Digital Camera Vs. Film - Pros And Cons

Digital Camera Vs. Film - Pros And Cons

Consumers have been pretty receptive to the lower priced “point and shoot” models (some 5 million digital cameras were sold in the U.S. during the Christmas 2005 holiday season), but there are still some holdouts.

Great strides have been made in digital technology over the past few years, but more sophisticated digital cameras have only recently come down in price enough to attract the “serious amateur” market. In the past, the price of high-end digital camera equipment was more suited to the professional who could turn that investment into an income source.

Even traditional film buffs are slowly coming around to the benefits of digital photography. Among the holdouts, the chief problem seems to be confusion. There are so many choices, with a broad range of options, and just as many price ranges.

It’s cheaper not to make a decision, than to make a mistake.

They get lost in the terminology, and have reservations about the quality of digital photos and about the reliability of the digital cameras. With the whirlwind of innovation flooding our lives everyday, it’s become really difficult to keep up.

Technology advances, prices come down, and a deal today may be obsolete tomorrow. At least that’s what worries many potential digital camera owners.

So let’s look at five of the most common questions about digital camera photography to shed some light on the matter, for those who are hesitant about this new technology, or who have dismissed it as a mere fad.

1. Do digital cameras produce quality photos?
Digital photos can be displayed at very high resolutions, and could easily surpass conventional photographs, but many have seen poorer quality images. Early color printers could be used to print color photos from digital cameras, but the quality just wasn’t there. Blurry images on low-grade computer monitors or on the small LCD screens of the cameras themselves, do nothing to increase your confidence.

But view the high resolution images available from today’s digital cameras on a capable monitor or after being printed on one of the newer photo quality printers (using photo quality paper) and you’ll see the crystal clear quality of what is available today.

2. How durable are digital camera photos?
Digital camera photos are not stored on film. They’re stored on electronic memory devices that actually require much less care than negative film.

As long as reasonable care is taken of the particular storage device, there shouldn’t be any problems with protecting images caught on a digital camera, and you can easily make copies of the digital image files on your computer or even burn them to a CD - an option that isn’t available with film.

3. Are digital camera photos more expensive to process?
Not anymore. First, you can eliminate any poor images before printing and only pay for those that you print. With “easy share” technology and photo quality printers now available, it is both affordable and convenient to print digital camera photos.

You can even do the task yourself, in the comfort of your own home - without buying expensive development chemicals that are required for film processing! Or, you can send your images electronically to a professional processor, and receive professionally produced photos back in the mail in just a few days.

4. Can I get different effects with a digital camera?
That depends on the digital camera. High end models have built-in features that allow different kinds of effects. But even if your digital camera doesn’t have these advanced features, you can always manipulate the photographs on your desktop computer, using any image editing software.

5. Are zooming features comparable?
Here digital cameras actually have a distinct advantage over film cameras. While cheaper digital cameras may only have digital zoom (which is really just a form of in-camera enlargement that results in a lower resolution original image), high end models are available with both digital and optical zooming.

When shopping for your digital camera, give priority to the optical zoom capability and buy the highest power optical zoom that fits within your budget. Digital zoom is a nice extra, but the effects can easily be replicated during the “processing” of the image on your computer, prior to printing the images.

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Digital Cameras: The New Generation

Digital Cameras: The New Generation

With the advent of modern scientific tools, life has become highly sophisticated. There has been a significant evolution in the technology and the lifestyles of the human beings. One of the fine examples of evolution is the advent and craze for digital cameras. A digital camera is equipped with an electronic photosensitive sensor. The photographs are stored digitally in the in-built memory of the camera and can be directly uploaded on a computer for viewing and printing. There is no need for buying films or getting them processed with these modern gadgets.

The craze for using the cameras can be traced back to the 16th century. Man has used the cameras to capture the history or larger-than-life-events. As the science has expanded in this ever-shrinking world, the expansion of camera technology has soared to new heights. From the normal camera, the world has stepped into the era of digital cameras. These cameras have brought in a complete revolution in the camera industry.

The features of digital camera are so unique and advanced, that handling the camera has become a child’s play. Before you go and buy your digital camera, you should know some basic information on these modern weapons. You must pick the right camera to capture your precious moments.

How a Digital Camera Works

The basic difference between a digital camera and normal camera is that a normal camera uses a film to store the photographic images, while a digital camera uses an in-built memory to store the photographs in digital format. The lens of the digital camera focuses the light directly on to a semiconductor device. This device records the light electronically. The computer then breaks and stores this electronic data into digital data, which gets stored in the memory of the camera and can be transferred on to a computer.

Charge Coupled Device (CCD) is employed as the image sensors in the digital cameras. These charge coupled devices are responsible for converting the light into electronic forms. The CCD is made up of light sensitive diodes which accumulate electrons when hit by a beam of light. The prominently used CCDs are the triple CCD cameras. The product of these cameras is superb as the three CCDs react separately to the three basic colors such as red, blue and green. The end result is fantastic. These electronic symbols are then stored as digital data in the digital camera.

Buying a Digital Camera

The modern market is booming with various types of digital cameras. Digital cameras vary in function and most of all their mega pixel quality. If you plan to buy a digital camera, prior information about digital cameras would be an added advantage.

