SUMMARY: Use your digital camera's noise-reduction technology to clean up noisy night photographs.
When purchasing a digital camera that you plan on using for night photography, see if the camera comes built-in with a noise-reduction mode. This feature may help in taking RAW or JPG photos in the dark of night.
When you have to increase your ISO settings to compensate for long shutter speeds, noise will be introduced in the photo. Rather that trying to remove it with digital photo editing software, if your digital camera has a noise reduction feature, you can help eliminate this post-processing step.
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Thursday, October 4, 2007
A Full Moon may Enhance a Photo
SUMMARY: Try to add a full moon to your night photos for dramatic effect.
A full moon can be a welcome addition to any night photo, whether it is a picture of a beach, mountain range, or cityscape. It can add drama and suspense to a photograph. It can draw the viewer's eye to a particular area. And, it may make your night photo stand out from others.
To find out when a full moon is visible, you can check through almanacs, your television station's weather forecast, your local newspaper, or weather sites on the Internet such as:
The Weather Channel - http://www.weather.com/
Weather Underground - http://www.weatherunderground.com/
A full moon can be a welcome addition to any night photo, whether it is a picture of a beach, mountain range, or cityscape. It can add drama and suspense to a photograph. It can draw the viewer's eye to a particular area. And, it may make your night photo stand out from others.
To find out when a full moon is visible, you can check through almanacs, your television station's weather forecast, your local newspaper, or weather sites on the Internet such as:
The Weather Channel - http://www.weather.com/
Weather Underground - http://www.weatherunderground.com/
Use Night Program or Scene Mode
SUMMARY: Let your digital camera's presets help you take great night photos.
If you are just starting out taking photos at night, check to see if your digital camera has a special night program or scene mode - read your camera manual. This mode will adjust your camera settings, tuning it to low-light conditions and possibly allowing you to take better night photos than if you were fumbling through other options. If you're not sure about adjusting exposure times and have no idea what ISO means, a one-touch setting may be all you need.
If you are just starting out taking photos at night, check to see if your digital camera has a special night program or scene mode - read your camera manual. This mode will adjust your camera settings, tuning it to low-light conditions and possibly allowing you to take better night photos than if you were fumbling through other options. If you're not sure about adjusting exposure times and have no idea what ISO means, a one-touch setting may be all you need.
Monday, October 1, 2007
How Large a Memory Card Do You Need?
Several factors affect decisions about memory card capacity. First, of course, is how much shooting you do. If you don't take many pictures, then you don't need a high-capacity card.
There are other factors, though. One key consideration is your camera's resolution. The higher the resolution, the fewer the number of picture files that will fit on any given memory card. All other things being equal, an 8 MP camera will produce much larger files than a 5 MP camera.
For example, a 6 MP camera, with an average file size of 3.60 MB (JPEG Fine setting) can save about 140 images to a 512 MB CF card. A 4 MP model, using the same setting, and with an average file size of 2.44 MB, can write about 210 image files to the same capacity card.
Another factor is the file type you shoot and the degree of compression (JPEG only). If you shoot TIFF files, you'll need large capacity cards, because TIFF files are huge. On the other hand, if you shoot at your camera's minimum resolution and save the files as JPEG's with maximum compression, you'll be able to save huge numbers of files.
For example, shooting at VGA resolution (640 x 480) and using maximum JPEG compression, the 4 MP camera above can store over 3,000 image files on a 512 MB card.
Finally, under some circumstances, your ability to download files can affect your decision. For example, if you shoot a lot of pictures when you travel, and you travel a fair amount, larger capacity cards make sense.
There are other factors, though. One key consideration is your camera's resolution. The higher the resolution, the fewer the number of picture files that will fit on any given memory card. All other things being equal, an 8 MP camera will produce much larger files than a 5 MP camera.
For example, a 6 MP camera, with an average file size of 3.60 MB (JPEG Fine setting) can save about 140 images to a 512 MB CF card. A 4 MP model, using the same setting, and with an average file size of 2.44 MB, can write about 210 image files to the same capacity card.
Another factor is the file type you shoot and the degree of compression (JPEG only). If you shoot TIFF files, you'll need large capacity cards, because TIFF files are huge. On the other hand, if you shoot at your camera's minimum resolution and save the files as JPEG's with maximum compression, you'll be able to save huge numbers of files.
For example, shooting at VGA resolution (640 x 480) and using maximum JPEG compression, the 4 MP camera above can store over 3,000 image files on a 512 MB card.
Finally, under some circumstances, your ability to download files can affect your decision. For example, if you shoot a lot of pictures when you travel, and you travel a fair amount, larger capacity cards make sense.
Nikon Digital Cameras - Cool(pix) and Functional
Even though Nikon entered the camera world by 1948, today its digital cameras are well known everywhere. The company started small but always dreamed big. Here is a historical review of Nikon.
Nikon was one of the late starters in the camera world. It established itself after the end of the World War II with the launch of the Nikon I in the year 1948. It took Nikon three years to develop this camera. From its launch, the Nikon I had a lot of problems. This was rectified by the company and another model called the Nikon M was introduced in 1949 which was well accepted by the market.
During the 1950's, Leica (a German make) had the best 35 mm rangefinder cameras. Nikon wanted to surpass Leica, and its pursuit, it came up with the Nikon SP in 1957. This was considered to be one of the best Nikon cameras available at that time.
After this, Nikon continued to innovate and launched the Nikon F single lens reflex (SLR) camera in 1959. The Nikon F set the industry standard for SLR's and became the hot favorite of photo journalists and professional photographers at that time. With the Nikon F, Nikon managed to surpass Leica and became the market leader in this category.
Then, in the year 1980, Nikon hit another milestone. It designed the Nikon F3 which was to be used by NASA astronauts in outer space expeditions. This camera needed to be big enough so that astronauts wearing bulky gloves could easily handle it and at the same time it had to be strong enough to work perfectly in zero gravity situations and withstand the strong rays of the Sun. NASA was very happy with the job done by Nikon and it got more cameras designed for itself in the coming years from the company.
During the 1990s, Nikon continued to innovate by bringing out better and more advanced SLR cameras. It came up with the NIKONOS RS, the world's first underwater auto focus SLR camera in the year 1992. The company also joined hands with Fuji Films and introduced the E2/E2S digital still cameras in 1995. As far as digital cameras were concerned, Nikon entered the digital arena in the year 1997 with the launch of its first digital camera, the COOLPIX100.
Today, the company has expanded itself further, and even opened factories in distant lands such as Poland and the Netherlands. It has entered new areas such as binoculars and telescopes and eyewear. Nikon is also considered to be one of the good makes as far as digital cameras are concerned. Over its 50 year history, Nikon has done a fascinating task of constantly innovating itself and bringing about new technologies in the market. here are the latest cameras by Nikon:
Digital SLR Cameras (D-Series): For advanced, professional users.
Coolpix Cameras: Ranging from 3-5 mega pixels, these are great for everyday users.
Nikon was one of the late starters in the camera world. It established itself after the end of the World War II with the launch of the Nikon I in the year 1948. It took Nikon three years to develop this camera. From its launch, the Nikon I had a lot of problems. This was rectified by the company and another model called the Nikon M was introduced in 1949 which was well accepted by the market.
During the 1950's, Leica (a German make) had the best 35 mm rangefinder cameras. Nikon wanted to surpass Leica, and its pursuit, it came up with the Nikon SP in 1957. This was considered to be one of the best Nikon cameras available at that time.
After this, Nikon continued to innovate and launched the Nikon F single lens reflex (SLR) camera in 1959. The Nikon F set the industry standard for SLR's and became the hot favorite of photo journalists and professional photographers at that time. With the Nikon F, Nikon managed to surpass Leica and became the market leader in this category.
Then, in the year 1980, Nikon hit another milestone. It designed the Nikon F3 which was to be used by NASA astronauts in outer space expeditions. This camera needed to be big enough so that astronauts wearing bulky gloves could easily handle it and at the same time it had to be strong enough to work perfectly in zero gravity situations and withstand the strong rays of the Sun. NASA was very happy with the job done by Nikon and it got more cameras designed for itself in the coming years from the company.
During the 1990s, Nikon continued to innovate by bringing out better and more advanced SLR cameras. It came up with the NIKONOS RS, the world's first underwater auto focus SLR camera in the year 1992. The company also joined hands with Fuji Films and introduced the E2/E2S digital still cameras in 1995. As far as digital cameras were concerned, Nikon entered the digital arena in the year 1997 with the launch of its first digital camera, the COOLPIX100.
Today, the company has expanded itself further, and even opened factories in distant lands such as Poland and the Netherlands. It has entered new areas such as binoculars and telescopes and eyewear. Nikon is also considered to be one of the good makes as far as digital cameras are concerned. Over its 50 year history, Nikon has done a fascinating task of constantly innovating itself and bringing about new technologies in the market. here are the latest cameras by Nikon:
Digital SLR Cameras (D-Series): For advanced, professional users.
Coolpix Cameras: Ranging from 3-5 mega pixels, these are great for everyday users.
The Inkjet Debate: Pigment vs. Dye
Most people agree that an inkjet photo printer can produce excellent photo-quality prints. But there's been some controversy over the two types of ink used in these printers.
Inkjet inks come in two basic types: dye-based and pigment based. Pigment-based inks tend to last longer than dye-based (though dye-based inks have improved significantly in recent years). And pigment-based inks aren't affected as easily by humidity – a long-term consideration.
But dye-based inks produce a less grainy, smoother finish, which is definitely preferable to most photographers. For pure looks, pigment-based inks can't match them.
In the end, the decision is up to you. If longevity is paramount, you may want to select a printer that uses pigment-based inks. But if photo-realistic quality is your prime concern, a printer that uses dye-based inks may be more appropriate.
Inkjet inks come in two basic types: dye-based and pigment based. Pigment-based inks tend to last longer than dye-based (though dye-based inks have improved significantly in recent years). And pigment-based inks aren't affected as easily by humidity – a long-term consideration.
But dye-based inks produce a less grainy, smoother finish, which is definitely preferable to most photographers. For pure looks, pigment-based inks can't match them.
In the end, the decision is up to you. If longevity is paramount, you may want to select a printer that uses pigment-based inks. But if photo-realistic quality is your prime concern, a printer that uses dye-based inks may be more appropriate.
Epson Offers Feature-Packed Portable Printer
The PictureMate is Epson's latest entry in the portable photo printer market, and this little Epson photo printer has everything a portable needs – including a very convenient handle.
The PictureMate uses Epson's six-ink system, so it provides better color than most much bigger four-ink desktop models. And though it's not a speed-printing champ, the Deluxe model can turn out a 4” x 6” print in about 75 seconds.
Epson claims the highest resolution in its class – up to 5760 x 1440 dpi (dots per inch). And lab tests indicate the prints will resist fading up to 100 years when properly displayed behind lass – twice that in an album.
The PictureMate produces true 4” x 6” borderless prints – no perforated paper to mess with. And you can print directly from eight different types of memory card – including SmartMedia. Adapters are available for mini-SD cards and Sony's MemoryStick Pro and Pro Duo.
The PictureMate is PictBridge compatible, and even prints from Bluetooth-enabled devices. The Deluxe model comes with a 2.4” LCD viewer and a half-dozen other added features.
The PictureMate uses Epson's six-ink system, so it provides better color than most much bigger four-ink desktop models. And though it's not a speed-printing champ, the Deluxe model can turn out a 4” x 6” print in about 75 seconds.
Epson claims the highest resolution in its class – up to 5760 x 1440 dpi (dots per inch). And lab tests indicate the prints will resist fading up to 100 years when properly displayed behind lass – twice that in an album.
The PictureMate produces true 4” x 6” borderless prints – no perforated paper to mess with. And you can print directly from eight different types of memory card – including SmartMedia. Adapters are available for mini-SD cards and Sony's MemoryStick Pro and Pro Duo.
The PictureMate is PictBridge compatible, and even prints from Bluetooth-enabled devices. The Deluxe model comes with a 2.4” LCD viewer and a half-dozen other added features.
Is the Best Photo Printer for You Not a Printer?
When is a printer not a printer? When it's an all-in-one, or multifunction. The best photo printer for many people may just be one of these “Swiss Army Knives” of the digital world.
All-in-ones usually combine at least a printer, scanner and stand-alone copier. Many others add fax capability. If you have limited space - or want, but can't afford, three or four devices – consider an all-in-one with photo printing capability.
How's the quality? Remarkably good. Three typical models – the Canon Pixma MP500, the Epson Stylus Photo RX700 and the HP PhotoSmart 3310 – represent a range of prices and all scored very well in reviews. Two are photo-quality printers combined with scanners and copiers. The third – the HP model – also faxes.
Of course, there are many other models – and manufacturers - to choose from. If you're pinching pennies or short on space, one of these all-in-ones can give you good quality prints in a nice combo package.
All-in-ones usually combine at least a printer, scanner and stand-alone copier. Many others add fax capability. If you have limited space - or want, but can't afford, three or four devices – consider an all-in-one with photo printing capability.
How's the quality? Remarkably good. Three typical models – the Canon Pixma MP500, the Epson Stylus Photo RX700 and the HP PhotoSmart 3310 – represent a range of prices and all scored very well in reviews. Two are photo-quality printers combined with scanners and copiers. The third – the HP model – also faxes.
