It wasn’t long ago that digital cameras were essentially for the rich and the geeks; if you spent just a few bucks you didn’t get anything worth having, and if you really wanted something good.. well, you’d better be in the book about the Rich and Famous.
Technology and costs have changed drastically in the last few years, and it seems as if today that digital cameras nearly outnumber all the classic film cameras, and to all but the classic photography buffs, digital is the way to go.
Even traditional photography studios use digital, often in combination, with film.
Why? What’s the attraction? Instant availability and the ability to discard unwanted photos without cost penalty is one main attraction. The second is the ability to share, publish, store your pictures.
The purist will still argue that for professional grade photography and the widest range of effects that film is the only way to go. If he were shooting today, it is doubtful that Ansel Adams would be using digital.
For the rest of us, digital seems to be the way to go.
Now assuming you have not yet made the plunge, the biggest question is "Where Do I start?" or "What do I buy?" or "How Do I Compare?"
Articles have been written on just these subjects and if we were to expand on all, this article would be a text book instead of just a primer. You can do a search on any of the popular article sites to find many articles just on that subject, (one site for example is ArticleCity.com, but not to promote one over the other.. chances are you may be seeing this on an article based site). You can also use search engines.
But sometimes it’s nice to have interactive expert advice. We suggest you read and research for background, but then for selection, visit you closest specialty photography or camera store. One where that’s all they sell.. not a general all purpose discount or department store that probably has that department "manned" with part time help.. but go to the specialty store. The person will know what to ask you and how to guide you.
Your biggest question will end up being an ethical one: After you have been taught and guided, do you buy from that store, or take your knowledge and model to the internet or a discount store and make your buy. If you do, keep in mind that the full service store may offer just that.. service after the sale; maybe an upgrade trade in policy, and other intangibles that must be assigned value.
Before you venture out, choosing the right camera begins with asking yourself "What do I want this for?" "What kinds of pictures do I expect to be taking?" "How many at a time?" (Addresses memory and storage issues). "What kind of light will most of my pictures be in?" "Will I be carrying this camera for long periods of time?"(Think of weight). And lastly, and this is important.. What kind of batteries does this camera use; how available are they, and what do they cost? Most digital cameras are real battery hogs, so it is important that batteries are readily available.. and possibly rechargable.. but if you are on a 3 week safari in Africa and you don’t have chargers handy.. what are your options? How many pictures? Memory cards available easily? Or do you have to dump and download often? On a long vacation you don’t want to shoot all day and fill up.. and then not have a computer handy to dump into?
Compared to film where it’s just "pop a new roll" digital cameras purchased that don’t match the photographers needs can be a detriment, not an asset.
Once you choose, then you need to know how to compare pricing and benefits.. but that’s the subject for another article.
Choose wisely and you’ll love your new camera!
Friday, June 26, 2009
A Primer on Digital Cameras... Everything you need to know
Mobile Phone Batteries. What Are Your Options?
There are a range of different mobile phone, video camera/camcorder and digital camera batteries out there with varying capacities and battery chemistry. We will explain what the differences are for each battery chemistry and try to clear up the jargon used on the labels of mobile phone batteries. There have been several developments in battery technology and below, we will outline each battery chemistry's features, pros and cons and their applications to mobile phones today.
"Memory Effect" in Batteries
Memory affect refers to the need for certain batteries to be "serviced" by regularly discharging the battery completely before recharging. Ni-Cad batteries are the main type of battery chemistry that requires this cycling and newer types of batteries such as Li-Ion and NiMH do not suffer from memory affect.
Battery Capacity Ratings
A battery capacity rating refers to the load or current that can be placed on a specific battery type. The battery capacity rating is usually measured in milliampres (mAH)
Ni-Cad (Nickel Cadmium) Batteries
In the past, majority of rechargable batteries used in portable devices such as mobile phones, camcorders and cordless phones used Nickel Cadmium as the main battery chemistry. Although this type of battery has drawbacks such as the "memory effect", it is still one of the most commonly used battery in cordless phones, CD players, Radios and other portable devices due to their low cost per battery cycle. The use of these batteries in mobile phones today is rare due to their memory effect problems and inconveniences. Despite these obvious drawbacks, it also has environmental implications due to the metal used to manufacture these batteries and are fast becoming replaced by Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries.
NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) Batteries
NiMH batteries are one of the growing battery chemistries today mainly due to the fact that it does not suffer from memory effects like a NiCad battery does. Because of this advantage, they are mainly used in Laptops and mobile phones and sometimes also as a battery source for video cameras and digital cameras. This is an important and main feature that makes NiMH batteries attractive as consumers are not burdened by having to "service" their batteries by discharging it fully before recharging. They also have a higher capacity rating compared to Ni-Cad (approx 30% higher) and Alkaline batteries, however their main drawback is that these batteries self-discharge over a short period of time which makes them not suitable for storage.
Li-Ion (Lithium-Ion) Batteries
These batteries are quite new to the market and have the lowest discharge rating compared to Ni-Cad and NiMH batteries. They do not suffer from memory effect and is one of the most commonly used type of batteries in mobile phones today. They have an excellent power to weight ratio which makes them highly attractive to portable devices such as mobile phones, video cameras and digital cameras. All our mobile phone batteries we offer are Li-Ion as they are superior compared to other battery alternatives.
Li-Polymer
This is relatively new and we are beginning to see more of these batteries appear in mobile phones today. They are considered as the best battery chemistry today for mobile devices due to their high capacity and low weight. Li-Polymer batteries do not suffer from “memory loss”.
Digital Photography, For Better or Worse
Do you remember the first digital cameras you saw? Did you even stop to contemplate the photography process and the changes that would occur due to a new method? Probably not. Not until the widespread use of digital cameras has the process of digital photography been a topic of any interest. Now, we all are buying digital cameras, and must learn the ABC’s of digital photography.
Unlike traditional photography, the advent of digital utilizes “pixels” to control color content, clarity and the quality of the picture. Each photo is composed of hundreds of pixels. These pixels are small square pieces of color, that when put together produce the image captured on the camera. Think of pixels as pieces of a puzzle. Each piece of the puzzle contains a small portion of the color and object, that when locked together form the much bigger whole. Digital photography offers the professional photographer a much broader scope of options than traditional methods. Adjustments can be made to just a small portion of a photo rather than having to change the entire background, subject color, or other complete coloring of an object in the photograph.
Digital photography is not new, but it is new to the average consumer. Professionals have been reaping the benefits of digital photos for several years. It is only since the explosive growth of computers, however, that digital photography has become a realistic method of photography for just about everyone. Now, John Q. Public can use his digital camera and upload his pictures onto the computer. It is here that any real benefit of digital photography, from a personal standpoint, ends. For most of the pictures we take of our family and friends, we don’t need professional quality photos. We just like the ease and convenience of taking the picture, uploading and printing in a matter of minutes. The use of digital photography today is for the most part, a replacement of the old Polaroid of the 70s.
There is some irony here. Isn’t it just par for the natural course of things? Something as beneficial and complex as digital photography is simply the everyday answer to the Polaroid. The real benefits of digital photography are lost on the general public. Digital photography allows us to dissect a picture. Much like investigators can dissect the pieces of a murder case, we can investigate the pieces of a picture. Once again, the real benefit is realized and appreciated only by the professional photographer, not your next door neighbor.
The last piece of required equipment when making digital photos would be the software necessary to view the pictures and make adjustments to the pixels. Usually, this software will accompany the digital camera when purchased, and quick install instructions make it possible to complete the software upload in a matter of minutes. User friendly “buttons” have eliminated the need for most of us to even understand how to break apart pixels to adjust color and contract, we simply move an arrow up or down to make the adjustment.
Digital photography is helping to revolutionize the way we view our pictures and the way we are able to capture the most breathtaking images. But, what does that really matter, if all you need is an up-to-date version of a Polaroid?