First of all you should figure out your need for buying a digital camera. The need for a digital camera helps you narrow your search for the best camera, suited to your requirements. You might want to buy a digital camera for posting photographs on the net, using photos for professional graphics work, to get a better-quality photographs and much more.

Next thing you should determine is the resolution you require in a digital camera. There are broadly 5 classifications of resolutions for digital cameras. These resolutions are expressed as mega-pixels. The higher the resolution of a camera, the better quality photograph it will produce. There are cameras available with 6 and 7 mega-pixels however, anything above 4 mega-pixels will produce really great photos.

Now buying a digital camera should be easy!

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Digital Cameras – 10 Tips

Digital Cameras – 10 Tips

To Get Great Pictures

Photography is an art, and therefore there are no set rules for getting the perfect pictures. The following tips, however, will help to improve your photographic style, experiment, and get great pictures on a regular basis. Whether your subject is a child, a pet, or nature, try some of these tips on your next photographic foray.

1. Get on Their Level – With a live subject it is important to get at eye-level before taking the shot. For children and pets this may mean kneeling, squatting, sitting or even lying down to get on the same level as your subject. While it is fun to experiment with different angles, you will have much greater success if you look your subject in the eye.

2. Fill out the Frame – Photographs are more powerful and interesting if the subject fills out the frame. Many photographers make the mistake of being too far from the subject. It is best to zoom in close enough the that the subject reaches or goes just beyond the edges of the photo frame in your view finder. This allows the viewer to see more detail and expression, and prevents the background from taking over the photograph.

3. Get a Little Closer – When you think your shot is set, try taking a few steps closer. Get in closer to your subject will show detail and emotion that add interest to your photographs.

4. Simple backdrop – When photographing a specific subject be aware of what is going on behind them. You want to choose a backdrop that will not distract or obscure the look of the subject. Choose plain color background or simple natural greenery with few accents to really highlight your subject.

5. Use the Flash – Most people think that outdoor photos never require the use of a flash, but that is not the case. When the sun is at its brightest, can be the time when it casts the most shadow. Adding a flash on an already sunny day can even-out the shadows cast by wrinkles, strange angles, or other people. Just make sure that your camera flash is close enough to the subject to be effective.

6. Watch the Light -- Light is one of the most important factors in photo taking. When you get ready to take a shot, pause for a moment to take accounting of where the sun is and what shadows may be obscuring the view. You don’t want your subject squinting into the sun, nor do you want the light so bright behind them that it makes the subject look dark in comparison.

7. Go Vertical – Don’t get stuck in a rut. Many pictures would look better if you just turned them vertically. There are certain subjects that lend themselves to a vertical framing such as lighthouses, the Eiffel tower, or a beautiful tree. Try going vertical with some less likely subjects to see the difference it will make.

8. Get out of the Middle – Another common mistake photographers make is to put the subject of the photograph directly in the middle of the frame. This technique is usually not the most pleasing to the eye. Instead shift your subject to one of the four corners of the frame so that it is prominent, but not center stage.

9. Steady does it – Make sure the camera is steady when you are taking photos. A steady camera will prevent a blurry photo. If you are not the best at holding steady consider using a tripod to get a clear shot.

10. Shoot Away – If you really want to get better pictures, take more pictures, more frequently. With a digital camera it is no longer a waste to snap away. Feel free to take a lot of photos of the same subject, just varying the angle, lighting, or backdrop. Experimenting will allow you to find the tricks that work best for you, and will ensure that you will have at least a few great shots of each subject.

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Digital Camera Ling Every advance in technology

Digital Camera Ling Every advance in technology

creates new terms, acronyms and definitions. The digital camera revolution is no different. When shopping for your first digital camera, it is always good to know the lingo. Saves you from that stupid feeling one often gets when speaking with sales people. I hope this glossary helps.

Aperture

The size of the lens opening, which controls how much light, passes through the lens. Aperture is measured in f-stops. A higher number equals a smaller amount of light. Most digital
cameras allow manual aperture settings.

Auto Focus

This feature automatically focuses your picture at the touch of a button. By pressing slightly on the shutter release, the auto focus feature of the camera is activated.

CCD

The CCD (charged couple device) is the electronic imaging device that forms your picture in the camera. In other words, it is the electronic version of film for a digital camera. The higher pixel counts in the CCD, the more detailed image.

Digital Image Stabilization

A process by which blurring in pictures caused by camera movement is minimized and possibly eliminated.

Digital Zoom

A function which can enlarge a picture by increasing the size of the pixels. This often results in some fuzziness of the subject.

DPI

DPI stands for dots per inch. It also refers to the resolutions of the picture. The higher the DPI, the sharper the picture.

F-Stop

F-stop is the number assigned to a particular size opening on the aperture. The higher the number, the small the opening. Larger numbers admit less light; smaller numbers admit more light.

File Format

This is the way digital pictures are stored. The most common formats are jpeg, GIF, tiff and RAW. The format being used appears at the end of the file name.

Gigabyte

A gigabyte (GB) is a measure of data storage capacity. It is approximately on billion bytes.

LCD Screen

The liquid crystal display (LCD) screen is used to set and view digital pictures immediately after taking them.

Macro

A feature that allows a camera to take extreme close-ups of the subject.

Megabyte

A megabyte (MB) is a measure of data storage capacity. It is approximately one million bytes.

