MELVILLE, NY, FEBRUARY 16, 2005 - Nikon (www.nikondigitalusa.com), the world leader in photography, today introduced the new D2Hs™ professional digital SLR camera that incorporates several new enhancements and features. Designed for photojournalists and sports/action photographers, D2Hs integrates the best technologies from its predecessors with an array of exclusive new innovations that deliver the speed, response and handling required for action photography.
The range of new features and enhancements in the D2Hs are based on extensive research and feedback from professional photographers around the world. An all-new image processing engine in the camera produces images with higher quality, finer gradations and lower noise, while a newly refined exposure metering system improves on Nikon’s hallmark 3D Color Matrix technology. The D2Hs Auto White Balance and auto focusing systems have been fine tuned to deliver precise, accurate results and an enhanced buffer now offers continuous shooting at 8 frames per second for up to 50 consecutive shots (JPEG, FINE).
“During the development of Nikon’s recently announced D2X professional digital SLR camera, the company created several new technologies and innovations that delivered breakthrough performance in that camera. These new innovations have been integrated into the D2Hs to offer photojournalists and sports photographers a camera at par with Nikon’s flagship D2X camera, with comparable performance, features and seamless workflow,” said Steve Heiner, general manager for Digital SLR and Professional Products at Nikon. “Photographers will appreciate the seamless design, transition and workflow between the D2X and the new D2Hs, allowing them to quickly switch between the two best-of-breed camera bodies, as dictated by the situation they need to photograph.”
In addition to Nikon’s exclusive 4.1 megapixel DX format JFET image sensor LBCAST (Lateral Buried Charge Accumulator and Sensing Transistor array), the D2Hs features the following new technologies and enhancements:
- Advanced new image processing engine produces high quality images
The new image processing engine adopts advances from the D2X to further improve overall image quality in the D2Hs, producing images with finer gradations, lower noise and consistent, smooth transitions.
- High-speed continuous shooting at 8 fps for up to 50 consecutive shots
The speed achieved by the LBCAST sensor and the camera’s image processing allows the D2Hs to shoot continuously at 8 frames per second for up to 50 consecutive JPEG or 40 RAW (NEF) shots.
- 3D-Color Matrix Metering II
Refinements to Nikon’s hallmark 3D Color Matrix exposure metering system in the D2Hs result in optimal exposure calculations from the data supplied by the 1,005-pixel RGB Exposure/Color Matrix Metering Sensor, even when shooting under challenging conditions.
- Precise white balance
The D2Hs uses refined Auto White Balance (AWB) and Auto Tone Control (ATC) systems to deliver precise white balance settings when shooting in tricky or mixed lighting situations.
- Faster, higher precision 11-area AF system
Refinements to the camera’s AF and lens drive algorithms further improve focus precision, subject acquisition, and subject tracking. The high precision and speed of the D2Hs’ AF system also contributes to achieving high-speed continuous shooting.
- High-speed wireless data transfer and camera control
The D2Hs is compatible with the Wireless Transmitter WT-1/1A as well as the new Wireless Transmitter WT-2/2A, which supports both IEEE 802.11g (for faster transfer speeds) as well as IEEE 802.11b networks. The WT-2/2A also strengthens wireless security options and supports a wider variety of network protocols, including the new PTP/IP protocol that realizes wireless Capture Control from a computer running Nikon Capture 4 (Ver. 4.2.1 or later).
- sYCC color space support
Added support for sYCC color space produces JPEG files that can fully exploit the output capabilities of the latest color printers and use a gamut wider than sRGB to achieve optimum print quality.
- GPS connectivity expands applications
The latitude, longitude, altitude and UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) at which a shot is taken can be recorded from a GPS unit to the image’s metadata. GPS units that comply with the NMEA 0183 (ver.2.01) interface standard can be connected using the optional GPS cable (MC-35).
- High-resolution 2.5″ LCD
A new large 2.5-inch LCD monitor with a higher resolution of 232,000 pixels adds an all-digital interface for clear, flicker-free display of images and information. Displays include preview images at up to 15x magnification, an improved histogram display, and new selectable RGB histogram displays, making exposure confirmation quick, easy and accurate for each of the red, green and blue color channels. Other useful displays include the World Time function and the chronological Recent Settings list.
The D2Hs comes with PictureProject, an easy-to-use software application for managing, editing and sharing image files. The D2Hs is also compatible with Nikon’s optional Nikon Capture software package that delivers a unique, powerful and expandable environment for full control over RAW(NEF) files. Nikon Capture 4’s Remote Camera Control function can control most shooting settings and trigger the camera’s shutter release remotely, either connected via the USB 2.0 Hi-Speed interface, or using the optional Wireless Transmitter WT-2/2A. (PTP/IP wireless camera control requires Windows XP or Mac OS X.)
As part of Nikon’s Total Imaging System, the D2Hs is compatible with Nikon’s growing family of digital-exclusive DX Nikkor lenses as well as the lineup of high-quality Nikkor AF lenses. When used with the SB-800 or SB-600 Speedlights, the D2Hs maximizes the potential of Nikon’s Creative Lighting System with high precision flash performance, including i-TTL flash control and support for Nikon’s Advanced Wireless Lighting system.
The D2Hs will be available in March 2005 for an MSRP of $3499.95.
Tags: 3d color matrix, action photography, auto focus, camera bodies, capabilities, consecutive shots, digital slr, digital slr camera, flash, image quality, image sensor, images, lense, lenses, megapix, megapixel, nikkor lenses, nikon, nikondigital, photo, photograph, photographer, photographers, photography, picture, pixel, printers, professional digital, professional photographer, professional photographers, quality image, quality images, resolution, slr camera, sports photographers, transistor array, white balance
New SB-600 Expands Nikon’s Creative Lighting System Featuring i-TTL; Offers Versatile Wireless Functions With SB-800 & D70 Built-in Speedlight
MELVILLE, NY, JANUARY 28, 2005 - Nikon® (www.nikondigitalusa.com), the world leader in photography, today introduced the versatile new SB-600™ Speedlight, the latest addition to Nikon’s Creative Lighting System. Featuring Nikon’s next generation i-TTL™ flash control technology, the SB-600 delivers automatic balance fill-flash and advanced wireless lighting capabilities for outstanding results and creative possibilities. The SB-600 is seamlessly compatible with the newly announced D70 digital SLR camera’s built-in speedlight as well as the Nikon D2H professional digital SLR. The SB-600 effectively integrates with the recently announced Nikon SB-800 Speedlight, both individually and in arrangements of multiple SB-600/800 speedlights, offering consistent i-TTL control for automatic and accurate lighting for creative and complex situations.
