When it comes time to purchase a new digital camera you might feel a bit overwhelmed. With technology constantly changing and new features available every month it is easy to be confused about what to purchase. However, there is a way to ensure that you purchase the right camera that will meet your needs. The key is to understand the terms and technology. You might not understand all of it, however it is our goal to give you enough information to make an informed decision. This article covers the features of digital cameras that are most important for you to understand.
To begin with me will discuss the similarities between film and digital cameras. Basically a camera is a light airtight box that allows exposure of a light-sensitive material through the use of a shutter and an aperture. This process is the same with either a digital or film camera.
Lenses focus the image and control how the photo will look (wide or telephoto); both film and digital cameras have lenses. The lens is also one of the most important factors in determining overall photo quality; the better the lens quality, the sharper and more clear your image. In film or digital photography- poor lenses=poor image quality.
Both types of cameras also use shutters to maintain the duration of the exposure. Both film and digital cameras need an aperture to control how much light hits the sensor during the period that the shutter is open. Very large apertures (2.8 or 4) will let in a lot of light, while small apertures (16 or 22) will let in very little light.
Whatever type of camera you may use, Focusing will always be a necessary step in creating sharp photographs. Manual and auto focusing can be found on both types of cameras.
Film Advance, Lag and Response Time The digital sensor takes in light much like film. Once the light strikes film it becomes"exposed" and the camera must advance the film to the next film frame to carry on the development. With digital cameras, the information that was acquired during exposure is moved on to the processor and the sensor is then freed up to grab another image. The length of time it takes for the sensor to "unload" its information and be ready to record again is called Advance Time. The speed of the digital camera is also influenced by how many images it can retain in the memory before the camera needs a time out to process them. A typical statistic could be "23 full-res(resolution) JPEGs or 6 RAW images at 5 fps"(Canon 20D). All this means is that the camera will shoot 5 frames per second until the memory fills up. The memory will become full at 6 exposures if you are shooting RAW and 23 if you are shooting the highest quality JPEG.
Film Advance, Lag and Response Time The digital sensor records light much like film. Once the light strikes film however, it is "exposed" and the camera must advance the film to the next frame to continue the process. With digital, the information that was captured during exposure is passed on to the processor and the sensor is freed up to record another image. The amount of time it takes for the sensor to "dump" its information and be ready to record again is called Advance Time. The digital camera's speed is also influenced by how many images it can store in the buffer before the camera needs a time out to process them. A typical statistic could be "23 full-res(resolution) JPEGs or 6 RAW images at 5 fps"(Canon 20D). This means the camera will shoot 5 frames per second until the buffer fills up. The buffer will become full at 6 exposures if you are shooting RAW and 23 if you are shooting the highest quality JPEG.
ISO In traditional (film) photography ISO (or ASA) was the indication of how sensitive a film was to light. It was measured in numbers (you've probably seen them on films - 100, 200, 400, 800 etc). The lower the number the lower the sensitivity of the film and the finer the grain in the shots you're taking.
As with many things, this increased sensitivity does have its drawbacks. When using film you might get an excess of grain, with digital photography you get what is called noise. The grain you might see on your film, in most cases, is generally considered acceptable and even might be desired in some cases. On the other hand noise does not have the same allure. Unlike different emulsions of film, the sensor really only has one sensitivity. To manage an increased ISO, or during very long exposures, the camera must send more power to the sensor, which often will result in the appearance of small specks or dots of white or color. You will also sometimes see a blotchy look which is created from the higher ISO's or long exposures. Generally most of the noise is generally manifested in the darker areas of your photograph. If your photography requires higher ISO settings this is an important point to pay attention to; this often occurs during nighttime or long exposures. In higher priced cameras, manufacturers have spent the money to reduce the noise problem, but it still may present itself on the less expensive models. Look to reviews for how much noise individual cameras will produce.
Resolution Resolution is arguably the least understood and most talked about feature of digital cameras. The more resolution the better is what the general consensus is. However this isn't always the case, more resolution doesn't always mean better photographs.
Resolution Probably the least understood and most talked about feature of digital cameras. The more the better, right? Well, most of the time. More resolution doesn't always mean better photographs.