Megapixel

A megapixel is a unit of measurement in a digital picture. A megapixel equals on million pixels. The higher the megapixel total the higher the picture resolution.

Memory Card / Media Card

A memory card is a small electronic device that stores images. Storage capacities range from 16 MB to 4 GB. It is capable of storing still images or video.

Noise

Graininess in an image, caused by too little light or a defect in the electrical signal generated during the image capture process.

Optical Zoom

A type of zoom on a digital camera that enlarges the subject by the use of glass lenses. It is the most important type of zoom on a digital camera.

Recycling Time

This is the amount of time it takes for a digital camera to ready itself for the next shot.

Red Eye Reduction/Red Eye Removal

This is a process by which red eye coloring is reduced or eliminated. Red eye is more common in low light situations when the pupils are wide open. Light reflecting off the back of the eye causes it.

Scene Modes

Scene modes are pre-set programs in a digital camera that adjusts the camera to specific picture taking situations.

USB Connectivity

A popular way of connecting all sorts of devices such as a digital camera to computers. USB connectivity is used to download your photos from the camera to the computer.

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Digital Camera Carrying Case

Digital Camera Carrying Case

Change The Way You Take Pictures

A quality carrying case is an essential element for capturing good pictures. Digital cameras are highly susceptible to scratching and damage from transport. Not only does a digital camera carrying case protect digital cameras, but it makes photographers more efficient. Continue reading for the many advantages and options available for digital camera carrying cases.

Digital cameras have many delicate components that need to be protected. Protecting a digital camera will help your digital camera last longer and avoid expensive repair costs. A particular camera case manufacturer, M-Rock, has developed a camera case with a rigid, yet cushiony structure, that is protected from water, weather, and pressure. Using closed cell foam and plastic panels, the M-Rock camera case is very efficient at protecting cameras.

Carries Accessories and Supplies. A quality camera case makes photographers more efficient because they can effectively carry all the necessary supplies at all times. Camera cases made by M-Rock have at least two outside pockets for easy access, and plenty of interior room for extra lenses, batteries, or film.

Clings on for active photography. Quality digital camera cases, like those created by M-Rock, are modular, meaning they can attach to other camera cases, or onto the modular belt. All M-Rock camera cases have two large belt loops on the back for easy mounting. Any photographer can tell you how great it is to have the camera right there at your side when needed.

Visit M-Rock.com today and see why all types of photographers are choosing M-Rock camera cases over the leading competitors. They offer the many traditional advantages of quality camera cases, and have enhanced the case with many user friendly features. An M-Rock camera case can change the way you take pictures.

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Digital Photography

Digital Photography

Digital cameras were first conceived by Eugene F. Lally as a means to record still images of the planets and stars during manned planetary missions. Working for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, he suggested an all-optical guidance system for these missions.

In 1961 Mr. Lally wrote a paper titled "Mosaic Guidance for Interplanetary Travel," which was published at the American Rocket Society convention. His plan created a mosaic image plane made up of tiny sensors to record these still images. The sensors were identified as "mosaic detectors" and were eventually called "pixels" in today's digital photography.

In the early 1970s this idea resurfaced in the form of digital cameras used for still photography. In addition to his original ideas, Mr. Lally envisioned a means of approaching automatic white balance that was accurate; this was originally used in Nikon cameras with 3D color matrix metering.

Video tape recorders were the forerunners of digital cameras, the first being developed in 1951; these captured the live images from television cameras and stored these images in digital form on tapes that were magnetic. Put into common use in television the VTR was pioneered by Bing Crosby Labs.

In 1972 Texas Instruments patented the first filmless cameras and were followed nine years later by Sony Corporation's release of the Mavica still camera. Mini discs were used to record the information for the Mavica, and they in turn read the data into a television or color printer.

Kodak has done the true pioneering for digital cameras as we know them today. They created several solid-state sensors, which converted pictures and light directly to digital form. In 1986 they released the first megapixel digital camera; this camera was able to record 1.4 million pixels and had the ability to create a photo-quality print that was 5x7 inches.

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Digital Photography Tips

Digital Photography Tips

Taking control of the flash on your digital camera goes a long way in the quality of your photographs. Having the flash go off when you want it to instead of when the camera thinks it should makes a big difference in taking outdoor portraits.

By changing from the flash on to the fill flash mode (a little-known but wonderful feature), your camera exposes the background first, and then adds enough light to illuminate your subject. This results in a professional-quality print in which everything looks good in the picture. 

This is a technique wedding photographers have used for a long time. Try placing the subject in the open shade of a tree and turn on the fill flash. The background is exposed properly and the portrait comes out beautifully. Keep in mind that most built-in digital camera flashes have a range of 10 feet or less, so don't stand too far away for your pictures.

There are many variations you can use once you learn to use your flash outdoors; one is to position them so the sun shines on the side or back of their hair. Referred to as rim lighting, you can create spectacular shots with this lighting technique. Try placing your subject in the shade and use the flash to take the photo. This helps eliminate the squinty eye shot, and helps keep the person cool and comfortable, allowing for a more relaxed picture.

Another important but often overlooked part of the world is at your feet, there is an entire world down there that we pay little if any attention to. Try using the close up feature on your camera (instead of lying on your belly on the ground). There are photos just waiting to be taken that are quite beautiful.

