21 Sep 08 Nikon Announes New and Enhanced Suite of Coolscan High-Speed Desktop Film Scanners
Nikon Redefines Quality and Performance With New Products and Exclusive Features
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, MACWORLD CONFERENCE & EXPO, Booth 1129, January 5, 2004 - Nikon® has answered the calls of photo hobbyists, professional photographers and graphics professionals with the next generation of Coolscan desktop film scanners – the Coolscan V ED, Super Coolscan 5000 ED and the Super Coolscan 9000 ED. The new film scanners are loaded with features and benefits designed for a wide range of users, including Applied Science Fiction’s™ Digital ICE4™ Advanced technology, Nikon’s exclusive Scan Image Enhancer™ and other “one-button-simple” solutions. The new lineup of Coolscan products will help small and large businesses to streamline their operations and increase productivity while giving home users and hobbyists an affordable solution to revitalize, restore and save precious family memories.
“While digital is dominating today’s photography and printing markets, there are still an enormous amount of film images as well as a need for creating high-quality, versatile hi-resolution digital files. In American homes, literally millions of negatives and slides holding precious family memories are wasting away in shoeboxes and attics,” said Jerry Grossman, vice president, marketing, Consumer Digital Products and Compact Cameras, Nikon Inc. “A Nikon film scanner is an incredibly useful tool to help unlock the potential of an image and use the advantages of digital to bring that image to life.”
Why Nikon?
Nikon invented affordable desktop film scanning in 1994 with the introduction of the original Coolscan, and has been the market leader ever since. In 2001, Nikon was the first manufacturer to offer the groundbreaking Digital ICE3™ technology in its film scanners, as well as high quality ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass for sharp clear images and accurate color representation. Designed with this tradition in mind, Nikon possesses defining capabilities that make each Coolscan scanner the best in its class.
The new Nikon Coolscan desktop film scanners boast 4,000 dpi across the product line, a greater optical density range for even deeper levels of details, faster processing speeds (USB 2 and FireWire - IEEE 1394) and an enhanced version of Nikon Scan 4.
Nikon Coolscan scanners offer features such as:
- Scanner Nikkor ED lens - The single most important element in the production of high-quality scans is the lens. Nikon has incorporated lenses of the highest quality in each film scanner. ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lens elements are far superior in edge-to-edge sharpness, definition and contrast, as well as color registration, saturation and accuracy.
- Low-heat, high-accuracy LED light source - Most scanners use halogen or fluorescent lamps as light sources, but they require time to warm up and the heat they generate can cause damage to film. Nikon products are the only scanners to employ LEDs as the source of light. LEDs are a stable, precise light source, which require no maintenance or warm-up time and present no risk of your film being damaged.
- Digital ICE4 Advanced™ - Nikon’s ED glass and LED lighting help to optimize the effectiveness of Digital ICE4 Advanced™ components, making Nikon Coolscan scanners and ICE a perfect match.
- Nikon Color Management System (CMS) - Nikon CMS provides consistently accurate reproduction of image data on monitors and in printouts.
Coolscan Scanners Are Designed for Multiple Applications
Nikon Coolscan V ED - The Digital Time Machine
The Coolscan V ED is an affordable, high-performance film scanner that is designed to be easy to operate for first-time scanner users. For some film camera
users, their best digital camera may, in fact, be their own film SLR camera. By using the Nikon Coolscan V ED, a Nikon N75 or N80 can produce digital scans at close to 22-megapixel resolution.
The Coolscan V ED is perfect for those looking to bring old images back to life and preserve memories with better-than-original quality. Imagine removing scratches from a 1950s family reunion shot or sending your parents their wedding portrait looking better than the day it was taken. It’s more than film scanning - it’s “Timemachineography™.”
With an optical resolution of 4,000 dpi and 14-bit A/D input conversion, the Coolscan V ED is the perfect tool for a home user or photo hobbyist looking to enhance their own film photography experience. A new plug-and-play USB 2.0 interface even improves the speed of image transfer. Scan speed is also surprisingly fast - the Coolscan V ED can scan an image in only 38 seconds (including image transfer and display) - making the entire process smoother and easier from start to finish.
Super Coolscan 5000 ED - Superior Quality, Greater Efficiency, Increased Profits
The Super Coolscan 5000 ED is designed with the needs of imaging professionals in mind, delivering 135/IX240 film scanning at an amazing 20 seconds per image (including image transfer to display) - at 4,000 dpi optical resolution. This, combined with a 16-bit A/D converter and 16-bit output channel, gives pros the speed and power they need to truly affect the scope of their business.
