Top 10 Senior Photography Do's and Don'ts

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Here's a quick guide for the upcoming high school senior and his or her family to consider when preparing for senior photographs.

1. DO get your senior photos taken! You'll regret not capturing your memories.

DON'T wait too long to reserve your session. Many photographers' schedules fill up quickly.

2. DO ask your friends about their photography experiences. Note the good and the bad stuff.

DON'T be forced into the "official school photographer" routine. It's not what goes into the yearbook that matters, it's how your images are captured and how you feel about the experience. Do you really want your senior photos taken by the people who did your 7th grade pictures?

3. DO your homework. Know which photographers offer the kinds of sessions and experiences that meet your needs. Do they travel with you? Will they take pictures of you with your dog? Boyfriend?

DON'T be impulsive and grab that old card that showed up in the mail sometime this spring. Think about it...probably 2000 other people got that same card.

4. DO shop on the web. Try searches like "Senior Photographer " with your city or area to see who specializes in senior photography.

DON'T get suckered into "Ambassador Plans". They often put you in a position to sell for a studio. Is that what you really want to spend your time doing?

5. DO Look into the photographers' portfolios. Many have online galleries and/or slide shows. How similar are the shots? Do they have enough outdoor or location images for your taste?

DON'T be fooled by studio size. Large studios may mean a quick, impersonal session where you are limited by changes, locations and poses. Your poses and images may look like many other students'.

6. DO ask about locations, changes, friends, pets, retouches, time limits and proofing.

DON'T be shy about expressing your needs and wants. It's YOUR session!

7. DO discuss with your family. Sure, you are your own person, but the folks and relatives might really love a traditional shot thrown in among your creative stuff.

DON'T Try a new hairstyle or try to get that perfect tan the day before your shoot!

8. DO Plan for your shoot. Set aside clothes, uniforms, props, pets, accessories and shoes.

DON'T worry about cosmetic/skin issues. Any photographer worth the money will take care of that!

9. DO let your personality shine through. Relax and the real you will emerge!

DON'T scan or copy or post any of the proof images without photographer's OK. It's illegal and tacky to steal!

10. DO have a wonderful, unique time with your senior session!

DON'T forget to order enough wallets for your friends and relatives!

Top Waterproof Digital Cameras In 2010

A camera is the most essential tool for photography. Innovations of high-quality cameras are useful to improve the characteristics of a photograph. There are now waterproof cameras that help photographers take pictures better anytime even during rainy seasons and wet environments. These cameras can be used underwater which is a huge advantage to photographers. This article will bring you some of the best waterproof cameras in the year 2010.

The Canon PowerShot D10 is one of the best waterproof digital cameras. It has an excellent LCD screen of 2.5 inches. It has 12.1 megapixels and 3x optical zoom lens. The camera is shock resistant making it even stronger and one of the most durable cameras on the market.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 has 12 megapixels with 4.6 wide angle optical dual image stabilized zoom. It has LCD screen of 2.7 inches. This camera can go anywhere with you underwater being waterproof, shockproof, and dustproof. It is a little costly, yet not more than $300. You can purchase this at $297.

Another great underwater camera is the Olympus Stylus Tough 8000. With 12 megapixels and 3.6 broad angle optical dual image with stabilized zoom, you can surely get the best of your photos. The LCD screen is 2.7 inches. This camera is shockproof, crushproof, freezeproof, and shakeproof. Where else can you find that? This piece of camera costs less that $300. It gained a lot of positive reviews at different online shopping sites.

The FujiFilm FinePix Z33WP is out in the market. It has 10 megapixels and comes with 3x optical zoom. This camera can give you outstanding photos and grand videocilps. It costs about $130.

The Olympus Stylus 55 WP is also among the top. It has 10 megapixels with 3x optical zoom and 2.5 inches LCD display. This camera is affordable, at only about $100 price. You can even get discounts in Amazon if you try to check it out.

There you have it, the 5 best waterproof digital cameras. Each of them is of excellent quality and offers outstanding features. They can never spoil your underwater picture-taking. Now you can go anywhere taking quality photos without worrying about rain or even getting underwater. Your photos will turn out fabulous with these best underwater cameras.

Bea Allen is a known expert for digital cameras. If you want to know more about basic photography, you can visit www.crystaltrickphotography.com

Nokia 2730 Review

Nokia 2730 classic is a quadband GSM  candybar mobile phone. It is low priced with many features in it.  It contains most of the latest technologies including 3G. It is value for money phone.  The specification of the phone is given below. The price of Nokia 2730 in India is approx 3990Rs.

Full Nokia 2730 Specifications:

Features	Details
Released Year	2010
Phone Memory	30 MB Internal dynamic memory.
External memory	Micro SD. Up to 2GB
Colors available	Black or Magenta
Form	Bar
Camera	Yes
Camera Pixel	2 MP
Video Playback	Yes
Zoom	Digital zoom
Mp3 player	Yes
FM player	Yes. RDS
Ring tones	Polyphonic, MP3, AAC
3G	Yes.384 Kbps
Wi-Fi	No
Blue tooth	Version.2.0 with A2DP
OS	Java
GPS	No
Email	Yes. Pull Mail
Infrared	No
GPRS	Yes

Camera Lightbox

The camera lightbox was a great invention that was created to help the photographer as he or she took pictures in a dark place or a place without enough light. As mini chips are created and more and more digital camera's come out it seems that many of the older technology is becoming more and more obsolete and since the camera lightbox was a major necessity back in the day for photographers to inspect their developed film, it has become now a way for you to take clear photographs.

You can use the lightbox as a center piece for your photo idea, therefore creating an original look to your photograph. The camera lightbox has become just an aid for taking photos and there several ways that you can use it. So even though it is a little outdated the lightbox still comes into use so do not leave it behind even though you have a digital camera you will find many uses for the lightbox. Lightboxes have always been good accessories that you can carry to add more lighting to your surroundings and will make your picture clarity even better if you do not want to use the flash light on your camera.

However, nowadays the digital cameras being produced have such powerful flash bulbs that if you do add extra lighting it might spoil the shot. Technology might have changed but there are still some uses we can create for those old accessories that we have had for years. What makes a good photographer is how he or she can create something out of nothing.

Leica S2 - The Best Digital 35mm Camera

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The Best Digital SLR

If money is no object and you are looking for the best possible 35mm digital SLR, then you will want to know exactly which is the best digital SLR. At the moment most people would probably reply the Nikon D3, but this is about to change. This summer Leica, who were always known as the Rolls-Royce of 35mm cameras, will be launching their latest offering in digital SLRSs - the Leica S2.

The only problem there is likely to be with the new S2 is the cost. With this new digital SLR Leica are taking aim at the medium-format digital camera market, by creating a 35mm camera that can provide the same quality image as a medium-format camera such as a Hasselblad. The Nikon D3 for example has a 24 megapixel sensor, which is about double that of the 'average' high-quality digital camera.

The Leica S2 will be taking this even further by featuring a 37.5 megapixel digital sensor. In Leica's own words the Leica S2 is a "remarkable new camera from Germany that redefines the professional DSLR class with a custom 37.5-megapixel, 30 x 45 mm sensor built into a 35mm-sized body".