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Digital Image File Compression

Digital Image File Compression

Image file compression algorithms come in two types, lossy and lossless:

* Lossless compression reduces the file size with no loss to the quality of the image, even though the compression ratios may be weak. If an image is to be printed or the quality is more important than the file size, lossless algorithms are preferred.

* Lossy compression takes advantage of the limitations of the human eye and discards information that can't be seen. These algorithms allow for variable levels of compression, and as they are compressed, the file size is reduced. The more the file is compressed, the more the image deteriorates and becomes noticeable; this is called artifacting.

The JPEG software incorporates an algorithm Exif (Exchangeable image file) format used in most cameras. This is used to standardize and record the exchange of data between editing and viewing software and the digital camera. Recorded for individual images, the data includes:

* Time and date
* Shutter speed
* Camera settings
* Exposure
* Image size
* Name of camera
* Color information
* Compression

Using image editors to view the pictures, this information can then be displayed.

PNG, JPEG and GIF are the most common file formats used on the Internet. There are two main families of graphics: raster and vector.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) image files are of the lossy format. Most digital cameras have the ability to save to a JPEG format (the DOS extension for JPEG is JPG).  This format supports 8-bit per color RGB (red, green, and blue) for a 24-bit total, and it creates relatively small files.

In most situations, the compression doesn't distract from the image quality. However, JPEG files do degrade more as they are repeatedly saved, so it is best to store images in a lossless non-JPEG format.

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Digital Formats

Digital Formats

One standardized means of storing and organizing image data in digital photography is the use of image file formats. These files are made up of either pixel or vector (geometric) data, this data is changed to pixels during the display process.

Pixel is the abbreviation for "picture element": "pix" is the common abbreviation for "picture." Pixels are a point in a graphic image -- not really a dot, but a sample of the image.

Image file sizes are expressed in bytes. The bytes increase according to the number of pixels in an image, and the color depth of the pixels also increases the size of the image file.

Image resolution increases with the addition of rows and columns, which also increases the file size.  The image and its storage file increases in size as the color depth is increased. While a 1-byte or an 8-bit pixel can store 256 colors, a 3-byte or 24-bit pixel can store 16 million colors; this is known as truecolor.

Algorithms are used as a method of image compression or decreasing the file in size. Large image files are created by high-resolution cameras, and files can vary from hundreds of kilobytes to many megabytes; this is dependent on the resolution of the camera and the format used to save the images.

A high-resolution digital camera can record 8-megapixel images or more (1 megapixel [MP] is equal to one million pixels). If you were using an 8 MP camera, taking a picture and leaving the files uncompressed, it would require 24,000,000 bytes of memory, because each pixel uses 3 bytes to record true color.

Storing images that size would not be practical, since cameras are required to store many images to make them useful. Image file formats have been developed to address the problem of storing images that large.

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Digital Cameras

 Digital Cameras

A digital camera is an electronic device used to photograph and store images in place of using the former photographic film used in the more conventional cameras.

With additions to the technology of digital cameras, many of them are now multifunctional, including the ability to record sound and videos. In the modern Western market they currently outsell the 35 mm cameras.

Digital cameras can be found in several categories:

* Video cameras: These are designed to record moving images.  Those used in movie and television production usually have many image sensors, usually one per color, which enhances the resolution.  The professional video cameras don't usually have a built-in microphone of VCR.

* Camcorders: These are the video camera of the amateur. They usually have a built-in microphone and a viewing screen to watch the video during recording and playback. Many of the new camcorders can now take still photographs, but even the low-end LPD takes better still photographs than the best of the camcorders. Some of the newer camcorders record directly to flash memory and transfer the data over USB or FireWire.

* Webcams: These are attached to computers for video conferences and viewing of those you talk to while on an IM or video phone call. They have full-motion abilities, while some have zoom abilities and microphones included.

* Movies: Some digital cameras have a movie capability that allows taking movies.

* Live-Preview Digital Cameras (LPD): These are cameras that use live preview on an electronic screen to allow previewing a photograph before you take it. Most digital cameras fall into this category.

Most digital cameras are also known as digicams. Characterized by ease of operation and focusing, the design allows for limited video capability.

The zoom ability of these cameras is quite a bit smaller than on the predecessor of film cameras. With and extended dept of field, objects that are further away can easily be in focus. This accounts for the increased ease of use.

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Digital Cameras Are Versatile

Digital Cameras Are Versatile

There are many uses for a digital camera. The usual means of storage on a digital camera is flash memory; however, it is also possible to find cameras with floppy disks and CD-RWs, which are less common.

The digital camera is used to store the images, or your photographs, until they can later be transferred to your computer.

In addition to taking pictures, digital cameras can also have the capability of recording sound and video. Some have the technology to be used as webcams, which hook up to your computer and allow you to view people as you talk to them through various instant messenger programs.

The quality of webcams ranges from display pictures, which are close to the quality of a television picture, to very low quality, which are grainy and tend to jump a lot. 

Several digital cameras now include PictBridge, which is a means of printing pictures directly from a digital camera to a printer, an industry standard from CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) for direct printing.  These standards are set up to maintain a high quality of technology between competitors without endangering the benefits of competition.

PictBridge eliminates the need to connect your camera to your computer. Some digital cameras have the ability to connect to your television set, and camcorders can also take still photographs, storing them on flash memory cards or videotape.

