Digital Cameras

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When it comes to choosing a digital camera there are a number of things that you need to consider in order to buy the right digital camera for you.

A common misconception is that pixels determine the quality of the image produced. In actual fact the pixels merely determine the size of the image produced and it is the quality of the pixels, the lens and the processor inside the digital camera that give you the quality. For example a 3MP digital camera can produce an image that can be printed to a size of 7"x5" whereas a 5MP digital camera can produce an image that can be printed to a size of 10"x8" so it is important that the first decision you make is what size prints you want to produce from your digital camera.

Another important factor to consider with Digital Cameras is the type of zoom the digital camera has. You will often find on digital camera specification a figure, usually followed by and x, for optical zoom and then digital zoom. The most important figure to look at is that for the optical zoom. The higher this figure the closer you can get to a subject by using the zoom function on the digital camera. The digital zoom merely cuts away the edge of the image as it is on the screen and enlarges the section in the middle thus reducing the quality of the final print. A standard compact digital camera usually has about a 3x optical zoom which is great for general shots of holidays, parties etc. but if your needs are more specialised e.g. You are keen on photographing animals and birds from a long distance away, you will need to look at digital cameras with a 6x or even a 10x optical zoom.

Once you've decided on the size of zoom you want you will need to consider what powers the digital camera. Some digital cameras take AA batteries and others take lithium ion battery packs. You can find out which by looking at the specification for each individual digital camera. AA batteries are great because they are readily available from most places but most digital cameras tend to go through regular alkaline batteries quite quickly so we advise that you use NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) rechargeable ones wherever possible as a) they last longer and b) they save you money in the long run.

With regards to the Lithium ion battery packs, these do last longer but this is reflected in the price. A spare one of these can cost upwards of £19.00 but it is well worth it not to be without your digital camera when you need it.
There are other companies, other than the camera manufacturers such as Delkin Devices and Hahnel, that sell lithium ion battery packs for digital cameras. One thing to check when purchasing alternative batteries to ensure that the quality is going to be as good, if not better than the original, is the mAh (Milli-ampage) This figure indicates the power of the battery and thus the larger the number, the longer the batteries will last. AA rechargeables currently come in 1800 mAh, 2100 mAh and 2500 mAh, 2500 being the most powerful and therefore lasting the longest before needing to be recharged.

Many digital cameras are now able to produce video with sound as well. They aren't good enough for extensive video as yet so they are not going to replace your video camera but they are great for short little clips. To get the best quality, you need to look for a digital camera that does 30 frames per second (fps) and produces an image size of 640x480 pixels. Anything lower than this causes the image to be pixelated and jerky.

Another common misconception is that the larger the digital camera the more sophisticated it is. With the current technology a lot more features can be fitted into a more compact body which is great for the consumer. It means that you get much more creative control in a pocket sized digital camera.

You will also have a choice with some digital cameras to have what is called a cradle. This is a stand that attaches to your computers USB port and all you need to do to download your images is to place the digital camera into the stand and it will automatically transfer your images onto the computer. With digital cameras that do not have a cradle you have to use a USB cable in order to download the images. This is just a little more fiddly and slightly more time consuming so a cradle is great for when you're in a rush or simply want an easier life!!!

And finally, you will notice that some digital cameras are plastic bodied and some are metal bodies. Again, this is often reflected in the price. The main advantage with a metal bodied digital camera is that it is more robust and can withstand more bumps and bangs and will not scratch as readily. If you are only an occasional photographer, a plastic bodied camera can save you money and there will be less wear and tear so it may be worth more consideration.
As an extra point, many people, upon getting a digital camera, neglect to print their pictures. We highly recommend getting your pictures printed and put into an album and even archiving them onto CD as if your computer ever goes wrong, as so often they do, it would be heartbreaking to lose all of your pictures. When archiving photographs it is best to use gold disks as they are guaranteed to last for up to 200 years whereas a standard disk, especially a cheap one, will degenerate much more quickly.

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