Please remember, it is very common to see cameras that are equal in resolution but have different sensor sizes. In cases such as these it is a better idea to go for the larger sensor. Now you may be wondering, "how do you know how much resolution you do need?" It's simple really. You need to ask yourself how large of a print you want to eventually make. 3 and 4 Megapixel cameras are plenty sufficient for everything up to 8x10. If you need to create larger prints you will want to move up to the 5 and 6 Megapixel cameras.
White Balance White balance refers to the processors ability to create "correct" color in your pictures. The digital camera sensor always captures "raw" information and then the camera processor processes it and sends it to the memory card.
The human eye is an amazing thing. What is even more amazing is that it is excellent at ignoring color casts. When we are indoors under typical house lighting the color is quite orange/yellow while office lighting (fluorescent) is very green. Our eyes are able to ignore this, but film and digital cameras faithfully record all color nuances. When using film photography it is often necessary to put filters on your camera or to purchase film that is balanced for the particular lighting (color) that you are using. With digital photography we can easily change the white balance. All digital cameras come with a good variety of choices for correcting typical lighting situations with white balance. They also generally include an auto setting as well which is useful if you do not know what kind of light you are working under. Typically the more expensive cameras will also include the ability to custom balance to any color light!
The human eye is excellent at ignoring color casts. When we are indoors under typical house lighting the color is quite orange/yellow, office lighting (fluorescent) is very green. Our eyes are able to ignore this, but film and digital cameras do not. They record faithfully. When using film it is necessary to put filters on your camera or to buy film that is balanced for the particular lighting (color) that you are using. With digital we can simply change our white balance. All digital cameras come with a fine selection of white balance options for correcting typical lighting situations. They all will include an auto setting as well. This is useful if you do not know what kind of light you are working under. The more expensive models will come with the ability to custom balance to any color light!
Choose a digital camera that is right for you Hopefully by now you recognize that understanding how the sensor works will enable us to make some intelligent choices regarding resolution and camera speed. We also know that white balance is a fairly uniform feature across the entire line of cameras, negating any serious consideration in this arena. So you might be wondering what other features exist that may influence your camera purchase?
Choose a digital camera that is right for you Understanding how the sensor works allows us to make some intelligent decisions surrounding resolution and camera speed. White balance is a fairly uniform feature across the entire line of cameras, negating any serious consideration in this arena. So what other features exist that may influence your camera purchase?
Lenses Along with the sensor and processor, lenses play a major part in creating high image quality. Luckily we are at a place in time where most lenses are of a very high quality. So speed and length are the qualities that you should look at. Speed refers to the fastest -stop of the lens. 2.8 is faster than 3.5, which is faster than 4. A faster lens will allow you to shoot in lower light conditions without raising your ISO. It will also allow you to achieve a shallow depth of field, which will result in a blurred back or foreground. Buying a new digital camera
Focal length is the next consideration you should think of before purchasing a digital camera. Do you like to shoot with wide-angle lenses? Long telephoto lenses? Do you enjoy shooting up close with macro lenses? Digital cameras have all the same lens options that your film camera does. It is simply a matter of choosing the camera with the qualities that you want. By looking through magazines or surfing on to the web and going to www.dpreview.com you can easily find the specifications that describe all of the options.
Two sets of specs are commonly given when you begin to look into focal length . The first set is generally the actual focal length of the lens. For example, 7mm-28mm. This example would be an extreme wide angle on a film camera. The digital camera however, has a smaller sensor area than the film camera which makes the 7mm lens look more like a 35mm lens. So the second set of numbers on this lens would be 35mm-136mm. This is typically considered the 35mm equivalent. It is these numbers you should pay attention to when researching different cameras for focal range as they will be more recognizable to you.
In general most beginner digital cameras do not provide a variety of wide angle lens choices. They will typically go down to 35mm or even 28mm but it is difficult to find a 24mm or wider. This problem is mainly due to the difficulties in building such a small focal length lenses. In this case, if you enjoy taking wide angle photos, you may want to think about upgrading to a digital SLR.