Digital cameras in most cases can be directly connected to your computer, allowing for storage of pictures and for use as a webcam. They usually include a USB port and a memory card slot.

While limited by storage capacity, many newer digital cameras can record movies, and some of the newer cameras can capture footage at the rate of 30 frames per second, with a display resolution similar to a television screen. They can also connect to and use your computer to store video on the hard disk or DVD recorder of your computer.

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Digital Camera Formats

Digital Camera Formats

Simple diagrams, cartoon-type images, and shapes are best stored on GIF, or Graphic Interchange Format, because it is limited to 256 colors; these are actually the only things that are suited for this format. This format is still widely used for image animation effects because it supports animation. Lossless compression is another reason it is so effective on large areas that have a single color, and is very ineffective on images that are detailed.

BMP, or bitmapped format, is used in Microsoft Windows operating systems to handle graphics images. These files are not usually compressed, which results in large files.

The main advantage to BMP files is that they are simple and widely accepted in the Windows programs. They are not suitable for many of the other operating systems; the large size of these files makes them unsuitable for file transfers.  Scanner images and desktop backgrounds are usually stored in BMP files.

Microsoft has introduced another format called WDP, for media print quality and lossless image compression. This is the image standard, as it has a specific applicability to print media. With the ability to handle a much large range of image types, it is similar to the TIFF format.

The X Window System used XPM format as its default picture format; it is very popular in the Linux world. Based on the string format, it is structured like the C programming language. Designed to be human-readable, is stored as uncompressed plain text, and the pictures may be over twice the size as uncompressed binary bitmap files. This format is usually unsupported by non-Unix software and operating systems.

A wavelet compression format used mostly by Geographic Information Systems is called MrSID, or Multiresolution Seamless Image Database format. It stores massive images of map software from satellites.

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Determining Lines, Inches, and Pixels

Determining Lines, Inches, and Pixels

If we are aware of the size, density, and number of pixels on a sensor and recognize the other variables to a camera's resolution, are we better able to determine the quality of the images a camera can produce? The answer is a resounding no. Pixels are the units of measurement relating to the camera's resolution only, not the image resolution.

Raw camera resolution is shown in pixels, but image resolution is referred to in ppi, or pixels per inch; that is the number of pixels for every square inch of the photo. A 300 ppi image means there are 300 pixels on each square inch of the image.

Because sensors that are the same size can have a different number of pixels, measuring on the ppi scale is unrealistic. An 8" x 10" photo with a 300 ppi actually has more pixels than a 4" x 6" 300 ppi picture.

Another problem arises when you consider that printers are measured in dots per inch or dpi.  Printers use dots of ink to print, not pixels, and different printers use different numbers of dots for each pixel in a picture. The higher the dpi, the higher the quality of the print will be.

Pixels are made of various colors, contrasts, and brightness values; therefore, the more dots of varying colors and quantities, the better the image will be.

Quality photographic prints will require a printer that can print a resolution between 240 and 360 ppi, since this is the resolution required to produce a photo-quality image at a normal viewing distance. What this tells us is that we need to be aware of not only the ppi of the camera, but also the dpi of our printer in order to come up with photographic quality prints.

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Data Storage and File Formats on Digital Cameras

Data Storage and File Formats on Digital Cameras

It uses the existing JPEG, TIFF Rev. 6.0, and RIFF Wave file formats, which are the standard methods of compression for digital photography. They additionally use metadata tags which have caused some discussion as to their usefulness. JPEG 2000 and PNG do not support this technology.

TIFF files provide the Exif tags' structure, and there is a great deal of overlap between the standards of the tags in TIFF, Exif, TIFF/EP, and DCF. A broad range of metadata tags appear in the Exif standard:

* Current date and time recorded on the photos are part of this information.

* Information such as the make and model of the camera.

* Orientation, aperture, focal length, film speed, shutter speed, and metering mode are included, even though they vary with each image.

* Thumbnail prints allow immediate viewing of the picture on the LCD screen.

* A few cameras support a GPS receiver.

* Copyright information and descriptions are available on higher-end cameras.

Most of the older programs do not recognize Exif date, which is embedded within the image file, while many of the recent programs recognize it and will retain the majority of it when writing to a modified image. Some recognize it and display it beside the images.

File formats are one way of recording information for storage in digital cameras; it specifies the use of TIFF or JPEG. TIFF is the highest quality, and JPEG is used to save space at the cost of quality. JPEG is the only format available in many of the less expensive digital cameras.

CCD-RAW is another format you may encounter; the data is processed minimally and must be converted to TIFF or JPRG in order to be edited. This format is not standard.

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Counting Pixels

Counting Pixels

Smaller is not always better, especially when you are dealing with pixels.

Varying in size from one manufacturer to another and even from one camera to another, pixels are the little critters found on your imaging sensor, which are the components that record light on most digital cameras. It therefore makes sense that a larger pixel can record more light if they are larger.

Two sensors with the same number of pixels would be compared as follows: The one with the larger pixels would take a higher quality image than the sensor with the smaller pixels. Scientists have gone crazy reducing things to digital size; a smaller sensor with the same number of pixels would, of course, require smaller pixels.

 

The smaller sensor may be more efficient because of its size, but it won't usually produce the same quality images as the larger sensor with larger pixels will. Miniaturization isn't always the better way to go.

