field is defined as the range in which the photo is in focus. Achieving a specific depth of field is a useful photography technique used for example to achieve a blurry background effect. Film and digital cameras have different optical attributes as a result of using different sensor sizes. For that reason depth of field is also different in film and digital cameras.
Before you can understand the difference between film and digital cameras when it comes to depth of field, it is important to understand what depth of field is and how it can be set by the photographer. Depth of field (also known as DOF for short) is defined as the range in which the photo is in focus. For example: an infinite depth of field means that the photo will be in focus from a certain distance from the camera and up to infinity. Another example: when taking a blurry photo the goal is to set the depth of field just around the object, which results in the object being in focus while the background behind it is not.
The depth of field is influenced by the optical parameters of the camera and the specific scene. The main parameters that influence the depth of field are:
The distance of the object from the camera influences the possible depth of field settings. For example shooting an object that is very close to the camera will result in a smaller depth of field. On the other an extreme case when the object is in practical infinite distance from the camera will result in the camera focused on infinity and the depth of field being infinite too.
The aperture: The depth of field increases as the f number increases. The wider the aperture (f number decreases) the smaller the depth of field and vice versa: the narrower the aperture (f number increases) the greater the depth of field.
The focal length of the lens: The depth of field grows as the focal length gets shorter. For example if you use normal lenses at somewhere around 50mm your depth of field will be much greater than if you use zoom lenses at 200mm. With a very long focal length the depth of field can be extremely small.
One of the main differences between film and digital cameras is the sensor used to capture the photo. Film cameras use a film sensitive to light that is placed behind the lens. When a photo is taken the shutter opens for a predetermined period of time and light hits the film. The result is a photo “printed” on the film. Digital cameras on the other hand use a fixed electronic sensor (also known as CCD) that is situated behind the lens. The sensor is built from tiny light sensitive sensors each representing a pixel. When the shutter opens light hits the sensor and each pixel gets its “value”. Put together all the pixels comprise one digital photo.
A normal single frame of film size was standardized at 35mm. Digital cameras on the other hand use smaller sensors. One of the reasons why digital sensors are smaller is cost – manufacturing a large electronic sensor is costly (for reasons such as yield and other specific process limitations). The depth of field changes with the sensor size, the smaller the sensor the higher the depth of field. In fact low end pocket cameras use small sensors that together with their other optical limitations result in depth of field that is practically infinite. Because photographers used to measure everything based on 35mm film – many digital cameras still quote “35mm equivalent” measurement. There are a few high end SLR digital cameras that use 35mm sensors thus providing the same optical characteristics as the old film cameras. These are still expensive and considered high end professional cameras.



http://www.kokkada.com/Article/Sensor-size-and-Depth-of-field-in-film-and-digital-cameras/22403

GE Digital Cameras are Strong Sellers at Micro Center

"Micro Center stores do a lot of volume and are an important outlet for us," said Hiroshi "Hugh" Komiya, chairman and CEO of General Imaging. "We're excited about adding this retailer to our team."

Micro Center stores have a more upscale feel than typical big-box consumer-electronics stores, offering selection, service and sales staff expertise modeled after Nordstrom and other service-oriented retailers. "The Micro Center business model reaches a whole new demographic for us," said Rene Buhay, General Imaging's senior vice president of sales & marketing for the Americas.

Kevin Jones, vice president of merchandising for Micro Center, said, "The new GE cameras made an immediate impact with our customers. Their feature sets and price points are excellent."

All GE cameras boast sleek and intuitive design, plus a host of popular, advanced functions as standard features, including face detection, image stabilization, red-eye removal, 1600 ISO sensitivity (or higher), and panorama stitching - all of which are embedded in the camera. Panorama stitching is proving to be an especially popular feature, allowing the user to join three images together seamlessly to take in landscapes and other wide vistas.

GE cameras also offer movie mode, continuous-shot mode, and a variety of special scene modes - all at prices far less than many of their competitors.

Even at the entry level, the GE A730 (MSRP just $99.99) includes features one would expect from a much more expensive camera, including 7 megapixels of resolution, a 3x zoom, and a 2.5-inch LCD screen. The A830 ($129.99) is the next step up, offering 8 megapixels and the same specs for zoom and screen size. The G1 ($149.99) offers 7 megapixels, a 3x zoom and a 2.5-inch screen as well, but its drawing card is its ease of handling and pocket-friendly dimensions (35/8 inches wide x 2 1/2 inches high).

The four models in the mid-priced E series offer even more, including even higher resolution, larger zooms, a wide-angle lens, and higher ISO. At the high end of the GE line, the X1 (price TBD) will offer a 12x zoom - great for close-ups when the shooter is far from the action.