When it comes to long telephoto lenses the digital cameras have a big advantage to film cameras! Their smaller sensor size turns even moderate telephotos into very long lenses. For example a real 57mm focal length behaves like a 370mm! This is a real advantage to people who like to shoot "long". Please note, beware of cameras which claim their longest focal length as Digital Zoom. You should always avoid Digital Zoom. For these purposes we are concerned only with real or actual focal lengths.
The last lens specification to consider prior to purchasing is the focusing distance. If you like, or need, to shoot macro, look for a lens that has the ability to focus very close. They will usually be signified by a "macro mode" or be called "close focusing".
Shooting your digital camera in the field Taking photographs should be the fun part. It is important to not let all of the bells and whistles confuse you when you are out in the field. I agree that there are many choices and they can be a bit overwhelming. Here are three of the most important things you should always check before you start photographing.
ISO- Keep it set to a low (100 or 50) if you are outdoors or in areas where you have plenty of light. Raise your ISO only when you need to keep from getting camera shake. Most digital cameras provide great images all the way up to 400 ISO. If you need to go higher than 400 ISO, you may run the risk of introducing a noticeable amount of noise to your photos. Experiment with your digital camera to determine which ISO produces unacceptable noise levels.
Jpeg vs. Raw- This is an easy choice. Shoot RAW if you want to work on every image in your computer. The RAW format is very flexible and easily allows you to correct for errors in exposure and color cast without degrading your image quality. You will want to use the Jpeg mode if you do not have the time or desire to work on every image. Jpeg mode uses a minimum amount of image compression which provides extremely high quality pictures.
Image Size- Most cameras come with multiple resolution choices. Your choices may look like this: 2304x1728, 1600x1200, 1280x960, 640x480. The rule of thumb is to always choose the highest resolution. In this case that would be 2304x1728. The highest resolution will supply you with the highest quality images possible.
Digital Camera Accessories There are nearly as many accessories for digital cameras as there are digital cameras. There are loads of options available: cases, cards and storage units. Don't open your wallet just yet, there are only a very few accessories that are considered absolute necessities.
Compact Flash-The first is the type of storage that your camera uses. I prefer cameras the use Compact Flash. This medium seems to be the best all around Flash Card. Sturdy, durable, not too small to lose or to big to be bulky. It also comes in very large capacities-up to 8 gigabytes! My recommendation is to have a least two cards in case one becomes damaged or lost. Your total amount of storage will be determined on how much you want to spend on your cards (cameras rarely ship with a card that is adequate for most photographic purposes). Having two 512Mb cards seems to be adequate for most shooting situations, unless you are very trigger happy. Having 4 of these cards or two 1 GB cards will ensure that you will never be without storage.
Portable Storage-If you have invested in enough Flash Card storage, you will probably not need a portable storage unit. This is however contingent on downloading your cards on a daily basis. If you are in a situation where you will not have access to your computer for long periods of time (in order to upload your photos from your camera to your computer) you may want to consider a portable storage unit. The idea of a Portable Storage unit is to move your photos from your Flash Card to the storage unit thereby freeing up space on the card. You can then put the card back into your camera, reformat it, and continue taking pictures. When you return home you simply attach the storage unit to your computer and transfer the images to your computers harddrive. Most Portable Storage units come with enough space for many days of shooting. A recommendation would be to purchase a unit with at least 10Gb of storage.
Storage and transfer are the most basic functions which all of the models will perform. At this point they can get really fancy. There are units that will automatically create Cds from your cards, which produces an immediate archive of your images. Others come with an LCD screen that allows you to preview your photos right on the storage device. Advanced features will even allow you to organize your images into folders and albums. Prior to purchasing one of these units you may want to think about the length of time you will be away from your computer as you may not need one with these advanced features.
Extra Batteries / Charger Digital cameras run through batteries at an alarming rate. A definite purchase would be back up batteries. In this instance, rechargeable batteries are the intelligent choice because you will be using so many. Also, most digital cameras now come with a proprietary lithium battery with a charger. This is a good thing as it allows a stronger battery however you still would want a back up battery so you can continue to use your camera while one is charging. If this is your situation, purchase extra batteries when you buy your camera. If your camera is powered by common AA batteries, you would be wise to buy a couple sets of rechargeable batteries and a charger.
