Digital Camera Guide
Digital cameras are the cameras that don’t use film. They store digital images that can be seen on the computer. You can do anything from printing these images to editing and e-mailing them. A digital camera gives you the freedom of not buying a film, viewing a picture as soon as it’s taken, delete the ones that haven’t come out too well, and modifying and sending images.
On the flipside, the picture quality of digital cameras is not comparable to ordinary cameras. You can’t see your pictures without a computer, or have them put in an album because all these require an expensive printer with special ink and paper.
Buying a digital camera is no easy shopping. Go through the catalogues very carefully. Surf the internet for the latest models and post your queries to the manufacturers. Digital cameras are usually divided into three groups:
(1) Point and shoot automatic cameras: These are usually below £300.
(2) High resolution digital cameras: These cameras come with advanced features like 3 to 6 mega pixels resolution, aperture priority, shutter priority and manual modes. Prices range from £300 to £600.
(3) Professional SLR design cameras: These offer a resolution of over five mega pixels and come with a host of other accessories like flashguns and lenses.
If you have used an ordinary camera all your life, it would take some time and effort to shoot with a digital camera. Go through the instruction manual very carefully and make sure you don’t fiddle with the camera! Go for a camera that allows you to use both rechargeable and disposable batteries. Although lithium-ion rechargeable batteries are most durable, you need to carry a pack of disposables if you are shooting at places without electricity sockets!
Like everything else in the market, digital cameras too come with exciting extra features. Here is your guide through some of them:
1. Video-clip Recording - Most digital cameras come with a video-clip quality of 30fps VGA (640x480 resolution) with sound and can record up to 30 seconds of video clips.
2. Music Playback - While the quality may not great, some cameras come with earphones can play MP3 and other audio files.
3. In camera editing - Some cameras allow you to edit your images and video-clips before you download them to the computer.
4. Special image modes - You can buy cameras that can capture stop-motion animation and 3D pictures with special shooting modes.
Popular digital camera makes include: Nikon, Sony, Fuji, Canon, Olympus, Pentax and Kodak.
Tip: Buy a digital camera you can operate and don’t miss out on add-on features like music playback, video-clip recording and in-camera editing.
| 
