Today people are switching over from film cameras to digital models. The obvious reasons are the ease with which objects are framed and shot, pictures are stored, recorded, and displayed. To top it all you can download at the comfort of your home and print the pictures.

However if you are buying one for the first time, there are chances that you will be literally lost reviewing the specifications and features offered by the numerous brands out there in the market. Do you go by mega pixels or do you go by manufacturers or by price range or by….well, there are many more classifications possible. The following guide is prepared with the intention to help you arrive at a practical model of your choice.

Various Features

Weight

This factor depends a lot on the usage of the digital camera. You want one to carry around in your pocket or purse, go for the light weight ones. No doubt they are convenient, but the have tiny buttons, controls and dials which may make the handling a little difficult. The bigger ones weigh more and have more features too.

Resolution

Cameras are categorized as mega pixels of resolution. It narrows down the range of cameras and helps you sort out beginners, intermediate and advanced groupings from these. The range is 0.1 mega pixel to 18 mega pixel and some even more. The key to choosing the right pixel camera depends on how close you wish to get to target.
2 mega pixels and less- you get reasonably sharp images and enough details for prints of 8×10s and smaller. Prints are not of very high quality but suitable enough to be posted on emails and web sites. These cameras are inexpensive.
2 to 6 mega pixels- As the resolution keeps increasing in this range, the picture quality keeps getting better. You get sharper images all at an escalated price.Eg Canon PowerShot S3, Fuji FinePix V10 etc.

http://www.reviewgist.com/digital-camera-reviews?resolution=0.1-to-5.1
6 mega pixels and more- More aren’t always good. Keep in mind higher mega pixels mean larger image sizes, expensive memory cards, and take more space of your computer’s hard drive.Eg. Canon PowerShot Pro1, Canon PowerShot S80 etc.

http://www.reviewgist.com/digital-camera-reviews?resolution=6.37-to-8.32

Zoom
Optical zoom lens- Image gets magnified by lens-3x, 4x, 10x and more, however keep in mind that very long zooms are prone to camera shake. Use a tripod to cover up for this problem. A 3x optical zoom means it can make a subject appear thrice as close. An optical zoom produces the best quality images. You can’t get too close to the object, but then a photo editing software can help you crop the image. It gives better result than using the digital zoom.

Digital zoom is a simulated optical zoom; it enlarges only the central portion of the image. The lens is not used in this case. The digital zooming effect is given by software inside. The result is most often a blurry and digitized picture. You can use both zooming effects in cameras that offer both these features.

Lens

A lousy lens can spoil all that extra resolution and image processing controls. So, before you buy one assess the final image on a computer based on these criteria:

check the lens for overall focus and sharpness, whether corners are as sharp as in the middle

check for flaring, i.e. colored circles and reflections when shooting towards light source

check if the lens offer attachments, you can add wide angle or telephoto attachments to extend the focal length range

whether manual or electronic zoom control, manual zoom offers more speed and flexibility
Memory

Unlike the film cameras the digital cameras store images in memory. Thus each time the memory is full, you can download them and the camera is ready to shoot again. Memory is of two main types: built-in and removable. Most low end cameras have the built-in memory. Removable memory cards have the advantage of upgrading the memory, particularly useful when you are taking lot of pictures in one trip.

Flash Types

It all started with photographers igniting a tray filled with gunpowder to illuminate a scene. Today digital cameras come with built in automatic flash unit combined with a sophisticated light measuring and exposure control system. They are so convenient and easy to use that we often fail to notice it.

Digital cameras are specified by a guide number which basically gives the flash power. Higher the guide number, greater the flash’s useful range. With changes in sensor speed and /or lens focal length, the guide number changes. So manufacturers instead specify the flash’s maximum range with the assumption that flashes is fully charged and the lens aperture is wide open.

Some of the common modes:

Auto mode is well known! Cameras with red eye reduction mode first fires a short burst to close the subject’s irises then the main flash and finally the picture is taken.

Fill flash modes to fill in shadows.