This digital camera is expected to seriously shake up the digital camera world and will force other manufacturers to significantly improve their products. 

The 37.5 megapixel 30 x 45 mm sensor on the Leica S2 is almost 60% larger than full frame 35mm and the quality it offers is "well beyond that obtainable by conventional pro-caliber DSLRs".

The aim is to combine the quality of a medium-format digital camera with the ergonomics, and ease of use of a 35mm DSLR.

Back in 1925 Leica redefined photography when they created the legendary model A. The S2 is expected to have the same effect on digital photography in the 21st century.

The S2 is completely weather-sealed for use in the studio and also outdoors as it is, according to Leica, the ideal camera for "people who actually want superior image quality, but the nice hand-held option of taking pictures. So more the moving kind of taking pictures."

Although the S2 approaches medium-format quality, it is significantly lighter and less cumbersome, you can therefore take it with you up mountain sides with relative ease, which cannot be said for medium-format cameras which are heavy and generally also require a tripod to be carried up the mountain too.

Leica are keen to emphasize that the S2 is a "tool, not a toy," and that it has been created for professional photographers and pro-am photographers who require quality and reliability, it also has only enough buttons as are absolutely essential to professional photographers, i.e. there is no unnecessary no clutter.

The launch of the S2 is expected for the summer of 2009 and will be up against medium-format cameras such as the Hasselblad H3DII-39 megapixel with an 80mm lens. The Hasselblad sells for around $22,000 - the Leica S2 is expected to be priced around $20,000 - so start saving.

Advanced Features in the Latest Digital Cameras

While it is true that you can always edit or re-touch the photo with software such as Photoshop, using in-built features of digital cameras makes your composition a lot better and authentic. Of course, software is invaluable when correcting a few things such as beautifying a face; you can save your time by using some inbuilt functions in digital cameras.

We all know that resolution is a key factor for general picture quality. When you enlarge a print, pictures taken by a high-resolution camera are not blurred and the picture details are intact when blown up. 12-mega pixel resolution gives brilliant pictures for both personal and professional photography. You can easily blow up the image to 76x102 cm (30x40 inches) print and can still have a clear image even at a closer look. If you still have not bought a digital camera, do not settle for any less than 12-mega pixel one. A high-resolution digital camera also helps when you want to use digital zoom. Digital cameras offering high multiples of digital zoom without sufficient resolution usually produce blurred images when you blow up cropped images.

All digital cameras offer good digital zoom facility. However, to get results that are more professional you need optical zoom lens. Optical zoom allows you to take shots of objects that are extremely close and that are at a distance. You still have the full resolution working for you that results in clearer photographs irrespective of whether the object is closer or farther. With digital zoom, you can only crop the large image and blow up the remaining portion and resolution is less.

Face detection is another feature that all the latest digital cameras support. The camera locates faces of people from the scene and applies some special settings to capture faces clearly. Image stabilization is another feature that works silently when you are taking pictures. As the name indicates, it stabilizes the image if your hand is a bit shaken or you are in motion while taking the picture. You are saved from shaky images. In fact many things are automated for you and you do not even notice that they work together to give you nice pictures. You can also use them manually to get better results.

Many scene types are detected automatically. People take pictures in different situations, at nightclubs, at sporting events, while on vacation etc. All these situations have varying light conditions and exposure. Digital cameras are intelligent enough to make a guess about the scene and make necessary changes in settings and they can do it correctly most of the time. Alternatively, you can adjust these settings yourself to obtain perfect pictures. Do not worry that you cannot take pictures with a classic vintage look; digital cameras support black & white and sepia color modes as well.

Another exciting feature is the ability to shoot in burst mode and a video. I burst mode (also called continuous shooting) you can take pictures in quick succession. If you want to capture a perfect image during an event that does not last long, burst mode can take a picture every second continuously until that event ends. You can easily choose the best shots from it. Newspaper reporters often take pictures of celebrities in burst mode; they do not want to miss any moment. You can compose motion shots from them for fun or a presentation. Of course, you always have the ability to shoot videos with digital camera. Though you cannot shoot longer videos, you can make a reasonably good video footage using fast memory cards and shooting short movie clips. Many digital cameras allow you to do preliminary editing of your movie clips and images.

Therefore, a digital camera has all features to help you compose your shots better and if you have missed anything, you can always use your favorite photo editing software.

Shopping For a Digital SLR? What You Should Know Before You Begin

Curious about the state of digital SLR cameras today?

This quick review will provide you with the BIG POINTS to keep in mind as you go shopping for a new digital SLR.

MAIN FEATURES

Interchangeable Lenses - you can swap the lens on a digital SLR as much as you like


Optical Viewfinders - what you see through the viewfinder is what you get in the final image


Large Sensors - increased sensor size (vs. compact cameras) allows SLRs to capture high-quality photos in low-light conditions


High Speed - these cameras are FAST, with instant startup times and zero delay between shutter press and image capture

Before I dig into some of these features in more detail, let's review the features that are "missing" from digital SLR cameras, at least when you compare them to their compact cousins.

WHAT'S MISSING

No Movies - digital SLR cameras don't capture movies. They're for still photography ONLY


No LCD Previews - many digital SLRs don't display a preview of the image you're about to take on the LCD (with some notable exceptions)


Not Compact - digital SLRs can't fit into a pocket - even the compact ones are quite large and bulky (the lens can add a lot of size and weight)


EMERGING TRENDS

Now that we've gotten the high level summary out of the way, let's talk more about some of the developing trends in digital SLR camera technology.

I used to recommend caution when buying a 10 megapixel camera, since you only need 10 megapixels if you want to aggressively crop your photos or make gigantic prints. I really can't do that anymore, because the manufacturers are making cameras with anything less obsolete.

While there used to be a hearty crop of 6 megapixel SLRs to choose from (which is PLENTY if you enjoy making 8x10 and 4x6 prints) today there are fewer and fewer and every new camera on the horizon is packed with 10 megapixels.

Another steady trend is the increasing size of the LCD screens, paired with a decrease in the size of the camera body.

While 1.8 inch LCDs used to be standard, the new baseline in LCD size is 2.5 inches. These larger screens help you to review the photo that you just took, and make it easier to change settings on the camera using the menus.

On the flip side, the dimensions of digital SLR cameras continue to decrease. First-generation digital SLRs were huge and heavy, and not the sort of cameras that you wanted to carry on a day hike.

Today, manufactuers are trying to make their SLRs as compact as possible, in order to make them more attractive to consumers who don't want to lug around giant cameras all the time. Pentax started the trend with their small and light line of *ist cameras, and now Canon and Nikon have followed suit (with the Rebel xTi and D40 respectively).

SPECIAL FEATURES

A year ago, digital SLR cameras competed on a variety of standard features: megapixels, camera size, continuous photo speed, LCD size, and the number of different photography modes.

Recently there's been an emergence of three new "extra" features that are included on a limited number of cameras.

Dust Control - dust can get on your camera's sensor when you're chaning a lens, and shows up in every photo you take. Dust control is designed to prevent this.