Bulb blower- a must if you are considering an interchangeable lens SLR. When you change lens on these cameras you will introduce dust into the body. Ultimately this will migrate to your sensor and manifest itself as small blurry splotches on your final image. A few seconds with the blower bulb will save you hours on the computer cleaning up your photographs! - 15437
To begin with me will discuss the similarities between film and digital cameras. Basically a camera is a light airtight box that allows exposure of a light-sensitive material through the use of a shutter and an aperture. This process is the same with either a digital or film camera.
Lenses focus the image and control how the photo will look (wide or telephoto); both film and digital cameras have lenses. The lens is also one of the most important factors in determining overall photo quality; the better the lens quality, the sharper and more clear your image. In film or digital photography- poor lenses=poor image quality.
Both types of cameras also use shutters to maintain the duration of the exposure. Both film and digital cameras need an aperture to control how much light hits the sensor during the period that the shutter is open. Very large apertures (2.8 or 4) will let in a lot of light, while small apertures (16 or 22) will let in very little light.
Whatever type of camera you may use, Focusing will always be a necessary step in creating sharp photographs. Manual and auto focusing can be found on both types of cameras.
Film Advance, Lag and Response Time The digital sensor takes in light much like film. Once the light strikes film it becomes"exposed" and the camera must advance the film to the next film frame to carry on the development. With digital cameras, the information that was acquired during exposure is moved on to the processor and the sensor is then freed up to grab another image. The length of time it takes for the sensor to "unload" its information and be ready to record again is called Advance Time. The speed of the digital camera is also influenced by how many images it can retain in the memory before the camera needs a time out to process them. A typical statistic could be "23 full-res(resolution) JPEGs or 6 RAW images at 5 fps"(Canon 20D). All this means is that the camera will shoot 5 frames per second until the memory fills up. The memory will become full at 6 exposures if you are shooting RAW and 23 if you are shooting the highest quality JPEG.
Film Advance, Lag and Response Time The digital sensor records light much like film. Once the light strikes film however, it is "exposed" and the camera must advance the film to the next frame to continue the process. With digital, the information that was captured during exposure is passed on to the processor and the sensor is freed up to record another image. The amount of time it takes for the sensor to "dump" its information and be ready to record again is called Advance Time. The digital camera's speed is also influenced by how many images it can store in the buffer before the camera needs a time out to process them. A typical statistic could be "23 full-res(resolution) JPEGs or 6 RAW images at 5 fps"(Canon 20D). This means the camera will shoot 5 frames per second until the buffer fills up. The buffer will become full at 6 exposures if you are shooting RAW and 23 if you are shooting the highest quality JPEG.
ISO In traditional (film) photography ISO (or ASA) was the indication of how sensitive a film was to light. It was measured in numbers (you've probably seen them on films - 100, 200, 400, 800 etc). The lower the number the lower the sensitivity of the film and the finer the grain in the shots you're taking.
As with many things, this increased sensitivity does have its drawbacks. When using film you might get an excess of grain, with digital photography you get what is called noise. The grain you might see on your film, in most cases, is generally considered acceptable and even might be desired in some cases. On the other hand noise does not have the same allure. Unlike different emulsions of film, the sensor really only has one sensitivity. To manage an increased ISO, or during very long exposures, the camera must send more power to the sensor, which often will result in the appearance of small specks or dots of white or color. You will also sometimes see a blotchy look which is created from the higher ISO's or long exposures. Generally most of the noise is generally manifested in the darker areas of your photograph. If your photography requires higher ISO settings this is an important point to pay attention to; this often occurs during nighttime or long exposures. In higher priced cameras, manufacturers have spent the money to reduce the noise problem, but it still may present itself on the less expensive models. Look to reviews for how much noise individual cameras will produce.
Resolution Resolution is arguably the least understood and most talked about feature of digital cameras. The more resolution the better is what the general consensus is. However this isn't always the case, more resolution doesn't always mean better photographs.
Resolution Probably the least understood and most talked about feature of digital cameras. The more the better, right? Well, most of the time. More resolution doesn't always mean better photographs.
Please remember, it is very common to see cameras that are equal in resolution but have different sensor sizes. In cases such as these it is a better idea to go for the larger sensor. Now you may be wondering, "how do you know how much resolution you do need?" It's simple really. You need to ask yourself how large of a print you want to eventually make. 3 and 4 Megapixel cameras are plenty sufficient for everything up to 8x10. If you need to create larger prints you will want to move up to the 5 and 6 Megapixel cameras.