Designed for a variety of customers ranging from experienced and amateur photographers to beginning enthusiasts, the SB-600 incorporates a host of new features designed to make flash photography simple, accurate and creative. As part of the newly evolving Nikon Creative Lighting System, the SB-600 includes support for Nikon Advanced wireless TTL operation, and can function as a remote flash when controlled by the SB-800 Speedlight or the D70 digital SLR camera’s built-in speedlight set to Commander Mode. Additionally, the SB-600’s Auto FP High Speed Sync Mode allows it to fire at shutter speeds as high as 1/8000 second when used with the D2H professional digital SLR camera. Other major features include Flash Value (FV) Lock, flash color information, wide area AF illuminator and built-in modeling flash.
“When developing the Creative Lighting System, Nikon’s goal was to deliver a powerful lighting system that was easy to use, offered tremendous creative control without being overly complicated and integrated the advantages of digital technology to make flash photography more accurate than ever before. With the introduction of the SB-600, Nikon is realizing that goal,” said Richard LoPinto, vice president for SLR camera systems at Nikon, Inc.
“Nikon’s i-TTL technology is the backbone of the Creative Lighting System, and the SB-600 inherits this inventive technology. Together with the recently introduced Nikon SB-800 Speedlight, and the D70’s built-in speedlight set to Commander Mode, the SB-600 will unleash tremendous creativity and excitement among all kinds of photographers,” he added.
SB-600: Continuing Advanced Wireless Lighting
The SB-600 speedlight features wireless TTL technology first introduced in Nikon’s SB-800 Speedlight. Photographers using the SB-800 as the Controller can employ up to three groups of compatible Speedlights, with any quantity of compatible SB-600 and SB-800 speedlights within each of the three groups, to achieve Advanced Wireless i-TTL exposure control. Most major functions of the
SB-600 can be controlled remotely by the master SB-800. Photographers using the D70 digital SLR camera’s built-in speedlight as the Commander Speedlight can employ any number SB-600 speedlights within one group for wireless i-TTL operation. The SB-600 can be remotely controlled either in i-TTL mode or manual mode for maximum creativity. Used with the D2H, the SB-600 can employ up to four individual frequency channels, and three groups of flash units.
The selection of channel settings help photographers avoid inadvertently triggering flashes not being used by them. Used with Nikon’s D70 camera’s built-in i-TTL speedlight as the Commander, the SB-600 settings require use of Channel 3, Group A.
In addition to the wireless capabilities, the SB-600 offers a host of additional features for Nikon’s Creative Lighting System. Highlights of the features are:
* FV-Lock: FV-Lock (Flash Value Lock) is comparable to the way an
AE-Lock functions in a camera for ambient light exposure metering. Once the camera measures a correct flash value, the SB-600 locks this value until the photographer resets it — helping to maintain the flash value exposure as the photographer adjusts composition for a scene.
* Auto FP High-Speed Sync Flash: The SB-600’s Auto FP function can be used with the Nikon D2H to automatically fire the speedlight in i-TTL mode at shutter speeds up to 1/8000 second, offering excellent opportunities to use flash in brighter light, with faster aperture lenses and for faster action scenes.
* Modeling Flash: A modeling flash feature in the SB-600 fires a stroboscopic burst of light for approximately one second, allowing photographers to visually confirm lighting and shadow effects before shooting.
* Auto White Balance Adjustment using Flash Color Temperature
Information: The SB-600 achieves a high level of color accuracy when used with the D70 or the D2H. With changes in the duration of light emitted by any speedlight, there are always slight variations of color temperature. Using the D70 or D2H in Auto White Balance mode, the SB-600 communicates these slight variations in color data back to the D70 or D2H and the camera’s auto white balance system implements the fine adjustment needed for overall excellent white balance.
* Manual Mode: The SB-600 also offers a full manual mode with power ratios from full power to 1/64 power, in 1/2 step increments for independent flash output control and creative lighting effects.
* Custom Settings: Custom settings in the SB-600 allow photographers to personalize the speedlight according to selected preferences.
* Wide Area Illuminators: The SB-600 features a wide area illuminator that assumes autofocus assist functions in low light conditions. The
Illuminator covers all AF-points in all Nikon SLR cameras, including the D2H’s new 11-point AF sensors, giving photographers the freedom to compose their shots creatively and shoot with confidence.
* Additional features: Additional features in the SB-600 include a large
LCD screen, ergonomic controls, a rotating flash head which tilts horizontally and vertically, accessory filters for special color effects and emulation of fluorescent and incandescent lighting, front and side ready-light indicators for easy viewing, and a locking flash shoe.
The SB-600 is compatible with all Nikon digital and film SLR cameras, achieving performance that is limited by each camera’s capability. The SB-600 will realize full i-TTL control when used with the D2H or D70 digital SLR cameras, and D-TTL control and Auto Aperture Flash (AA) when used with the D1, D1X, D1H and D100 digital SLR cameras. The SB-600 will offer TTL and Non-TTL Auto Flash control when used with all Nikon film SLR cameras. The SB-600 Speedlight will be available at Nikon authorized dealer locations in Spring 2004. Price will be announced approximately 30 days prior to first sales.