The Super Coolscan 5000 ED is targeted primarily to small and medium-sized business users including professional photographers, web developers and photo finishers, who demand the highest standard of image quality and ultra high-speed scanning capability. The Super Coolscan 5000 ED achieves incredible scan speeds of 20-seconds by utilizing a newly developed high-quality 2-line CCD sensor.
In addition to speed, the scanner also offers a number of time-saving accessories including the redesigned Slide Feeder (SF-210) and Roll Film Adapter (SA-30) to accommodate a variety of slide mounts and uncut film. The Super Coolscan 5000 ED combines superior performance and efficiency to make it the perfect digital archiving solution for business users.
Super Coolscan 9000 ED - Maximum Versatility, Reliability and Performance
The Super Coolscan 9000 ED is the ultimate film scanning solution for serious imaging professionals designed to handle a broad range of film formats such as 35mm, 120/220, 16mm, 6 x 7, 6 x 9 film, electron microscope and more. The Super Coolscan 9000 ED caters specifically to professionals in fields such as advertising and studio photography who regularly work with 120/220 format films.
The scanner outputs a true optical resolution of 4,000 dpi while 16-bit A/D conversion allows the Super Coolscan 9000 ED to produce images of incredible overall quality. Multi-sample scan capability of as many as 16 passes ensures faithful reproduction with smoother gradation of color and detail. This scanner employs a newly developed 3-line CCD sensor, which contributes to unmatched image quality, as well as fast scanning (35mm: 40 seconds; 6 x 9: 185 seconds). Unlike the other new scanners, the Super Coolscan 9000 ED employs an IEEE 1394 interface to quickly manage extremely large file transfers.
The Super Coolscan 9000 ED also features unparalleled image restoration capabilities. Digital ICE4 Advanced™, The Super Coolscan 9000 ED’s exclusive Digital ICE Professional™ is now also compatible with Kodachrome film. Nikon’s Scan Image Enhancer offers a simple solution for adjusting brightness and color saturation.
Nikon Coolscan and Super Coolscan desktop film scanners come equipped with everything needed to begin scanning immediately. To make the film scanning experience as seamless as possible, Nikon is shipping its new Easy Scanning Guide CD-ROM which features a custom Flash™ animated tutorial explaining the setup and operation of each new scanner.
The complete line of Nikon scanners will be available this month. The Nikon Coolscan V ED will be sold at an MSRP of $599.95. The Super Coolscan 5000 ED will retail for $1099.95 MSRP while the Super Coolscan 9000 ED will be $1999.95 MSRP. For more information, visit www.nikoncoolscan.com.
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21 Sep 08 Finding A Digital Camera Online
Author: David Faulkner
The great international market bazaar known as the Internet has rapidly made inroads on the territory of traditional brick and mortar retailers, and has in fact become the preferred shopping venue for millions of consumers. The Internet allows people to shop a their convenience from the comfort of their homes without spending money on gas and time fighting traffic.
Internet shopping also allows consumers to comparison shop online, reviewing the features of different items and finding the best prices. While there are, of course, things that should not be purchased online like perishable foods or live animals, it would be very hard to run a search for a non-perishable item an not find someone, somewhere ., who is selling it on their website.
Concerns About Shopping Online
Electronic items are especially in demand for online purchase, and many thousands of people have bought or considered buying a digital camera online. While the chances of getting scammed when purchasing a high-end item like a digital camera online do exist, they are probably greater than the chances of being cheated by a regular store or by purchasing a camera through the classifieds.
Internet retailers, like traditional ones, live and die with their customer base, and if they cannot get repeat business, will be doomed. Being conned when you purchase you digital camera online guarantees you will not be a return customer, and also guarantees bad publicity for the seller.
People buy digital cameras for different reasons; environmentally conscious consumers like them because there are no polluting chemicals involved in the production of digital photos. Others like them because they allow instant viewing of a photograph, and because there are digital camera software photos which can turn even the most amateur photographers into a budding Ansel Adams.
If you’re considering buying a digital camera online, you can feel good both about doing you small part to protect the environment, and about owning a technology which appears to be the future of amateur photography. While your digital camera online purchase may not get you the superlative quality photographs that professional photographers create with traditional cameras and darkrooms, it will get you started, and the digital camera technology is improving by leaps and bounds.