Of course, there are many other models – and manufacturers - to choose from. If you're pinching pennies or short on space, one of these all-in-ones can give you good quality prints in a nice combo package.
About Photo Printers
If you plan to print the pictures you shoot with your digital camera, it's worth the extra few dollars to buy a photo printer. Determining which printers you look at are photo printers is usually pretty easy: the manufacturers usually put the word “photo” in the product's name or description.
Most photo printers are of the inkjet variety – the predominant consumer printing technology. Photo printers often print with smaller “dots” – the droplets of ink that help give inkjet s their name – than plain text printers. And many come with more colors of ink. High-end inkjet photo printers from some manufacturers now come with eight or nine colors of ink.
Color laser printers are also available, though they're much more expensive than many inkjets. A third type of printer is the dye sublimation printer, which uses heat to transfer dyes directly onto the media (paper).
If you print mostly 4” x 6” prints and durability and color are very important to you, consider a dye sublimation printer. Dye sub photo printers use thermal transfer technology to produce prints with a range of colors that's impossible for inkjet printers to match. Three colors are transferred separately to the paper from a plastic film. Temperature variations are used to produce up to 256 shades of each color. Finally a protective laminate layer overlays the entire print.
Dye sublimation technology has two drawbacks, though. First, you can't reasonably use a dye sub photo printer for text, as you could an inkjet photo printer. And, second, the majority of available dye sub printers make prints no larger than 4” x 6”. A few also produce 6” x 8” prints.
Most photo printers are of the inkjet variety – the predominant consumer printing technology. Photo printers often print with smaller “dots” – the droplets of ink that help give inkjet s their name – than plain text printers. And many come with more colors of ink. High-end inkjet photo printers from some manufacturers now come with eight or nine colors of ink.
Color laser printers are also available, though they're much more expensive than many inkjets. A third type of printer is the dye sublimation printer, which uses heat to transfer dyes directly onto the media (paper).
If you print mostly 4” x 6” prints and durability and color are very important to you, consider a dye sublimation printer. Dye sub photo printers use thermal transfer technology to produce prints with a range of colors that's impossible for inkjet printers to match. Three colors are transferred separately to the paper from a plastic film. Temperature variations are used to produce up to 256 shades of each color. Finally a protective laminate layer overlays the entire print.
Dye sublimation technology has two drawbacks, though. First, you can't reasonably use a dye sub photo printer for text, as you could an inkjet photo printer. And, second, the majority of available dye sub printers make prints no larger than 4” x 6”. A few also produce 6” x 8” prints.
HP Conquers Inkjet B&W Issue
Until recently, black and white prints from inkjet printers were famously poor. Most consumer-level printers traditionally produced s B&W prints with definite color tinges. Inkjets could make a nice sepia-tone print, but B&W was a nightmare.
HP's now-discontinued PhotoSmart 7960 was something of a breakthrough photo printer. Unlike other high-end printers, the 7960's eight inks included shades of gray that made this the black and white champ of inkjet printers. Some reviewers raved that the 7960's B&W output rivaled the silver halide prints made with the traditional photographic process.
Now HP has gone the 7960 one better with the nine-ink PhotoSmart 8750 Professional. This HP photo printer isn't for everyone, though – the suggested price is $499.99.
But for those to whom B&W quality is important… who want the ability to print up to 13” x 19” without borders… or who want prints that last (rated for up to 200 years, when stored properly in an album), it's a good choice.
HP's now-discontinued PhotoSmart 7960 was something of a breakthrough photo printer. Unlike other high-end printers, the 7960's eight inks included shades of gray that made this the black and white champ of inkjet printers. Some reviewers raved that the 7960's B&W output rivaled the silver halide prints made with the traditional photographic process.
Now HP has gone the 7960 one better with the nine-ink PhotoSmart 8750 Professional. This HP photo printer isn't for everyone, though – the suggested price is $499.99.
But for those to whom B&W quality is important… who want the ability to print up to 13” x 19” without borders… or who want prints that last (rated for up to 200 years, when stored properly in an album), it's a good choice.
Should You Buy a Laser Photo Printer?
For many years, the common wisdom was that laser printers were cheaper than inkjets in the long run, because the price-per-page was lower. But that began back in the days of black and white printers. The question is now, “Are laser photo printers less expensive than inkjets?”
And the answer is, “Yes.” In fact, a relatively inexpensive laser photo printer can print a color page for about half the cost of an inkjet print. Part of the equation is that quality laser photo printers themselves have come down in price. A decent color laser printer can cost as little as $300 - $400.
A color laser printer requires four toner cartridges, and prices for these are usually $50 and above. But a toner cartridge lasts much longer than an ink cartridge for an inkjet printer.
Laser photo printers also beat inkjets in the speed department. A full-color letter-size page that might take an inkjet several minutes to produce will be done in mere seconds on a typical laser printer.
But there's one area in which laser photo printers can't compete with inkjets: print quality. A good inkjet will yield a better print than a laser photo printer every time. However, if decent quality is good enough, and cost and speed are important, you may want to consider a laser photo printer.
And the answer is, “Yes.” In fact, a relatively inexpensive laser photo printer can print a color page for about half the cost of an inkjet print. Part of the equation is that quality laser photo printers themselves have come down in price. A decent color laser printer can cost as little as $300 - $400.
A color laser printer requires four toner cartridges, and prices for these are usually $50 and above. But a toner cartridge lasts much longer than an ink cartridge for an inkjet printer.
Laser photo printers also beat inkjets in the speed department. A full-color letter-size page that might take an inkjet several minutes to produce will be done in mere seconds on a typical laser printer.
But there's one area in which laser photo printers can't compete with inkjets: print quality. A good inkjet will yield a better print than a laser photo printer every time. However, if decent quality is good enough, and cost and speed are important, you may want to consider a laser photo printer.
Transfer Files More Easily
Transferring files from your digital camera to your computer can be annoying. But there's a digital photo accessory that can make it a lot easier.
A memory card reader frees you from having to plug your digital camera into your computer to transfer pictures. There's no messing with cables, because you can leave the card reader plugged into a USB port full-time. Just pop in your memory card and download. There are even PCMCIA versions for laptop users.
Readers that accept multiple types of memory cards start at about $20.00.
A memory card reader frees you from having to plug your digital camera into your computer to transfer pictures. There's no messing with cables, because you can leave the card reader plugged into a USB port full-time. Just pop in your memory card and download. There are even PCMCIA versions for laptop users.
Readers that accept multiple types of memory cards start at about $20.00.
Selecting the Right Camera Case for You
For most people, finding the right camera case isn't a problem. There are many good options for compact digital cameras. But if you've just purchased a digital SLR, getting the right camera case is a tougher decision.
There are many styles of camera case to choose from. For example, there are fanny packs, messenger bags and backpacks – as well as traditional shoulder bags. Some manufacturers offer “modular” systems that allow you to customize your bag with pouches, dividers and other accessories. There are even holster-style bags that keep your d-SLR handy right on your hip.
When choosing a camera bag, first consider how you shoot. For example, if you plan to carry your camera and a few lenses when you're hiking, a backpack may be right for you. But you'll probably find a backpack is inconvenient if you do most of your shooting at family gatherings and trips to the amusement park.
The amount of equipment you plan to carry is also an important consideration. If you've just bought your first SLR, keep in mind that you're probably going to add a couple of lenses to your collection. Buying a new bag every time you buy a new lens can get expensive.
Comfort is important. Be sure any belts and straps are sufficiently padded. If it's an over-the-shoulder bag, you may want a little padding for your hip, too.
There are many styles of camera case to choose from. For example, there are fanny packs, messenger bags and backpacks – as well as traditional shoulder bags. Some manufacturers offer “modular” systems that allow you to customize your bag with pouches, dividers and other accessories. There are even holster-style bags that keep your d-SLR handy right on your hip.
When choosing a camera bag, first consider how you shoot. For example, if you plan to carry your camera and a few lenses when you're hiking, a backpack may be right for you. But you'll probably find a backpack is inconvenient if you do most of your shooting at family gatherings and trips to the amusement park.
The amount of equipment you plan to carry is also an important consideration. If you've just bought your first SLR, keep in mind that you're probably going to add a couple of lenses to your collection. Buying a new bag every time you buy a new lens can get expensive.
Comfort is important. Be sure any belts and straps are sufficiently padded. If it's an over-the-shoulder bag, you may want a little padding for your hip, too.
Spare Batteries Are an Inexpensive Insurance Policy
Imagine if your camera's battery failed just when your child walked up to receive their diploma… or at the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. If you do a lot of shooting – especially if you travel – one of the best investments you can make is a spare digital camera battery.
The lithium ion batteries used in many digital cameras typically cost $35.00 - $50.00. But if you're an avid photographer, that's a fairly small price to pay for an insurance policy.
For those who shoot with a camera that uses AA cells, consider a spare set of rechargable NiMH batteries. If you don't use your camera a lot, have a spare set of alkaline batteries handy for your camera case.
The lithium ion batteries used in many digital cameras typically cost $35.00 - $50.00. But if you're an avid photographer, that's a fairly small price to pay for an insurance policy.
For those who shoot with a camera that uses AA cells, consider a spare set of rechargable NiMH batteries. If you don't use your camera a lot, have a spare set of alkaline batteries handy for your camera case.
A Multimedia Digital Camera with Extras
The NV3 is a new Samsung digital camera that offers several intriguing multimedia – and other - features in a compact package. The NV3 offers movie mode in VGA resolution at 30 fps, MP3 download and playback capability, and – yes – stereo speakers.
The 7.1 MP NV3 has a 2.5” LCD monitor, an internal 3x optical zoom, 11 scene modes, an auto-macro feature for close-up photography and comes with Samsungs Advanced Shake Reduction technology.
Another nice feature is called “Wise Shot.” When you select Wise Shot, the camera takes the same scene once with the ASR on and flash off, and a second time with the ASR of and flash on. You can then select the photo which looks better to you.
The 7.1 MP NV3 has a 2.5” LCD monitor, an internal 3x optical zoom, 11 scene modes, an auto-macro feature for close-up photography and comes with Samsungs Advanced Shake Reduction technology.
Another nice feature is called “Wise Shot.” When you select Wise Shot, the camera takes the same scene once with the ASR on and flash off, and a second time with the ASR of and flash on. You can then select the photo which looks better to you.
Check the Reviews Before You Buy
When you're considering a new camera, it's a good idea to check out the opinions of the pros. A digital camera review can tell you a lot of details about the camera – such as if it lives up to the manufacturer's hype and how comfortable and easy it is to use.
You can find reviews online at camera magazines' websites – such as Shutterbug (www.shutterbug.com) and Popular Photography magazine (www.popphoto.com) or at review sites like Digital Photography Review (www.dpreview.com) and the Digital Camera Resource Page (www.dcresource.com).
It's always a good idea to check at least two reviews. One reviewer can miss something that another picks up – or a personal bias may color a reviewer's opinion.
You can find reviews online at camera magazines' websites – such as Shutterbug (www.shutterbug.com) and Popular Photography magazine (www.popphoto.com) or at review sites like Digital Photography Review (www.dpreview.com) and the Digital Camera Resource Page (www.dcresource.com).
It's always a good idea to check at least two reviews. One reviewer can miss something that another picks up – or a personal bias may color a reviewer's opinion.
Don't Forget the Extra Memory
One of the handiest accessories you can have is extra memory. A couple of extra memory cards can assure that you won't be stuck at a critical moment. Imagine needing - and not having - a spare memory card during your daughter's first dance recital, or at your sister's wedding.
Additional memory is affordable and necessary, and if you shoot a lot pictures, don't bother with anything less than 256 MB. Smaller cards will feel like 12-exposure rolls of film: used up before you barely get started.
And don't forget to take your camera's resolution into consideration. An 8 MP camera will chew through memory fast.
Additional memory is affordable and necessary, and if you shoot a lot pictures, don't bother with anything less than 256 MB. Smaller cards will feel like 12-exposure rolls of film: used up before you barely get started.
And don't forget to take your camera's resolution into consideration. An 8 MP camera will chew through memory fast.
5 Megapixels – a Multitude of Options
Prices for fixed focal length 5 MP cameras start at around $100 – and about $25 more will get you a 3x optical zoom. Some of these cameras are feature-rich, and the number of models to chose from borders on amazing. Below are examples of the wide range of features available in this category.
Point-and-Shoot: Kodak EasyShare C533 – This inexpensive point-and-shoot offers a 3x optical zoom lens (37mm - 111mm in 35mm terms), 13 scene modes, selectable ISO and two auto focus options. The C533 has a movie mode with sound. As with most basic digital cameras, exposure is fully automatic.
Advanced: Fujifilm FinePix S5200 – Super-zooms aren't found just in the 7 and 8 MP realm. The FinePix S5200 packs a 10x optical zoom (38mm - 380mm in 35mm terms) for under $300. It also offers five exposure modes – including full manual. The S5200 records images as either JPEG or RAW files, offers three focus modes and has selectable ISO settings from 64 – 1600. Shutter speeds range from 1/2000 to 15 seconds. It even has a movie mode with sound and a small (3 frame) burst mode at 2 fps.
Unusual: Sanyo Xacti VPC-C5 – It looks like a tiny, hand-held digital video camera, because it is… but Sanyo's VPC-C5 is also a 5 MP digital camera with a 5x optical zoom. And just to confuse matters further, the Dual Shot function enables you to shoot both VGA-quality video and 5 MP stills at the same time! The VPC-C5 offers three metering modes, selectable ISO settings from 50 – 800 and even plays slide shows.