Image Stabilization - this feature helps you take clear photos in low-light conditions when you can't use a flash


Live View LCD - this shows a preview of the image you're about to take, much like the LCD on every compact digital camera

Olympus pioneered the dust control technology (their name for it is a SuperSonic Wave Filter) and other companies are beginning to adopt it using their own proprietary names.

While image stabilized lenses have been around for years, the addition of image stabilization (IS) to the camera body (which works with ANY lens) is a more recent innovation. The first cameras to use it were the now-obsolete Konica Minolta Maxxum cameras. Konica Minolta sold their operations to Sony, who adopted the IS technology in their Alpha A100 camera.

Now, built-in IS is also included in cameras made by Pentax, Olympus and Samsung.

Live LCD screens are another Olympus innovation, which has not been as readily adopted by other manufacturers. To date, only two other non-Olympus cameras have live view LCDs: the high-end professional Canon 1D Mark III and the fairly expensive Panasonic DMC-L1.

THE PRICES

There was a day when you couldn't get a decent digital SLR camera for anything less than $2,000. I'm happy to say that those days are long gone.

Now many new digital SLR cameras debut with prices under $800, and these prices simply decrease as time goes on (SLR cameras are a lot like cars and computers in that sense).

Let me be clear though: digital SLR cameras are still not competitively priced with many of the compact digital cameras. You cannot find ANY digital SLR camera for less than $400, and the cameras that are less than $600 have limited feature sets.

What's your best bet if you're looking for an inexpensive digital SLR?

Go online and hunt around for models from 2005 and 2006. The manufactuers release several new cameras each year, and while many of the older cameras are still quite capable, you can't find any stores that sell them new.

Many owners of first and second-generation digital SLR cameras are looking to upgrade to the latest and greatest, so you have the opportunity to snatch up their old cameras at bargain-basement prices.

Comparison of Best Digital Cameras

The very first thing that a person does when he decides to buy something new is reading up the reviews about it. In case of the electronic appliances, this becomes a necessity though. For, without reading up the reviews, you will not be able to decide whether this particular item will suit your needs well or not.

When ever you move on to buy a new digital camera, it is perfect for you to read up the best digital camera reviews.

When you enter the market and see a wide array of models and brands of digital cameras, it can be quite frustrating for you. With hundreds of choices that are available in the market, they often confuse the buyer rather helping him. But if you read up various digital camera reviews, they can clarify the most of your doubts.

The reviews will compare and analyze the different camera options and features. They can also give rating regarding how each camera stands in front of other similar models in the market. You can also read the digital camera reviews on their brochures and web pages.

There are many points that you should look for in a best digital camera review. There is no point in believing the reviews word by word. It is always beneficial to be a little cautious while you make your decision based on these reviews. It is important for you to trace authentic reviews.

An effective review of the best digital cameras should include two things at least: First, the features and specialties of the camera and secondly the performance ratings. The specialty sheets and performance ratings of the cameras are many, but in order to compare the digital cameras efficiently, the review should set some guidelines on mandatory basis.

The best reviews help you in taking decisions on many grounds. They tell you how you should use your digital camera. They should give you all the genuine set of information about the size and quality of the final prints and the necessary features of the digital camera. All the features of the camera should be written in the review and then it should be ranked, according to its quality and standards.

If you are looking for a durable snapshot or professional camera, you should scan all the relevant reviews. Before reading the review you may have many cameras in your mind. But as you go on reading the reviews, you can narrow down your choices to just a few cameras. Going further, your choice should come down to your final digital camera.

Even the minor differences in the design of the digital camera can be significant when you will bring it to use on the daily basis. The review that you are reading should carefully compare not only the design elements and performance of the digital cameras but also the size, body configuration, weight, knobs, location of buttons and all the other controls of the camera. You should be able to decide after reading the review that a particular camera will be a joy to use for you or will be a pain in neck.

The evaluation of the reviewer of the digital camera should be critical. Moreover, you should read up as many reviews as possible and then make your decision.

Digital Photography Tutorial Discover the hidden photography secrets with Complete Photography Guide.

Do Higher Digital Camera Prices Mean Better Cameras?

Understanding digital camera prices makes finding the best camera value much easier. Uncovering digital cameras best buys is easier if we know what's available within various price ranges. With that in mind let's explore camera prices in more detail.

Digital Cameras Priced Under $100

Super cheap digital cameras priced less than $50 are available from several companies. Resolutions are usually 1.3 megapixels or less, so they're only suitable for small snapshots. But these cameras are great fun at very low cost - some under $20!

For $50 to $100 companies like Concord, Kodak and Oregon Scientific offer terrific discount digital cameras in the 2 to 4 MP range. They have limited features, but many include optical zoom, video capture and other neat stuff.

Cameras Priced From $100 to $200

Most cameras in this price range include 3 to 5 megapixel resolution - some even higher. Entry level models from respected camera makers including Canon, Fujifilm, Konica Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, Sony and others are included in this price range.

Most feature optical zooms, multiple scene and exposure modes, and other handy functions. These are usually compact digital cameras, with some small enough to slip in a pocket. For those shopping digital cameras this group deserves a close look.

$200 to $500 Digital Cameras

Far-and-away the broadest and most popular selections of cameras fall into this price range. Virtually all manufacturers offer many models with a dizzying array of features and functions. Sensor resolutions range from 3.0 to 8.0 megapixels or more.

This group includes compact and ultra-compact digital cameras. Ultra-compact models can be as small as a credit card and less than an inch thick with high resolution sensors and advanced features.

Basic Prosumer (serious enthusiast) cameras are in this price category. Advanced controls including manual settings, multiple AF zones, and sophisticated scene modes are common features of these cameras.

$500 to $1,000 Price Range

Most SLR-style Prosumer and a growing number of digital SLR cameras are in this price grouping. Serious photographers looking for creative control and high quality images are sure to find the perfect camera in this group.

All cameras in this price range feature a vast array of functions including full manual control, aperture or shutter priority, in-camera editing and more. High resolution sensors capable of 6 to 12 megapixels and precision lens optics are standard, many with high-powered zooms.

Professional Cameras Priced Over $1,000

Prices in this group can exceed $15,000, although most are under $5,000. Most are digital SLR's and offer nearly limitless photo manipulation for the professional photographer. Here's where you'll find the most technologically advanced image sensors, processors and optics.

Unless you earn your living with a camera, SLR and Prosumer models priced under $1,000 will most likely provide all you could want or need in a digital camera. Most of the refinements in images taken by these high priced professional cameras aren't noticeable even to experienced amateur photographers.

Is Photoshop Killing Your Studio Photography?

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How can a photographers most important tool be the problem?

Photoshop is wonderful. Ask any photographer about their most important piece of software and you will hear tales of wonder about Photoshop and everything that can be accomplished with this software. All this wonderful technology takes time. Time away from shooting, marketing and helping clients. It's time to envision life without this wonderful software.

Why should a photographer pretend Photoshop doesn't exist?

For photographers who were born into the digital age, Photoshop has always been available. Unfortunately, it has become a crutch that photographers depend on. The result of which is hours and hours spent on the computer fixing images. Photographers everywhere are spending an amazing amount of time fixing images. All this time cuts into profit. Profit can be pretty hard to make, so there is no reason to give it away because of sloppy shooting. These are images that could have been created correctly in the first place, just like before Photoshop ever existed.