What To Look For In A Digital Camera
When shopping for your digital camera on line, research its storage capacity and pixilation; the greater its pixelation number, the better the sharpness and detailing of your photos will be. But the price you pay for a digital camera online will increase as its pixelation does.
The number of photos your digital camera can store is determined by its storage capacity; however, you can always purchase extra storage capacity by getting an additional flash card, just like you can buy extra memory for your personal computer. The very first digital cameras could hold up to thirty photos, making them competitive with 36-picture rolls of 35mm photographic film.
Today, however, even digital cameras priced in the medium range will store a hundred of more photographs. Once you’ve settled on ho much pixilation and storage capacity you need, and found the camera website offering it at the best price, you should be ready to buy your digital cameral online!
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21 Sep 08 Benefits of Using a Digital Camera
Author: Roberto Sedycias
If you are one of those who love taking pictures, then digital camera is probably one invention you simply cannot afford to miss! Smart and trustworthy, this one is probably the most imaginative development in the world of photography till date!
Digital cameras are electronic devices that capture as well as store images digitally, instead of on photographic films. A digital camera, however, needs a memory or a storage media to save these pictures. Some of the most popularly used storage devices include Floppy Disks, CD Singles, DVDs, Memory Cards (such as Microdrives or CompactFlash Cards, Memory Sticks, MiniSD Cards, MicroSD cards, etc), FP Memory and many others. Though storage devices such as Floppy Disks need computers, using autonomous devices, like the PictBridge Printer can ensure that you can print your pictures directly using a printer.
One of the greatest advantages of using a digital camera is that they, unlike the conventional cameras, can record, store, retrieve, remove, edit and manage your pictures as you may wish to. In fact digital cameras may also allow one to shoot and save videos of a considerable length. The sound and the picture quality ranges form one camera to another to a great extent, though in most cases a digital camera can surely allow you to shoot at least a reasonably good video.
Another great benefit of using a digital camera is that these devices are (in most of the cases) very portable, and can be easily carried around form place to place. Though one cannot say that these are not delicate, and need not be handled with care, one can sure stay assured of the fact that these days digital cameras are not very difficult to be taken care of either. If you can keep it safely in a cover, and handle it with reasonable care, and your camera is sure to serve you well. However, since in most cases digital cameras come with a long guarantee period, this is one thing you simply need not worry about!
Just like all other electronic devices, digital cameras also come with a wide rage of features that keep on adding and developing with the growth in technology. Though much depends on the price of the camera and the companies manufacturing it, there are certain features that have been found to be popular among almost all of them. These days it is not rare to find digital cameras allowing zoom, image adjusting, and automatic functioning (as based on the time set by you), when you go clicking pictures. Settings as to the picture color code, brightness, sharpness, etc can also be changed. Generally digital cameras also allow you to make your own picture or video albums, so that you can systematically save them all.
A digital camera works on battery, the life and the stand by time of which varies greatly, depending on the camera you are using and of course on the battery itself. Generally these are chargeable, so you know you can charge your battery anytime you need to. However, the best part of it is that, (depending on your video camera) the battery can work non-stop for a relatively fair amount of time. This means you can click away your pictures happily, without having to bother about the battery betraying you mid way!
These days almost all well known and even not so well known electronic device related company can be seen producing digital cameras. Needless to say, as more and more companies enter the market producing more and more sophisticated digital cameras, the more the prices can be seen falling with each passing day. Now in such circumstances, how can anyone resist having a digital camera of their own?!
This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author’s name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.
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21 Sep 08 How About Choosing Kodak Digital Cameras?
Author: Mark Robert
There are many digital cameras in the market today. Kodak Digital Cameras are one of the best known brands worldwide. They are of professional excellence. They have the best of technology and excellence in quality.
Kodak History
During the end of eighties, Kodak made Organic Light Emitting Diode displays that helped in making images clearer. They provided sharpness in contrast and which did not tax the batteries too much either. Their displays were far superior to the conventional LCD display units of the time.
Standard Features and Extras
Whey you buy Kodak digital cameras, you are going to get most standard features that any other manufacturer of digital cameras will provide, and there are many extras such as
Point and shoot and
Powerful zoom
Decent size to boot.