Digital single lens reflex cameras (SLRs) have a better quality of image than compact or point-and-shoot cameras because they have an imaging sensor close to the size of those found on a 35mm film camera. Even the high-end compact cameras costing up to $1,000.00 use a sensor about 1/1.8" or 5.5mm x 4.1mm. Even with a 3-, 4-, or even 5-megapixel sensor, they can't create photos comparable to the 3-megapixel SLR.

Because the technology is relatively new, many customers are confused by pixel numbers, and manufacturers aren't completely upfront when the talk about pixels either.  A camera with 4.3 million pixels may only use 4 megapixels to actually record light information for the image. These are described as the "effective" pixels, and you have to look really hard to find where the manufacturer discusses these in your manual.

However, this is the number you want to use when deciding on the camera's pixel size. If a camera has 3.1 effective megapixels, yet is advertised as a 3.3-megapixel camera, it is still only a 3.1-megapixel camera.

The law requires that the effective pixel count be advertised along with the pixel count, but this isn't always true, so look for it in your cameras manual.

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Compromises Made by Your Digital Camera

Compromises Made by Your Digital Camera

The means your camera uses to take images and translate them from the image sensor to the computer or printer may not be hindered by the compromises it makes during the process.  You will only know this when the photos are being viewed at the time of transfer.

Storage is one of these compromises; digital images take a great deal of space for storage. They need to be managed in a way that ensures enough images can be stored before they need to be downloaded from the camera.

Cameras use different levels of compression to downsize the images for storing them in memory. JPEG is the most widely used standard, it removes information that can't be seen by the human eye anyway. The higher the level of compression, the more information is deleted.

At the higher compression setting, blocks start to appear in the images. This begins to degrade the image quality, making the resulting file size extremely small.  If quality is the most important consideration, avoid JPEG compression. 

The mid- to high-end digital cameras offer different forms of compression, which don't delete any information, by using mathematical algorithms. They compress the file and save it either in TIFF format or as RAW files, which contain only the information the sensor captured with no in camera processing.

Larger file sizes are the result of this lossless file compression format. However, the higher image quality and post processing flexibility makes up for the loss in image storage space.

Another compromise made in digital cameras is the in-camera processing; these create predefined results. Some cameras have sharpening filters which restore the contrast that is lost in edge details when the image goes through the various optical filters.

This process of sharpening in the camera reduces the ability to sharpen the image once it has been downloaded to the computer. Oversharpening can create unnatural and harsh edges and may even cause shifts in color.

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Comparing Film and Digital Cameras

Comparing Film and Digital Cameras

Digital cameras have many advantages over traditional cameras. Some of these advantages are:

* After instantly reviewing the picture, it can be retaken if there is a problem. The photographer simply changes a few settings.

* Taking many shots of the same thing using different settings and angles can be done inexpensively, and you print only the best ones. This is too expensive to accomplish with film cameras.

* Those who want to take hundreds of photos for various uses without printing them can do this at minimal cost.

* Storing large quantities of digital media on the newer computers is much cheaper than film.

* No degradation occurs when copying images from one medium to another.

* You can view pictures on your computer without having to scan them first.

* With a consumer-grade printer and a computer, you can print your own photos.

* Film cameras of equal quality are often much larger than digital cameras.

* While it is necessary to change film after 24 to 36 shots, you can store hundreds of images on the same card in a digital camera.

* With many of the new cameras, you can view your photos on the television with an AV-out function that is included.

* It is easy and inexpensive to experiment with the settings on a digital camera. With a film camera, you could use up many rolls of film trying to learn to use it.

* Some printers can communicate directly with your camera, or its memory card; you don't need a computer to print your pictures.

* Digital cameras make it easy to add information to your pictures, such as time and date.

* Sharper images are now possible with digitals due to the anti-shake tools, making tripods nearly obsolete.

* A color darkroom is as close as your computer, and you can now avoid the very expensive photo labs.

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Choosing the Best Digital Camera

Choosing the Best Digital Camera

Today's digital cameras have gone way beyond just point and shoot. They come with dozens of features, meaning you can customize your camera to your specific needs.

Some of the things you will want to look into when purchasing your camera are confusing, so make sure you know what you are looking for when you go shopping.

The quality of the resolution of your photos is determined by the megapixels (mps) of your camera. Tiny dots called pixels make up your digital photos; a megapixel means 1,000 pixels, or 1,000 dots.

The higher the number of pixels your camera has, the better the resolution of your photos. If you want to crop your pictures or plan on printing larger prints, you need to be sure you purchase a camera that can meet those needs. 

Optical or digital zooms are available on digital cameras. Optical zoom is like the one on a traditional camera and works the same way -- it goes out, bringing you closer, or in, to take you further away from the subject.  A digital zoom takes the picture as it is and enlarges it; this can lose image quality because it is simply enlarging the pixels (dots) of the picture. Pictures may seem blurry or out of focus.

Preserving the image quality can be as simple as turning off the digital zoom feature on your camera.  Later, during editing, you can zoom in on a specific part of the photo with much better results.

A manual focus can be a great deal of fun, allowing you to focus in and make different parts of the photo stand out.  This allows for a lot of creativity in

your work. And most cameras still have an autofocus, so you can go back to the basics if your aren't feeling extremely creative.