What happens when Photoshop isn't an option?

When Photoshop isn't an option wonderful things happen. No not at first. At first it will be horrible. Dozens of sessions will pass before you feel at home behind the camera. At that time you will be amazed. You will shoot your session and feel completely comfortable. This isn't the amazing part. The best part comes when you download the photographs. You will see exactly what you expected and wanted to see. There won't be anything that must be fixed in Photoshop. You will no longer be a slave to your computer

When is the right time to even consider Photoshop?

There is a time and a place for Photoshop. It will still be the go to software for removing zits from teenagers and drool from babies. But you don't need Photoshop to fix problems that can be solved by proper posing and lighting. The right time to consider Photoshop is when the image is already as perfect as it can be. Its job is to enhance and make the good into great, not to make the poor image into an acceptable image.

Advantages of a Digital SLR Camera

For the longest time, people have been obsessed with immortalizing special memories through photos. People have always had a love affair with cameras, because these devices allow them to freeze a fleeting moment on a piece of paper.

In the recent years, people have gained more reasons to love documenting events in photos. The dawn of digital SLR or single lens reflex cameras have given people more reasons to take their interest in their photography further.

Like regular digital cameras, digital SLR cameras function without the help of the film. Before, people had to bring a roll of film every time they would bring their cameras. While the film allowed people to capture pictures, the shots were quite limited; a roll of film would allow them to take a maximum of 36 photos. That is hardly acceptable, since most people are shutterbugs. It was quite common that people wished they could take more photos of surprising events, but they weren't able to do so because they ran out of film. Some people could have opted to tote more than one roll of film with them, but that is quite a hassle, especially for people who hate to bring too much.

With digital SLR cameras, people do not have to worry about using up all the film. With a decent memory card inserted in the camera, one can take a hefty number of photos. Another good thing about not having to use films is that photographers can choose which photos they want, without having to actually print the photos. This is a huge money saver, since people won't have to have the images processed in the shop. Also, this allows the people to readily review and edit the photos.

Moreover, since the images can be easily uploaded on the computer, the photographer can just delete the shots he won't use. Another plus is that the memory card is reusable; as soon as the pictures are transferred to the computer, then the photographer can take more pictures.

The digital SLR camera can also be used with a variety of lenses. Telephoto lens allows the photographer to take photos of distant subjects, while wide angle lens provide a wider picture. Other lenses like perspective-control and macro lenses may also be used. Because the lenses can be changed, the photographer can achieve a variety of looks in the photos. This feat is impossible with regular digital cameras, since the lenses are already built-in and aren't changeable.

People using digital SLR cameras can also notice that there is better image quality compared to regular digital cameras. This allows even the amateurs to get good quality photos. The difference in image quality is even more noticeable in higher light sensitivities.

Taking pictures of spur-of-the-moment happenings becomes easier with a digital SLR camera. Because there is a shorter shutter delay and faster continuous shooting, it becomes easier for anyone to take pictures of moving subjects. These cameras have faster autofocus, so people can take comfort in knowing that they won't miss photo-worthy moments.

With the many advantages of the digital SLR camera, it is no wonder that more people are embracing photography as a hobby. And since these cameras produce great pictures, it is also a good start for amateurs who want to take photography as a profession.

Canon PowerShot SX 120 IS - A Digital Camera For Everyone

There are plenty of digital cameras that can blow your mind with high quality photos and videos, and many of them are Canon's. But an average man doesn't need a high priced digital camera that he will pay $1500 or more. An average guy needs a low cost camera that will provide him with a good quality photos without having to go through a 100 page manual. That's where Canon PowerShot SX 120 IS camera comes in. Not only is this camera very affordable but it also provides great quality photos and video recordings. The idea is point and shot so anyone can use it with ease.

Canon PowerShot SX 120 IS digital camera has a 10.3 megapixel resolution and a 3 inch LCS display. So for start it is not far from high priced cameras. With that also comes a smart AF and auto face detection module that can recognize believe it or not up to 35 faces. Some professional digital cameras don't have face detection module that good. For all the shady details the Digic 4 processor has you covered. This processor will cover every contrast problem, highlight blowout while retaining shadow details.

As for the really technical details Canon PowerShot SX 120 IS camera has image sizes going from low 320 x 240 to 3648 x 2736. The video recordings are not bad also; you will have a video recording at 320 x 240 at 30 frames per second or 640 x 480 also at 30 frames per second. File formats are JPEG and MOV but you can always convert them to any other standard format. The good side of video mode is that you can make a video recording of 1 hour or 4GB. But for that you will have to buy a new memory card because Canon PowerShot SX 120 IS camera comes with only 128 MB.

Good things about this Canon digital camera for a normal man are also the 10x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom, and of course the price. This digital camera goes from $220 to $340, which is not expensive for a digital camera at all. And in the end buying this digital camera is great for any amateur that wants good quality photos by just pointing the camera and pressing the button.

My Long Road to Digital

Image : http://www.flickr.com

I was ten years old when I became the proud owner of my first camera, a Brownie Star Flash. It was something just short of love at first sight. Wow! I could take pictures of pretty much anything. Although the Brownie did not allow for flexibility, I still have many pictures of long departed relatives, staring back in black and white. The idea one might take a picture for art's sake was simply preposterous. That attitude, no doubt, was inherited from my parents. In a good year, they might expose as many as three rolls of film. Mostly pictures of my brothers and I, neatly posed in our Sunday best, with the occasional extended family member thrown in.

In the years that followed, I owned a series of point and shoot camera's. As my world expanded, these little cameras documented my travels. Everything changed in 1969 when, one day at a PX in Vietnam, I bought a Canon FT, my first thirty-five millimeter SLR. No longer would I be limited to snap shots of my buddies. I was learning about 'depth of field', time exposures, and doing my best to talk the talk. The FT was a totally manual camera, which was no rarity in those days. Looking back, it was wonderful thing, as manual operation forced the user to really learn the craft of photography. That old Canon continues to occupy an honored place in my one shelf camera museum.

It was during my time in Vietnam, I was introduced to the darkroom. I was fascinated. I could develop my own film, and print my photos. I could not only print my pictures, I could 'mask', 'burn in' and otherwise tweak my prints. At any rate, I could do these things in black and white. Quality color print film was still years away. If you wanted to shoot color in those days, the preferred medium was the slide. The downside to shooting slides was the unavailability of local processing. Film had to be sent back to the U.S. for processing. It could easily be three or four weeks between shooting the pictures and seeing the results. Thus, my first artistic attempts were done in black and white. Fortunately few, if any, of these early efforts survive. Unfortunately for me, once the novelty of the darkroom wore off, my attitude began to change. Although I loved taking pictures, darkroom work was becoming drudgery.

I don't know how many budding photographers fell out of love with the darkroom. I expect there were more than a few. This phenomenon only increases my admiration for artists like Ansel Adams. Lugging a heavy, large format camera into the back country, is not for the feint of heart. In his early days, Adams had the additional task of preparing his own glass negatives. A long day's effort might yield only half a dozen photos. My digital Nikon can take six photographs in less time than it takes to tell about it. Ultimately, it wasn't Adams' physical perseverance that made him great. It was his genius in the darkroom set him head and shoulders above the crowd. His willingness to print pictures again and again until he was completely satisfied turned his photography into art.