Kodak Easyshare
One of the better and also more popular of Kodak digital cameras is the Kodak EasyShare that is ideally suited for shooting. It also allows you to share your photographs as well, and you can even obtain prints of a good size which are assuredly going to be of outstanding quality thanks to its 6.1 mega pixel resolution.
Other notable features of this excellent Kodak digital camera
Three inch high resolution rotating display
Give one thousand five hundred pictures
Two hundred fifty six mega bytes of internal memory. Check the latest memory size in the internet.
Kodak Perfect Touch Technology
Digital Image Stabilization using anti-blur mode Reduce blur caused by camera or subject movement.
Scene modes and picture enhancing features
With this feature, you can capture a great shot time after time with multiple scene modes such as children, snow, beach, backlight, and panorama stitch.
Varieties in Kodak Easyshare
There are many varieties in kodak easyshare. They mostly vary in mega pixel and in Optical Zoom. Following are few of them.
Kodak Easyshare Z812IS 8.2MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Zoom
Kodak EasyShare V1003 10MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom
Kodak EasyShare Z1275 12MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom
Kodak Wi-Fi feature
With its Wi-Fi feature, you can share your pictures straight out of the camera’s memory and even email the pictures to others as well as create gallery albums on the Kodak digital camera itself.
Transfer pictures from the camera to a computer
With your Kodak digital cameras, you can even transfer pictures from the camera to a computer and the Kodak EasyShare is yours for close to two hundred dollars and it is one of the better Kodak digital cameras that is certainly well worth the price thanks to its great connectivity and also convenience of use.
You can credit Kodak with being the ones that invented basic technology for digital cameras such as pixel technology. This tradition of excellence has been further used in most of the newer and more hi-tech Kodak digital cameras including the Kodak Professional DCS Pro SLR/c that can store as much as 13.89 million pixels that only goes to show why Kodak digital cameras are known to have the best as far as resolution goes.
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21 Sep 08 The Technology Behind Digital Cameras
Author: Roberto Sedycias
Technology has revolutionized the concept of capturing live images. The earlier concept of producing permanent photograph was based on pure chemistry. In 1830, Louis Daguerre, devised the first practical way of producing permanent photographs. Today we are talking about the computerized photo imagery in the filmless picture taken by a device that is smart in electronic intelligence and in appearance - digital camera.
A digital camera takes video, still photographs, or both digitally. It records images on a light sensitive sensor. Instead of using a film, an arrangement of charged-coupled devices-light sensitive semiconductors, which stores electrical charges,-does the job. These digital sensors-composed of pixels -transform the light from the scene snapped into an analog signal which is then converted into a digital version. One electronic filtering system regulates color and other picture components. Another system reduces the picture. The image is finally sent to a temporary storage area and ultimately onto a memory card. Many compact digital cameras can record sound, video and still photographs.
The images are transferred to a computer where they can be modified, printed, attached to email, inserted in web pages, etc. The most significant advantages of a digital camera are its memory capacity and ability to screen the images taken on a tiny video monitor.
The technology of the digital camera relates to the same technology of Video Tape Recorder. The first VTR in 1951 captured images from the television by converting the information into electrical impulses (digital) and subsequently saving them onto magnetic tape. It was in 1960s when NASA had made a major breakthrough by converting analog to digital signals by means of the space probe for mapping the surface of the moon. Also digital imaging had its other uses in spy satellites.
Kodak scientists invented the first mega pixel sensor capable of recording 1.4 million pixels. In 1991, Kodak released the first digital camera system- a Nikon F-3 camera equipped with 1.3 megapixels aimed at journalists. The first digital camera for the consumers which worked with a home PC via a serial cable were the Apple Quick Take 100 camera(1994), the Kodak DC40 camera(1995), the Casio QV-11 with LCD monitor(late 1995) and Sony`s Cyber-Shot Digital Still Camera(1996).
The main features of a digital camera can be summarized as follows:
Resolution: Resolution means sharpness of a picture. The higher the number of pixels, the higher is the resolution.
Memory: The pictures are stored like a data file in a digital camera. The size of the memory determines the number of picture which can be taken, stored and downloaded in the computer.
Flash Type: Most digital cameras have a built in flash of a range around 10 -16 feet which is required to provide extra light needed to take photographs in insufficient light.
Optical Zoom: Normally two types of zoom lenses are used viz., digital and optical. The optical zoom lenses serve more purpose like adding detail and sharpness.