Think about the features that are important to you and look for those features. One important thing to remember is that you will be carrying it around, so consider the size when you purchase your camera.

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Change Brought About by Digital Photography

Change Brought About by Digital Photography

Two-megapixel cameras were offered for less than $100.00 in late 2002, with some one-megapixel cameras offered for under $60.00.  Discount stores began offering development and processing of digital prints for their customers, offering actual chemical prints in an hour. This was in comparison with inkjet prints they could get from their computers.

These prints were about the same price as film prints, even though the different aspect ratio in digitals showed people that 4x6 digital print cropped some of the image.  Some stores now offer prints with the exact same ratios as digital cameras record. The single-use digital camera was introduced in 2003 at a cost of only $11.00. This camera followed the same simple process as the disposable film cameras.

The purchaser would return the camera to the store; receive prints and a CD-ROM of their pictures.  The store then refurbishes the camera and it is sold again. This was the major difference between the one-use digital camera and the disposable film camera.

There are now several of these one-use digitals on the market, most of which are identical in function and specifications to the original one-use put out in 2003.  However, a few now have superior specifications and are more technologically advanced.  These one-use digitals are for the most part less than $20.00 in the stores; this of course does not include the cost of processing the film.

The high demand for digital cameras has increased the number of customer complaints as manufacturers cut corners to maintain competitive prices, with some digital cameras having only a 90-day warranty necessary due to the short service life.

Due to the sharp drop in the price of 35mm cameras, many manufacturers have stopped producing them completely, with one major company dropping out of the camera business altogether.

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Buying a Digital Camera

Buying a Digital Camera

The price of digital cameras has been lowered dramatically as the popularity increases. You can now purchase a digital camera for anywhere from $30 to $400. As always, remember that you get what you pay for, and don't expect to get top quality photos from a cheap camera; you may end up disappointed!

There are many types of digital cameras on the market, and it will help if you know what they are when you start to shop. Some of the newest models are Digital SLR, Electronic View Finders, and Range Finders.

Digital SLRs are very much like film-loaded cameras. A series of mirrors and prisms control the optical path to produce a digital image on the LCD screen. You actually see what you are photographing when you look through the lens.

Electronic View Finders and Range Finders work much like a video camera, and optical view finder controls the picture instead of a lens. You don't look through a lens to take a picture; instead, you are looking at a digital image.

Many of these cameras have the technology to allow video footage; therefore, it is enabled by the manufacturer. You can shoot up to three minutes of video footage depending on the quality of the digital camera you are using.

Your new camera should have at least 2 megapixels resolution; anything up to 8 MP will provide great shots. 1.9-2.5 MP seems to be standard on today's market, but you can get more than 8 MP in some cameras on the professional market. Any less than 2 megapixels with frequently create poor-quality pictures that are fuzzy and blurred.

Ask to see samples of the pictures taken by that specific camera before you buy, and check the focus and zoom. The quality of the lens will make a big difference in your photos, so be sure it has a good lens. Another important item on your digital camera is a flash; without this, you will not be able to take pictures inside.

Understand all of the features and controls before you purchase your new digital camera. It can be confusing to remember how it works when you get the camera home if you don't understand how each feature works.

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Advantages of Going Digital

Advantages of Going Digital

Many photographers are hearing the word "digital" nowadays. Digital photography is innovative and new, still in its infancy, and it is a wonderful photographic tool.

Tourists, among other photographic amateurs, love digital cameras. Family photos, graphic design, security, advertising, fashion, and inventory control are only a few of the ways you can use digital photography.

If you are one of those who love to capture life at its best and worst, digital photography is the new wave. The family vacation is much easier to record, and you can take hundreds more photos to put in the family photo album!

Advantages of Going Digital

The fundamentals of digital and film cameras are the same when taking a picture. The big difference is that with digital photography you get instant results, as you can view your picture on the LCD screen of the camera. With a conventional camera, you have to wait for film processing to get the pleasure of seeing what you have taken.

With a digital camera you can delete the pictures you don't like, while film again requires you to wait, as well as spend time and money, on processing photos that you may not even want.

Electrical information is processed into digital information by the use of electronic chips in digital cameras. Millions of tiny receptors convert the energy into a digital image.

The color elements used are called pixels, and the standard pixel is the megapixel (MP).  Megapixel identifies the number of sensors needed to convert the information into a digital image. A camera with 8 megapixels of resolution is equal to about 8 million sensors.

The higher the number of megapixels, the better resolution and better quality of the photo you will receive. Good quality 4 x 6 photos can be taken with a 1.9-megapixel camera.

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Advantages of Digital Photography

Advantages of Digital Photography

The quality of the images on the new digital cameras, and the time limits that are so vitally important in the newspaper industry, have made digital photography the norm with most professional news photographers.

Many amateur photographers have also adopted the digital camera as their camera of choice. They enjoy the convenience of sending photos by email, being able to put them on the web, and displaying them in digital picture frames.  Many cell phones now have digital cameras included in them, even though the small lens size of these phones reduces the quality of the pictures, making them unsuitable for making prints.

The quality of pictures taken on even the best digital cameras is not considered to be anywhere near the quality of regular film. Therefore, many commercial photographers and even some artistic amateurs resist using digital technology for their photography purposes.