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Designed For D2H Professional Digital SLR, SB-800 Offers Full Wireless Remote Control for Multiple Speedlights; New Level of Color Accuracy
MELVILLE, NY, JULY 22, 2003 - Nikon (www.nikonusa.com), the world leader in photography, today introduced the SB-800™ speedlight, the foundation for a new Nikon Creative Lighting System. The SB-800 features powerful new i-TTL™ flash control system for automatic balanced fill-flash and advanced wireless lighting capabilities that delivers outstanding results creative new possibilities. The SB-800’s i-TTL Balanced Fill-Flash control utilizes Nikon’s new Advanced Data Communication system to introduce improved monitor-pre-flash and wireless operation.
Designed for professional photographers and photo enthusiasts, the SB-800 offers groundbreaking new features when used with Nikon’s new D2H professional digital SLR camera. These features include advanced wireless control for multiple SB-800 speedlights that are controlled by a master speedlight, new Auto FP high-speed sync, new Flash Value (FV) lock, flash color information communication for improved color accuracy and a new Wide-Area AF Assist Illuminator that is tailored to the D2H’s new 11-area Multi-Cam 2000 AF sensor module. Combined with other Nikon digital SLR cameras, the SB-800 offers performance comparable to the highly successful Nikon SB-80DX speedlight.
“While developing the new D2H professional digital SLR camera, Nikon recognized the opportunity to create a new speedlight system that could harness the revolutionary technology incorporated in the camera and respond to professional photographers’ needs. The result is the SB-800 speedlight, Nikon’s most advanced lighting system, featuring revolutionary new i-TTL advanced wireless control capabilities,” said Richard LoPinto, vice president for SLR camera systems at Nikon, Inc. “The SB-800 will find creative uses in studios, remote locations and any number of picture-taking situations where photographers need to carry a compact, versatile and powerful light system that works automatically and maintains tremendous creative control,” he added.
SB-800: Advanced Wireless Lighting Control for Easier Creative Lighting
The SB-800 speedlight system features new wireless technology that enables photographers to fully control up to four groups of SB-800 speedlights wirelessly. This set of four includes one Master Controller and three remote groups - each of which can contain any number of SB-800 speedlights for total lighting control. A majority of features for speedlights within each group can be individually controlled from the Master Controller. These settings are made and confirmed on the Master Controller’s large dot-matrix LCD screen. All speedlights within this wireless arrangement can operate in i-TTL mode for completely automatic flash exposures - which are calculated via a new monitor pre-flash function that measures light from each source and combines them with overall camera exposure readings - producing an accurate, well exposed photograph with balanced lighting. Each group within the wireless arrangement can also be programmed to different flash modes such as i-TTL AA, or Manual mode, or any combination of these modes.
One of the most appealing features of Nikon’s i-TTL wireless system is the ability to adjust flash compensation settings on the fly for each group of speedlights, from the Master Controller. This makes controlling light output from speedlights placed in hard to reach locations simple and effortless. The SB-800 makes multiple flash photography as easy as using a single speedlight mounted on a camera, without the hassles of cables or stands.
In addition to wireless flash capabilities, the SB-800 offers significant new features designed for high-speed photography and exceptional overall accuracy. Highlights of these new features include:
- Auto White Balance Adjustment using Flash Color Temperature Information: The SB-800 achieves a high level of color accuracy when used with the D2H digital SLR camera. With changes in the duration of light emitted by a speedlight, there are slight variations of color temperature. Using the D2H in Auto White Balance mode, the SB-800 communicates these slight variations in color data back to D2H and the camera’s auto white balance system implements the fine adjustment needed for overall excellent white balance.
- FV-Lock: FV-Lock (Flash Value Lock) is comparable to the way an AE-Lock functions in a camera. Once the camera measures a correct flash value, the SB-800 locks this value until the photographer resets it - helping to maintain the flash value for correct exposure of the subject.
- Auto FP High-Speed Sync Flash: The SB-800’s Auto FP function can automatically fire the speedlight in i-TTL mode at shutter speeds up to 1/8,000 second, offering excellent opportunities to use flash in bright light with fast aperture lenses.
- Modeling Flash: A modeling flash feature in the SB-800 fires a stroboscopic burst of light for approximately one second, allowing photographers to visually confirm lighting and shadow effects before shooting.
- Quick Battery Recycle Pack: Included with the SB-800 Speedlight is the SD-800 Quick Battery Recycle pack that cuts recycling time in the SB-800 to as short as 2.7 seconds for full power manual flash.
- Additional features: Additional features in the SB-800 include zoom coverage, bounce and rotating flash head, large LCD read-out panel, accessory filters for special color effects and emulation of fluorescent and incandescent lighting, robust locking flash shoe, and autofocus assist light.
Seamless Functionality Within Nikon’s Total Imaging System
The SB-800 offers 3D Multi-Sensor Balanced Fill-Flash function with Nikon’s F5, F100, N80 and N75 35mm film SLR cameras and offers Matrix Balanced Fill-Flash with the N65 35mm film SLR camera. The SB-800 also provides D-TTL performance with Nikon digital SLR cameras including the D1x, D1H, D1, and D100. With the new D2H digital SLR camera, the speedlight offers advanced i-TTL control. The D2H is also fully compatible with all DX-series Nikon speedlights, including the SB-80DX, SB-50DX and SB-28DX. The SB-800 speedlight will be available at Nikon authorized dealer locations in the fourth quarter of 2003.
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Author: Sinta Makah
It helps when learning to use your new digital camera to also know what some of the more common terms mean. Below you will find many of these common terms defined..
Automatic Mode — A setting that sets the focus, exposure and white-balance automatically.
Burst Mode or Continuous Capture Mode — a series of pictures taken one after another at quickly timed intervals with one press of the shutter button.
Compression — The process of compacting digital data, images and text by deleting selected information.
Digital Zoom — Cropping and magnifying the center part of an image.
JPEG — The predominant format used for image compression in digital cameras
Lag Time — The pause between the time the shutter button is pressed and when the camera actually captures the image
LCD — (Liquid-Crystal Display) is a small screen on a digital camera for viewing images.