Leaving the darkroom behind, I spent the next several years shooting mostly slide film. As family, work responsibilities, and life in general took up more and more of my time, I largely abandoned photography for a number of years. It was in Minneapolis, while waiting for a movie to start, I wandered into a camera store, to kill a little time. I emerged a few hundred dollars poorer, but possessing a Canon F1, and a couple halfway decent zoom lenses. The F1, was about as good as it got for mostly manual camera's. It had a solid brass body and one camera store owner told me, "You could drive a nail with it". I'm pretty sure he was right. It had the aperture priority feature, my earlier camera's lacked. Aperture priority allows the user to set a desired depth of field, and the camera automatically gives the correct exposure time.

By this time, high quality, fine grained color print films had come on the market, and I never looked back. I had recovered my hobby and life was good. I shot roll after roll of film. Although digital cameras were appearing, they were far outside my price range, and the pictures they produced left much to be desired. I had pretty well resolved to stay with film, considering myself to be hopelessly old school. All this changed when one of my best customers stopped by my house with a brand new Nikon D50, still in the box. She said, "I want you to learn how to use this, and then teach me". She also left her trusty Nikon 8008 35mm, and a bag full of lenses. Who could turn down a deal like that? With manual in hand, I set about entering the world of digital photography. Digital photography was far removed from the, mostly manual, 35mm world I had inhabited so long. I uttered many a, "You've got to be kidding", during those early days. Little by little it began to take hold. I was learning about 'white balance' the same way I learned about depth of field so many years earlier. As things worked out, I wound up buying all of her Nikon gear, thus ending a thirty-five year love affair with my Canons. Personally, I don't think there's a big difference between Nikon and Canon. Their long competition has made them both great. It's that bag of lenses that tends to keep a person bound to one brand or the other.

By a fortunate convergence, I had become, more than a little computer literate, having spent ten years writing software. Using Photoshop seemed almost second nature, and what a world it opened. What was drudgery in the darkroom could now be done on my computer. I upgraded my computer, and then upgraded cameras. The D50 was a great entry level digital SLR, and you can do serious photography with it. It was when I traded the D50, for my D200, and moved to Corel Paintshop Pro, the floodgates of creativity burst wide open. The high resolution of the D200 allows for great cropping, with little or no loss of resolution. Paintshop Pro has all the tools needed to tweak a picture all over the map.

Today, I have my own web site, highplainsphotosandframes.com, and I manufacture note cards and postcards, all on my own equipment. I did a short production run of a calendar this year, mostly for family and friends. Everyone seemed to like them, and I plan to do a much larger run, for sale on my web site, next year. What a world digital photography has opened for me. If you haven't tried it yet, what are you waiting for?

Shutter Speed Tutorial

If you want to photograph manually and therefore improve your photography skills, you must understand what Shutter Speed is.

There is a sensor/film in your camera. With shutter speed, we basically say how long does the sensor/film see the light. It can be very short or very long; continue reading to see what is the difference and when to use each.

1. Settings Examples

1/1000

1/500

1/250

1/125

1/60

1/30

1/15

1/8

1/4

1/2

1s or 1"

1/1000 is the fastest on the list, so our sensor captures everything that happened in 1/1000 of a second (which is pretty fast). 1s lasts for a whole second and it captures a lot more light than 1/1000. Remember, these are not all speeds; there are faster and slower ones too.

2. When to use certain speeds

When photographing sports, wildlife or fast things, we want fast shutter speeds and for that we need a lot of light. We use 1/250 and faster (1/500, 1/1000 etc.) when shooting this. If we use slower ones, our subject may become blurred and that is something we do not want

Slower shutter speeds are used at low light, night photography and when creating interesting effects. These times are usually 1/60 and slower (1/30, 1/15 etc.). Some people use shutter speeds of seconds, minutes or even hours when photographing at night (stars). For that, you need a Cable Release

To understand this, you need to practice and look at some examples. Automatic mode does not know what you want; only you do.

The Pictures You Take Stink? Here's Why

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Why can't your pictures be as dramatic as the ones you see in the National Geographic magazine?

You've got the gear. You've gone to an expensive 5 days short course in photography. You've followed the rules you read online. But for some reasons, something is missing. Yes, the pictures are sharp. Yes, the color looks good. But they lack magic.

Watching a dozen of your photos moves your relatives to tears of boredom. They would rather be watching the re-run of Seinfeld for the 97th time rather than looking at your vacation photos.

And they cry even harder when you spouse tell them that your camera costs more than your car.

So what's wrong? Why can't your pictures be as good as the one you see in the newspaper or magazines?

Here's the Answer

You're actually on your way to become a good photographer. Yes, you are. All you need is time. And deliberate practice.

Those photographers who work for the National Geographic take thousands of photos in each assignments. And from that, only two or three are picked. Yes, they are professional with better techniques than yours. But their secret is in numbers.

Jay Dickman, a Pulitzer prize-winning National Geographic photographer said, ".. while on assignment for a publication such as National Geographic, photographers tend to overshoot, sometimes using two to three rolls [of film] on the same image to make sure they've got it.."

Wait. 2 to 3 rolls on the same image? That's equivalent to around 100 shots.

For one article, they shoot far more than you did on your brother's wedding day.

Take a National Geographic photojournalist, Joe McNally as an example. Jay said ".. he shot about 7500 [digital] images.." for his Aviation article. But normally, "Joe would have shot about 500 to 700 rolls of film on a shoot like this."

That's more than 15,000 shoots - just for a single article.

So that's the secret. They take tons of pictures. But the editor sift through the garbage and show you only the exceptional ones. They don't show you all the throw-aways or the blurry shots. For every pic in the article, a thousand others didn't make the cut.

So, don't worry. Continue shooting. And fix your techniques until they are a part of you.

If you have studied photography, the only thing that separates you and the pros is practice, and time. In fact, if you take a few hours a day just to practice your craft, one day you'll be as good as the pros.

If you have the passion to work your craft, you'll get to the stage you've always wanted. Remember, great pictures has nothing to do with talent. It's practice, practice, practice --- by the truckload.

The Mystical Zoom Effect Of Digital Cameras Explained In Plain English

Most of the digital cameras within the mid-priced range include a 3x/4x lens - the first number refers to the optical zoom with the second number referring to the digital zoom. A few of the lower-end priced cameras have only a digital zoom, but their photos are rather dull and slightly fuzzy. The zoom effect in a digital camera is similar to, yet different, from that of a conventional camera. It brings distant subjects closer.

However, in a digital camera there are two kinds of 'zooms'. The first is similar to that of a conventional camera and is known as the optical zoom. The second is the digital zoom, and is more interesting. It 'simulates' optical zoom by enlarging a portion of the image -- that is the digital zoom selects a portion of the photograph and blows it up.

The zoom effect should not be confused with photo editing, where an image editing software is used to crop and blow a picture on a computer screen. Cropping a picture can refer to enlarging the main subject, or an area of choice - thereby eliminating the remaining parts. Another misconception associated with digital zoom is that it is very handy in capturing long distance images. Nothing can be more misleading. Optical zoom matters more in a digital camera.