White Balance White balance refers to the processors ability to create "correct" color in your pictures. The digital camera sensor always captures "raw" information and then the camera processor processes it and sends it to the memory card.
The human eye is an amazing thing. What is even more amazing is that it is excellent at ignoring color casts. When we are indoors under typical house lighting the color is quite orange/yellow while office lighting (fluorescent) is very green. Our eyes are able to ignore this, but film and digital cameras faithfully record all color nuances. When using film photography it is often necessary to put filters on your camera or to purchase film that is balanced for the particular lighting (color) that you are using. With digital photography we can easily change the white balance. All digital cameras come with a good variety of choices for correcting typical lighting situations with white balance. They also generally include an auto setting as well which is useful if you do not know what kind of light you are working under. Typically the more expensive cameras will also include the ability to custom balance to any color light!
The human eye is excellent at ignoring color casts. When we are indoors under typical house lighting the color is quite orange/yellow, office lighting (fluorescent) is very green. Our eyes are able to ignore this, but film and digital cameras do not. They record faithfully. When using film it is necessary to put filters on your camera or to buy film that is balanced for the particular lighting (color) that you are using. With digital we can simply change our white balance. All digital cameras come with a fine selection of white balance options for correcting typical lighting situations. They all will include an auto setting as well. This is useful if you do not know what kind of light you are working under. The more expensive models will come with the ability to custom balance to any color light!
Choose a digital camera that is right for you Hopefully by now you recognize that understanding how the sensor works will enable us to make some intelligent choices regarding resolution and camera speed. We also know that white balance is a fairly uniform feature across the entire line of cameras, negating any serious consideration in this arena. So you might be wondering what other features exist that may influence your camera purchase?
Choose a digital camera that is right for you Understanding how the sensor works allows us to make some intelligent decisions surrounding resolution and camera speed. White balance is a fairly uniform feature across the entire line of cameras, negating any serious consideration in this arena. So what other features exist that may influence your camera purchase?
Lenses Along with the sensor and processor, lenses play a major part in creating high image quality. Luckily we are at a place in time where most lenses are of a very high quality. So speed and length are the qualities that you should look at. Speed refers to the fastest -stop of the lens. 2.8 is faster than 3.5, which is faster than 4. A faster lens will allow you to shoot in lower light conditions without raising your ISO. It will also allow you to achieve a shallow depth of field, which will result in a blurred back or foreground. Buying a new digital camera
Focal length is the next consideration you should think of before purchasing a digital camera. Do you like to shoot with wide-angle lenses? Long telephoto lenses? Do you enjoy shooting up close with macro lenses? Digital cameras have all the same lens options that your film camera does. It is simply a matter of choosing the camera with the qualities that you want. By looking through magazines or surfing on to the web and going to www.dpreview.com you can easily find the specifications that describe all of the options.
Two sets of specs are commonly given when you begin to look into focal length . The first set is generally the actual focal length of the lens. For example, 7mm-28mm. This example would be an extreme wide angle on a film camera. The digital camera however, has a smaller sensor area than the film camera which makes the 7mm lens look more like a 35mm lens. So the second set of numbers on this lens would be 35mm-136mm. This is typically considered the 35mm equivalent. It is these numbers you should pay attention to when researching different cameras for focal range as they will be more recognizable to you.
In general most beginner digital cameras do not provide a variety of wide angle lens choices. They will typically go down to 35mm or even 28mm but it is difficult to find a 24mm or wider. This problem is mainly due to the difficulties in building such a small focal length lenses. In this case, if you enjoy taking wide angle photos, you may want to think about upgrading to a digital SLR.
When it comes to long telephoto lenses the digital cameras have a big advantage to film cameras! Their smaller sensor size turns even moderate telephotos into very long lenses. For example a real 57mm focal length behaves like a 370mm! This is a real advantage to people who like to shoot "long". Please note, beware of cameras which claim their longest focal length as Digital Zoom. You should always avoid Digital Zoom. For these purposes we are concerned only with real or actual focal lengths.