Lens — A circular and transparent glass or plastic piece that has the function of collecting light and focusing it on the sensor to capture the image.
Megabyte — (MB) Measures 1024 Kilobytes, and refers to the amount of information in a file, or how much information can
be contained on a Memory Card, Hard Drive or Disk.
Pixels — Tiny units of color that make up digital pictures. Pixels also measure digital resolution. One million pixels
adds up to one mega-pixel.
RGB — Refers to Red, Green, Blue colors used on computers to create all other colors.
Resolution — Camera resolution describes the number of pixels used to create the image, which determines the amount of
detail a camera can capture. The more pixels a camera has, the more detail it can register and the larger the picture can be
printed.
Storage Card — The removable storage device which holds images taken with the camera, comparable to film, but much smaller. Also called a digital camera memory card…
Viewfinder — The optical “window” to look through to compose the scene.
White Balance — White balancing adjusts the camera to compensate for the type of light (daylight, fluorescent, incandescent, etc.,) or lighting conditions in the scene so it will look normal to the human eye.
Tags: automatic mode, camera memory card, camera resolution, digital cam, Digital Camera, digital camera memory, digital camera memory card, Digital cameras, digital resolution, digital zoom, film, image compression, image jpeg, images, liquid crystal display, memory, memory card, new digital camera, optical window, picture, pictures, pixel, removable storage device, resolution, resolution camera, storage, storage card, viewfinder, white balance, zoom
Author: Russ Snapper
The type of camera with self-developing film is known as instant camera. Polaroid Corporation makes the famous Polaroid cameras.
Based on the type of film used, Polaroid cameras can be classified. The older Polaroids used instant film roll. Roll films were of two types: Positive or developing agent and negative. These rolls were available in three sizes. Pack film was later used in cameras, in which the photographer has to pull the film from the camera for developing and subsequently the positive and the negative have to be peeled separately while developing. This Pack film was available initially in a rectangular format and later in square format. Subsequent Polaroids such as the once famous SX-70 model utilized a square format integral film, which had the developer, negative, fixer etc in the same film. Development of each exposure was automatic once the shot is taken.
That’s the history of Polaroid camera. Polaroid digital cameras are now available in various types. You should be happy to know that there are certain models designed specially for a good cause. The m635P model from Polaroid Corporation was designed solely for promotion of breast cancer research. Polaroid Corporation along with actress Elizabeth Hurley initiated to offer a combined donation of $60,000 for the above Research foundation in the year 2006. Pink, light pink and magenta models of Polaroid digital cameras were launched especially for the above good cause and awareness.
One more noted achievement from Polaroid is the launch of the ION digital camera which combines high-end features and is easy to use. This ION digital camera has an on-board memory of 8MB and is light and compact, suitable for traveling people. Other features of this ION digital camera include automatic white balance with auto exposure, a 10-second electronic timer, the capacity to capture AVI video clips along with audio like a web cam, 640 x 460 pixel resolution, Arc Soft software on DVD, two AAA batteries and a USB cable.
Another great model from Polaroid is PDC 4355, which has glass lenses of high quality for Zoom and normal, 4.2 MP resolutions, 3x Optical Zoom and a fast CCD sensor. This is a good camera for photographers for point and shoot simplicity coupled with great optical performance. In the 3x optical and 4x digital zoom modes, the glass lens system permits for exposures for distances of 15 centimeters to infinity and has three modes for image quality and video clip functions.
This Polaroid digital camera has other features such as macro mode, auto focus, Inbuilt flash having the on, off and red eye and auto modes. The PDC 4355 model has an Inbuilt flash memory of 16 MB to store your video clips and pictures, later expandable up to 256MB with any available Secure Digital card. This camera also supports Print Image Matching feature that has the ability to have the camera and mode settings along with the images recorded.
You can easily upload the images to your computer through an USB cable by using the software ‘Photo Impression 5.0’. This software can launch your desktop automatically, detect any new photos in the camera and permit you to transfer them to your computer at the click of the OK button. This handy camera allows you to take pictures within a few minutes of receiving and is powered by two AA batteries.
Tags: auto focus, batteries, CCD, ccd sensor, developing film, digital cam, Digital Camera, Digital cameras, digital zoom, film, film development, film roll, flash, flash memory, image quality, images, instant camera, lense, lenses, macro mode, memory, optical performance, optical zoom, photo, photograph, photographer, photographers, photos, picture, pictures, pixel, pixel resolution, polaroid camera, polaroid cameras, polaroid corporation, polaroid digital cameras, red eye, resolution, resolutions, Russ Snapper, white balance, zoom
Author: Mike Singh
With the advancement of the digital camera and the software that is made for them, most pictures look professional from the first click of the camera. But like most things, it is important to understand the “how and why” for higher quality results.
The basics of a digital camera revolve around terms like pixel, pixel count, white balance, sensor, sensitivity, optical zoom, or digital zoom. These improve your understanding of what digital photography is all about, and will help you become a more efficient photographer.
For example, one important term is digital sensor. A typical digital camera may have a digital sensor element that is as big as a small finger nail. Most 5MP digital cameras use a sensor that is 7mm x 5mm in size. This is much smaller than the size of the negative of a 35 mm camera. However, high-end digital cameras have large sensors, and generate superior images. These are important things to know, to see how pictures can be better or worse.
Digital cameras also have sensitivity settings similar to ISO ratings on film. Most digital cameras will have settings for sensitivity equivalent to ISO 100 and ISO 200. Many also have a setting for ISO 400. A few expensive digital SLR cameras with large sensors have settings for ISO 3200 or even for ISO 6400.
Most digital cameras have an optical and a digital zoom. An optical zoom lens works by changing the focal length and magnification while the zoom is being utilized - with the image quality remaining high. Digital zoom works by cropping the image to a smaller size. The cropped image is enlarged to fill the frame, causing a significant loss of quality.