The zoom that should be used for comparing cameras is optical zoom, and not digital zoom or total zoom. A camera's quality depends upon the value of optical zoom; a camera with higher optical zoom is better than a camera with lower optical zoom. In fact, today the digital camera manufacturers have started using a new term - "total zoom." This term only confuses the customer for there is nothing like total zoom. At best, it can be used to indicate the fact that a digital camera has both kinds of zoom - optical zoom and digital zoom.

Individuals who previously used the 35mm camera or an APS camera used only optical zoom. This uses the lens to bring the subject of the picture closer. Digital zoom are associated with the digital video cameras.

Many photographers do not really associate digital zoom as "zoom" in the digital cameras, as it only enlarges a portion of the image. In layman's terms, the camera crops a certain aspect of the image, and then enlarges it back to size which causes a loss in image quality. But what it actually does is replace the image editing for cropping.

Another zoom effect that has been developed recently is the "smart zoom". This particular zoom maintains the image quality by avoiding interpolation of the image. However, smart zoom works only if you select an image smaller than the full available image size.

Sometimes optical zoom is compared to resolution while buying a digital camera. Nothing can be more absurd. These are two different values and have no common link. Resolution is used to indicate the number of pixels in an image while optical zoom is used to define the lens power. It can neither increase nor decrease the resolution.

There is also a tendency today to disable digital zoom. Some photographers prefer to crop and enlarge an image on a computer screen. They don't trust the camera to do it for them. This is not a good practice because it reduces the effectiveness of your camera.

What wide angle lens should I buy?

With today's consumer level DSLRs you need to consider the cropping effect.

Smaller sensors give a cropping effect to the image, making field of view smaller for any given focal length. Simply, lenses give a more zoomed-in feel on crop sensors (DX) compared to full-frame (135 film, FX). It's good to note that given their popularity (especially in the past with film), full-frame focal-lengths (and equivalents) are often the standard focal lengths to compare to.

The difference is about 1.5x for Nikons DX to FX comparison. So, a 35mm lens, which is a bit shorter than a standard lens for full frame, would give you the same field-of-view as a 52.5mm on a full-frame camera, and that is considered to be a 'standard' lens.
Here's how I think of it (this probably varies among photographers) For full-frame:

• <28mm = ultra-wide
• ~28mm = wide-angle
• ~50mm = standard
• ~85mm = portrait
• >100mm = telephoto

Equivalent DX ranges (what you have):

• <18mm = ultra-wide
• ~18mm = wide-angle
• ~35mm = standard
• ~50mm = portrait
• >70mm = telephoto

My recommendation for a Nikon wide-angle? Grab the Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G DX
It isn't very fast and it won't turn any heads, but it is a nice, sharp lens. Ken Rockwell praised its sharpness and said it was a bargain compared to other lenses in the same focal length range.  Similarly, Thom Hogan praised its value and optical performance, but criticized its handling, noting a diminutive focus ring that rotates during focusing, with no manual override. Anything wider (ultra-wide territory) is going to cost significantly more (>$500). I don't normally suggest zooms, but at ~$150 used, it's hard to beat. And the VR makes up for its small aperture if you're not shooting anything that moves.

Best 35mm Rangefinders

Are you spending much time researching for the best model of 35mm rangefinder camera? Then, after reading this article, you will certainly stop searching for it and jump for joy because I'll tell

you about one of the best ones out there. With the changing of time, cameras have undergone many changes and become compact and handy with specialized features.

Though there have been many kinds of rangefinders, Leica was the first one to make quality 35mm

rangefinder cameras. Leica perfectly suits to the needs of the changing world. You will find Leica 35mm rangefinder very convenient and easy to operate because much of the camera handling is manual. It also has automatic shutter, speed control and other detail improvements to make your job easy.

The lens of this rangefinder has excellent quality. You will surely impress by the lens immediately. With it, you can still make brilliant snapshots under difficult light conditions where other cameras don't. The Automatic Exposure helps your picture taking much faster. Simply adjust the f-stop and the shutter speed adjusts automatically. This saves your time and makes your picture taking much easier.

Leica 35mm rangefinder camera is one of the most feature laden rangefinder cameras to date. You will definitely notice its features, durability and 'stunning look'. National Geographic photographer David Allen Harvey and Henri Cartier-Bresson used a Leica rangefinder and appreciated its quality.

You can greatly use it for street photography, portraits, photojournalism and travel. You can also find it the perfect one for discrete documentary photography, what the late Henri Cartier-Bresson referred to as the "decisive moment" photography. So if you care deeply about making great documentary photography images, then perhaps the Leica should be your only 35mm rangefinder camera.

This 35mm rangefinder camera is a joy to use and has everything you could ever wish in the way of

your life.

A Photography Business Can Improve Information Systems to Increase Capacity

You are a busy photographer. Your business is expanding. Your time with your family is decreasing. You know it can be a headache to hire employees. In addition, you don't know how long this high demand for your services will persist.

If you are a photographer in this situation, you may consider expanding the capacity of your business by increasing the capacity of your computer information system. This article offers suggestions on ways to do this for the benefit of a photography business.

1. Automate commonly performed tasks. There are many ways in which this can be done. Both Photoshop and Lightroom allow a photographer to create macros. If you have a signature look put the steps required to create that look into a macro so you can easily apply it to all of your images. For commonly performed tasks that can be done outside of these programs and are performed in the general windows environment try creating macros using a generic program like ActiveWord.

2. Increase your hardware capacity. If you are frequently waiting on your computer to apply a technique to an image, a hardware upgrade may solve this productivity killer. A professional photographer should have a minimum of 4 gigs of RAM, a quality video card with its own RAM, and a relatively fast processor. A MAC might be a better option than a PC as its graphics capacity and reliability is usually better than most PCs.

3. Setup or increase the speed of your network. Today a network is essential for an efficient photography business. A photographer can waste an enormous amount of time transferring images back and forth on an external drive. In addition, with a network a photographer can take advantage of specialized workstations. Work that is best done on a specialized workstation can be pulled up on the network and applied to the images. The photographer can then access the images on another specialized workstation and perform the next round of editing.

The photography industry is extremely competitive. In order for a photographer to compete and expand effectively and still have time to spend with his family, a photographer needs to setup and use an effective computer information system.

The Digital Camera USB Cable- How Your Camera And Computer Talk

Perhaps you've been a photographer for as long as you can remember, and been messing around in the darkroom almost as long as that. You know how to turn your photos into the sort of prints that you friends want gracing their walls.

But even you could not turn your back on the digital camera revolution. You have always had a bit of a moral dilemma because you know that your dark room chemicals are not the kinds of substances you want in the water supply, and you also know that, in spite of the snob appeal of the 35mm camera, your digital camera just as capable and much more fun. And you've learned the magic of digital camera photograph editing software, which lets you duplicate all the darkroom effects you took years to master, in less than an afternoon.

Or perhaps you have not made the leap from 35mm film to digital, and think it all sounds just a little too good to be true. But if someone can persuade you that going digital with your photography is within your non-PC literate capabilities, you'll give it a try.