Point-and-Shoot: Kodak EasyShare C533 – This inexpensive point-and-shoot offers a 3x optical zoom lens (37mm - 111mm in 35mm terms), 13 scene modes, selectable ISO and two auto focus options. The C533 has a movie mode with sound. As with most basic digital cameras, exposure is fully automatic.
Advanced: Fujifilm FinePix S5200 – Super-zooms aren't found just in the 7 and 8 MP realm. The FinePix S5200 packs a 10x optical zoom (38mm - 380mm in 35mm terms) for under $300. It also offers five exposure modes – including full manual. The S5200 records images as either JPEG or RAW files, offers three focus modes and has selectable ISO settings from 64 – 1600. Shutter speeds range from 1/2000 to 15 seconds. It even has a movie mode with sound and a small (3 frame) burst mode at 2 fps.
Unusual: Sanyo Xacti VPC-C5 – It looks like a tiny, hand-held digital video camera, because it is… but Sanyo's VPC-C5 is also a 5 MP digital camera with a 5x optical zoom. And just to confuse matters further, the Dual Shot function enables you to shoot both VGA-quality video and 5 MP stills at the same time! The VPC-C5 offers three metering modes, selectable ISO settings from 50 – 800 and even plays slide shows.
Finding True Deals on Digital Cameras
The first question most salespeople ask a digital camera shopper is, “How much do you want to spend?” Responding to this approach will almost always cost you the price you quote, but may not get all the camera you want or need.
Instead, make a list of features that are important to you, and then determine if they're within your budget. You may have to give up a feature or two, but you'll be getting the most camera for your money. And you may find that you can get what you want for much less than you thought.
The best place to start with your list of features is the manufacturers' websites. They'll tell you what models are available, the features and specs of each model, and – usually – the suggested price (MSRP). And many of them make comparisons easy. Once you've armed yourself with this information, you can search for the best prices on the cameras that best fit your shooting style, and choose the one that's right for you.
Instead, make a list of features that are important to you, and then determine if they're within your budget. You may have to give up a feature or two, but you'll be getting the most camera for your money. And you may find that you can get what you want for much less than you thought.
The best place to start with your list of features is the manufacturers' websites. They'll tell you what models are available, the features and specs of each model, and – usually – the suggested price (MSRP). And many of them make comparisons easy. Once you've armed yourself with this information, you can search for the best prices on the cameras that best fit your shooting style, and choose the one that's right for you.
Are You Buying “Too Much Camera"
Our natural tendency is to buy a digital camera with the greatest resolution we can afford. The reasoning is, why get a 3 MP (megapixel) camera, when I can have a 5 MP camera? And to some extent, this makes sense.
However, before you buy that camera, consider your needs. How will you use the camera and the digital pictures it produces? If you will mostly share your pictures via e-mail or post them on your website, 5 MP is overkill? A 3 MP camera will provide all the resolution you need for e-mail and the Web, and even for the occasional 5” x 7” print.
Buying a camera with more resolution than you need has hidden costs. For example:
* All other things being equal, the higher the resolution, the higher the purchase price. You can afford a lot more features in a camera with lower resolution.
* Shooting higher resolution pictures requires larger memory cards to store the same number of pictures.
* The files from a 5 MP camera will require much more storage space than those from a 3 MP camera. That means they'll fill your hard drive twice as fast… or require twice as many CD's to store them.
If you're wondering just how much resolution you need (how many megapixels), here's an easy way to figure it out:
Find out the number of pixels there are on the camera's sensor array – both across and down. (This number will be in the manufacturer's specifications.) For example, Canon PowerShot S2 IS is a 5 MP camera. At its highest resolution, the CCD uses 2592 pixels x 1944 pixels.
Divide each number by 200. Using our Powershot S2 IS example, 2592 / 200 = 12.96 and 1944 / 200 = 9.72.
The resulting numbers tell you how large, in inches, a quality print you can get from the camera. So, the S2 IS should be able to provide you with good prints up to 10” x 13”.
However, before you buy that camera, consider your needs. How will you use the camera and the digital pictures it produces? If you will mostly share your pictures via e-mail or post them on your website, 5 MP is overkill? A 3 MP camera will provide all the resolution you need for e-mail and the Web, and even for the occasional 5” x 7” print.
Buying a camera with more resolution than you need has hidden costs. For example:
* All other things being equal, the higher the resolution, the higher the purchase price. You can afford a lot more features in a camera with lower resolution.
* Shooting higher resolution pictures requires larger memory cards to store the same number of pictures.
* The files from a 5 MP camera will require much more storage space than those from a 3 MP camera. That means they'll fill your hard drive twice as fast… or require twice as many CD's to store them.
If you're wondering just how much resolution you need (how many megapixels), here's an easy way to figure it out:
Find out the number of pixels there are on the camera's sensor array – both across and down. (This number will be in the manufacturer's specifications.) For example, Canon PowerShot S2 IS is a 5 MP camera. At its highest resolution, the CCD uses 2592 pixels x 1944 pixels.
Divide each number by 200. Using our Powershot S2 IS example, 2592 / 200 = 12.96 and 1944 / 200 = 9.72.
The resulting numbers tell you how large, in inches, a quality print you can get from the camera. So, the S2 IS should be able to provide you with good prints up to 10” x 13”.
Flash photography is hard to predict at first
There is probably no type of photography that is more disappointing to the beginner than flash photography. Unlike natural-light photography, where what you see can often be what you get, it is difficult to visualize what the effects of using flash will be. Flash is shut off until the moment of exposure, and then its illumination is too brief to visually evaluate what it does to your picture.
Many of us just hope for the best, and when our pictures are returned from being processed, we are frequently surprised by the disappointing appearance of those in which we used flash. Shadows can be harsh due to the high contrast from direct flash, and images can look stark; sometimes, facial lighting is flat or subjects have red-eye; foreground objects are often overexposed, looking bleached out, while background objects are darker than we expected - and these are only some of the problems of using flash incorrectly. The sad results are that we become frustrated and tend to not use flash as often as we could, or we just accept the poor results of flash photography as unavoidable.
The other side of the coin is that, properly employed, flash can improve your pictures, provide you with a useful creative tool and allow you to take excellent photographs where there is insufficient ambient light.
After all, flash photography has been in use since the 1860s (when magnesium wire - later magnesium-based powder - was ignited to obtain a sufficiently-bright light), and we have come a long way from those early days in perfecting safer, less-messy and easier-to-deal-with systems of flash photography. When you think of the hardships and technical problems photographers must have dealt with 140 and more years ago in taking flash pictures, it may inspire you. Compared with those early times, it is very easy to learn how to use today's relatively-simple flash systems to make even better pictures.
Many of us just hope for the best, and when our pictures are returned from being processed, we are frequently surprised by the disappointing appearance of those in which we used flash. Shadows can be harsh due to the high contrast from direct flash, and images can look stark; sometimes, facial lighting is flat or subjects have red-eye; foreground objects are often overexposed, looking bleached out, while background objects are darker than we expected - and these are only some of the problems of using flash incorrectly. The sad results are that we become frustrated and tend to not use flash as often as we could, or we just accept the poor results of flash photography as unavoidable.
The other side of the coin is that, properly employed, flash can improve your pictures, provide you with a useful creative tool and allow you to take excellent photographs where there is insufficient ambient light.
After all, flash photography has been in use since the 1860s (when magnesium wire - later magnesium-based powder - was ignited to obtain a sufficiently-bright light), and we have come a long way from those early days in perfecting safer, less-messy and easier-to-deal-with systems of flash photography. When you think of the hardships and technical problems photographers must have dealt with 140 and more years ago in taking flash pictures, it may inspire you. Compared with those early times, it is very easy to learn how to use today's relatively-simple flash systems to make even better pictures.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Digital Camera Tips: Shooting Macro Pictures
It's a Small World After All
I always hear people saying how they only get their camera out when something special is going on like relatives coming over, Christmas, birthdays or traveling somewhere. When I ask them why they don’t get the camera out more often, they usually say there is nothing to take pictures of. Most of us hardly notice the little things right in from of us, but there is another world that can be captured with macro photography.
Macro photography can be a fun and educational thing. Macro photography allows you to take close up pictures of basically anything. It's amazing to look at these extremely close-up photos of insects or flowers or even moss. I recently took some photos of snow on a branch and the little ice crystals are amazing.
Here are some tips to get started:
I always hear people saying how they only get their camera out when something special is going on like relatives coming over, Christmas, birthdays or traveling somewhere. When I ask them why they don’t get the camera out more often, they usually say there is nothing to take pictures of. Most of us hardly notice the little things right in from of us, but there is another world that can be captured with macro photography.
Macro photography can be a fun and educational thing. Macro photography allows you to take close up pictures of basically anything. It's amazing to look at these extremely close-up photos of insects or flowers or even moss. I recently took some photos of snow on a branch and the little ice crystals are amazing.
Here are some tips to get started:
- Like any other photo that you take, simplify.
- Fill the photo with your subject.
- Sharp focus is a must.
- Try shooting from different angles. If you’re looking for deep saturation of the colors, use front lighting. If you’d like to bring out the texture of your subject, side lighting is the way to go.
- due to the narrow depth of field, the background will usually be thrown completely out of focus, which allows the natural background to be nice backdrop,. Just make sure you don’t have anything distracting in the back that’s recognizable (branches, cigarette butts, etc.).
Try taking a photo of a bee in resting in a flower. You’ll be astonished by all the little details your camera will pick up. Now I know for some of you that’s a bit of a risky thing. So try taking a picture of a little pebble. You wouldn’t believe how nice nature photos are when taken close up. A picture of a raindrop barely clinging to a leaf or tree branch can really get some good reactions from friends.
Five Secrets to Great Flower Pictures
Floral Photography Tutorial
You don't have to be a professional photographer to capture great flower pictures, whether you want to show off the splendor of a rose in your garden or shoot pictures of flowers during your travels. Here are five secrets to taking great flower pictures.
Tip 1: Lighting for Flower Pictures
It can be tempting to wait for the brightest midday sun to take your flower pictures. That's actually one of the worst times because the powerful sunlight will wash out your image, and can create harsh shadows.
Instead, take flower pictures when it's overcast, or in the morning, afternoon or evening when the sun isn't as bright and overpowering. This will result in more saturated colors in the blooms of the flowers.
Tip 2: Level with the Flowers
To get unique and beautiful flower pictures, move around.
Don't just stand and shoot it. Try getting on the same level with it, standing above it, or even shooting underneath it. Play with distances of how close or far away you are.
Tip 3: Focus on the Flowers
Be sure you have a focal point, whether it is a cluster of brightly colored flowers or simply one blossom. Follow the photography rule of thirds, and avoid placing your
Also be sure you pay close attention to everything in your frame. Watch in particular for distractions or unattractive items or lines in the foreground and background. If you encounter that, try moving into another position to shoot.
Tip 4: Keep it Steady
A potentially stunning flower picture can be ruined by something as simple as human nature: the shaky hand. Even if you think your hand is steady, you might be surprised that it does move. Try using a tripod (you can even get a mini tripod if you don't want to lug around a large one.
Tip 5: Add Some Spice to Your Flowers
Don't just shoot the flower, but also look for unique ways to capture the flower or flowers. You can try framing the flower with something natural in the environment, such as dangling vines. You can also look for insects on flowers to make for an interesting flower picture.
Friday, September 14, 2007
How to Buy Digital Camera Lenses
Do you get confused by the different types of lenses in the world of digital photography? I know I was when I started out in this field.
We all need to learn about digital camera lenses because they are fundamental to good photography.
However, how do you distinguish between the different kinds of lenses? Wide-angle or telephoto? What focal length and what speed? What brand of lens do you buy?
There are so many different lenses with varying specifications available that it can be quite overwhelming to find exactly what it is that you require from a lens, but that is where we step in to help.
We all need to learn about digital camera lenses because they are fundamental to good photography.
However, how do you distinguish between the different kinds of lenses? Wide-angle or telephoto? What focal length and what speed? What brand of lens do you buy?
There are so many different lenses with varying specifications available that it can be quite overwhelming to find exactly what it is that you require from a lens, but that is where we step in to help.
Some digital camera lenses available to the consumer
This article acts as a guide to explain the jargon and to allow you make a better-informed purchase the next time you are shopping for a new digital camera lens.
Choosing a Suitable Focal Length
Focal length is probably the most important factor that should be considered when choosing a lens, and for good reason: focal lengths determine the field-of-view of the photos you will be able to take successfully with your camera.
The two main types of focal length are telephoto and wide-angle, and while telephoto lenses have a narrow field-of-view and are best suited for close-up shots and portraits, wide-angle lenses have a wider field-of-view which is perfect for indoor photography and landscapes.
Keep in mind that the performance of lenses can differ from camera to camera, with the magnification power behind a lens generally being greater on a digital camera than on a 35mm film-based camera.
The Need For Speed …
When you hear about fast and slow lenses, reference is being made to a lens's maximum aperture, which is the maximum amount of light that a lens can let in. A simple rule of thumb is that a fast lens lets in a lot of light, while a slow lens lets in less light, which defines how your photos will look.
Maximum apertures are measured in f/stop numbers, which are actually a ratio of the size of the lens aperture and focal length. The smaller the f/stop number, the more light is let in. An increment in the f/stop number doubles the amount of light let in, so f/1.4 lets more light than f/2.0.