About Micro Center

Micro Center operates twenty stores in major markets nationwide. Founded in 1979 in Columbus, Micro Center's distinctive features include:

-- A destination retailer designed to satisfy the dedicated computer user.

-- Uniquely focused on computers and computer-related products. In fact, Micro Center offers more computer and computer-related SKUs (more than 30,000 in stock) than any other retailer.

-- More square footage devoted exclusively to computers and computer-related items than any other retailer (stores average 40,000 square feet).

-- Selection, service and sales staff expertise which surpass all other computer stores.

-- More upscale atmospherics than big box consumer electronics stores.

-- Innovators of the departmentalized approach to computer retailing. Service levels and expertise vary to meet customer preferences by department. This means:

-- Consultative career sales staff in hardware departments which surround staple items in the center of the store.

-- Quick in/out shopping experience on staple items with checkouts arranged conveniently.

-- Large gaming departments featuring XBOX 360, PS3, Wii and PC Gaming displays on HDTVs, more than 2,000 games and nearly 350 different accessories per store.

Readers of the leading U.S. consumer magazine have consistently rated Micro Center among the best stores at which to buy a PC since the publication began surveying satisfaction with computer stores in 2003. Consumers can also purchase online at www.microcenter.com.



http://www.digital-camera-advice-tips.info/article.cfm/id/224779

Getting The Best Out Of Your Digital Camera

The light from even a small flash is as powerful as the sun but, given that it's only source of energy is a small battery, it can only produce this amount of light for an extremely small period of time - less than 1/1000th of a second. The actual length of time the flash fires for is very carefully controlled by your camera. During a flash exposure, your camera constantly monitors the amount of light reaching the image sensor and shuts off the flash as soon as the picture is exposed correctly.

It has to do this because the light from a small flash falls off dramatically the further away you are. In fact, it falls off with the square of the distance. That means if you moved your subject twice as far away, you would need four times as much light, 3 times further away requires 9 times the amount of light.

But you don't need to know that because your camera will do all that for you automatically. If you did move your subject 3 times further away the flash duration would simply be 9 times longer. This would still be an extremely short time and you probably wouldn't notice the difference. What you might notice is that the flash would take longer to recharge because it had used up so much power.

The very first flashguns were entirely manual and photographers had to do long calculations to determine the correct exposure when using flash. Studio flash units still work this way but most photographers now use flash meters to avoid having to do all this calculating.

So your flashgun will automatically compensate for the distance of your subject and give you a perfectly exposed picture every time - what could possibly go wrong?

Out of range

Although your flash will compensate for the subject's distance, it has its limits. It only has a certain amount of power and this translates into a maximum distance for your subject. If you try to take a flash picture from any further away, it will just be too dark or underexposed. Your camera's manual should tell you what the maximum subject distance is for flash photography is. In small cameras it is typically 12-15 feet.

It is often expressed as a range of distances rather than a single absolute figure because the conditions under which you are taking the photograph will have an effect on this maximum distance. For example, When you take a picture indoors the light from the flash not only goes directly to the subject but also lights up the whole room. The light that hits the walls and ceiling then bounces off them and adds to the light landing on your subject. Compare that situation with taking a flash picture outdoors at night. The light that doesn't reach your subject directly has nothing to bounce off, so overall, less light will land on your subject. Whilst your camera's flash might be able to compensate perfectly well for this, it will reduce the maximum distance for flash photography compared with taking pictures indoors.

Of course, indoors can mean a tiny room or an enormous one. So, if you are taking your photograph in a baronial banqueting hall with very dark walls and a high ceiling, you could be approaching the same situation as you have outdoors and the maximum distance for flash would be reduced.

What this means in practical terms is that if you have just taken a flash picture and it looks too dark, just get closer and try again. That will usually solve the problem.

Don't get too close

There is also a minimum distance for which you can successfully use flash. As your subject gets closer and closer, the flash duration gets shorter and shorter. Eventually, you will reach the limit of how quick the flash can be. In practical terms, this translates into a minimum distance for flash photography with your camera.

I'm sure all of you will have seen pictures of people taken with flash where their faces were bleached out and they look like ghosts. That's what happens if you get too close with a flash gun. Again, your camera's manual should give you the minimum flash distance for your particular camera.

If you can't find the information about maximum and minimum flash distances you could always do a few test shots and measure it for yourself. As a general guideline, if your subject is between 6 and 12 feet away, you should be all right.


Any digital camera has an array of functions and uses that enable the handler to take excellent pictures. However, many of the functions are not fully understood and the pictures are not of the best possible quality. Understanding these features enable the user to have complete control over their machine, and therefore get the best possible images.