Flash off mode to capture the object in natural light.

Night scene mode exposes the foreground subject without underexposure of background. For maximum flash flexibility select a camera with an external hot shoe.

Some models come with just the external flash units.

Some varieties have both external and built-in flash units.

Some very compact digital Camera models come with no flash units.

Focus Type

Most digital cameras have a combination of different focus modes. In the automatic mode, when you press the shutter-release button half-way down, the focus is locked. It is also confirmed by a change of color of the focus indicator.

The Auto focus is achieved in different modes. The most common of them is the single area focus mode. The focus is on the central area of the image you find on the screen. In the spot focus mode, the focus is precisely on the center area of the screen. For shooting slow moving objects you can use the continuous auto focus mode. Be aware of the huge consumption of power in this mode.
Manual focus- This feature allows you to manually focus on the portion of a scene which may or may not be at the center of the screen. Select the area to be focused by using one of the several focus area indicators by toggling a cursor button to achieve close ups and macro shots. Some models have the focus rings for manual focus, turn it till the subject is in focus.
Fixed focus- This feature can be used to your advantage when there is pre-determined distance between the camera and the object.

The various combinations of the focus types are:

Auto focus and manual focus

Auto focus and fixed focus

Auto, manual and fixed focus

Camera Type

Standard Point and Shoot cameras- Point and shoot models are available with basic features to the ones with advanced controls and options and excellent macro capabilities. The flexibility with which these cameras can be used like in situations where it is hard to frame the subject or shooting at waist levels makes these models much sought after. It is a silent performer ideal for shooting in locations where a loud shutter clack is not appropriate.

SLR/Professional- More interesting features like interchangeable lenses, flashes, sophisticated controls and other accessories, these models are specifically designed for photographers and professionals. Eg. Nikon D40, Nikon D40x etc.

http://www.reviewgist.com/digital-camera-reviews?cameraType=SLR%2FProfessional

Compact- The features are moderate, yet small enough in size to slip it in to your pocket before you go for the party. These models are comparatively higher priced than the similarly featured standard sized cameras. Eg. Canon PowerShot SD800, Kodak EasyShare V550 etc.

http://www.reviewgist.com/digital-camera-reviews?cameraType=Compact

Ultra compact- With technology improving at a fast rate the size of the cameras is getting smaller and smaller. Cameras of the size of credit cards, slightly thicker shoot amazing pictures. No compromise on features like LCD screens (as small as 2 inch), optical viewfinder, good resolution (some with even 7 mega pixels), and good battery life too. Eg. Casio Exilim EX-S500, Samsung NV3 etc.

http://www.reviewgist.com/digital-camera-reviews?cameraType=Ultra-Compact

Battery

There are two types: rechargeable ones and disposable ones. Since digital cameras consume power very fast, especially if you are using a LCD, it is best to invest in the rechargeable ones. Some digital cameras come with AC adapters, if yours doesn’t have one, purchase one separately.

Some batteries are:

NiMH batteries are the most sought after ones today. They are rechargeable, last long, and come in various compact designs and no memory problems.

Alkaline ones are not rechargeable and don’t last long.

Lithium ion batteries are small and recharge quickly.

NiCad batteries if not charged properly can have loss of memory.

AC adapters enable you to keep shooting long after your batteries are dead!
Price

Luckily you don’t have to spend huge amounts to own one.

Low range

Even a couple of hundred bucks can fetch you a very good camera with video capabilities and nice zoom. And they are not the sub-par models of yester years. Eg. Nikon COOLPIX S5,Canon PowerShot G7 etc.

http://www.reviewgist.com/digital-camera-reviews?Price=0.01-to-237.49

Mid-range

A lot more features get added, more of mega pixels, and more powerful lenses are available in this range of cameras. Eg. Nikon D80, Nikon D200 etc.

http://www.reviewgist.com/digital-camera-reviews?Price=237.49-to-599.84

High range

These ranges of cameras are mostly for professionals with superb image rendering capacity and produce excellent photos. Eg. Nikon D2Xs, Canon EOS-1D Mark III Body Only etc.

http://www.reviewgist.com/digital-camera-reviews?Price=1437.12-to-7999.99

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There are various types of digital cameras made by different manufacturers with different features. Among all, selecting the right digital camera which is suitable for you is not a typical task if you follow these techniques.