This may seem quite confusing at first, so the easiest way to make sense of it is to remember the following: fast lenses are best suited towards successful photography in darker lighting conditions, and slow lenses are targeted towards photography in lighter conditions.
The Ins and Outs of a Zoom Lens
Unlike a fixed-focal-length lens, a zoom lens often gives you the diversity of a range of focal lengths all rolled into a single adjustable lens. This can be great if you often have to switch between various lenses for different shots, but it is important to remember that not all zoom lenses have a constant maximum aperture, and those that do are often larger and more expensive.
Although the maximum aperture may be reduced as you zoom in using a lens with a variable maximum aperture, this may not be as important to some photographers as the reduced cost and size of such lenses. Keep this in mind when purchasing a zoom lens.
Add-on Lenses
Add-on or accessory lenses are targeted towards compact digital cameras, and allow owners of such models to significantly lengthen or reduce the camera's built-in focal length while at the same time being able to automate camera functions including f/stop settings and focusing.
These lenses can be an excellent low-cost add-on to your digital camera, with telephoto add-on lenses being able to increase focal lengths by up to 300%, and wide-angle versions allowing for reduction in focal lengths of up to 30%.
Final Considerations
There are several other terms to take into consideration when buying a digital camera lens to make sure you are making the best purchase. If your lens utilizes aspheric lens elements, then you can rest happily with the knowledge that your lens will help produce sharper photographs and help keep lens weight to a minimum.
Lenses using internal and automatic focusing also keep lens weight down thanks to less moving parts, and of course allow for faster focusing. Low-dispersion glass leaves photos looking less hazy or fuzzy, while stabilization systems help to keep images sharp when taken using slow shutter speeds.
Conclusion
Hopefully this article has helped you to better understand what to look for in a digital camera lens. There are a lot of terms to remember here - so before shopping for your new lens it may be a good idea to take the time to make a list of what you want to do with your camera. Then you can double check your requirements against the features of different lenses. If you are still unsure if a lens will cater for your needs then by all means try to test it so that you can see some results before you buy!
How to Buy a Photo Printer
For a long time digital photography seemed to somewhat ignore probably the most prominent part of the activity – photographic prints.
Things have changed a lot since those times, and digital photographers are now offered an overwhelming amount of different photo printers that are jam-packed full of useful, and sometimes not-so-useful features.
But which photo printer is the best choice for you?
This article takes a closer look at the different types of photo printers available and will help you to choose the most suitable photo printer to cater for your needs.
Most of these printers offer good quality output for printing standard size photos, but pay attention to the detail because not all inkjet printers provide good quality output for larger photos. Although most inkjet printers produce a similar quality - the majority providing the maximum dpi (dots per inch) of 1,200 X 4,800 – spending more on an inkjet printer will most likely provide you with more features or a faster printing speed.
Keep in mind that many photo printers use color ink cartridges to produce black and white, or grayscale images, which can lead to photos printed with a colored tint, so try to stick to inkjet printers that use black or gray inks if you want to print many black and white photos.
Depending on your needs, printers accepting paper sizes from 24-inches all the way up to 60-inches wide are available, but because they are targeted towards professionals, many convenient features such as printing from your digital camera will not be available on professional printers.
If you want to create large quality prints of your photos, maybe even posters, then a professional photo printer may be thechoice for you, if you can afford it – professional printers range in price from around $500 to anywhere in the thousands.
Although the dpi tends to be low on these types of printers, the output quality is high due to the use of thermal-dye technology that utilizes primary printing colors in several hundreds of shades, meaning no need for dithering like inkjet printers do.
Another great thing about these printers is that their reduced size makes them very portable - some can even be battery-powered!
If this is the case then there are many printers available to you that can fulfill your needs – standard inkjet and laser printers, and consumer printing services – all of which can be excellent choices if you are not too concerned about exceptional quality or do not plan to print a lot of photos.
Both standard inkjet and laser printers can provide good quality photo printing even if they are not exclusively designed for it, but make sure to choose your printer carefully because photo quality can vary wildly on standard printers.
While ink cartridges made by a company other than the printer manufacturer may cost less, they will more than likely produce lower quality prints and can also cause photos to fade faster.
Most printer manufacturers also create paper for their specific printers, and although it may not seem as important as ink, testing a sample of paper that isn’t made by the printer manufacturer is advisable before making a large purchase.
It’s also important to remember that most of the photo printers out there can produce excellent quality photos, and many have very attractive price tags to match.
Also make sure that your printer will be able to create large or small enough prints, and once you have made a purchase make sure to test with different types of paper to find the best compromise between quality and price.I hope that this article has helped you to understand the difference between the types of photo printers available and the important factors to take into consideration when making a purchase.
Things have changed a lot since those times, and digital photographers are now offered an overwhelming amount of different photo printers that are jam-packed full of useful, and sometimes not-so-useful features.
But which photo printer is the best choice for you?
This article takes a closer look at the different types of photo printers available and will help you to choose the most suitable photo printer to cater for your needs.
Some of the photo printers available in the market
Inkjet Printers for Photos
Generally providing a combination of fast printing speed and photo-quality printing, inkjet photo printers range in price from as little as $40 (if you look hard enough) to around $400.
Generally providing a combination of fast printing speed and photo-quality printing, inkjet photo printers range in price from as little as $40 (if you look hard enough) to around $400.
Most of these printers offer good quality output for printing standard size photos, but pay attention to the detail because not all inkjet printers provide good quality output for larger photos. Although most inkjet printers produce a similar quality - the majority providing the maximum dpi (dots per inch) of 1,200 X 4,800 – spending more on an inkjet printer will most likely provide you with more features or a faster printing speed.
Keep in mind that many photo printers use color ink cartridges to produce black and white, or grayscale images, which can lead to photos printed with a colored tint, so try to stick to inkjet printers that use black or gray inks if you want to print many black and white photos.
Photo Printers for Professionals
What separates professional photo printers from consumer models is that the professional variety can produce quality images at much larger sizes.
What separates professional photo printers from consumer models is that the professional variety can produce quality images at much larger sizes.
Depending on your needs, printers accepting paper sizes from 24-inches all the way up to 60-inches wide are available, but because they are targeted towards professionals, many convenient features such as printing from your digital camera will not be available on professional printers.
If you want to create large quality prints of your photos, maybe even posters, then a professional photo printer may be thechoice for you, if you can afford it – professional printers range in price from around $500 to anywhere in the thousands.
Photo-only Printers
While many inkjet and professional printers can also double up as printers for reports and other documents, those dedicatedto printing photos alone are often much more compact and offer faster printing speeds. Print size is often limited to 4x6-inches but the quality remains high, and larger models do exist if you are prepared to pay a higher price.
While many inkjet and professional printers can also double up as printers for reports and other documents, those dedicatedto printing photos alone are often much more compact and offer faster printing speeds. Print size is often limited to 4x6-inches but the quality remains high, and larger models do exist if you are prepared to pay a higher price.
Although the dpi tends to be low on these types of printers, the output quality is high due to the use of thermal-dye technology that utilizes primary printing colors in several hundreds of shades, meaning no need for dithering like inkjet printers do.
Another great thing about these printers is that their reduced size makes them very portable - some can even be battery-powered!
Standard Printers
Maybe you don’t need a printer for the sole purpose of creating prints of your digital photos, and would like a little more freedom with what you are able to print.
Maybe you don’t need a printer for the sole purpose of creating prints of your digital photos, and would like a little more freedom with what you are able to print.
If this is the case then there are many printers available to you that can fulfill your needs – standard inkjet and laser printers, and consumer printing services – all of which can be excellent choices if you are not too concerned about exceptional quality or do not plan to print a lot of photos.
Both standard inkjet and laser printers can provide good quality photo printing even if they are not exclusively designed for it, but make sure to choose your printer carefully because photo quality can vary wildly on standard printers.
Printing Supplies
One of the factors that people often overlook when choosing a printer is the type of paper and ink they will be using to print their photos and how the price of these supplies adds up in the long-term. It’s not just the price to take into consideration either - choosing the right paper and ink cartridges will also make sure that the photos you print are of the best possible quality.
One of the factors that people often overlook when choosing a printer is the type of paper and ink they will be using to print their photos and how the price of these supplies adds up in the long-term. It’s not just the price to take into consideration either - choosing the right paper and ink cartridges will also make sure that the photos you print are of the best possible quality.
While ink cartridges made by a company other than the printer manufacturer may cost less, they will more than likely produce lower quality prints and can also cause photos to fade faster.
Most printer manufacturers also create paper for their specific printers, and although it may not seem as important as ink, testing a sample of paper that isn’t made by the printer manufacturer is advisable before making a large purchase.
Conclusion
Many new photo printers come with useful features like being able to connect your digital camera directly to the printer, or allowing you to print from memory cards directly – both cutting out the time needed to print your photos.
Many new photo printers come with useful features like being able to connect your digital camera directly to the printer, or allowing you to print from memory cards directly – both cutting out the time needed to print your photos.
It’s also important to remember that most of the photo printers out there can produce excellent quality photos, and many have very attractive price tags to match.
Also make sure that your printer will be able to create large or small enough prints, and once you have made a purchase make sure to test with different types of paper to find the best compromise between quality and price.I hope that this article has helped you to understand the difference between the types of photo printers available and the important factors to take into consideration when making a purchase.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Unique Angles and Perspectives for Beach Pictures
You don't always have to point your camera straight ahead, or directly at the beach. Look for unique and interesting angles for your beach pictures.
It's all in the perspective
What if you get down on eye level with your baby playing in the sand? You could stand straight above a crawling crab, or point straight up to the swaying branches of a palm tree.
Look for unique and unusual angles and perspectives for your beach pictures.
Splashes of color
Since beaches often feature rather bland colors, like shades of sand and driftwood, also keep an eye out for interesting splashes of color. A bright red beach umbrella, green palm leaf or hot pink sandals can add real verve to your beach pictures.
Jazz Up Your Beach Pictures
Don't just shoot the beach. I mean, how is that different than all your other beach pictures? Instead, look for interesting items to serve as a focal point with the beach as the backdrop.
Look for Unique Still-Life Images
Check the area for an interesting focal point. Perhaps it is a lone and empty beach chair, or a bottle of greasy, sandy suntan lotion, or maybe even a surfboard propped against a palm tree. Place this item in the foreground, and keep the beach scene in the background.
The sun and its impact
We've all seen beach pictures gone bad, with the subjects (usually family and friends) partially or completely obscured by shadows and bright backlighting.
Sometimes you want this, say if you're shooting a couple hand-in-hand at sunset. Many times, you don't. Be sure you have the sun behind you, the photographer, not the people or things you are shooting at the beach.
A slightly overcast day can actually be better than a sunny day, and morning and afternoon have better lighting than midday with the long shadows from an overhead sun.
Look for Unique Still-Life Images
Check the area for an interesting focal point. Perhaps it is a lone and empty beach chair, or a bottle of greasy, sandy suntan lotion, or maybe even a surfboard propped against a palm tree. Place this item in the foreground, and keep the beach scene in the background.
The sun and its impact
We've all seen beach pictures gone bad, with the subjects (usually family and friends) partially or completely obscured by shadows and bright backlighting.
Sometimes you want this, say if you're shooting a couple hand-in-hand at sunset. Many times, you don't. Be sure you have the sun behind you, the photographer, not the people or things you are shooting at the beach.
A slightly overcast day can actually be better than a sunny day, and morning and afternoon have better lighting than midday with the long shadows from an overhead sun.
The Rule Every Beach Photographer Should Know
There is one mistake quite commonly made when photographing the beach: putting the horizon line dead center. While it might make sense, as it is symetrical, it violates the photography rule of thirds. You should always be aware of lines when shooting beach pictures.
The rule of thirds
Take a look at your previous beach photos. Is there a horizon line in the middle? How does it look to you? This actually slices the photo in half for observers, and is disconcerting.
Instead, stick to the rule of thirds. This means you should place the horizon in the bottom or top third of the beach picture instead.
Frame your beach picture
No, this isn't about the frame you buy later. This is about giving an anchor to your image. Look for natural frames for beach photos, such as a rocky outcropping or a leaning palm tree. You are looking for something that naturally places a frame around the target of your picture, the beach.
Get rid of bad lines
Before you shoot, really examine all areas of the image. Is there something distracting or ugly in your shot that you didn't intend to capture? Cars, electrical lines, a stray sunbather (who you don't intend to get in the picture, such as a topless sunbather in a family portrait) all can take a good picture and ruin it.
Also be sure your horizon line is straight. Sometimes, especially if an element in the foreground distracts you, you can end up with a lopsided beach.
The rule of thirds
Take a look at your previous beach photos. Is there a horizon line in the middle? How does it look to you? This actually slices the photo in half for observers, and is disconcerting.
Instead, stick to the rule of thirds. This means you should place the horizon in the bottom or top third of the beach picture instead.
Frame your beach picture
No, this isn't about the frame you buy later. This is about giving an anchor to your image. Look for natural frames for beach photos, such as a rocky outcropping or a leaning palm tree. You are looking for something that naturally places a frame around the target of your picture, the beach.
Get rid of bad lines
Before you shoot, really examine all areas of the image. Is there something distracting or ugly in your shot that you didn't intend to capture? Cars, electrical lines, a stray sunbather (who you don't intend to get in the picture, such as a topless sunbather in a family portrait) all can take a good picture and ruin it.