Film also has a much greater resolution than even the best of digital projectors. Other professionals have embraced with enthusiasm the digital cameras, believing that the lower long-term costs in flexibility outweigh the initial high costs.

 Advantages of Digital Photography

Unlike film photography, which requires constant expenditures to update and maintain equipment, nearly all expense in digital photography is the initial cost of the equipment.  However, film equipment lasts longer and doesn't become obsolete as quickly as digital cameras.

Many professionals have changed to digital photography because of the advantages of editing on a computer. This includes the ability to balance the color and manipulate images in a way that are not possible with conventional film photography.

A further disadvantage to digital photography is the need to have electrical outlets to charge batteries on digital cameras. Digital cameras are also much more sensitive to climate, extreme cold, and moisture than standard cameras, which cause photographers who work in remote areas to prefer the more conventional film camera.

Some fear that the changing technology of computers will eventually make the digital photography taken today inaccessible in the future. Digital photography in the courts is also held to be very questionable because of the inability to prove the photograph's authenticity.

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Advantages of Digital Photography to the Professional

Advantages of Digital Photography to the Professional

The professional photographer and the amateur photographer can find many advantages to digital photography. These include, but are not limited to:

* Without wasting storage space, the professional photographer can review, edit, and even remove a photo, while assessing composition and lighting.

* The versatility of management, including color and file, manipulation, and printing abilities, creates a much faster workflow than film cameras.

* It is much easier to modify and manipulate digital images than it is to modify negatives and prints.

* Special effects that are available on a digital camera can give much more dramatic results than film cameras.

* With the clear images provided by new digital cameras, tripods are a thing of the past in most instances. This is due to the anti-shake tools now available.

 Advantages of Digital Photography to the Professional

* Hundreds of images can be stored on your computer with a minimum of space allowing easy access for editing. It is much less expensive to store data on a computer than on rolls of film and negatives. In addition, the professional can take time to view them, saving only the best for use.

* Digital cameras are much more compact, allowing a freedom of movement when going on difficult shoots.

* Reviewing images and techniques are much easier as data can be stored directly on the photo, including; camera type, date and time, film speed, flash used, and shutter speed.

* Hundreds of photos can be taken without the need to constantly change film.

* Your home darkroom is now color, and editing your pictures is much less expensive. This eliminates the high cost of film processing and the added problems of storing rolls of file and negatives.

Manufacturers are now promoting the use of digital cameras to photojournalists by increasing the quality of cameras, by developing a quality of photograph that is comparable to 35mm models of the past.

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Advantages of Digital Cameras

Advantages of Digital Cameras

There are many advantages when comparing digital photography to traditional film cameras. These include:

* Data can be stored on the image including date and time, type of camera, film speed and shutter speed (this is great for vacations); this assists in reviewing photos at a later date.

* The use of a tripod is all but eliminated due to the anti-shake tools in digital cameras.

* You can capture hundreds of photos for emailing and graphic uses without the need to print all of them and scan them into your computer.

* You print only the pictures you want, so you can take a lot of pictures. And, by changing the settings slightly, you can take as many shots as you want choosing only the best quality to keep.

* Storing photos on a computer is a lot cheaper than storing them on film, and they are much easier to access.

 Advantages of Digital Cameras

* With a consumer-grade printer, you can communicate directly with your camera or its memory card and print your own pictures.

* You can immediately view your pictures. If you don't like the picture, just take it over again!

* Film cameras are much larger than digital cameras with equal quality.

* Without the expense of developing film, you can experiment with the settings on a digital camera, allowing you to learn new techniques with no additional cost.

* Film cameras require a change of film every 24 to 36 pictures, with digital photography you can store hundreds of images on the same media device.

* Digital cameras can now be hooked up to your television, allowing you to review your photos with an audience.

* You have a home color darkroom for editing your pictures without the expense of a darkroom and its many chemicals.

* No more scanning of photos to view them on your computer.

* You don't have to pay the high cost of film processing and store many, many rolls of film and photographs.

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Additional Storage for Your Digital Camera

Additional Storage for Your Digital Camera

When planning the budget for your new digital camera, include the cost of an extra memory card.  The cards that come with your camera aren't nearly enough memory to take the number of pictures you would like to take, so get a bigger card right off the bat.

A 3-megapixel camera should have at least a 256 MB card; a 4-megapixel camera needs at a minimum a 512 MB card.  Any camera with 6 or more megapixels should have a 1 GB card.  This will eliminate the possibility of ever missing a shot because your memory card is full, or even worse, having to choose which photo to delete because you have found one more that you just have to take!

Being able to shoot at your camera's highest resolution is another important reason to have a massive memory card.  Spending money on a 6-megapixel digicam should also include shooting with all 6 megapixels!

Another thing to remember is to shoot at the camera's highest compression setting, too. Squeezing more images onto your memory card by shooting at a lower resolution and with lower quality compression settings will only cause regret later.  You never know when you will shoot the next great photo. (Do you think the photographer left home that morning knowing he would photograph the nurse kissing the soldier? That photo turned out to be the most well-recognized photo taken at the end of the war!)

Don't chance missing a great shot with poor quality. Another thing to remember is that the lower the resolution of your photos, the smaller the print will have to be to remain clear. No posters can be made with a 640 x 480 resolution. Not exactly what you will want to display at your first gallery showing!

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