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Digital Camera Guide

Digital Camera Guide. February 26 Workshop. Choosing a Camera. There are several considerations besides cost to consider when purchasing a digital camera. Cameras range from $50 to upwards of $2500 or more. Does size matter?. Bigger isn’t necessarily better, nor is smaller. Ask yourself:

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Digital Camera Guide

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  1. Digital Camera Guide February 26 Workshop

  2. Choosing a Camera • There are several considerations besides cost to consider when purchasing a digital camera. • Cameras range from $50 to upwards of $2500 or more.

  3. Does size matter? • Bigger isn’t necessarily better, nor is smaller. • Ask yourself: • Who will be using the camera? • How will it be used? • What are your needs? • Smaller cameras may have less features, but can match larger cameras in resolution.

  4. Resolution • More is less, less is more. • Higher resolution will mean less pictures, but better quality when it comes to printing. • Lower resolution allows for more pictures stored on your media card.

  5. Pixels • Photos taken at low resolutions and enlarged will pixelate. • Describes an image in which individual pixels are apparent to the naked eye. • To prevent pixelating, make sure your camera setting is correct for the size of pictures you want to use.

  6. Special Features • Many cameras come with extra features such as: • Zoom • Flash • Focus • Exposure • Shot delay • Video Capability

  7. Camera Zoom • There is a difference between optical zoom and digital zoom. • Optical uses the optics (lens) of the camera to bring the subject closer. • Digital simulates optical zoom by cropping a portion of the image and enlarging it. • You lose picture quality in digital zoom • You can achieve the same effects in photo editing software.

  8. Flash • Automatic - flash triggers automatically as needed. • Red-eye reduction - fires the flash several times just just prior to exposing a photo. • Reduces the reflection in a subject's eyes which produces red eyes. The rapid flashes cause a subject's pupils to contract and helps minimize the red-eye effect. • Forced flash – Keeps it on when you normally wouldn’t use it. • Used when additional illumination is needed such as when the main source of light is in the back of a subject or shadows prevent details from showing. • Suppressed Flash –Turns the flash off • Slow sync (also called Night Scene) use to capture a dimly lit background at night. • The flash fires briefly to light the foreground subject.

  9. Focus • Single (or one) area focus - camera focuses on a subject in the central area of the screen. Focus adjusts according to the distance of the subject. This is the most common focus mode. • Continuous autofocus - focuses continually on a subject; useful when shooting slow moving subjects. However, if your photos are often poorly focused switch to single area focus. Continuous autofocus consumes more battery power. • Spot focus - camera focuses on a very precise center area of the screen. • Manual Focus Area- focus on a portion of a scene when not centered in the frame. Good for macro (up close) shots.

  10. Exposure Modes • Automatic Modes - When using a fully automatic mode, you simply depress the shutter-release button and the camera selects all settings depending on the type of lighting and brightness of a scene. The camera focuses automatically and, when light is low or insufficient, automatically fires the flash. • Semi-Automatic Modes - You select the aperture (lens opening) and the camera automatically sets the shutter speed. Or select the shutter speed and the camera automatically sets the aperture. • Manual Mode - You have complete control by selecting both the shutter speed and the aperture. • Aperture - The aperture controls the amount of light that reaches a digital cameras sensor. An aperture acts much like the pupil of an eye that opens wider as light decreases to let in more available light. The pupil gets smaller when light increases to reduce the amount of light entering the eye. • Shutter speed - Shutter speed is the amount of time the shutter remains open to allow light to reach a digital camera sensor. Shutter speed is measured in seconds, or fractions of seconds. • Scene Modes - Scene modes let you choose from a variety of preprogrammed modes suitable to photograph a given subject such as a portrait, landscape or fireworks. The camera settings change when moving a dial to select the mode that matches the scene you plan to photograph.

  11. Other features • Shot delay – The amount of time you have between shots. • White balance – The ability to adjust light settings in mixed light for better color quality. • Panoramic images – The ability to take panoramic photos usually involves “stitching” software. • Movie mode - Practically all digital cameras offer a movie mode that can take short video clips. Not all cameras offer audio recording capability, however. The length and quality of movies vary by camera- a glance at a camera's reviews will reveal which receive high marks for their video capability.

  12. Storage Method • Most cameras today use Memory Cards to store images. • Some cameras have internal memory, but usually it is a small amount (16 MB). • Memory Cards come in different formats • SD (Secure Digital) – is becoming the most common format. • Memory Sticks – Sony’s proprietary storage method. • Compact Flash • Smart Media • xD Picture - flash memory memory card format developed and introduced to the market in July 2002 by Olympus and Fujifilm

  13. How much will a card store?

  14. Batteries • Non-rechargeable • Alkaline batteries – only use if you’re in a pinch. They will drain after an hour of shooting. • Lithium batteries – 7 times more power, weigh less, long shelf life, works in extreme temps. • Nickel Oxy Hydroxide – will take twice as many photos as alkaline batteries for about the same price. • Rechargeable • Standard - • Proprietary • Lithium Ion – made by manufacture or 3rd party and can be more expensive. • NiMH – Has more capacity than NiCDs & don’t suffer memory effect. They can lose charge, so make sure if you haven’t used your camera in a while, you recharge them. • NiCD – has “memory effect”, which makes this kind of battery to lose its charge faster when it is old than when it was brand new.

  15. Conditioning Your Batteries • For Rechargeable batteries it is a good idea to condition them from time to time especially if you do not use your camera often. • Keeps the capacity from diminishing • Condition after every 10 or so charges • Drain batteries completely in your camera. Once they are fully drained, recharge them. • Rechargeable batteries are good for about 500-1000 charges.

  16. Resources • Digital Camera Resource www.dcresource.com • Best guide for deciding what camera to buy • Digital Photography Review www.dpreview.com • Digital Camera Help www.digicamhelp.com

  17. Buying Your Camera • Make sure you buy from a reputable seller. • You may pay a little more at a local camera store, but can get hands on service. • Be wary of gray market cameras. • Generally come from other countries and specifications may not work. • Usually not covered by warranty

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