The manufacturers of digital cameras use the term “pixel count” to describe their camera’s image properties. The word pixel originates from “(PIC)ture (EL)ement”- with the use of phonics added for emphasis. It represents a single point in a graphic image - not a dot but an abstract sample that can be reproduced in any size, without a dot or square appearance.
A pixel is important to understand because it is the basic unit of measurement, used to define a digital photograph. The more the number of pixels per square inch, the higher the resolution of a digital picture, increasing its clarity. Some examples would be 2,400 pixels per inch, 640 pixels per line, or spaced 10 pixels apart. Designers, artists, and photographers sometimes interchange the pixel terminology, such as dots per inch (dpi) with pixels per inch (ppi). The dpi is used when it refers to the printer’s resolution for the printing density. Each pixel is made up of three color channels - red, green and blue-and has a numerical value of between 0 and 255.
The pixel count also decides the size of a print in case you want to print photographs. A 3MP camera can provide excellent 4×6 inch prints, while a 4 or 5MP digital camera can deliver high quality 8×10 inch prints. With a digital camera you can pick the white balance to suit the light source. This is meant to ensure that white looks white, and not yellow or blue. Normally, your digital camera will do this automatically. You can also set the white balance yourself for better effects.
Since each pixel generates three bytes of data, a photographer using a 3MP camera will need a storage space of 9 million bytes or 9MB to store a single image. This is a huge amount of space. Camera companies therefore allow for a compression of image using a format called JPEG. This reduces the file size significantly but while doing so a lot of data is lost. To overcome this problem companies have come up with different storage formats. Canon calls it RAW while Nikon calls it NEF. The data loss is less in these formats.
The low end cameras used by beginners can shoot images whose pixel count is one million is categorized as 1 MP or one million pixel camera because the intensity of each pixel is variable, with each pixel having three or four dimensions of variability - such as red, green and blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. The high-end cameras used by professionals, can range from 14MP to 22MP with a pixel count as high as 14 million or 22 million per image.
The thing to remember is the higher the resolution, the more realistic the image is, matching closest what the actual image is. So take your time, do some research, and talk to people who know cameras. Otherwise, a lot of money will be spent on something that is barely adequate for what you want.
Tags: 35 mm, 5mp digital cameras, Canon, digital cam, Digital Camera, Digital cameras, digital photograph, digital photography, digital sensor, digital slr, digital slr camera, digital slr cameras, digital zoom, film, focal length, graphic image, high end digital cameras, image properties, image quality, images, iso 200, iso 400, lens works, nikon, optical zoom, photo, photograph, photographer, photographers, photographs, photography, picture, pictures, pixel, resolution, sensor element, slr camera, slr cameras, storage, white balance, zoom
Author: Russ Snapper
A Mini digital camera can be a best travel companion if you love to travel and are constantly on the move. The mini digital camera is most preferred now for travelers and photographers because of its small and unique size and easy to use features. To use this ultra compact camera, you don’t need to be a professional photographer. But you can be a good photographer with the enhanced resolution offered by the small sized camera that improves the quality of ordinarily photographed items also.
The availability of the following features can be checked out before you buy a mini digital camera.
Megapixel rating: Giving attention to this rating helps you to estimate the volume of information stored with each photograph taken. Resolution of the photographs depends on the Megapixel rating. Mini digital cameras have higher Megapixel ratings for storing more information and for getting great quality enlargements. For most of the pictures that fall under 4 x 6, a minimum of 3 mega pixels will be good for your camera.
Batteries: Battery usage is to be determined before you buy a mini digital camera. With a set of batteries, most bad cameras produce around 50 shots. However ensure that your enhanced mini digital camera produces around 500 shots with a set of batteries. Rechargeable AA batteries can be used for a longer duration of time and is beneficial and economical in the long run.
Other Features:It is advisable to choose a mini digital camera that is fast. When the shutter is pressed, time is taken for processing an image and this time gap varies for different cameras. Some cameras have a time gap of 5 seconds and for taking a second snap, you have to wait for that time. Due to shutter lag also, time can be consumed. Shutter lag is the time taken for the auto focus feature to terminate and then trip the shutter to start. Therefore ensure that your mini digital camera is really fast. Also ensure that your mini digital camera is having an optical zoom rate of 5X to 10X for getting better zoom for having close-up shots.
The mini digital cameras have an Inbuilt LCD screen, which helps you to frame the shot before clicking. You can immediately view the picture after clicking. Most mini digital cameras have autofocus feature and you have to ensure that this feature is fast. For a mini digital camera having a zoom factor of 10X and above, ensure that it has image stabilization to remove the shaking effect caused while taking pictures. Mini Digital cameras beautifully capture your moments of joy with least effort.
As an example, we will now look at the features of a Key chain Mini Digital Camera, MiniDIG. Some key features are Flash; Auto Formats; JPEG; White balance; Auto Shutter; Auto Resolution; 640×480, 320×240; Pop-up viewfinder; EV compensation; Auto System compatibility and Windows 98/SE/2000/XP.
The key chain mini digital camera is tiny and small enough to fit onto a keychain and however has an internal memory of 16MB SDRAM and 300K CMOS sensor. This inexpensive, cute looking Digital Camera is a great little device to take along for spot photos for insurance claims or during vacation holidays and serves as an exciting addition to your keychain. This can also be a wonderful gift for children looking to have their first camera.
Tags: auto focus, batteries, Battery, battery usage, CMOS, compact camera, digital cam, Digital Camera, Digital cameras, flash, image stabilization, internal memory, lcd screen, mega pixel, mega pixels, megapix, megapixel, memory, optical zoom, photo, photograph, photographer, photographers, photographs, photos, picture, pictures, pixel, professional photographer, resolution, Russ Snapper, viewfinder, white balance, zoom
Author: Bob Shanty
Many digital cameras with upgraded technology are being introduced every day. This makes it more difficult to select a camera, as you are left with a wide range of models to choose from. However, most buyers have specific features and needs in mind. Rather than going for the latest model, buy digital cameras that best suit your requirements.