Also be sure your horizon line is straight. Sometimes, especially if an element in the foreground distracts you, you can end up with a lopsided beach.
How to Take Great Beach Pictures
Beach pictures could be the most common images captured by photographers. Beaches set the scene for family vacations, weddings and intimate getaways. There is a reason beaches are so photographed. They are beautiful. But there are many common mistakes made in beach photography. Follow this tutorial to find out how to take great beach pictures that are creative and impressive.
Cliche beach pictures
Have you noticed all beach pictures look the same? There's the standard sunset shot, or the posed family members with shadows blacking out their faces? Avoid some of those beach photography pitfalls.
Think outside the LCD box
First of all, really gaze slowly around you. Look down, look up. Are there unique details or small items you can capture? You could spend hours simply on macro beach photography, capturing seashells, crabs or small toys on the beach. How charming would a close-up of your child's sand castle be, paired next to a photo of your child at the beach?
Friday, July 13, 2007
Night and low-light photography>>2. Adjust your camera settings
The key to getting a successful night shot like this is wide aperture, low ISO, and a slow shutter speed.
- Aperture
If your camera has manual settings, you can widen the aperture to allow more light to come through the camera lens (see above), which is vital at night when there isn't much light to begin with.
Select either the Av (Aperture priority) or M (Manual) shooting mode on your camera to adjust aperture. The widest opening for most lenses is f2.8.
- ISO
A camera's ISO number dictates its sensitivity to light. A higher ISO (a "fast" ISO) will make your camera more light-sensitive, but will add more grain (or "noise") to your photo. If your camera allows you to adjust ISO, set it low (somewhere around 50 or 100) for sharp detail in low-light. This setting will increase exposure time slightly, but will produce a much richer photo.
- Shutter
speedBecause you're not using your flash, your shutter speed has to be a lot slower to get enough light. The shutter speed in this shot was at least a few seconds-pretty slow in camera terms.
Select either the Tv (Shutter priority) or M (Manual) shooting mode on your camera to adjust shutter speed. The slowest shutter speeds on most cameras range from a few seconds to a "bulb" setting (shutter remains open as long as you want).
Several HP digital cameras feature a Night Scenery shooting mode. This automatically disables the flash and uses a long exposure time.
- Aperture
If your camera has manual settings, you can widen the aperture to allow more light to come through the camera lens (see above), which is vital at night when there isn't much light to begin with.
Select either the Av (Aperture priority) or M (Manual) shooting mode on your camera to adjust aperture. The widest opening for most lenses is f2.8.
- ISO
A camera's ISO number dictates its sensitivity to light. A higher ISO (a "fast" ISO) will make your camera more light-sensitive, but will add more grain (or "noise") to your photo. If your camera allows you to adjust ISO, set it low (somewhere around 50 or 100) for sharp detail in low-light. This setting will increase exposure time slightly, but will produce a much richer photo.
- Shutter
speedBecause you're not using your flash, your shutter speed has to be a lot slower to get enough light. The shutter speed in this shot was at least a few seconds-pretty slow in camera terms.
Select either the Tv (Shutter priority) or M (Manual) shooting mode on your camera to adjust shutter speed. The slowest shutter speeds on most cameras range from a few seconds to a "bulb" setting (shutter remains open as long as you want).
Several HP digital cameras feature a Night Scenery shooting mode. This automatically disables the flash and uses a long exposure time.
Night and low-light photography>>1. Three keys to successful night shots
Before you start shooting night photos, here are the three most important things to remember:
- Disable your flash
Bring out breathtaking detail in low-light conditions by using a long exposure (the time your camera takes to collect light).
Select Flash from the capture menu, then
select Flash off. Press Menu/Ok.
- Use a tripod
Long exposures require you to hold your camera perfectly still to avoid blurring. A tripod really helps. If you can't get your hands on one, you can try bracing yourself against a stationary object like a tree, or a wall.
- Use your timer
Even when a camera is on a tripod, your finger pressing the trigger can cause enough movement to blur a photo. You can avoid touching the camera altogether by using the timer.
Select Timer from the capture menu and press Menu/Ok.
- Disable your flashBring out breathtaking detail in low-light conditions by using a long exposure (the time your camera takes to collect light).
Select Flash from the capture menu, then
select Flash off. Press Menu/Ok.
- Use a tripod
Long exposures require you to hold your camera perfectly still to avoid blurring. A tripod really helps. If you can't get your hands on one, you can try bracing yourself against a stationary object like a tree, or a wall.
- Use your timer
Even when a camera is on a tripod, your finger pressing the trigger can cause enough movement to blur a photo. You can avoid touching the camera altogether by using the timer.
Select Timer from the capture menu and press Menu/Ok.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Olympus SP-550 UZ Review, March 2007
Announced just before PMA in January 2007 the SP-550UZ is the first serious attempt by Olympus to take back some ground in the super zoom sector, a sector it almost single-handedly created back in 2000 with the legendary C-2100UZ, but has since struggled to make a mark in. The SP-550UZ is a significant step up from the previous models in the 'SP' range (including the current SP-510UZ), offering 7MP resolution, image stabilization (CCD-shift) and an astounding 28-500mm (equiv.) 18x optical zoom range. The 'super zoom' market is an increasingly crowded and competitive one, and the SP-550UZ goes head to head with popular and well-regarded models such as the Sony H5, Canon S3 IS and Panasonic FZ8. Rarely has a camera caused so much interest based on its specification alone... so can the SP-550UZ live up to the hype? Let's find out, starting as ever with the headline specifications:
18x wide optical zoom (equivalent to 28-504mm on a 35mm camera) 1:2.8-4.5
Dual Image Stabilization
7.1 Megapixels
6.4cm/2.5” LCD with 230,000 pixels
High burst rate (up to 15fps in 1.2 Megapixel mode )
Super Macro mode (from as close as 1cm)
P/A/S/M exposure modes
RAW mode
BrightCapture Technology for better low light photography – also available in movie mode
23 scene modes (including Portrait, Sports, Night Scene)
25 languages on board
Internal memory plus xD-Picture Card slot
Supplied with Olympus Master software and four AA batteries
Dual Image Stabilization
7.1 Megapixels
6.4cm/2.5” LCD with 230,000 pixels
High burst rate (up to 15fps in 1.2 Megapixel mode )
Super Macro mode (from as close as 1cm)
P/A/S/M exposure modes
RAW mode
BrightCapture Technology for better low light photography – also available in movie mode
23 scene modes (including Portrait, Sports, Night Scene)
25 languages on board
Internal memory plus xD-Picture Card slot
Supplied with Olympus Master software and four AA batteries
Side by side
Although not a small camera the SP-550UZ is very similar in size and weight to the Canon S3 IS and Panasonic Lumix FZ8 (also the Sony H2/H5, not shown). In fact the only cameras in this class that are significantly different in size are the considerably larger Fujifilm S6000 and the Panasonic FZ50 (not shown).
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H9 Review, May 2007
Almost exactly 12 months after the launch of the Cyber-shot DSC-H2 and DSC-H5 Sony announced the replacement cameras; the DSC-H7 and the top-of-the-range model reviewed here; the DSC-H9. That Sony chose to increase the pixel count (to 8MP) and to include this year's 'must have' features (face detection and ludicrously high maximum ISO) can't have surprised many, but there are a few less predictable new features, and a few welcome changes. The former include Sony's unique 'NightShot' infra-red mode (seen on many camcorders as well as a few Cyber-shots over the years), a 15x zoom and HDTV (well, 1080i) output. The latter include an articulated (tilt-up) screen, improved focus system, faster performance and a new (in the box) remote control.
The super-zoom market is still one of the most competitive sectors and the H9 is up against some stiff competition from old foes such as Panasonic, Canon and Olympus. The H2 and H5 were both well-received when reviewed this time last year, so let's find out if Sony has built on that success or not.
Cyber-shot DSC-H9 vs DSC-H5 - key changes
New sensor (8MP versus 7MP)
longer lens range (15x up from 12x)
Higher maximum sensitivity (ISO 3200)
Tilt-up articulated screen
Lithium Ion battery
Control dial has moved to rear of camera
9-point AF (was 3-point)
New Sports mode
HDTV (1080i) video output (via optional component cable)
Face detection
D-Range optimization (auto contrast)
In-camera retouching
Remote control included
NightShot function for shooting in the dark
Entirely new user interface
Know the Game or Event
A little research in a sporting event can go a long way into taking better photos.
Before you plan on taking photographs at a sporting event, it is crucial to know the rules of the game. Understand where players are positioned, where players are more likely to move following a particular action, and anticipate when the action speeds up or slows down in anticipation of someone else's action. If you understand the game, you are more likely to know where to focus your camera's lens at a particular time, giving you a better chance to be directed at the proper place to record a memorable event.
Before you plan on taking photographs at a sporting event, it is crucial to know the rules of the game. Understand where players are positioned, where players are more likely to move following a particular action, and anticipate when the action speeds up or slows down in anticipation of someone else's action. If you understand the game, you are more likely to know where to focus your camera's lens at a particular time, giving you a better chance to be directed at the proper place to record a memorable event.
How Many Megapixels Do I Need?
Just how many pixels are needed for an 11x14 inch digital print?
One question that often comes up when printing digital photos - how many megapixels do you need for a certain size print, such as an 8x10 inch print, an 11x14 inch print, or a larger poster size?
Part of this discussion rests on the quality of the image. If an image is slightly blurry, you may need to resample it to a lower number of megapixels to offset the blurriness, else the quality of the full-size printout may be less than expected.
Printout quality depends on the paper and printer as well. Make sure you are using quality photo paper and not just inkjet or laser paper. Plus, ensure that your printer is configured to use the high-quality paper.
The dpi (dots per inch) of a printout helps determine the image quality and how many megapixels you may need. Generally, the greater the dpi, the clearer and cripser the printout (up to a point). While you can print larger images from smaller digital photos by decreasing the dpi, the results may not be as impressive as if the original image were larger and printed with a larger dpi.
To factor how many pixels you need, multiple the dpi by the size of the photo. Thus an 11x14 image at 150 dpi will need 11*150 by 14*150 pixels, or 1,650 by 2,100 pixels (3.465 million pixels).
Now, with this size, you would think that a 3.5 megapixel camera would handle it. Not so fast! One 3.5 megapixel digital camera I found actually had an image resolution of 2144 x 1608. While 2144 is greater than 2100, 1608 is NOT greater than 1650! Thus this digital camera, which SHOULD be able to print 11x14 images at a 150 dpi, can't muster enough detail. It's close, but not enough, yet it might be satisfactory for you needs.
Digital camera megapixels and actual resolution (note these can differ depending on the camera):
2 megapixels: 1600 x 1200
3 megapixels: 2048 x 1536
4 megapixels: 2274 x 1704
5 megapixels: 2560 x 1920
6 megapixels: 2816 x 2112 - 3032 x 2008
7 megapixels: 3072 x 2304
8 megapixels: 3264 x 2,468
Pixels needed for a 150 DPI image (fair to good image quality)
----------
8x10: 1,200 X 1,500 pixels - most 2-megapixel cameras
11x14: 1,650 X 2,100 pixels - most 4-megapixel cameras
16x20: 2,400 X 3,000 pixels - most 8-megapixel cameras, maybe some 7-megapixel cameras
Pixels needed for a 200 DPI (good image quality)
----------
8x10: 1,600 X 2,000 pixels - most 4-megapixel cameras, maybe some 3-megapixel cameras
11x14: 2,200 X 2,800 pixels - 7-megapixel cameras, though most 6-megapixels cameras should be close enough
16x20: 3,200 X 4,000 pixels - although this is only 12.8 megapixels, most cameras won't have the same aspect ratio (width versus height), thus you may need a camera with a greater number of megapixels
Again, these numbers are just provided as the results of mathematical formulas. You can resample the image to some degree to make it larger than normal, play around with the printer dpi, etc., and get acceptable larger prints from smaller photos. Just realize that the image quality may not be optimum, though it may be sufficient for your needs.
One question that often comes up when printing digital photos - how many megapixels do you need for a certain size print, such as an 8x10 inch print, an 11x14 inch print, or a larger poster size?
Part of this discussion rests on the quality of the image. If an image is slightly blurry, you may need to resample it to a lower number of megapixels to offset the blurriness, else the quality of the full-size printout may be less than expected.
Printout quality depends on the paper and printer as well. Make sure you are using quality photo paper and not just inkjet or laser paper. Plus, ensure that your printer is configured to use the high-quality paper.
The dpi (dots per inch) of a printout helps determine the image quality and how many megapixels you may need. Generally, the greater the dpi, the clearer and cripser the printout (up to a point). While you can print larger images from smaller digital photos by decreasing the dpi, the results may not be as impressive as if the original image were larger and printed with a larger dpi.
To factor how many pixels you need, multiple the dpi by the size of the photo. Thus an 11x14 image at 150 dpi will need 11*150 by 14*150 pixels, or 1,650 by 2,100 pixels (3.465 million pixels).
Now, with this size, you would think that a 3.5 megapixel camera would handle it. Not so fast! One 3.5 megapixel digital camera I found actually had an image resolution of 2144 x 1608. While 2144 is greater than 2100, 1608 is NOT greater than 1650! Thus this digital camera, which SHOULD be able to print 11x14 images at a 150 dpi, can't muster enough detail. It's close, but not enough, yet it might be satisfactory for you needs.