Compression: This process helps to reduce the file size.
Lens: The length of a lens determines how much of a scene will fit into a picture.
LCD Screen: A very interesting feature of a digital camera is the LCD screen which permits one to see what the photo will look like before and after taking photographs, leaving room to decide whether to erase or save the photo.
In the market there are several brands of digital camera which are selling successfully and the continuous improvement in Technology is leading way to introduction of more and more exciting features in the digital camera.
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20 Sep 08 Finding a Discount Digital Camera
Author: Matt Peters
If you have a passion for photography but don’t exactly have a lot of cash, finding a suitable camera may be hard for you. Digital cameras don’t come cheap because of the numerous features involved that are lacking in the traditional manual camera. But you don’t have to fret about how much you have to cash out because a discount digital camera is actually available.
A discount digital camera is a camera that is being sold for a lesser price because either it has already gone out of fashion or the manufacturer has already produced a more advanced model. Discount digital cameras come in two kinds – brand-new and used. For some, it is better to buy a specific camera several months to a year after its release because it is cheaper. Though new cameras offer a wider range of features, a discount digital camera offers close to the same features though they can be a bit out of date. You can find discount digital cameras from Discount Camera in the San Francisco Bay area.
Discount digital cameras surfaced when digital cameras broke into the single-use trade. This means that products are used only once and then returned. With a single-use camera, the amount of pictures to be taken is set on a certain limit. After using the camera, it is then sold for a lesser price. The popularity of this market eventually led to the dropping of the prices of newly released cameras. Consumers are predisposed to buy cheaper cameras due to tight budgets. Only avid photographers splurge on highly expensive cameras for better image quality.
The drop of the price point resulted in a fierce competition, which is inevitable in any consumer market. Most manufacturers today compensate through a barrage of advertisements. Features are either highlighted or omitted, depending on the target audience. So it is tasking to select the best digital camera. Even choosing a discount digital camera is difficult. What you have to remember is the reason why you are buying a camera at all. If it is just for recreational use, then you will find a lot of cameras that will suit you. They are relatively cheap compared to high-end professional digital cameras.
When choosing a discount digital camera, you have to check for cuts and scratches if it is used. You also need to measure its performance; image quality, type of battery and media, zoom performance and megapixels. Color sharpness is important in any digital camera. Your only issue with it is choosing the camera with the best image quality that is within your budget. Ensure that the batteries you need aren’t expensive or if the camera needs a special type of battery to be operational. You also have to consider the memory stick or card that comes with your camera. Take into account its compatibility with your equipment. With zoom performance, you only need to check the optical zoom. Digital zoom is equally important but not as much as optical zoom. If your camera has a high optical zoom, this prevents your image from getting broken into minute pixels when you enlarge it. The degree of megapixels assures you of the quality of the image.
To find a discount digital camera, you only have to scope out your local area. By being resourceful, you just need a little cash to support a lifetime hobby.
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20 Sep 08 How to Find a Cheap Digital Camera
Author: Matt Peters
Advances in modern science ushered in a wave of new technology that the world can enjoy. In the old days, photographers used actual bulbs for camera flash. Only photographers carry cameras because lugging them around isn’t really fashionable at that time. Discoveries and development of cameras produced the digital camera, wherein taking pictures isn’t so cumbersome anymore. It is less expensive because you can see the images before printing them so you could choose what to actually print. The images could also be uploaded to your computer for storage and further manipulations. These days, it not unusual to carry a compact digital camera. It’s perfect for capturing those random wacky moments with your friends.
The only problem it seems is finding a cheap digital camera. Can you even find one? Because of the features that are offered by digital cameras, they are often costly. That is enough to make any person have second thoughts about buying one. But for someone who considers photography a passion, affordability is relative. You just have to set a budget before buying a camera. You can find a cheap digital camera that is just right for you if you look hard enough. Don’t buy one that is more than you can afford, even if it has a lot of features. Make sure that you can actually use these features so that you can get your money’s worth. Consider your lifestyle and your objectives. Do you plan to spend a lot of time taking pictures or do you just want something small that can fit in your bag? If you are still a beginner, don’t buy a high-end professional camera just for the assurance of image quality and zoom performance. Instead, buy a cheap digital camera that is compact but has powerful features and easy to carry around. Explore the basics before cashing out on expensive professional cameras.