1. Resolution

2. Optical zoom

3. Digital zoom

4. memory

5. Usability

6. Investigate

These techniques are explained as follows:

Resolution

Each and every digital camera has certain resolution factor. Most advanced cameras will have high resolution where as the normal digital cameras will have low resolution.

Basically the picture resolution will be dependent on pixel rating. The resolution of the camera will vary for different cameras with different pixel count.

The cameras which have high resolution power produce larger images and the rate of these cameras will also be high. Normal and average photographer need not require these cameras with high resolution.

Most probably these high resolution cameras are preferred by professional or expert photographers. They also don’t use these cameras all the times (except for taking special pictures).

Optical zoom

Optical zoom is necessary to view the object in large size. Almost all digital cameras will have this optical zoom facility. Before buying the camera, you must check the optical zoom present in it and you must not afford it if it has the optical zoom less than 2.

Digital zoom

Digital zoom is used to increase the size of the picture. Most of the digital cameras offer this digital zoom facility. Check out the clarity levels of the picture clearly when you increase the size of it because some of the pictures will loose their clarity if you apply digital zoom to them.

Memory

Before getting the new digital camera know how much memory is present in it. Most of the digital cameras will have less memory to store more number of snaps in it. So, better along with your digital camera get the extra memory card which has enough space to store more snaps in it.

Usability

You have to select the camera depending on your usability. If you have high usage of it, go for advanced cameras which provide more techniques and high resolution or else if you have less usage of it better get the digital cameras which don’t have high resolution and more advanced techniques. So, depending upon the usage you have to select the right camera suitable for you.

Investigate

After getting your new digital camera, investigate it on various aspects by knowing what are the different modes and new techniques present in it. Try to learn all the techniques regarding how to handle it properly without causing any damage to it before using your new digital camera for the first time.

Do you like to know the reason behind this? Some cameras will be damaged easily if you don’t handle them in the right way. So, to avoid this situation try to know how to handle it in the right way.

Other than these things, you should also get all the necessary accessories required for your camera when you get the new digital camera. These accessories will be helpful to you in more number of ways and they also prevent the damage of your digital camera. Visit Digital Picture Zone

• ISBN13: 9781598639056
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Main Concept And Evolution

When digital cameras became common, a question many photographers asked was whether their film cameras could be converted to digital. The first recorded attempt at building a digital camera was by Steven Sasson, an engineer at Eastman Kodak. The first true digital camera that recorded images as a computerized file was likely the Fuji DS-1P of 1988, which recorded to a 16 MB internal memory card that used a battery to keep the data in memory.

Digital cameras can include features that are not found in film cameras, such as:

- Displaying an image on the camera’s screen immediately after it is recorded.

- The capacity to take thousands of images on a single small memory device.

- The ability to record video with sound.

- The ability to edit images and deletion of images allowing re-use of the storage they occupied.

A digital camera is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images on a light-sensitive sensor. Most digital cameras measure subject distance automatically using acoustic or electronic techniques, but it is not customary to say that they have a rangefinder. The resolution of a digital camera is often limited by the camera sensor (typically a CCD or CMOS sensor chip) that turns light into discrete signals, replacing the job of film in traditional photography.

Digital cameras have high power requirements, and over time have become increasingly smaller in size, which has resulted in an ongoing need to develop a battery small enough to fit in the camera and yet able to power it for a reasonable length of time. Digital cameras are incorporated into many devices ranging from PDAs and mobile phones (called camera phones) to vehicles and even webcams. Webcams are digital cameras attached to computers, used for video conferencing or other purposes.