Digital camera megapixels and actual resolution (note these can differ depending on the camera):
2 megapixels: 1600 x 1200
3 megapixels: 2048 x 1536
4 megapixels: 2274 x 1704
5 megapixels: 2560 x 1920
6 megapixels: 2816 x 2112 - 3032 x 2008
7 megapixels: 3072 x 2304
8 megapixels: 3264 x 2,468
Pixels needed for a 150 DPI image (fair to good image quality)
----------
8x10: 1,200 X 1,500 pixels - most 2-megapixel cameras
11x14: 1,650 X 2,100 pixels - most 4-megapixel cameras
16x20: 2,400 X 3,000 pixels - most 8-megapixel cameras, maybe some 7-megapixel cameras
Pixels needed for a 200 DPI (good image quality)
----------
8x10: 1,600 X 2,000 pixels - most 4-megapixel cameras, maybe some 3-megapixel cameras
11x14: 2,200 X 2,800 pixels - 7-megapixel cameras, though most 6-megapixels cameras should be close enough
16x20: 3,200 X 4,000 pixels - although this is only 12.8 megapixels, most cameras won't have the same aspect ratio (width versus height), thus you may need a camera with a greater number of megapixels
Again, these numbers are just provided as the results of mathematical formulas. You can resample the image to some degree to make it larger than normal, play around with the printer dpi, etc., and get acceptable larger prints from smaller photos. Just realize that the image quality may not be optimum, though it may be sufficient for your needs.
Use High Quality Paper and Ensure Your Printer Knows It's There
High-quality paper will not help your photo printouts much if your printer still thinks it is using standard-grade paper.
As mentioned in other tips on MalekTips, when printing photos on your own color printer or photo printer, make sure to use high-quality coated photo paper, perhaps archival paper if you want your photos to last a long time. Such paper may cost more than standard inkjet, laser, etc. paper, but the difference in quality can be quite visible.
When using high-quality paper, however, you must make sure your printer knows such paper is being used. By default, most printers optimize their output for standard inkjet, laser, etc. paper. If you insert photo paper, the printer will still think it is printing on cheaper paper and won't make changes designed to optimize output on the higher-grade paper.
Thus, before you make prints on such paper, make sure to enter your "Printer Setup" or "Printer Preferences" mode; it should be available from most applications' "Print" dialogs. You should see an option for "Media Type" or "Paper Type". Select the type of paper that most accurately matches the paper you are using. Note that if you do not use paper sold by your printer manufacturer, you may need to experiment with these settings.
As mentioned in other tips on MalekTips, when printing photos on your own color printer or photo printer, make sure to use high-quality coated photo paper, perhaps archival paper if you want your photos to last a long time. Such paper may cost more than standard inkjet, laser, etc. paper, but the difference in quality can be quite visible.
When using high-quality paper, however, you must make sure your printer knows such paper is being used. By default, most printers optimize their output for standard inkjet, laser, etc. paper. If you insert photo paper, the printer will still think it is printing on cheaper paper and won't make changes designed to optimize output on the higher-grade paper.
Thus, before you make prints on such paper, make sure to enter your "Printer Setup" or "Printer Preferences" mode; it should be available from most applications' "Print" dialogs. You should see an option for "Media Type" or "Paper Type". Select the type of paper that most accurately matches the paper you are using. Note that if you do not use paper sold by your printer manufacturer, you may need to experiment with these settings.
Onscreen Ruler or Grid
Align your photos correctly with your digital camera.
If you are having trouble keeping your photos straight, see if your digital camera has an onscreen ruler or grid mode that displays straight lines on your LCD. This way you can line up your photos, such as landscapes and building architecture, and help prevent resulting images that are slanted to one side.
If you are having trouble keeping your photos straight, see if your digital camera has an onscreen ruler or grid mode that displays straight lines on your LCD. This way you can line up your photos, such as landscapes and building architecture, and help prevent resulting images that are slanted to one side.
Avoid Red Eye
Be careful when taking digital camera pictures involving flash.
When taking pictures with your digital camera, do your subjects look like they have red eyes? This is common with taking pictures with the flash on. If you notice this problem, first check if your digital camera has a feature called "Flash - Remove Red Eye" - most new ones do. If yours doesn't have such a feature, don't fret. Most newer image editing programs have a "Remove Red Eye" feature. Check your documentation.
Experiment a little, learn more about your camera and image software, and you won't have to settle with glowing red eyes in your photos.
When taking pictures with your digital camera, do your subjects look like they have red eyes? This is common with taking pictures with the flash on. If you notice this problem, first check if your digital camera has a feature called "Flash - Remove Red Eye" - most new ones do. If yours doesn't have such a feature, don't fret. Most newer image editing programs have a "Remove Red Eye" feature. Check your documentation.
Experiment a little, learn more about your camera and image software, and you won't have to settle with glowing red eyes in your photos.
Monday, June 25, 2007
What can a conversion lens do for me?
Many of today's digital cameras come with a built-in optical zoom. However, you are limited to how much of the subject area you can get in the image (wide-angle) or how close you can bring in the subject (telephoto). Some advanced camera models, including some C-Series and all E-System models, allow you to add lenses to get the desired result. For instance, a wide conversion lens attachment will permit you to shoot a better landscape or capture all of your family in one shot (click for an example). A tele conversion lens will let you zoom in incredibly close even when you can't physically move any closer, such as when you're at a sporting event (click for an example).
Keep in mind that when you're shopping for a conversion lens that Olympus conversion lenses are engineered to match the optical design of the lens. This means that the conversion lens is specifically designed with knowledge of the type of elements used, number of lens elements used, and how the lens elements are grouped on the prime lens, resulting in the best possible image quality.
Keep in mind that when you're shopping for a conversion lens that Olympus conversion lenses are engineered to match the optical design of the lens. This means that the conversion lens is specifically designed with knowledge of the type of elements used, number of lens elements used, and how the lens elements are grouped on the prime lens, resulting in the best possible image quality.
Great pictures can come without using the flash, too.
Don't use the flash when you're at a sporting event or shooting far-away subjects, like a performer on stage at a concert. Built-in flashes typically provide light only up to 6 feet. When you use the flash for subjects further than 6 feet, you will end up with brightly lit or overexposed objects up close while your true subject will be left in the dark. Turn off the flash and - if you are familiar with using the ISO setting on your camera - choose IS0 400 if possible for best results.
Print pictures without a computer or printer.
Did you know you can print out all your digital images even if you don't own a printer or a computer? Many photo processing labs, drug stores and camera stores have user-friendly kiosks that feature a printer with a computer. Simply insert your camera's media (xD, SmartMedia, or CompactFlash) into the dedicated slot and follow the easy steps on the computer to print them out in various sizes. These kiosks typically include easy-to-use features for cropping and editing your images, too, so you can get exactly the photo you want, and in just a matter of minutes.
If you have a computer but don't have printer, you're still in luck. There are a number of online photo services that allow you to upload your images and even store them on their site for free. Using their site you can then order photo-quality prints of your photos and have them delivered right to your door, or you can send a link to a friend or family member of your online album from which they can see all your great shots and even order prints for themselves. Many services also let these images be ordered to appear on t-shirts, mugs, and mouse pads, if desired.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
How to Master Digital Photography?
Everyone seems to have digital camera these days--but do they all now how to use them, or are they stuck on the basics
Digital cameras can cost from a few dollars to complicated SLR models costing over $1000. Have you seen the manuals for these? You either have to have an IQ of 150 or be under 12 to fathom them out.
Why Go Digital
So why would you buy a digital, as opposed to your trusted film camera? Well, firstly there's cost. Although digitals are relatively expensive to buy initially, the running costs are minimal. No more spending on processing, replacement films, enlargements etc. Plus the waiting time involved. With digitals the pictures are saved electronically. This means they can be transferred to your PC/laptop, sorted, edited, printed, cropped and so on. Not only that, you can see your picture as soon as you've taken it, and, if it's no good bin it.
How does it work?
As already stated digital photos are stored electronically. They use a language that can be understood by computers. This is called Pixels. Digital cameras capture pictures using a sensor known as CCD. This is formed with thousands of light sensitive sensors making up each pixel. A million pixels is called a mega-pixel. The more mega-pixels in a camera the better the picture. As each MP captures light when you take a photo, the more there are the higher resolution attained. This means pictures can be enlarged without going out of focus or becoming grainy.
What to look for
As already stated, as a rule of thumb the more mega-pixels the better. Other things to consider include a zoom lens. Optical lenses give better quality than digital. LCD [display size] in my opinion the bigger the better, so you can see your pictures easily, decide which to keep and show them around. It is also a good idea to make sure that your purchase is compatible with your PCs and printers software. Now all you have to decide is which camera to buy--a pocket size one so you can take pictures in an instant, an SLR for those really professional photos you might need, or maybe you'd be happy with one of the ones that are built into cell phones, these days.
Digital cameras can cost from a few dollars to complicated SLR models costing over $1000. Have you seen the manuals for these? You either have to have an IQ of 150 or be under 12 to fathom them out.
Why Go Digital
So why would you buy a digital, as opposed to your trusted film camera? Well, firstly there's cost. Although digitals are relatively expensive to buy initially, the running costs are minimal. No more spending on processing, replacement films, enlargements etc. Plus the waiting time involved. With digitals the pictures are saved electronically. This means they can be transferred to your PC/laptop, sorted, edited, printed, cropped and so on. Not only that, you can see your picture as soon as you've taken it, and, if it's no good bin it.
How does it work?
As already stated digital photos are stored electronically. They use a language that can be understood by computers. This is called Pixels. Digital cameras capture pictures using a sensor known as CCD. This is formed with thousands of light sensitive sensors making up each pixel. A million pixels is called a mega-pixel. The more mega-pixels in a camera the better the picture. As each MP captures light when you take a photo, the more there are the higher resolution attained. This means pictures can be enlarged without going out of focus or becoming grainy.
What to look for
As already stated, as a rule of thumb the more mega-pixels the better. Other things to consider include a zoom lens. Optical lenses give better quality than digital. LCD [display size] in my opinion the bigger the better, so you can see your pictures easily, decide which to keep and show them around. It is also a good idea to make sure that your purchase is compatible with your PCs and printers software. Now all you have to decide is which camera to buy--a pocket size one so you can take pictures in an instant, an SLR for those really professional photos you might need, or maybe you'd be happy with one of the ones that are built into cell phones, these days.
Buy Extra Proprietary Batteries
Ensure you have a backup digital camera battery for long photo shoots.
Many digital cameras support rechargeable AA NiMH batteries. The plus side is these batteries are cheap, available at many places, and non-proprietary. This means that a set of AA NiMH batteries used in one camera should work in another. However, the downside of these batteries is that digital cameras drain them relatively quickly when taking photographs.
To combat this problem, many camera manufacturers, especially in their high-end models, require use of proprietary rechargeable batteries. This way, you may get more than a dozen or hundred shots before having to recharge. While this can be of help when on long photo-taking trips, consider the following:
1. When your proprietary battery runs out of power, that's it. You can't run to the local drugstore and buy some AA batteries to take a few extra photos. It must be recharged before reused.
2. Rechargeable batteries eventually lose their ability to hold power after many charges. When this happens, you're out of luck. Remember the iPod fiasco a while back? These batteries can cost a great deal of money and can usually only be purchased from the digital camera manufacturer or a small number of resellers.
3. If your digital camera becomes obsolete (which can happen sooner than you think!), no one may continue producing the needed battery for your camera. This can mean that a couple of years after your original purchase, a perfectly good camera will be of no more use to you than a doorstop.
So, to prevent running out of power while taking great photos, as you buy your digital camera, go ahead and buy a second battery. While this may increase the cost of your original investment, it will more than make up for itself when you need the extra power to finish your photo shoots.
Many digital cameras support rechargeable AA NiMH batteries. The plus side is these batteries are cheap, available at many places, and non-proprietary. This means that a set of AA NiMH batteries used in one camera should work in another. However, the downside of these batteries is that digital cameras drain them relatively quickly when taking photographs.
To combat this problem, many camera manufacturers, especially in their high-end models, require use of proprietary rechargeable batteries. This way, you may get more than a dozen or hundred shots before having to recharge. While this can be of help when on long photo-taking trips, consider the following:
1. When your proprietary battery runs out of power, that's it. You can't run to the local drugstore and buy some AA batteries to take a few extra photos. It must be recharged before reused.
2. Rechargeable batteries eventually lose their ability to hold power after many charges. When this happens, you're out of luck. Remember the iPod fiasco a while back? These batteries can cost a great deal of money and can usually only be purchased from the digital camera manufacturer or a small number of resellers.
3. If your digital camera becomes obsolete (which can happen sooner than you think!), no one may continue producing the needed battery for your camera. This can mean that a couple of years after your original purchase, a perfectly good camera will be of no more use to you than a doorstop.
So, to prevent running out of power while taking great photos, as you buy your digital camera, go ahead and buy a second battery. While this may increase the cost of your original investment, it will more than make up for itself when you need the extra power to finish your photo shoots.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Try Every Filter Once
Experiment with your digital photo software's filters.
When you first purchase software for manipulating digital photos, whether it is Paint Shop Pro, Corel PhotoPaint, Adobe Photoshop, or whatever, you should take a few minutes and try out every filter on one or two of your photos (save your originals first!) Your software may have dozens, perhaps hundreds, of filters and special feature such as Solarize, Emboss, Page Curl, Lighting Effects, Gaussian Blur, and more. You might find some good ideas during experimentation that can be used on later photos.