Firstly the quality of the image that can be produced relies upon the resolution of the digital camera. This is made up of mega pixels. The number of mega pixels determines the level of detail in the picture. The pixels are the tiny dots of colour that make up image. These look fine on the computer or screen. However, once transferred to the computer and enlarged, images containing a lower number of pixels show these dots and so the image is flawed. Therefore, for good quality images the best digital camera to choose is one that has a high number of mega pixels.

The quality of the digital camera lens will also affect your picture quality. The lens should have a zoom feature, which enables you to zoom both in and out to create the perfect composition for your image. Each device will differ, but the concept is the same. The lens should be labeled with two zoom numbers; the smallest states the shortest possible zoom distance and the biggest number shows the longest possible distance. Consider the type of photographs that you are going to take when choosing your digital camera. If the pictures will mainly be indoors, then a lower number is required to be able to zoom out in enclosed areas.

The average digital camera will have an inbuilt auto focus function which will serve most amateur photographer`s needs. However, for more effects or for advanced photography, select a camera that has a manual focus option also. The auto focus can be turned off in some devices, which is an exceptional feature as the photographer can choose which option is best for the photograph being taken.

Another consideration is the shutter delay on the digital camera. The shutter delay affects the quality of focus and composition. The delay means that the picture is actually taken some time after the button is pressed on the camera. This means that the subject of the composition may have moved, clouds may shadow the expected lighting effects, or that your hand may shake and so the image is distorted and blurred. A good way to combat this is to only half press the button when you are composing the picture. This activates the auto focus and prepares the device for the shot. When the button is pressed, the photograph will be taken much more quickly, and will help combat any distortions.

Memory space is important if you want to take good photographs with your digital camera. Not only does this enable lots of storage, it also gives you the opportunity to take several photographs, in search of that one perfect shot.

Any digital camera will have inbuilt storage but this is minimal, averaging around 16 megabytes in total. The memory space can be added to with the use of a memory card or stick. The type chosen will depend upon what is compatible with your camera. Any memory card or stick is good, and they go up to 2GB in size. It is important that the type chosen is compatible with your home computer so that the images can be transferred and stored, giving you access to more photographic opportunities.



http://www.digital-camera-advice-tips.info/article.cfm/id/196002

Digital SLR Buyer's Guide

As a result of the recent rush to 10 megapixel digital SLR cameras, everything that has been held sacred in the camera business is now upside down. At the price of yesterday's 6 megapixel cameras you can now buy almost twice the resolution - and you can definitely see the difference in pictures taken at 6 and 10 megapixels. The $1700 Nikon D200 is now mostly the same feature set and virtually the same 10 megapixel sensor as the new $999 Nikon D80, and the $800 Canon Rebel XTi has almost the same processing engine as the $1500 Canon 30D and a 10 megapixel resolution compared to the 8 megapixel of the 30D. Since so much has progressed so fast in the last few months, it is time for a hard look at what is available in the hottest digital camera segment - digital SLRs.

The new "entry" level digital SLR market, generally defined as digital SLR cameras that sell for $1000 or less, has certainly expanded at both the bottom and the top. Today you can actually buy a digital SLR camera in the $400 to $500 price range, which was unheard of as recently as last year's Holiday buying season. This lower entry price has practically made the popular fixed lens SLR and "quality" pocket digital cameras all but obsolete. Why pay $800 for a fixed lens digital when you can get more features and flexibility with an interchangeable lens digital SLR at a lower price? This "prosumer" category of the past is rapidly disappearing, but it is worth pointing out that there is always room for a high-quality, pocketable fixed-lens digital camera.

he $1000 and under segment, which used to be entry level SLR cameras, now includes10 megapixel models at the top, and the feature sets for this new generation include enhancements previously available only on much more expensive cameras. All of the 10 megapixel SLRs are faster than their predecessors - borrowing processing engines from higher priced models (Nikon and Canon) or pioneering new high-speed processing circuits (Pentax and Sony).


The "entry" market is now segmented into true entry level SLR cameras in the $400 to $600 price range, the new 10 megapixel mid-range SLRs at $700 to $1000, and a couple of mid-range 8 megapixel SLRs that straddle the middle in the $600 to $700 range. In practical terms it is very difficult to tell any difference between 6 and 8 megapixel images, or between 8 megapixel and 10. However, there is a discernable improvement in moving from 6 to 10 megapixels.

This SLR Buyer's Guide will take a closer look at the top of this range, comparing the new 10 megapixel models. We will also compare models in the true entry level $400 to $600 range. The 8 megapixel models will be considered at both ends of the spectrum for features and value. Prices quoted in this guide are based on the best prices we could find at major online retailers like Newegg or Amazon. These are also typical prices in our own price engine. The prices quoted should be available to any online shopper, but you may find even better prices if you are willing to do more searching. Conversely, local photo specialty retailers normally provide better customer support and return options than etailers, and their prices for the same item will generally be higher.

