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Digital Cameras - Buyers Guide |
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Digital Cameras - Buyers GuideDigital cameras are fast replacing traditional film cameras. They're easy to use with no films to buy. The results are instant, view your shots on a screen and if you don't like it, delete it and shoot it again.
Resolution How many megapixels do you need and why? 
Resolution refers to the number of pixels (picture elements) that make up an image.
Basically, more pixels will mean a better quality of print. Digital cameras come in a range of resolutions from 0.3 megapixels up to around 5 megapixels. A megapixel is 1 million pixels. The resolution you choose will depend on what you want to do with your photos. 
1 Megapixel - Cameras with between 1 megapixel are ideal for emailing photos, posting them on web sites and can give enough resolution to print out standard size photographs. 2 Megapixels - Cameras with 2 megapixels can be used for emailing photos, posting them on websites and for printing good quality standard size prints using a high quality printer and photo quality paper. 3 Megapixels - Cameras with 3 megapixel resolution produces more detailed images on larger size prints which can be enlarged up to A4 without significant loss of quality. 4+ Megapixels - Cameras with 4+ megapixel resolution produces superbly detailed images on standard size and larger prints and can be enlarged up to A3 without significant loss of quality. Memory 
No more films to buy. Store your photos on a memory card and transfer them tp your PC
Digital cameras differ from normal cameras in that they don't use film to store the images. They currently use a variety of storage methods to digitally store your pictures so that you can transfer them to your computer. The more megabytes (Mb) of memory a card has, the more photos you can store. Memory Stick 
About the size of a stick of chewing gum the Memory stick from Sony is available in various sizes, up to 128MB with larger versions on the way. Memory stick is very flexible. The sticks can be used in just about any digital media from
camcorders to MP3 players.
Direct photo printers have memory card slots so you can insert the memory card and print them directly from here. SD Cards 
SD (Secure Digital) cards are around the same size as a postage stamp. They're used in devices such as camcorders, PDAs and other digital devices such as PDA's and MP3 players. They can currently hold up to 256MB of data but larger versions are promised.
Compact Flash & Smart Media Cards 
Compact flash and smart media cards are only used in digital still cameras. Principally from Kodak, Fuji and Canon. They are larger but thinner than SD cards and can hold up to 512MB.
Internal Memory Some digital stills cameras have an internal (RAM) memory instead or as well as memory cards. (You can download images from your camera (via a cable) to your PC or even direct to your printer). 
*All capacities stated are the approximate number of photos stored with your camera in high resolution JPEG without compression Taking Pictures Digital Cameras are often bristling with features. Here are just a few of them. Focus Most cameras have auto focus but can you have also find manual focus override or fixed focus, giving you more options when taking your photos. Zoom Digital cameras offer two types of zoom: Optical and Digital zoom. Optical zoom is most important. When you move the lens optical zoom magnifies and also maintains the image quality. Digital zoom makes the size of each pixel bigger but the image quality is reduced. Many digital cameras offer both digital and optical zoom, which then results in high image quality when you magnify and image. Auto Exposure Choose a specific AE mode depending on the type of photograph you want and the surrounding conditions e.g. landscape mode will focus on objects in the distance rather than foreground, or twilight mode will prevent a brighter dolour in a dark place from looking washed out. Flash Most cameras have a built in flash to enable photos to be taken when light levels are low. They often come with various modes such as red-eye reduction flash mode, auto mode and others. Built-in Screens 
Most digital cameras have an built-in screen, which allows you to preview the image you
have just taken, so you can delete the images you don't like. It also provides easy access to camera settings and features via the on-screen menu controls.