When you first purchase software for manipulating digital photos, whether it is Paint Shop Pro, Corel PhotoPaint, Adobe Photoshop, or whatever, you should take a few minutes and try out every filter on one or two of your photos (save your originals first!) Your software may have dozens, perhaps hundreds, of filters and special feature such as Solarize, Emboss, Page Curl, Lighting Effects, Gaussian Blur, and more. You might find some good ideas during experimentation that can be used on later photos.
View Your Photos on a TV
Display your digital photos on TV for your friends and family to enjoy.
Many digital cameras have an AV (audio-visual) out adapter. With this adapter you may be able to connect your digital camera to a TV set and watch your photos on a big screen!
The exact instructions for doing this vary depending on your camera, and you should refer to your digital camera manual for details. Basically, it comes down to the following:
1. Turn off your digital camera.
2. Insert a media card into your digital camera containing the photos you would like to view on your television.
3. Plug in your digital camera using an AC adapter if possible, as playback mode can drain batteries quickly.
4. Insert the camera's AV adapter into its AV output connector, and insert the corresponding ends into your TV's audio and visual-in connectors. Depending on your television you may need to buy a secondary adapter.
5. Turn on your TV and set it up to receive external input.
6. Turn on your digital camera.
7. Set your digital camera to output to TV, if necessary (some digital cameras may automatically detect a plugged in AV adapter and begin sending signal).
8. Enable your digital camera's slideshow mode.
9. Sit back and enjoy!
Many digital cameras have an AV (audio-visual) out adapter. With this adapter you may be able to connect your digital camera to a TV set and watch your photos on a big screen!
The exact instructions for doing this vary depending on your camera, and you should refer to your digital camera manual for details. Basically, it comes down to the following:
1. Turn off your digital camera.
2. Insert a media card into your digital camera containing the photos you would like to view on your television.
3. Plug in your digital camera using an AC adapter if possible, as playback mode can drain batteries quickly.
4. Insert the camera's AV adapter into its AV output connector, and insert the corresponding ends into your TV's audio and visual-in connectors. Depending on your television you may need to buy a secondary adapter.
5. Turn on your TV and set it up to receive external input.
6. Turn on your digital camera.
7. Set your digital camera to output to TV, if necessary (some digital cameras may automatically detect a plugged in AV adapter and begin sending signal).
8. Enable your digital camera's slideshow mode.
9. Sit back and enjoy!
Create a Puzzle From Your Digital Photos
Create entertaining puzzles from your digital photos.
Instead of sharing your digital photos the normal way, here's an interesting gift idea: create puzzles from your digital photos! Not only will your recipient enjoy the finished photo, but they will also have fun along the way completing the puzzle.The following companies on the Internet claim to provide this service. Note that, depending on the company, you may need to place a minimum order of puzzles. Also, this list is for informational purposes only.
Joslin Photo Puzzle Co. - http://www.jigsawpuzzle.com
Positively Puzzled - http://www.positivelypuzzled.com/Snapfish
Snapfish - http://www.snapfish.com
Snapshot Puzzles - http://www.snapshotpuzzles.com/
Instead of sharing your digital photos the normal way, here's an interesting gift idea: create puzzles from your digital photos! Not only will your recipient enjoy the finished photo, but they will also have fun along the way completing the puzzle.The following companies on the Internet claim to provide this service. Note that, depending on the company, you may need to place a minimum order of puzzles. Also, this list is for informational purposes only.
Joslin Photo Puzzle Co. - http://www.jigsawpuzzle.com
Positively Puzzled - http://www.positivelypuzzled.com/Snapfish
Snapfish - http://www.snapfish.com
Snapshot Puzzles - http://www.snapshotpuzzles.com/
Take Care When Transferring Images
Watch out for this trap when transferring images from your digital camera to your computer.
When you transfer images from your digital camera to your PC, take great care in that you do not overwrite images currently on your PC. In most instances where one transfers images from a camera to a PC, the same filenames are used when you transfer different sets of files. Thus, you see that if you don't change the image filenames on your computer, or if you don't make sure you transfer images to different PC directories, your photos on your PC can be overwritten by accident.
When you transfer images from your digital camera to your PC, take great care in that you do not overwrite images currently on your PC. In most instances where one transfers images from a camera to a PC, the same filenames are used when you transfer different sets of files. Thus, you see that if you don't change the image filenames on your computer, or if you don't make sure you transfer images to different PC directories, your photos on your PC can be overwritten by accident.
Buying your child a digital camera- what you need to know
Purchasing any gift item for your child is a mind-numbing task. You can never be sure whether they will like what you buy for them or not. So, when you want to buy a digital camera for your little kids, then there are lots of things, which you must know, which will help you (hopefully!) to get the right camera for your child.
One of the most important things for children is that the digital camera should be one of the latest available in the market. If it has been heavily advertised and people are talking about it, then it is even better. This gives children a sense of pride and also allows them to ‘show-off’ their possession to their friends.
Another factor, which is critical for children, is that the camera must look good. This is very, very important to them. It does not matter whether it has a big screen or small screen, whether it is 2 mega pixel or 1.5 mega pixel – the camera should have a smart shape, come in flashy colors or it can also look cute or funky. But, the camera should not look ‘boring’ or very ‘serious’ in nature. However good the functions might be, if the camera does not look good, it is most likely that your choice will get rejected.
The size is also important. Most children will definitely prefer a digital camera that is small and compact in size. The weight and size should be such that they are able to easily put the camera in their pocket or hang it by a string. Large and bulky models, even if they have better features are not advisable for children.
It is also necessary to remember that even though you might gift your child a digital camera to click photographs for school projects, they will be using it to take pictures of their friends. So, look for some ‘fun’ features in the digital camera. These can include colorful background images or sound effects, photographic effects that they can use to enhance the images taken by them.
One more thing is ease of use. It is important that the camera has a simple system through which children can easily take pictures quickly. However, you really do not need to worry about this aspect a lot because today’s children have been born in the digital era. They are able to pick up things much faster than you or me, so as long as the camera is good in all other aspects, even if its ‘click ability’ is a little confusing, it does not really matter. They are fast learners these days!
Last but not the least, is the price. While buying a digital camera for your child, it is understandable that you really do not want to spend a lot of money. There are lots of choices available in the market today. The price range starts from as low as $30 and can go up to $300. So, it really depends on how much you would like to spend on the camera. Start simple and upgrade if they grow out of the digital camera that you buy for them. Hey share them with the whole family!
10 Ways to Make Money with your Digital Camera
1. Real Estate - Photograph homes as a paid service to realtors in your area. Since most newspapers and 'home for sale' magazines feature photographs of the homes that are for sale, your services can allow the realtors to spend more time earning their living instead of taking pictures. Also, with the popularity of the internet, most real estate agencies have websites with featured homes or searchable listings. These websites usually need good photographs as well.
2. Amateur sporting events - elementary, junior high, or high school sporting events offer a great opportunity for taking photographs of peoples kids in action. By getting good shots of their kids, you'll be able to offer great photographs to proud parents who don't own cameras, or forgot to bring them, or didn't have the great shots that you got.
3. Digital Image Collections - bundle hundreds of photographs onto a single CD rom and sell as a royalty-free package for web designers and graphic artists that don't want to take time from their areas of interest in order to take photographs.
4. How-To Projects - photograph the progression from start to finish of a particular project and put a few explanations with it and then offer it for sale as a 'How To ....." guide.
5. Insurance Records - offer your photography services to property owners who want to document their possessions for insurance purposes. Offer the final photographs on a CD. An add on business would be to have a written itemization for all the items, which could be included with the CD.
6. Child Safety Identification - not all parents have recent photographs of their children. By offering photography services as part of a Child Safety ID business you are doing a service to improve children's safety. Additional services could include recording fingerprints and a hair sample.
7. Digital Image Website - by putting high quality or interesting photos on a website you can create a cyber-gallery from which people can by prints. Many online photo-processors want you to do this because it means additional income for them too. Just upload, email, or send the online photo-processor your digital images and arrange them into albums. Many photo-processor's provide online tools so that you don't have to build your own website, or know how to run expensive photo editing software. Every time someone buys one of your photos from your gallery, the photo-processor makes a buck, and so do you.
8. Publish Church Directories - most churches want directories of the families and other members of their congregation or parish. By using your digital camera, careful documentation, and a some software you can create a church directory that include a photo of each family or individual, as well as their contact information. Your directory doesn't just have to be a printed out version, it could also be an online version. However, due to privacy concerns, some churches may not want their members contact information to be publicly available via the world wide web.
9. Selling Scrapbooks of Events - if you're a Scout leader or a participant in a family or class reunion, you could be the person who takes pictures of the big event, compiles it into a easy-reading visual scrapbook, and sells it to others who were at the event. Everyone wants a souvenir and reminder of a good time, and as memories fade, a quality scrapbook would be something most people appreciate.
10. Freelance photographer - go to public events and take photographs of the goings-on. Immediately contact local newspapers and magazines about the availability of your photographs and work out the details of how they prefer to look at the images you've captured. You never can tell when a publication didn't know about the event in the first place.
2. Amateur sporting events - elementary, junior high, or high school sporting events offer a great opportunity for taking photographs of peoples kids in action. By getting good shots of their kids, you'll be able to offer great photographs to proud parents who don't own cameras, or forgot to bring them, or didn't have the great shots that you got.
3. Digital Image Collections - bundle hundreds of photographs onto a single CD rom and sell as a royalty-free package for web designers and graphic artists that don't want to take time from their areas of interest in order to take photographs.
4. How-To Projects - photograph the progression from start to finish of a particular project and put a few explanations with it and then offer it for sale as a 'How To ....." guide.
5. Insurance Records - offer your photography services to property owners who want to document their possessions for insurance purposes. Offer the final photographs on a CD. An add on business would be to have a written itemization for all the items, which could be included with the CD.
6. Child Safety Identification - not all parents have recent photographs of their children. By offering photography services as part of a Child Safety ID business you are doing a service to improve children's safety. Additional services could include recording fingerprints and a hair sample.
7. Digital Image Website - by putting high quality or interesting photos on a website you can create a cyber-gallery from which people can by prints. Many online photo-processors want you to do this because it means additional income for them too. Just upload, email, or send the online photo-processor your digital images and arrange them into albums. Many photo-processor's provide online tools so that you don't have to build your own website, or know how to run expensive photo editing software. Every time someone buys one of your photos from your gallery, the photo-processor makes a buck, and so do you.
8. Publish Church Directories - most churches want directories of the families and other members of their congregation or parish. By using your digital camera, careful documentation, and a some software you can create a church directory that include a photo of each family or individual, as well as their contact information. Your directory doesn't just have to be a printed out version, it could also be an online version. However, due to privacy concerns, some churches may not want their members contact information to be publicly available via the world wide web.
9. Selling Scrapbooks of Events - if you're a Scout leader or a participant in a family or class reunion, you could be the person who takes pictures of the big event, compiles it into a easy-reading visual scrapbook, and sells it to others who were at the event. Everyone wants a souvenir and reminder of a good time, and as memories fade, a quality scrapbook would be something most people appreciate.
10. Freelance photographer - go to public events and take photographs of the goings-on. Immediately contact local newspapers and magazines about the availability of your photographs and work out the details of how they prefer to look at the images you've captured. You never can tell when a publication didn't know about the event in the first place.
The Popularity of Digital Cameras
Digital photography has taken off in a big way over the past few years. In fact digital cameras are becoming so popular that producers of traditional film cameras are withdrawing more and more models from the marketplace and replacing them with digital cameras.
Instant or near instant pictures are nothing new. For those of you old enough you will remember Polaroid cameras in the 1970s. However those cameras where big and heavy and the quality of the pictures left a lot to be desired. The onset of digital photography has removed these disadvantages. Digital cameras are compact and lightweight. You can see the picture you have taken instantly and if you don't like it you just delete it and retake. This last point is a godsend for amateur photographers. We have all taken photographs and chopped off someone's head, or jerked the camera producing a fuzzy picture or double exposed a film. All of these actions lead to wasted pictures and additional expense. These are no longer issues to be concerned about with digital photography.
The advantages of digital photography
There is an abundance of digital camera software available. This makes it possible to dramatically improve pictures before printing them. For example, red eye can be corrected, colours can be touched up, unwanted items or people can be brushed out. You can produce joke pictures by superimposing different bodies onto heads. In fact the opportunities to improve or play around with digital photos is virtually endless.
Once you have produced your digital photos to the standard you are happy with you can print them off on a photo printer or upload them onto websites. It is also possible to get your digital photos put onto tea shirts or mugs.
By posting your digital photos to the web you make it easier for relatives and friends to keep in touch. You can keep things private by making web pages password protected so that only people you want can see your pictures. It does mean that grandma in Australia can keep getting up to date pictures of her grand children.
Another big advantage is that digital photography is cost effective. The good news is that as the technology has matured the cost of digital cameras has reduced. A couple of years ago you would have had to pay a lot of money for the equipment. You can now pick up a very basic camera for just a few dollars. Obviously you can pay a lot more, but it depends what features you are looking for. The big savings though are that you only keep the pictures you are happy with. You can choose whether to print off the pictures or store them digitally on your computer hard drive.