What should I look for when buying a digital camera?
The cheap camera lenses, resolution, display size, performance and battery life should all play a significant role in your buying decision. Here are some features to keep in mind while picking the right camera for yourself.
Resolution is typically defined as the number of pixels that make up a picture. A digital cameras resolution is closely related to image quality. You need a high resolution camera to shoot and print highly detailed photographs. If you want to enlarge and crop any of your photos without loss of clarity, go for cameras that offer a higher resolution. If you do not intend on printing your photographs and would rather email them to friends, a lower resolution camera would be a better choice. They are more affordable and still produce fairly good images.
Memory and Connectivity:
Generally, digital cameras have a removable storage option, such as a memory card slot. Digital cameras support a wide range of formats like flash memory, memory sticks, SecureDigital cards, SmartMedia cards and xD Picture cards. Many TVs, laptops, digital photo frames and some gaming consoles have memory card readers, so you can easily view photos that are stored on memory cards. If you want to save money, store photos on the cameras internal memory rather than on a memory card and transfer them to a PC or Mac using a USB cable. Digital memory is a huge time and money saver!
Rechargeable batteries are highly recommended because they can be charged and reused again. Recent cameras are compatible with NiCad, NiMH and lithium-ion batteries. Though NiCad and NiMH are inexpensive, lithium-ion is worth the extra money. They are long-lasting batteries with low self-discharge rates. You should opt for cameras that are compatible with lithium-ion batteries. A few cameras come with an AC power adapter that can be used to charge the digital camera battery as well.
Zoom:
Digital cameras come with two types of zoom lenses, optical and digital. Both of these zoom lenses allow you to take close-ups of a distant subject, although they accomplish this task through different means. The optical zoom magnifies the image before the shot is taken, whereas the digital zoom artificially magnifies the image by enlarging the pixel area but this leads to a loss of resolution. You should pay more attention to the optical zoom rather than the digital zoom when comparing models.
Modes:
Most cameras available today have preset modes for shooting images under different conditions. Factors such as exposure, aperture, focussing, light metering, white balance and sensitivity can all be adjusted. Many digital cameras also include video capture modes, enabling you to take short videos at different frame rate speeds.
ViewFinders and LCD Displays:
The optical viewfinder is the window you look through when taking a picutre. Although there are digital cameras with viewfinders, several of the latest models have only an LCD display. The LCD screen lets you view an image as you take it and also plays back pictures and videos saved on your camera. Anti-glare screens are best for buyers who plan on shooting a lot of photos outdoors. If you need a durable camera for rough use, opt for a scratch resistant screen.
Technology:
Digital cameras also come with innovative technologies that make photography fun and easy. Do u want to avoid overexposed or darkened faces, recognise multiple faces or optimize the color and tonal qualities of your photos? Not a problem. Todays cameras are well equipped with automatic red-eye and camera shake detection and correction as well as multiple face recognition. Not no meantion tons of
What are the different types of cameras and camera accessories online or available through conventional stores?
Point-and-Shoot Models:
Point-and-shoot cameras are a dime a dozen. These entry level models provide low resolution with little magnification. If you do not want to spend time on focusing and figuring out the settings and controls, a point-and-shoot camera is just the ticket. You will find plenty of these models that are low in cost and easy to use.
Intermediate Models:
These models are especially designed for beginners. Equipped with a range of automatic settings, these consumer-level digital cameras produce flawless pictures. They usually have a resolution of 3.2 to 5 megapixels and a 3:1 to 4:1 zoom lens.
Advanced Consumer Models:
If you have taken a class or photography is one of your hobbies, then you will probably want some additional features. Choose from the many advanced consumer models with higher resolutions, quality lenses and morer zoom. These models let you add features based on your needs and give you the freedom to personalize the settings.
Prosumer Models:
When you buy digital cameras, if consumer models are too basic for you and professional models are too complex, you will love a prosumer model. These sophisticated cameras have the best of both worlds. They have a vast number of options to work with, like switching between automatic and manual focus, selecting the shutter speed and adjusting the aperture settings. You will also have the opportunity to express your creative side by manipulating images. You can adjust the brightness and contrast levels for truly unique snaps. You can expect a minimum of 5 to 6 megapixels in this category. These digital cameras can take 2 to 3 pictures per second, but tend to be more fragile than other models.
Professional Models:
You will need a top of the line model that sports the latest features to meet your high demands, if you are a professional photographer. Professional models are capable of producing high resolution images with magnificent colors and clarity. They have interchangeable lenses and a resolution of up to 14 megapixels. These models are the fastest on the market, allowing you to take 5 pictures per second. Professional digital cameras have a whopping storage option of at least a 1 GB mini hard disk drive, on an average.
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Author: Russ Snapper
Major manufacturers such as HP, Kodak, Samsung and Fuji offer cheap digital cameras too. Cheap digital cameras generally have lesser advanced features such as multiple file resolution settings, optical zoom, optional image file type settings, advanced automatic exposure meters, large capacity memory cards, replaceable lenses and waterproofing. Most of the cheap Digital cameras are of point and shoot type.
Image quality is related to Megapixel rating directly and the handling of white balance by the camera. If you want to post pictures on a web site, email pictures or store them on hard drives, cheap digital cameras with a 1.3 Megapixel rating are more than satisfactory. If you want to have images of portrait quality, then you have to look for cameras with 3 mega pixels or higher ratings.
Due to the Megapixel rating, many cameras are expensive. The higher the rating of the mega pixels, the larger the photographs. However, cheap digital cameras will not come with a lot of mega pixels but still may not be necessary at all times. You don’t require a lot of memory if you don’t need very large pictures. Most cheap digital cameras will print eight by ten inches and this is what many people may need.
