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There are really great advantages in digital photography:
You can shoot till you drop
Taking digital images on your camera has no implication other then you have captured the image. Then you can
review each image on the small screen on the back of your camera. You can shoot as many pictures of the same scene as you like
store them in memory delete the ones that you do not like and print the one(s) you like.
Each image is a winner
Alternatively you can put an image up on a computer screen or email it to all you friends can black mail be
this easy?
Print at home or in a lab
You can print your image at home on a photo printer turn your image into a greeting card, calendar, or a whole
other list of photo memorabilia. Or hand over the job to the
professionals.
So what digital camera should I buy?
A question we are often asked is what sort of camera should I buy? There are literally hundreds
of different models available from a large number of well known manufacturers.
This is a difficult question, which might be answered in a complex way. Rather, here we have
tried to emphasise the salient points and assist you in your decision.
Key components of the camera, which will influence your buying decision will
include:
What do I want to use the camera for? How big an image can I print? Does the camera have a
zoom? What size and weight is the camera?
How big an image can I print?
No longer for only the rich, digital cameras are affordable for almost everyone, including you. With the
advanced technology of today, what used to be expensive a year ago is now only a fraction of the price. To find a digital camera
that fits your budget, you can find great deals at a local electronics store or you can look for even better and wider options
online.
Does the camera have a zoom?
In past times zoom lenses were regarded as second best because of their distortion and fogging. This is no
longer the case zoom lenses are truly brilliant. 3 x zooms are common and 6 x zooms feature on the more expensive cameras. So you
can have a single lens which covers both wide angle views and provides a short telephoto. All very usefully packaged in a
lightweight camera.
Beware of Digital Zoom. This is a technique, which zooms in on a portion of the image by processing the picture
and interpolating the image between pixels a technique which always produces inferior results.
What is the size and weight of the camera?
Digital cameras do not have to be bulky or heavy. Indeed there are some very small models available, which will
fit inside a handbag. However the more sophisticated gear tends to be bulkier and heavier. Professional models with
interchangeable lenses and external flash guns will require their own hold all.
Making the Right Selection
There is a fantastic range of digital cameras available on the market. Nonetheless manufacturers focus on their
customers and target specific models at certain sectors of the market. The table below summarises the information, which we have
discussed.
Basic camera
A fixed lens camera priced at less than 50 [Or $90 USD] which takes digital images of up to 1
MegaPixel - will be adequate for computer or television screen display.
Party Camera
A compact design camera with a fixed lens cost up to 150 [Or $280 USD] - taking images of up to
2 MegaPixel - will generate good quality images suitable for printing up to 4 x 5 inches
Holiday Camera
Another compact design but with a 2 1 zoom lens and costing between 200 and 400 [$350 - $800
USD] taking images or between 3 and 5 MegaPixel which will be suitable for printing up to 10 x 8 inches
Serious Camera
A SLR style camera with a 5 1 zoom lens costing between 600 and 1000 [$1000 - $2000 USD] and producing images
of up to 6 MegaPixel which will produce prints of up to 12 x 16 inches
Professional Camera
An SLR camera with interchangeable lenses and costing upwards of 1,500 [Or around $3000 USD], which will take
images of up to 8 MegaPixel, which will print to poster size.
SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex. These are cameras, which do not have a separate viewfinder. Rather the
operator looks through the lens of the camera. Momentarily before the shutter is opened a mirror flicks up and the light passing
through the lens is allowed to hit the sensitive surface of the camera. In many cases the lens at the front of the camera can be
changed for another type. A variation on this presents the image as seen by the camera in a digital liquid crystal display either
on the back of the camera or through a viewfinder.
Flash. Many of the inexpensive cameras will have on board flash remember that these will only work up to about
10 feet, and they might produce red eye. More expensive cameras will expect the user to use an independent external
flashgun.
Camera Accessories
Most digital cameras come with interface cables and PC software bundled. So if you have a PC at home or work
you can download images from your camera to your PC, do basic editing such as removing red eye and delete the images you do not
want! Your valued images you can store for future generations on CD Rom or another recording medium.
Preserving Memories
In addition to giving you the flexibility to choose which memories you wish to preserve, a digital camera allows you to store those memories on your computer to email to your
friends or print them out to put into traditional photo albums. You don't even need a printer, as there are places locally that
offer digital photo printing service. You can create memories for many generations to come with a digital camera.
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