A further advantage is that the vast majority of digital cameras are sold with software. This can be very basic such as being able to copy your digital photos onto your computer. However, much of the software is a lot more advanced than this, such as editing software. It is possible to buy software separately for advanced editing and publishing work. This might be necessary for experienced users, but for most users the software that comes with the camera is sufficient.
As you become more experience in digital photography you can purchase accessories such as an additional battery or an additional memory card. The technology is changing constantly. The quality of digital photos is now comparable to traditional film photos, and these have been produced for a lot less in both cost and in materials. There is less waste as well. People who have moved over to digital photography swear by it. If you are still using film it is time to think about a change.
Instant or near instant pictures are nothing new. For those of you old enough you will remember Polaroid cameras in the 1970s. However those cameras where big and heavy and the quality of the pictures left a lot to be desired. The onset of digital photography has removed these disadvantages. Digital cameras are compact and lightweight. You can see the picture you have taken instantly and if you don't like it you just delete it and retake. This last point is a godsend for amateur photographers. We have all taken photographs and chopped off someone's head, or jerked the camera producing a fuzzy picture or double exposed a film. All of these actions lead to wasted pictures and additional expense. These are no longer issues to be concerned about with digital photography.
The advantages of digital photography
There is an abundance of digital camera software available. This makes it possible to dramatically improve pictures before printing them. For example, red eye can be corrected, colours can be touched up, unwanted items or people can be brushed out. You can produce joke pictures by superimposing different bodies onto heads. In fact the opportunities to improve or play around with digital photos is virtually endless.
Once you have produced your digital photos to the standard you are happy with you can print them off on a photo printer or upload them onto websites. It is also possible to get your digital photos put onto tea shirts or mugs.
By posting your digital photos to the web you make it easier for relatives and friends to keep in touch. You can keep things private by making web pages password protected so that only people you want can see your pictures. It does mean that grandma in Australia can keep getting up to date pictures of her grand children.
Another big advantage is that digital photography is cost effective. The good news is that as the technology has matured the cost of digital cameras has reduced. A couple of years ago you would have had to pay a lot of money for the equipment. You can now pick up a very basic camera for just a few dollars. Obviously you can pay a lot more, but it depends what features you are looking for. The big savings though are that you only keep the pictures you are happy with. You can choose whether to print off the pictures or store them digitally on your computer hard drive.
A further advantage is that the vast majority of digital cameras are sold with software. This can be very basic such as being able to copy your digital photos onto your computer. However, much of the software is a lot more advanced than this, such as editing software. It is possible to buy software separately for advanced editing and publishing work. This might be necessary for experienced users, but for most users the software that comes with the camera is sufficient.
As you become more experience in digital photography you can purchase accessories such as an additional battery or an additional memory card. The technology is changing constantly. The quality of digital photos is now comparable to traditional film photos, and these have been produced for a lot less in both cost and in materials. There is less waste as well. People who have moved over to digital photography swear by it. If you are still using film it is time to think about a change.
Cheap Digital Cameras
I desire that the next article will help you to better understand this topic. Many of us look for digital cameras that can perform the tasks that we need while being priced at fair rates.
The versatile digital cameras can be found in the high end market to the mid range and also cheap digital cameras. When you are look for the digital camera that you need for your photographs you will find many different types of cheap digital cameras that you can buy.
These unlike cheap cameras can be bought from a variety of photographic camera stores. The cost range from some of these cameras can start at about $30 and go as high as $500. The versatile cameras that can you find in this inexpensive digital camera market also have well known brands like Nikon, Minolta, JVC, Kodak and Fuji.
While these cheap digital cameras will miss some of the features that can be found in the high end digital cameras they can deliver good photographs. You will need to look at these cheap digital cameras to see if they have the assorted items that you require.
These features can be the assorted shooting modes that you will get from your digital camera. Underwater, foliage, indoor, portrait, automatic are just a few of the shot modes that you can look for when you are selecting your inexpensive digital camera. Some cheap digital cameras will feature interesting effects like that of face stitching.
This facility allows you to take three different photographs. You can them mix these distinct photographs together to create a fantastic picture. The number of megapixels may not be that crucial for everyone but they do allow you to induce sharp and well settled pictures.
Since this is authoritative for take and elaborated photographs you should look for this info as you are gong through the diverse types of cheap digital cameras that are available. You can use diverse photography magazines and digital camera buyer’s guides to help you select the character of digital camera that is within your budget.
You should have a clear idea of the various requirements that you need from your digital camera. This way you can select the digital camera that has many types of shooting modes, evaluative metering and how well the optical lenses will work.
Since there are many unlike models of digital cameras you will need to know the diverse features and requirements that you need for Taking a picture. Once you know these parameters you can start your track down for the right type of inexpensive digital camera. With so many unlike brands and models of cheap digital cameras in the market you are sure to find your paragon digital camera.
The versatile digital cameras can be found in the high end market to the mid range and also cheap digital cameras. When you are look for the digital camera that you need for your photographs you will find many different types of cheap digital cameras that you can buy.
These unlike cheap cameras can be bought from a variety of photographic camera stores. The cost range from some of these cameras can start at about $30 and go as high as $500. The versatile cameras that can you find in this inexpensive digital camera market also have well known brands like Nikon, Minolta, JVC, Kodak and Fuji.
While these cheap digital cameras will miss some of the features that can be found in the high end digital cameras they can deliver good photographs. You will need to look at these cheap digital cameras to see if they have the assorted items that you require.
These features can be the assorted shooting modes that you will get from your digital camera. Underwater, foliage, indoor, portrait, automatic are just a few of the shot modes that you can look for when you are selecting your inexpensive digital camera. Some cheap digital cameras will feature interesting effects like that of face stitching.
This facility allows you to take three different photographs. You can them mix these distinct photographs together to create a fantastic picture. The number of megapixels may not be that crucial for everyone but they do allow you to induce sharp and well settled pictures.
Since this is authoritative for take and elaborated photographs you should look for this info as you are gong through the diverse types of cheap digital cameras that are available. You can use diverse photography magazines and digital camera buyer’s guides to help you select the character of digital camera that is within your budget.
You should have a clear idea of the various requirements that you need from your digital camera. This way you can select the digital camera that has many types of shooting modes, evaluative metering and how well the optical lenses will work.
Since there are many unlike models of digital cameras you will need to know the diverse features and requirements that you need for Taking a picture. Once you know these parameters you can start your track down for the right type of inexpensive digital camera. With so many unlike brands and models of cheap digital cameras in the market you are sure to find your paragon digital camera.
Digital Picture Frames
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and sometimes it takes more than one picture to showcase your memories. Today everything to do with photography is digital, digital cameras, digital storage, the only problem is when you want to display your prized photographs. More and more people believe in displaying there photographs in rich colours and paperless media. Paper has its limitations, the photographs you take may not actually come out as well as you expect once the colours have been adjusted for the printer, not to mention photographs on paper fade away with time.
The solutions is simple, digital picture frames, they are ingenious devices that allow you to transfer photographs directly on the the LCD picture frames. Just take a photograph transfer it to the photo frame using a cable or a memory card. And within seconds you have gone from click to display. There are no repeated printing or developing charges involved, and the best part is that a single digital picture frame can actually display all your images, no need to pick and choose which ones to print and which ones to forget. Just like any digital device the photo frames today can be tweaked to manage various aspects like the frequency of displaying pictures, the colours, the sharpness etc.
There has been a recent trend among photographers and amateurs alike, more and more are switching to digital photo frames to showcase there photos or to simply act as a pleasant reminder of there vacations. There is no limit to the number of applications a digital photo frame has, and in addition to being completely customizable they don't fade with time, or get smudged if you change the photographs. There is an increasing awareness in the market for digital photo frames, this has lead to increased demand and a drop in prices.
The advantages that digital photo frames have over traditional photo frames are simply overwhelming, so much so that you might want to overlook the additional care that these photo frames require. A Digital photo frame is a must have for anyone who owns a digital camera and likes to display his or her skills. I f you are the kind of person who likes to preserve memories by photographing them, a digital photo frame is indispensable, there is no way you can ignore its utility, and appeal to the onlooker any more.
The solutions is simple, digital picture frames, they are ingenious devices that allow you to transfer photographs directly on the the LCD picture frames. Just take a photograph transfer it to the photo frame using a cable or a memory card. And within seconds you have gone from click to display. There are no repeated printing or developing charges involved, and the best part is that a single digital picture frame can actually display all your images, no need to pick and choose which ones to print and which ones to forget. Just like any digital device the photo frames today can be tweaked to manage various aspects like the frequency of displaying pictures, the colours, the sharpness etc.
There has been a recent trend among photographers and amateurs alike, more and more are switching to digital photo frames to showcase there photos or to simply act as a pleasant reminder of there vacations. There is no limit to the number of applications a digital photo frame has, and in addition to being completely customizable they don't fade with time, or get smudged if you change the photographs. There is an increasing awareness in the market for digital photo frames, this has lead to increased demand and a drop in prices.
The advantages that digital photo frames have over traditional photo frames are simply overwhelming, so much so that you might want to overlook the additional care that these photo frames require. A Digital photo frame is a must have for anyone who owns a digital camera and likes to display his or her skills. I f you are the kind of person who likes to preserve memories by photographing them, a digital photo frame is indispensable, there is no way you can ignore its utility, and appeal to the onlooker any more.
Create an Attractive Portfolio
Display your photography skills in the best way possible.
Before starting out trying to sell your digital photos or digital photography services, it is a must to create a portfolio sample of your work. This will give you practice taking photos, but more importantly, customers will demand first seeing how good you are before spending money. This is especially important at the beginning when you may not have many testimonials or references.Be sure to purchase a nice photo album or portfolio book, not just something you pick up at a local drugstore. Also, ensure your photograph prints are of high quality with accurate color representation. This may require getting your photos printed professionally, such as at a camera store or online service catering to pro photographers.
Before starting out trying to sell your digital photos or digital photography services, it is a must to create a portfolio sample of your work. This will give you practice taking photos, but more importantly, customers will demand first seeing how good you are before spending money. This is especially important at the beginning when you may not have many testimonials or references.Be sure to purchase a nice photo album or portfolio book, not just something you pick up at a local drugstore. Also, ensure your photograph prints are of high quality with accurate color representation. This may require getting your photos printed professionally, such as at a camera store or online service catering to pro photographers.
Uses for your Old Digital Camera
Don't throw away your old digital camera - here are some ways to get some use out of it.
Don't throw away your old digital camera - here are some ways to get some use out of it.After purchasing a new digital camera, you may be considering what to do with your old camera that may have fewer megapixels, less zoom range, and fewer features than your current one.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Give your old digital camera to your parents or friends to introduce them to the world of digital photography (be prepared to spend time showing them how everything works!)
- Keep your old digital camera as a backup in case your main digital camera fails.
- Donate your digital camera to charity or a school (this may be tax deductible - contact your accountant and/or charity for information).
- Sell your old digital camera, if it is in good condition, on an auction site such as eBay.
- Sell your old digital camera in your newspaper classifieds.
Don't throw away your old digital camera - here are some ways to get some use out of it.After purchasing a new digital camera, you may be considering what to do with your old camera that may have fewer megapixels, less zoom range, and fewer features than your current one.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Give your old digital camera to your parents or friends to introduce them to the world of digital photography (be prepared to spend time showing them how everything works!)
- Keep your old digital camera as a backup in case your main digital camera fails.
- Donate your digital camera to charity or a school (this may be tax deductible - contact your accountant and/or charity for information).
- Sell your old digital camera, if it is in good condition, on an auction site such as eBay.
- Sell your old digital camera in your newspaper classifieds.
Look for ISO 50 Support
Look for digital cameras with ISO 50 support for crisper, cleaner images.
While most digital cameras have ISO 100 as their lowest ISO setting, if you are looking for even crisper, clearer photos when you have lots of outdoor or artificial light, consider purchasing a digital camera that supports ISO 50. Pictures with this setting have even less grain (noise) than ISO 100 photos, but they will require lots of light otherwise the image will be underexposed. Also, due to the extended exposure times, you will mostly likely need to use a tripod or other stabilizing device.
While most digital cameras have ISO 100 as their lowest ISO setting, if you are looking for even crisper, clearer photos when you have lots of outdoor or artificial light, consider purchasing a digital camera that supports ISO 50. Pictures with this setting have even less grain (noise) than ISO 100 photos, but they will require lots of light otherwise the image will be underexposed. Also, due to the extended exposure times, you will mostly likely need to use a tripod or other stabilizing device.
Don't Expect a Camera to Come with Enough Media
Buying a digital camera? Be prepared to buy some extra media.
When you purchase a digital camera, unless it happens to be a package deal, don't expect the camera to come with enough media to handle your photography needs. Nowadays, most digital cameras, if they come with any media at all, will only be packaged with a 16 or 32 MB card. Though that used to be enough memory for a couple dozen pictures, high megapixel photos in fine, very fine, or raw detail can eat up that memory in just one or two photos. Prepare to spend money on at least one extra media card.
When you purchase a digital camera, unless it happens to be a package deal, don't expect the camera to come with enough media to handle your photography needs. Nowadays, most digital cameras, if they come with any media at all, will only be packaged with a 16 or 32 MB card. Though that used to be enough memory for a couple dozen pictures, high megapixel photos in fine, very fine, or raw detail can eat up that memory in just one or two photos. Prepare to spend money on at least one extra media card.
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