The secret to digital photography magic is that you can alter your photos in almost any imaginable fashion once you have them saved on your PC hard drive. Your digital camera will come equipped with a digital camera USB cable which allows you to do just that. If it doesn't, you can pick one up for less than $5.

How The USB Cable Works

The digital camera USB cable establishes a communications channel between your camera and your PC. When you take photos with your digital camera, instead of being stored on film they are stored in digital form on a memory card, and eventually the memory card will be full. If you want to keep taking pictures you'll have to get the existing photos off the memory card, and you do it by uploading the photos to you PC.

By putting your photos on your PC you'll also be able to view them in normal size rather than as the tiny images on your camera's LCD screen. And once they're on you PC, you can even print them; your printer will become your surrogate darkroom. You can also use software to turn your favorite photos into a continually running slideshow or make your absolutely favorite photo into wallpaper. But none of it happens without the digital camera USB cable.

Your camera will have included a CD with photo transferring software; all you need do is slide it into your D drive and insert your digital camera USB [http://www.topdigitalcamerareviews.com/Articles/Digital_Camera_Usb_Cable.php] cable into the USB port at the on your monitor. It should be clearly marked, but if you can't find it, consult you PC manual. And don't be surprised, if you have a lot of photos stored on your camera, if you have to recharge your batteries when the upload is finished.

Alternatives To The Digital Camera USB Cable

The battery depletion issue is one which has earned the attention of digital camera makers, and they are working on solutions, including supplying a power cord which will run from your camera to a wall socket. There is also a memory card reading device,; it is installed in the digital camera, copies you photos, and the removed and plugged into your PC's USB port. The memory reader eliminates the need for a digital camera USB cable completely, and is almost certain to make it obsolete in the not-too-distant future.

You can also find more info on Digital Camera Online [http://www.topdigitalcamerareviews.com/Articles/Digital_Camera_Online.php] and Digital Camera Photos [http://www.topdigitalcamerareviews.com/Articles/Digital_Camera_Photos.php]. Topdigitalcamerareviews.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Digital Cameras.

Canon Powershot SX20is Digital Camera

Starting with the 20x wide angle zoom on the new Canon Powershot SX20is and going from there it's easy to understand why the Canon SX20is is a top selling digital camera.

With features like a 20x wide angle optical zoom lens with a 35mm equivalent of 28-560mm zoom, Smart Auto Image Mode, Fast and quiet zoom lens and 720p High Definition Video and this digital camera is winner right out of the box.

The 20x optical zoom lens with a 28-560mm 35mm focal length using a high speed voice coil motor covers every possible focal length needed for every shooting situation allows you to get the shot you want and need every time. Built in Image Stabilization allows for sharp and crisp photos. Blurred and fuzzy photos from camera shake or low lighting and slow shutter speeds are no longer a worry with the image stabilization technology included in the Canon SX20is digital camera.

High Resolution 720p video using the high speed wide angle optical zoom lens allow for fantastic high definition shooting of HD Video (1280x720 pixels) and th included mini HDM connector allows for a direct connection to a high definition monitor so you'll be able to experience crisp clean and clear HD video at home or office.

Using the improve SMART Technology included in the Canon SX20is allows you to concentrate on shooting and not settings. The advanced technology included doesn't interfere with your shooting and automatically sets the camera to ananlyze any situation and set the Canon SX20is automatically. You shoot and the SX20is will concentrate on the camera settings. For those more adventurous and wanting more customization options, the Canon SX20is offers 24 different shooting modes allowing you full control over your shooting, whatever might come your way

The sharp 2.5 inch vari-angle LCD display allows for easy viewing and editing of your photos. The vari-angle LCD display will flip out from the camera body 170 degrees and rotate 270 degrees. You can compose and review your photos easily and quickly. For low light conditions, enjoy the night display mode for easy viewing of your photos in low light conditions.

There's no need for worry about worldwide voltages with the Canon SX20is as this fast, light, and versatile digital camera requires AA batteries only for power. Shoot knowing that the small AA batteries can be purchased at any store and are small enough to fit in a small pocket. This feature makes the SX20is a great travel camera as there's no need to bring a power adapter along.

The Canon SX20is comes with AA batteries, a NS-DC4 neck strap, LH-DC50 lens hood, Lens Cap, Digital Camera Solution CD ROM, IFC-400PU USB interface cable and STV-250N stereo video cable.

The Canon Powershot SX20is starts with a MSRP of $601.00, but with some savvy shopping you can do much better on price and save close to 40% off on this versatile and popular digital camera.

Scanning Film Negatives Vs Scanning Prints

One of the questions that I am quite often asked is the following:

Which is better to scan, film negatives or prints? It is always best to scan the original negatives, provided that they are in good shape and the colors have not faded. The reasons for this are explained below.

To begin with, you have to realize that a photograph is merely a copy of the original, processed negative. In most cases, a copy is never as good as the original. Typically, photographs are printed out at 240-300 dpi when done at your local photo lab. That means that a 4x6 print is, at most, 1200x1800 dpi. This is why prints are typically scanned at 300 dpi as scanning at a higher resolution does not bring out any further detail other than what is on the original print. The only time that scanning a photograph at 600 dpi, or greater, would be if the original was either very small or if it is going to be edited at a later date.

The size of a typical 35mm negative is 24mm x 36mm or, roughly, 1.0in x 1.5in. This means that the film was essentially scanned at 1200 dpi in order to produce the 4x6 print in the above example.

Most 35mm film negatives are capable of being scanned at up to 4000 dpi. This is especially true for the slower speed films (100, 200). When scanning negatives the general rule of thumb is the higher the resolution, the greater the detail.

For example, a negative scanned at a lower resolution of 2000 dpi may not be able to clearly display the time on a clock in the background or the fine print on a paper or sign when the photograph is blown up. By simply rescanning the same image at 4000 dpi you are providing 4x the resolution of the original scan. This type of resolution can display these details much more easily and clearly, especially when a larger print is be made.

Another reason for choosing to scan the film negatives instead of the photographic print is that the original film contains much more contrast and detail as compared to a photographic print. This is because prints tend to fade over time due to exposure to sunlight, etc. Negatives, if they have been stored in a dry place, are much more immune to this behavior.

Digital Cameras - A Basic Introduction

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A digital camera is used as the same as the traditional 35mm film camera. Basically you point, shoot and you capture an image. But the similarity ends there, and this is where the digital camera (or rather the images that have been captured) becomes so versatile.

First of all, your image is there waiting to be transferred to your computer. No more waiting to use all of the film and then going down to the photo processing lab and waiting hours/days for the images to be ready. The most common way of transferring your images to your computer is via a USB cable and software on your PC. Once on your PC, you can edit, crop, email or print out your photos. Becoming more common these days is sharing them on the internet via an online photo album (eg myspace, Flickr or a personal website).

Whilst on the subject of film, with digital cameras where are the images stored? Normally on a memory card. Memory cards come in a variety of sizes (both physical size and storage capacity). These factors are largely dependant on the type of digital camera that you buy, and typically can store hundreds of photos.