However, cheap digital cameras can be an excellent gift for young children. If you want to get started in digital photography and if you are not sure how to take it forward, cheap digital camera is an excellent choice. It can also be a spare or a good second camera for keeping in your boat or car for taking advantage of capturing some unexpected photo opportunities. You need not spend a large amount of money for buying a brand new digital camera just for opening up the box and reading the instruction manuals once but not interested to learn all the features of the camera. Still, most people often get discouraged from buying a used digital camera as they feel that they can get great pictures by getting the most expensive camera available. There are many cheap digital cameras available for sale and you may not require all of the fancy features and thus can save money.
You have to think about the overall picture quality you get from a cheap digital camera. It can take amazing pictures outside and if you try to take some inside the house, the quality can be poor. Though you can repair them with some photo editing software, you will not get professional photograph pictures. But you can have it for your basic picture taking needs.
You can look for cheap digital cameras available on a number of websites and can read reviews and blogs from some people who have tried with such cameras. This is the best way for deciding the type of cheap digital cameras suitable for your needs. Many sites have listings of sales, coupons, bargains and cheap deals. You can select a specific deal offered on a cheap digital camera sent to you via palm text message, email, RSS feed or mobile phone amongst others. Such alerts on deals can be customized to enable you to select for receiving only cheap digital camera offers from a particular brand or vendor in an area. You can also customize such that cheap digital cameras can be classified based on the price as everyone has a different budget.
Tags: Canon, Casio, cheap digital camera, cheap digital cameras, digital cam, Digital Camera, digital camera offer, Digital cameras, digital photograph, digital photography, Fuji, Fujifilm, image quality, images, kodak, Kondak, Leica, lense, lenses, mega pixel, mega pixels, megapix, megapixel, memory, memory card, memory cards, new digital camera, Nikon Olympus, optical zoom, Panasonic, Pentax, photo, photo editing, photo editing software, photograph, photographs, photography, picture, pictures, pixel, resolution, Ricoh, Russ Snapper, Samsung, Sigma, Sony, Vivitar, white balance, zoom
Author: aldrin garcia
My top 20 key questions to ask yourself when buying a digital camera.
1. How many “megapixels” /resolution?
Once and for all, at least to me, you have to get the highest resolution your money can buy at the time you buy. Period.
2. Who made the lens?
Most cameras will give you an idea where the lens was made just by looking at the front of the lens. Know if the lens of your camera came from a reputable company like Leica, Zeiss, Canon, Etc… Lens quality is one of the most important factors you should consider especially if you’re going to use it for commercial, technical or scientific purposes.
3. Will I need interchangeable lenses? How many are available for my specific camera in mind?
Having the option of interchangeable lenses gives you the freedom to experiment with different kinds of focal lengths. Although some P&S (point and shoot) cameras can rival DSLR’s with a generous zoom range for a non interchangeable lens system.
Also note the number of lenses available for use with your specific camera because of flexibility reasons. You can practically cover the entire “zoom range” with interchangeable lenses versus modest zoom ranges on non interchangeable lens systems or P&S cameras.
4. Does it have a zoom capability? What’s the range?
Almost all applications that I listed above will need some form of zooming in (telephoto) or out (wide angle), especially if you don’t have the space to move around the object you are shooting.
For Landscape shots, wide angle shots are very common and appealing while zooming in on the details serves as a break and complements the wide angle shots.
For weddings and events, you need a zoom because there will be times where you are limited by the shooting space and you will have a difficult time moving around. Its a good thing to know that you can do all sorts of framing without even moving from your position.
A nice zoom will give you the efficiency and versatility in your photography, so my suggestion is to go for the longest range you can get (usually from a 7X to a 10X for Point and Shoots).
Also note the speed of zooming in or out as this will be a factor if you’re shooting events like weddings. You will fail to capture that “decisive moment” on a mediocre zoom speed.
5. Does it have the provision to capture raw images?
Many photographers will say you’ll need this digital camera feature if you want to have big prints from your pictures. Although this is correct, the main reason why you will want this is because of the benefit it will give you…pure total control of your pictures… from exposure, color, metadata, hdr and a lot more.
6. Can I attach an external flash?
Having an external flash capability will give you the power and creative freedom to light your subjects any which way you like.
You can connect your digital camera to all sorts of lighting equipment thus giving you more options and versatility. This comes in the form of a hotshoe or a PC-Sync socket.
If your digital camera doesn’t have this feature, there is still hope because accessories called flash slaves are being sold by third party companies in different flavors that will also do the same job more or less.
7. Does it have a tripod socket?
Some of the most beautiful landscape pictures that I’ve seen are undoubtedly made with a tripod, so this is a must have if you are planning to do this kind of photography.
The “available light shots” in a wedding, still life and product shots, studio and fine art shots … all need a tripod for successful execution… so guess what happens if you don’t have a tripod socket?… You cannot effectively use a tripod!
8. Does it have automatic and manual focusing?
It will not be evident at first why you’ll need this especially if you’re just starting out in photography. But if you’re like me… A total control freak when it comes to cameras… and you really want to express your creative side, this is definitely a must have.
9. Can you attach filters to it? and what filter size?
Creative expression through special effects is just one of the many reasons that makes photography fun and interesting, and experimenting with filters is one creative pursuit you should try with your photography especially if you’re a beginner.
Always remember to ask if the particular digital camera you are eyeing for can handle filters and ask for the filter size. (To save you from buying the right filter with the wrong filter size) Please note that most Digital SLRs should be able to to handle filters as most lenses that come with it have a filter thread built into the lens.
Most P&S (point and shoot) digital cameras normally doesn’t have a filter thread built-in and might need special accessories to accomplish this so you should check to know for sure.
Again, there are many third party accessories that you could buy to adapt filters to your P&S digital cameras that don’t have this provisions. I’ll discuss all about this in a future post so watch for it. (Or subscribe to my announcement list (feed via email) so you’ll know when it’s up.
10. Can I upgrade the firmware?
The good thing about some digital camera manufacturers is that they keep on improving their digital cameras even after they sold it to you… this comes in the form of a firmware upgrade.