Movie Mode Some digital cameras allow you to record short movies. Some even have an MPEG HQ mode for high quality clips and sound recording. The images will not be as high resolution as camcorder recordings but can be sent via email. Continuous Shooting The camera will continue to take photographs whilst the shutter button is depressed. Ideal for capturing sports events. Speakers Some cameras can record and playback sound with movie clips, so have small in built speakers. Share Share your pictures with friends and family quickly The beauty of digital cameras is that you can share your pictures with friends and family easily by printing the photos you want, emailing them or putting them on the web. Docking Cradles Some digital cameras have cradles to make it easier to download your images onto PC. You keep the cradle permanently attached to your PC, and when you want to transfer pictures from the camera you just slot it in to the cradle and the transfer takes place automatically. Some cradles also operate as a charging facility for the camera. 
Serial / USB These cameras plug directly into a port on your PC with an appropriate Serial or USB cable. USB cables enable fast downloading of your images on to PC. Infra Red Some top end digital cameras have infrared ports enabling you to transfer images from your camera to your PC with out the use of any cables. Video Out Allows you to connect from your camera to TV so you can see your pictures on your TV. Direct Printing Some digital cameras will allow you connect directly to a compatible printer so there's no need for a PC. You can select the pictures you want to print on the LCD screen and simply press print. Some printers have slots for memory cards so you can slot the memory card from your camera directly into your printer and print the pictures. The downfall of these printing methods is that there is no picture editing facility. Accessories Accessories are the little things that makes the difference. Docking Cradles Simply place your digital camera in the cradle, push the button and your pictures will automatically transfer to your computer. Some docking cradles will charge your camera's battery. 
Printers
Adding a photo printer completes a desktop photo lab for digital camera enthusiasts. Some printers are now capable of printing direct from a digital camera or memory card. Batteries Check the specifications of your digital camera to see if you require AA batteries or rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries. Memory Add extra memory to your camera by choosing a more powerful memory card. This will allow you to store bigger pictures and more of them. 
Memory Reader
Connect a memory reader to a computer and insert your media card - this allows you to quickly and easily download images. Most memory readers include photo editing software. Bags A bag for your digital camera is the ideal way to protect your investment and store memory cards and batteries. Digital Imaging Step by Step Introduction The digital age is revolutionising photography. Digital technology has changed the way we look at photos and photography. Digital cameras have memory rather than film, scanners can digitise existing images onto you PC, photo-quality printers can produce traditional photos in your own home or you can use an online digital printing service to print them for you Digital cameras have all the benefits of a compact camera plus they allow you to store and display photos on your PC. From there you can print them out, email them to friends or get them developed. And you have full control over which prints you want to see. 
Digital cameras have re-usable memory cards rather than film. The bigger the memory card, the more images can be stored at any one time. For example a 64Mb SmartMedia card will store up to 360 images on a 1.3m pixel camera. Step by Step 
Shoot Your Pictures Take your digital photos using your digital camera. Make sure you use all the features on offer to get the best shot. Save and Store Them Digital cameras use memory instead of film to store images. The memory varies from Memory stick, SD cards, Compact flash, media cards and internal memory. The great thing with this memory is that, if you don't like an image, you can delete it and take another one. Transfer Them From the Camera Once you have saved images onto your camera, you can then transfer them onto your PC or laptop via a direct connection such as USB, or docking station. You can save your images on your PC and create a virtual photo album. If you have a memory card and a direct photo printer, you can insert your memory card into the printer memory card slot and print direct from there. Edit Your Pictures Once your images are downloaded onto your PC or laptop, you can manipulate them using photo editing software. Colours can be altered and the brightness, contrast and sharpness improved. Most software allows you to combine one picture with another or remove unwanted objects. Share Your Pictures Send you favourite images via Email or set up a website using online photo album services. If you have a CD/DVD writer you can also burn them onto CD or DVD. There are 3 ways to get your images printed: 1. Print your images at home using a photo printer. 2. Email them to a photo printing company and order your prints. 3. Take a CD of your photos to a photo-processing shop that handles digital images. 
This Product Guide was provided by kind permmission of Comet. Comet checks competitors' prices, then lowers their own. |
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