Though these are very important points to ponder when buying a cheap digital camera, you also have to consider the performance and features of your camera. Check the megapixels, zoom capability, image quality, type of media and battery. These are actually features that digital cameras highlight in advertisements.
· Megapixels – They are not the be-all and end-all of digital cameras. Salespeople like to throw this information to you because it promises clearer images. But this is just one factor that comprises your digital camera. You have to check the megapixels’ quality. Most image sensors can only find certain hues like red, blue and green. They can’t detect all three at the same time.
· Zoom capability – You’ve seen advertisements like 10x digital zoom or 5x zoom capability. While it is true, advertisers often forget to highlight optical zoom, which is actually more important. The difference is that with digital zoom, your image gets broken into small pixels if you enlarge it on your computer. If your camera has high optical zoom, you would not see pixelated images if you enlarge the image.
· Image quality – Check the quality of your image after you take a picture. Is it fuzzy or pixelated? Sharpness of colors is very important.
· Type of media – This is the memory of your digital camera. Find a memory card or stick that is compatible with your other equipment so it is easier to upload your images.
· Type of battery – See to it that your cheap digital camera doesn’t require expensive batteries or that it allows rechargeable batteries.
These points would help you decide on what kind of cheap digital camera to buy. Like what was mentioned earlier, affordability is relative for the passionate photographer. Find your niche by choosing the best but cheap digital camera.
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20 Sep 08 The New Features of the Canon Eos Rebel Digital Camera
Author: Muna wa Wanjiru
Canon, which is well known throughout the world for its quality cameras, released the Canon EOS Rebel digital camera on August 20th of 2003. At this time there were other well known digital cameras on the market but the new features of the Canon EOS Rebel digital camera made this digital camera well worth looking into.
The various camera experts who have reviewed this Canon camera state that the price tag of $900 makes this a moderately priced digital camera that you can buy in various countries around the world.
If you are looking to buy your camera outside of the United States you might want to be aware of what the Canon EOS Rebel digital camera is called in other countries. For instance the Canon EOS Rebel digital camera will be called the Canon EOS 300D in Europe and in Japan you will hear it being referred to as the Kiss Digital.
For the digital camera enthusiast there is also a Canon EOS Rebel digital camera kit that can be bought. This kit contains an EF-S 18-55 mm 3x lens. The price of the entire digital camera kit is $100, more than the single camera.
The various specifications of the Canon EOS Rebel digital camera include a 6 megapixel CMOS sensor and image processor. The sensor and image processor are housed in the inexpensive plastic body of the digital camera.
To help their customers buy this camera the people at Canon have given the Canon EOS Rebel digital camera a pentamirror instead of a pentaprism. These various modifications have helped to reduce the cost of this camera, which therefore makes this digital camera more affordable.
There are a host of new features that you can find in the Canon EOS Rebel digital camera. These features include contrast, saturation and sharpness settings which can be adjusted for your various needs. There is also a new default parameter setting on the Canon EOS Rebel digital camera which is referred to as Parameter 1.
The Canon EOS Rebel digital camera was the first digital camera to support the use of a new lens called EF-S. The S in the lens’s name stands for short back focus. This lens can only be used with the Canon EOS Rebel digital camera as the other Canon Rebel series cameras will not have the necessary support for this lens.
For the enthusiastic novice or professional photographer, the Canon EOS Rebel digital camera is for you. The many great interesting features and functions to be found on the camera coincide very nicely with the reasonable price tag on it which only makes the camera more appealing.
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19 Sep 08 Consumer Reports - Digital Cameras
Digital cameras, which employ reusable memory cards instead of film, give you far more creative control than film cameras can. With a digital camera, you can transfer shots to your computer, then crop, adjust color and contrast, and add textures and other special effects. Final results can be made into cards or T-shirts, or sent via e-mail, all using the software that usually comes with the camera. You can make prints on a color inkjet printer, or by dropping off the memory card at one of a growing number of photofinishers. You can upload the file to a photo-sharing Web site for storage, viewing, and sharing with others.
Like camcorders, digital cameras have LCD viewers. Some camcorders can be used to take still pictures, but a typical camcorder’s resolution is no match for a good still camera’s.
WHAT’S AVAILABLE
The leading brands are Canon, Fujifilm, HP, Kodak, Olympus, and Sony; other brands come from consumer-electronics, computer, and traditional camera and film companies.