Usually this involves an improvement on one or many features of a camera. Be sure that the digital camera you’re planning to buy has an easy way of upgrading its firmware. This comes in the form of either an easy download via the manufacturer’s website (find it and bookmark it now) or a FREE CDROM.
Another caveat - be sure to consider if a downgrade is also possible or available with your digital camera… Why is there a need a downgrade you ask?… Because, you may want to reinstall an earlier firmware… just in case you don’t like the results from a firmware upgrade.
Occasionally there’s a feature that will be removed by the upgrade that you failed to read about and you decided that you just want to keep that feature instead of a bunch of trivial upgrades from the new firmware. (Yes, I personally experienced this.)
11. Are there extra goodies or software that come with it?
Some people ignore the fact that you can save a lot of money just by doing a simple arithmetic. Did you know that you could actually get your digital camera for a lot less if you study the deals and offers on the marketplace?
If you buy a digital camera and it comes with software that you can really use… like photoshop, elements, or any other image editing software for that matter, then you already saved some money you would otherwise spend. Some dealers will throw in lots of extras… If you just simply ask.
Always try to ask for these things that you’ll end up buying anyway if you don’t - like camera bags, extra lenses, extra batteries, memory cards, tripod, lens cleaners etc. Trust me… you will end up buying these things if you don’t ask for it on the deal. What have you got to lose? Simply ASK. Would you believe that I effectively lowered one of my camera purchase cost by as much as 30%? Ask away.
12. Is there Local Support in your area?
Finding the answer to this one will give you a great benefit in the long run. Wouldn’t you sleep better at night because you feel that extra security - that in case there is something wrong with your digital camera, you can bring it in for repair at a moments notice?
Not knowing when your camera will be repaired (or if it even arrived at a distant repair facility) is one of the worst feelings a photographer can have especially if you’re in the middle of a photoshoot or project.
13. What type of warranty does it have? Worldwide / Countrywide?
If you travel a lot its good to know that a countrywide or even better - a worldwide warranty can get your camera fixed wherever you are. Always bring the warranty card and glue it on your camera bag.
14. Does it have the ability to take video and audio?
I know, most DSLRs don’t have this function. But some non interchangeable lens DSLRs have it. This is a very useful feature to have if you’re on a project or photoshoot and want to document or record a procedure, a moment, or an idea that you would otherwise have trouble remembering or even writing. It’s always a good idea to bring a P&S camera backup that have this function.
The things that you could do with audio and videoclips on a photoshoot are only limited by your imagination… interviews, documentation, funny quips, training procedures, bloopers, etc..
15. Does it have a manual white balance?
White balance is one of the most interesting aspects of digital cameras. Its fun and fascinating to work with. Having this option puts the photography fun-o-meter way way up. In future posts, I will be discussing white balance in detail so be sure to stay tuned.
16. How sensitive is it to infrared?
If you’re planning to make infrared pictures or enter the exciting world of Infrared fine art photography then you’ll want to know if your digital camera can do it.
TIP: There is a simple way to test how sensitive your digital camera is to infrared using a very common device - a TV remote control. For P&S, you can aim the remote control towards the lens and gauge how bright the LED from remote is. This should give you an idea how sensitive your digital camera is to infrared. For DSLRs you will need to take shots of the LED and experiment a little or you can simply research or google the particular camera model you have in mind for other people’s experiences and thoughts about it.
17. How high is the ISO sensitivity? Is it manually adjustable?
ISO sensitivity is a term referring to the sensitivity of film to light. In the digital camera world, it refers to the sensitivity of the electronic sensor in your digital camera in relation to the ISO standard used for film.
The higher the ISO sensitivity of your camera the faster or better it can record a specific amount of light.
High ISO sensitivity is useful for taking better pictures in dark settings… such as inside a church or at night. The higher the ISO setting, the more details you can capture of a dark scene.
One caveat - take note of the amount of noise a particular camera exhibits at higher ISOs. Some people like it and some don’t. Again, don’t be afraid to ask or do research on the noise characteristics of your camera model in mind to see if this is the right choice for you.
18. How high or low can you set the shutterspeed? What are the minimum and maximum aperture settings?
Shutterspeed and aperture settings are the basic mechanisms that drive your camera and controls the amount of light that is exposed by the film or image sensor.
You use high shutterspeeds in action shots and to prevent camera shake, and you use low shutterspeeds for movement effects and bulb or long exposures. You can check for these figures on the websites that I gave you in part 1. You can see it in the technical specifications for a particular camera.
A bulb or “T” function is a nice feature to have because you can take exposures for virtually very long periods of time. Another feature to have is if your camera has a remote control to use this bulb or “T” mode. This gives you the capability to take pictures without holding your camera and adding to the “camera shake”.
With the subject of apertures, a small one (small aperture opening) lets you have a wider depth of field so your shots are sharp from near to far versus a large aperture (big aperture opening) where your shots have a narrow depth of field and appear “selectively focused”.
19. Does it have some form of an image stabilizer?
New cameras coming out as we speak often have this feature. Simply put, an image stabilizer is some form of a mechanism built into the lens or the camera body (depending on the manufacturer and their implementation) that basically prevents you from getting blurred pictures when taking pictures in low light or you are using a long or telephoto lens. Having this feature can mean the difference between a blurry picture (aka no picture!) to a usable one.
20. How close can it focus? Macro abilities?
The closer your camera can focus… the bigger the picture of an object you can take in relation to the image dimensions of the final photo… and the bigger the picture of the object… the more detail you can get. If you want to take pictures of small objects such as flowers and fine details then this is a must-have.
That’s it. Whew.
Do you really have to go over all these questions?… Of course not, but even if you only study and ponder on half of them…and take the time… I promise you that one thing will surely happen…
You’ll be…
a lot smarter!
than when you first started asking these questions… ergo you’ll be in a better position to decide what digital camera to buy… Because you are now armed with the most powerful tool anybody can have
the power of information!
In any case, I hope you find as much value in these questions as many of my friends have and be able to get the camera of your dreams.
Enjoy!
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