The last lens specification to consider prior to purchasing is the focusing distance. If you like, or need, to shoot macro, look for a lens that has the ability to focus very close. They will usually be signified by a "macro mode" or be called "close focusing".
Shooting your digital camera in the field Taking photographs should be the fun part. It is important to not let all of the bells and whistles confuse you when you are out in the field. I agree that there are many choices and they can be a bit overwhelming. Here are three of the most important things you should always check before you start photographing.
ISO- Keep it set to a low (100 or 50) if you are outdoors or in areas where you have plenty of light. Raise your ISO only when you need to keep from getting camera shake. Most digital cameras provide great images all the way up to 400 ISO. If you need to go higher than 400 ISO, you may run the risk of introducing a noticeable amount of noise to your photos. Experiment with your digital camera to determine which ISO produces unacceptable noise levels.
Jpeg vs. Raw- This is an easy choice. Shoot RAW if you want to work on every image in your computer. The RAW format is very flexible and easily allows you to correct for errors in exposure and color cast without degrading your image quality. You will want to use the Jpeg mode if you do not have the time or desire to work on every image. Jpeg mode uses a minimum amount of image compression which provides extremely high quality pictures.
Image Size- Most cameras come with multiple resolution choices. Your choices may look like this: 2304x1728, 1600x1200, 1280x960, 640x480. The rule of thumb is to always choose the highest resolution. In this case that would be 2304x1728. The highest resolution will supply you with the highest quality images possible.
Digital Camera Accessories There are nearly as many accessories for digital cameras as there are digital cameras. There are loads of options available: cases, cards and storage units. Don't open your wallet just yet, there are only a very few accessories that are considered absolute necessities.
Compact Flash-The first is the type of storage that your camera uses. I prefer cameras the use Compact Flash. This medium seems to be the best all around Flash Card. Sturdy, durable, not too small to lose or to big to be bulky. It also comes in very large capacities-up to 8 gigabytes! My recommendation is to have a least two cards in case one becomes damaged or lost. Your total amount of storage will be determined on how much you want to spend on your cards (cameras rarely ship with a card that is adequate for most photographic purposes). Having two 512Mb cards seems to be adequate for most shooting situations, unless you are very trigger happy. Having 4 of these cards or two 1 GB cards will ensure that you will never be without storage.
Portable Storage-If you have invested in enough Flash Card storage, you will probably not need a portable storage unit. This is however contingent on downloading your cards on a daily basis. If you are in a situation where you will not have access to your computer for long periods of time (in order to upload your photos from your camera to your computer) you may want to consider a portable storage unit. The idea of a Portable Storage unit is to move your photos from your Flash Card to the storage unit thereby freeing up space on the card. You can then put the card back into your camera, reformat it, and continue taking pictures. When you return home you simply attach the storage unit to your computer and transfer the images to your computers harddrive. Most Portable Storage units come with enough space for many days of shooting. A recommendation would be to purchase a unit with at least 10Gb of storage.
Storage and transfer are the most basic functions which all of the models will perform. At this point they can get really fancy. There are units that will automatically create Cds from your cards, which produces an immediate archive of your images. Others come with an LCD screen that allows you to preview your photos right on the storage device. Advanced features will even allow you to organize your images into folders and albums. Prior to purchasing one of these units you may want to think about the length of time you will be away from your computer as you may not need one with these advanced features.
Extra Batteries / Charger Digital cameras run through batteries at an alarming rate. A definite purchase would be back up batteries. In this instance, rechargeable batteries are the intelligent choice because you will be using so many. Also, most digital cameras now come with a proprietary lithium battery with a charger. This is a good thing as it allows a stronger battery however you still would want a back up battery so you can continue to use your camera while one is charging. If this is your situation, purchase extra batteries when you buy your camera. If your camera is powered by common AA batteries, you would be wise to buy a couple sets of rechargeable batteries and a charger.
Bulb blower- a must if you are considering an interchangeable lens SLR. When you change lens on these cameras you will introduce dust into the body. Ultimately this will migrate to your sensor and manifest itself as small blurry splotches on your final image. A few seconds with the blower bulb will save you hours on the computer cleaning up your photographs! - 15437
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