Digital cameras are categorized by how many pixels, or picture elements, the image sensor contains. One megapixel equals 1 million picture elements. A 3-megapixel camera can make excellent 8×10s and pleasing 11×14s. There are also 4- to 8-megapixel models, including point-and-shoot ones; these are well suited for making larger prints or for maintaining sharpness if you want to use only a portion of the original image. Professional Digital cameras use as many as 14 megapixels.
Price range: $200 to $400 for 3 megapixels; $250 to $400 for 4 and 5 megapixels; $300 to $1,000 for 6 to 8 megapixels.
IMPORTANT FEATURES
Most Digital cameras are highly automated, with features such as automatic exposure control (which manages the shutter speed, aperture, or both according to available light) and autofocus.
Instead of film, digital cameras typically record their shots onto flash-memory cards. CompactFlash and SecureDigital (SD) are the most widely used. Once quite expensive, such cards have tumbled in price–a 128-megabyte card can now cost less than $50. Other types of memory cards used by cameras include Memory Stick, Smart Media and xD-picture card. A few cameras, mainly some Sony models, use 3 1/4-inch CD-R or CD-RW discs.
To save images, you transfer them to a computer, typically by connecting the camera to the computer’s USB or FireWire port or inserting the memory card into a special reader. Some printers can take memory cards and make prints without putting the images on a computer first. Image-handling software, such as Adobe Photoshop Elements, Jasc Paint Shop, Microsoft Picture It, and ACDSee, lets you size, touch up, and crop digital images using your computer. Most digital cameras work with both Windows and Macintosh machines.
The file format commonly used for photos is JPEG, which is a compressed format. Some cameras can save photos in uncompressed TIFF format, but this setting yields enormous files. Other high-end cameras have a RAW file format, which yields the image data with no processing from the camera.
Digital cameras typically have both an optical viewfinder and a small color LCD viewer. LCD viewers are very accurate in framing the actual image you get–better than most of the optical viewfinders–but they use more battery power and may be hard to see in bright sunlight. You can also view shots you’ve already taken on the LCD viewer. Many digital cameras provide a video output, so you can view your pictures on a TV set.
Certain cameras let you record an audio clip with a picture. But these clips use additional storage space. Some allow you to record limited video, but the frame rate is slow and the resolution poor.
A zoom lens provides flexibility in framing shots and closes the distance between you and your subject–ideal if you want to quickly switch to a close shot. The typical 3x zoom on mainstream cameras goes from a moderately wide-angle view (35mm) to moderate telephoto (105mm). You can find cameras with extended zoom ranges between 8x and 12x, giving added versatility for outdoor photography. Other new cameras go down to 24 or 28 mm at the wide-angle end, making it easier to take in an entire scene in close quarters, such as a crowded party.
Optical zooms are superior to digital zooms, which magnify the center of the frame without actually increasing picture detail, resulting in a somewhat coarser view.
Sensors in digital cameras are typically about as light-sensitive as ISO 100 film, though some let you increase that setting. (At ISO 100, you’ll likely need to use a flash indoors and in low outdoor light.) A camera’s flash range tells you how far from the camera the flash will provide proper exposure: If the subject is out of range, you’ll know to close the distance. But digital cameras can tolerate some underexposure before the image suffers noticeably.
Red-eye reduction shines a light toward your subject just before the main flash. (A camera whose flash unit is farther from the lens reduces the risk of red eye. Computer editing of the image may also correct red eye.) With automatic flash mode, the camera fires the flash whenever the light entering the camera registers as insufficient. A few new cameras have built-in red-eye correction capability.
Some cameras that have powerful telephoto lenses now come with image stabilizers. These compensate for camera shake, letting you use a slower shutter speed than you otherwise could for following movement. But an image stabilizer won’t compensate for the motion of subjects.
Most new 6- to 8-megapixel cameras come with full manual controls, including independent controls for shutter and aperture. That gives serious shutterbugs control over depth of field, shooting action, or shooting scene with tricky lighting.
HOW TO CHOOSE
The first step is to determine how you will use the camera most of the time. Consider these two questions:
How much flexibility to enlarge images do you need? If you mainly want to make 4×6 snapshots, a camera with a 3- or 4-megapixel resolution will be fine. Such a camera will also make an 8×10 print of an entire image without alteration that looks as sharp as one from a 6- or 8-megapixel model. But to enlarge the image more or enlarge only part of it, you’ll want a 6- to 8-megapixel camera.