When You Buy Digital Camera

Measuring the “pixels per dollar” as a basic measure of value for a digital camera, there has been a continuous and steady increase in the number of pixels each dollar buys in a new camera consistent with the principles of Moore’s Law. Before you buy digital camera, it is important to determine what kind of pictures you want to take with it. Be sure to check first its capacity to produce high quality photo images and don’t forget about camera’s batteries – make sure they are rechargeable.

When you buy digital camera, sometimes the spending does not end there. For instance you may want to buy additional memory if the one that is already included doesn’t suit your need and its capacity is not enough for you. This is why you must make sure that the gadget that you buy has not only a “built-in” memory or a card slot for external and additional memory, but also includes memory card with good enough capacity.

The LCD is a special consideration you have to look into when you buy a digital camera. This is a small screen located at the back of a digital camera that allows you to preview the pictures you took. This has to be considered when you buy digital camera, because it uses up a lot of battery power.

It is essential for you to feel comfortable holding your digital camera while shooting. So, before you buy digital camera, the right thing will be to test and check if you are comfortable holding it and using it. Special features that will suit your needs should be thought about, too before you buy digital camera. No matter what your needs and wants are for the device, your financial resource will play a huge part in dictating the type of digital camera you will buy. When buying digital camera in online store, make sure you already know what you want and start sorting by lowest price first and later calculating shipping and sales tax.

With these information, you can now figure out what you really need and want before you buy digital camera.

• ISBN13: 9780817432256
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A digital camera takes still photographs or videos or both by recording the images on a light-sensitive sensor digitally. Most compact digital still cameras can record moving video and sound as well, apart from still photographs. The sales and popularity of digital cameras have increased now compared to the 35mm film cameras.

Digital cameras have a feature for viewing the image that is recorded immediately on the Camera display screen, the feature that is not available in film cameras. Other features include such as the facility to capture a lot of images on a small memory chip, record video along with sound, edit the images, delete the images not required etc. Digital cameras are now available along with many devices ranging from mobile phones and PDAs to vehicles.

The camera perhaps has been affected more by the digital technology than any other products. The digital cameras are not a new phenomenon. The first digital camera was released by Kodak in the U.S. market around 15 years ago. The DCS-100 model at that time with 1.3-mega pixels was available for about $13,000. The digital cameras have emerged with more features and are available at comparatively lesser prices, even to the extent of $80 at select stores.

The biggest benefit of Digital camera technology is the storage capability. You can view the photos on the camera itself, on a web page, a computer monitor, or on paper after printing. The digital camera can be connected to the printer directly through the USB port for printing pictures. People can afford to buy a digital camera today as the prices have fallen with the availability of more features.

It is important for you to know the issues of image resolution for comparing digital camera models. The unit of graphical representation used for displaying digital data by Digital cameras is called Mega Pixel (MP). More the mega pixels, the higher the resolution of the final image. Still you need to compare digital camera images recorded with your actual requirements.

Some typical resolutions found on Digital cameras are:

256×256 – This is available with very cheap cameras. Picture quality is unacceptable.
640×480 – Suitable for posting pictures over a web site or for sending pictures by email.
1216×912 – This resolution is good for printing pictures.
1600×1200 – This is a High resolution standard with around 2 million total pixels.
2240×1680 – This is available on most 4 mega pixel cameras.
4064×2704 – This is available on high-end digital camera with 11.1 mega pixels.

Some High-end consumer cameras can record pictures of over 12 million pixels. Most professional cameras have 16 million pixels. Large format cameras have 20 million pixels. For comparison sake, it is stated that the quality of 35mm film is approximately around 20 million pixels. Some types of Digital cameras are Point and Shoot, Semi-Professional, Bridge and SLR.

You need to know the complete package offered when you compare the prices of digital cameras. You can look for the availability of image-editing software, carry case, add-on Memory card and USB cable for working on your computer, when you want to compare the prices and the features offered. Other general features that you can look into are the availability of an LCD screen, a timer, a built-in flash, a date & time stamp, optical zoom feature and optical zoom lenses of good quality.

• ISBN13: 9780470114322
• Condition: NEW
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• Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)

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