If you are shopping for a digital camera but you're not really a photo hobbyist, you might want to start with our overview of digital photography in Digital Photography from 20,000 Feet. In that introduction we cover the terms and concepts used in this Buyer's Guide. If you're a photo hobbyist then dive in. Our advice is not jaded, and many will be surprised that Nikon and Canon were not our first choices in every category. 2006 was definitely the year of the Digital SLR camera, and the names that are new or that resurfaced this year are definitely making shopping for a new Digital SLR more fun than it has been in a very long time.



http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2896

Kodak EasyShare V550 digital camera introduction

Kodak EasyShare V550 digital camera introduction : Fresh for the summer season, the new Kodak EasyShare V550 V-series digital camera has been unveiled today in cities around the globe. The Kodak V550, smaller than a deck of playing cards, is designed for trendsetters who seek high-style, compact personal electronics that combine phenomenal quality, performance and simplicity. The Kodak EasyShare V550 zoom digital camera breaks new ground in blending video and still photography. For the first time, videos can be automatically turned into stop-action still pictures perfect for printing and sharing. Record longer, up to 80 minutes, TV-quality videos with sound, while using less memory storage.

Kodak EasyShare V550 -Video
Avoid on-screen shaking with built-in image stabilization technology, and zoom in on video subjects in real time using the professional-caliber Scheinder-Kreuznach lens. Then watch the videos with friends on the cameras' big, bright, crisp LCD screens, viewable from nearly any angle. In addition, EasyShare Software version 5.0, which will be available as a free download next month from Kodak's website, makes combining, rotating, and adding music to video clips a breeze.

Kodak V550 - EasyShare Photo Frame Dock 2
Crafted to capture every pose, the EasyShare V530 camera is equipped with 5-megapixel (MP) resolution for breathtaking prints up to 20 x 30 inches. The included Kodak EasyShare Photo Frame Dock 2, which provides one-touch picture transfer to a connected computer while keeping the cameras' high-capacity battery charged and ready to go, can play video and photo 'slideshows' on the cameras' high-resolution LCD screens, providing an additional degree of elevated design and innovation to EasyShare V-Series camera owners.

Kodak V550 digital camera - Designed for women
"With women buying more than half of the electronic items sold in the United States, Kodak is designing new products that particularly appeal not only to women's sense of style, but also a desire to simplify their lives," said Mary-Irene Marek, worldwide marketing manager at Kodak. "The new Kodak EasyShare V550 camera makes it incredibly simple to take and share videos and pictures, while being chic, fashionable and small enough to slip into the newest designer handbag."

Kodak EasyShare V550 camera - Perfect for every social occasion
Like the little black dress or classic button-down shirt, the Kodak EasyShare V550 digital camera is perfect for nearly every social occasion. In addition to its high-end video performance, the Kodak V550 model captures all moments with 5MP resolution and its pro-caliber, Scheinder-Kreuznach C-Variogon 3X optical zoom lens. Nineteen scene modes such as beach, snow, sunset and party help you get the best possible shot with the least possible effort.

Kodak EasyShare V550 digital camera - Beautifull bodie
The black and silver metal camera bodies, paired with luminescent blue indicator lights, beg to be shown off. A brilliant 2.5-inch, very high-resolution LCD screen (230,000 pixels) is viewable from almost any angle (170 degrees) and can be used to preview a shot - as can the optical viewfinder - before instantly sharing the snapped picture with friends. The Kodak EasyShare V550 camera will be available worldwide beginning this June for US$399 (MSRP).

Kodak V550 digital camera - EasyShare Software
Kodak V-series cameras, like the EasyShare V550, include Kodak EasyShare software for Windows and Macintosh systems, providing effortless digital picture organization, editing, sharing and printing - and even CD and DVD burning. The exclusive One Touch to Better Pictures feature takes advantage of proprietary color technologies developed by Kodak to help users get vibrant, true-to-life prints from inkjet printers. Version 5.0 will be available as a free download from the website of Kodak beginning this summer, and will feature new video editing tools that allow people to quickly and simply trim, splice, rotate and add music to videos. Kodak EasyShare Software is now among the most widely used picture software titles in the world, with more than 22 million consumers enjoying its features.

Kodak V550 camera - Kodak EasyShare Printer Dock Series 3
Kodak makes it easy to accessorize the new V-serie camera, with a range of products that help show off your pictures. For instance, the popular Kodak EasyShare Printer Dock Series 3 (US$149 MSRP) makes it one-touch simple to print real Kodak pictures at home in just seconds - with or without a computer.



http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/news/articles/story_3285.html