How much control do you want over exposure and composition? Cameras meant for automatic point-and-shoot photos, with a 3x-zoom lens, will serve snap shooters as well as dedicate hobbyists much of the time. The full-featured cameras in the 6- to 8-megapixel range offer capabilities that more-dedicated photographers will want to have. Two of the more important capabilities are a zoom range of 5x to 10x or more, which lets you bring distant outdoor subjects close and also lets you shoot candid portraits without getting right in your subject’s face, and a full complement of manual controls that you determine the shutter speed and lens opening. ‘
Once you’ve established the performance priorities that you need from a camera, you can narrow your choices further by considering these convenience factors:
Size and weight. The smallest, lightest models aren’t necessarily inexpensive 3-megapixel cameras. And the biggest and heaviest aren’t necessarily found at the high end. If possible, try cameras at the store before you buy. That way, you’ll know which one fits you hand best and which can be securely gripped. In our tests, we have found that some of the smallest don’t leave much room even for small fingers.
Battery type and life. All digital cameras can run on rechargeable batteries of one of two types: an expensive battery pack or a set of AA batteries. In our tests of the cameras, neither battery type had a clear performance advantage. The best-performing cameras offer upward of 300 shots on a charge, while the worst manage only about 50. We think it’s more convenient to own a camera that accepts AA batteries. You can buy economical, rechargeable cells (plus a charger) and drop in a set of disposable lithium or alkaline batteries if the rechargeable run down in the middle of the day’s shooting.
Camera speed. With point-and-shoot cameras like the ones we tested, you must wait after each shot as the camera processes the image. Most models let you shoot an image every few seconds, but a few make you wait 5 seconds or more. They may frustrate you when you’re taking photos in sequence.
Your other cameras. If you’re adding a camera to your lineup or trading up to a more versatile model, look first for one that’s compatible with the other cameras. If it is, you can share memory cards and batteries. Designs within a camera brand line are often similar. So staying wit the brand you have lowers the learning curve on the new camera for family members who switch between cameras.
Copyright © 2002-2006 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.
For the latest information on this and many other products and services, visit www.ConsumerReports.org.
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19 Sep 08 Canon Rebel Digital Camera is a Digital Camera Well Worth Looking Into
Author: Muna wa Wanjiru
Canon cameras are well known in the world for their quality cameras. The Canon Rebel Digital camera was released on August 20th 2003. At this time there were other types of digital cameras on the market. The new features of the Canon Rebel Digital camera make this digital camera well worth looking into.
The various camera experts who have reviewed this Canon camera state that this is a moderately priced digital camera. The $900 and upwards price tag will not be a deterrent for the digital camera enthusiast.
You can also buy the Canon Rebel Digital camera in various other countries. You should be aware of what to ask for when you are asking for the Canon Rebel Digital camera, as there are a few different names that it goes by.
For instance in the United States it goes under the name of the Canon Rebel Digital camera, in Europe under the name of Canon EOS 300D and in Japan you will hear it being referred to as the Kiss Digital.
You will also find that at the time that the Canon Rebel Digital camera was first released it was considered to being less expensive than its predecessor.
For the digital camera enthusiast you will find a Canon Rebel Digital camera kit that can be bought separately from the Rebel Digital camera. This kit contains an EF-S 18-55 mm 3x lens. The price of the entire digital camera kit is only $100 more than the single camera alone.
Inside of the Canon Rebel Digital camera you will find various specifications like a 6 megapixel CMOS sensor and image processor. These are housed in the inexpensive plastic body of the Canon Rebel Digital camera.
There are a host of new features that you can find in the Canon Rebel Digital camera. These features include a contrast, saturation and sharpness settings. The contrast and saturation settings can be adjusted for your various needs. The sharpness setting will clearly define your pictures.
There is also a new default parameter setting on the Canon Rebel Digital camera. This setting is called Parameter 1. The Canon Rebel Digital camera was the first digital camera to support and use a new lens called EF-S. The S in the EF-S stands for short back focus.
This lens however can only be used with the Canon Rebel Digital camera as the other Canon Rebel series cameras were not designed to support this lens. These are just a few of the modifications and changes that you will find when you buy this digital camera.
For the photographer – whether they are experienced or a novice – there are many interesting photographs you can take with a Canon Rebel Digital camera in your possession, and that’s the entire point of owning a camera, to take visually interesting pictures that tells a great story.
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