The main thing to look for when selecting a digital camera is the number of 'Megapixels' it has (or its 'resolution'). Pixels are the number of individual dots that make up the maximum size of the photo that you can take with your camera. Megapixels are in multiples of 1 million. So obviously the more Megapixels, the better you photo will look on your computer screen - and printed out. Note: The higher the resolution, the larger the physical size of the photograph in pixels, and the more space (file size) it will take up.

When looking at what digital camera to buy, also take note of the zoom feature of the camera. You will see terms such as optical and digital zoom. Optical zoom is taken care of by the camera and its physical lense, whereas digital zoom is zooming done by software in the camera itself. Digital zoom decrease the quality of the image as it is artificial - what the camera 'thinks' the image should look like. So it is best to take notice of the optical zoom capabilities of the camera only.

Do you want a no hassles digital camera when the shutter speed, aperture settings and flash options are all automatic? Most cheaper digital cameras have an automatic mode where all this is taken care of. Perfect for most consumers, and as you start to pay more for a camera, the features (and quality) will improve. These types of cameras will have a range of automatic modes, plus manual settings that allow full control over how the photo will be taken.

You may hear a term DSLR - Which stands for a Digital Single Lense Reflex. The basic theory behind these cameras is that what you see through your viewfinder is what the camera is seeing, thus operating the same as a traditional 35mm camera. These sorts of camera will have all the electronic functions of other digital cameras, and are generally more expensieve to buy.

In summary, do your homework.There is a large number of cameras available, ranging from low budget up to many thousands of dollars for a top class, professional outfit depending on your needs as a consumer.

Breaking the cycle of buying digital camera

That's it for me that I have way too many digital life has come to my house. At last count there were four or five digital cameras in circulation here, and I'm not sure exactly how all had, but I think it has something to do with my children and a bag loose. The book is mine. I do not even want to think about the number of digital cameras that I bought as gifts for others. Then of course there are all mobile phones in circulation, that digital cameras embedded herein it. People are afraid of an invasion of privacy when they walk or drive on the road with all the surveillance cameras, but I'm worried only about getting up in the morning.

However, joking aside, I think the world seen enough of the cheap digital compact camera to make it last several millennia. The next camera I buy is to buy a camera will be. For years everything has refrained from reflex, because they are too complicated or too difficult, or shouldto carry many lenses and accessories. Well, last time I went on a family vacation, I'm sure the weight of all our supposed culmulative easy to carry and easy to compact cameras that cost me an extra twenty dollars a baggage handling. not to mention all those chargers, USB cable, camera bags and expect to lose all individuals.

What should really have taken a single lens reflex camera was good, the HD movie showed tons images, notbreaking the bank. A good SLR these days, it also breaks the myth that they are too complicated to use. The truth is that if you regularly use a digital camera, your more than qualified for a digital SLR camera. They all have the same (and more) settings Auto, so you do not have to fiddle with manual controls, unless you do not want. And believe me, once you get the bug with your SLR photography, you'll love to fiddle with manual controls. It opens a wholenew world when it comes to shooting creativity.

Therefore, a recommendation of the experts is to sell on eBay, all compact cameras cheap (except one) I have read that someone on this point is not, and get a good start in digital SLR camera. All Canon Rebel or ladder Nikon D40 / D60 should do the job.

Canon SLR Lens Overview - EF-S 17mm - 85mm F-4.0-5.6 USM IS Image Stabilized Autofocus Zoom Lens

The EF-S series of lenses, by Canon, are exceptional lenses applicable for Canon digital SLR cameras such as: the EOS 20D and Rebel models. Why? The key design feature aims to match the APS-C imaging sensor with the image circle. How? This matching objective is achieved by reducing distance between the rear of the lens and the focal plane, thus decreasing the size of the image circle.

The result? Canon's EF-S lenses are more efficient in terms of: weight and cost of wide-angle lenses while ensuring superior image quality, resolution and contrast at all focal lengths.

As a member of the EF-S family of lenses, the 17-85 F4 IS USM is a strong performing wide-angle to telephoto lens. Its list of features include: Image Stabilization for hand-held situations; and is optically optimized for the digital SLR camera; a ring-type USM designed for fast and silent auto focus. The full-time manual focus in AF mode is also a useful addition.

The EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens provides a 5x zoom ratio and an angle of view equivalent to a 27-136mm lens on a 35mm camera. Also present in this lens is a glass-molded aspherical lens element with aspherical surfaces on both sides. The result, superb image quality through the full zoom range. The focusing distance is impressive at a distance of 12 inches at all focal lengths. Finally, the EF-S 17-85mm IS lens, when compared to the EF 28-135mm IS lens, is 5% shorter and 12% lighter, and accepts 67mm filters.

What is the Diana Mini?

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The Diana Mini, sold by Lomography, is the spiffy addition to the Diana F+ range. As its name suggests the Mini is smaller then the Diana F+. In fact it's quite cute! It offers all the same basic features, such as the tri-pod mount, Flash plug, B(Bulb) mode for long exposures, N (Normal) mode for an automatic shutter release of 1/100th of a second, sunny and cloudy exposure, cable release ability and lastly the ability to change distance (1-2, 2-4, 4-oo metres).

The main differences of the two cameras besides the size, is the type of the film. The Diana F+ uses 120mm film as its default but uses attachments to allow, instant photos and 35mm film. While the Mini uses exclusively 35mm film. This redesign allows affordability in film and gives the camera the ability to be so small. Another unique quality this camera has is being able to switch between half frame (24-17mm) and square frame (24-24mm) modes. The half frame is a brilliant feature as it allows double the exposures on the same roll of film. So for a normal 24 frame 35mm film, the half frame allows up to 48 frames. Roughly double the exposures. The square frame mode is a little bit more tricky as it has a tendency to overlap the frames. The trick is to ensure that one frame is exposed on the 35mm film. Square frame allows the standard amount of exposures. One of the smaller features on this camera is that it allows a closer distance then the Diana F+, the Diana Mini starts at 0.6m. The Diana Mini is my favourite toy camera. It is small, light, affordable and creates the edgy shots Lomo is known for. I highly recommend it.

Is A Digital SLR Camera Right For You?

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Digital SLR cameras are today the fastest expanding section of digital camera sales and are no longer just for professional photographers, but are fast becoming more affordable for amateurs. If you are serious about your photography and, because digital cameras are so affordable, there is no doubt that a digital SLR camera should be on your shopping when you are looking for a new camera.

SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex and the digital range is comparable in functionality to their 35 mm SLR equivalent and is just a computerized version of the same device, using light sensor chips and memory cards instead of film. Also known as TTL (through-the-lens) cameras they allow the photographer to see exactly what the final picture will look like because of the design that light entering the lens makes it's way to the viewfinder via reflection by a mirror. Focus and zoom is by the use of interchangeable lenses all with various vocal lengths

Some of the disadvantages of a digital SLR camera are minimal. However, compared to point and shoot models they are usually larger and heavier meaning that they are not always readily available for that opportunist photograph. To the inexperienced user they can also appear complicated and intimidating. Susceptibility to dust contamination can also be a problem as particles can enter the camera when changing lenses although many leading companies are now introducing sophisticated dust reduction systems to counteract this problem.

Today's digital SLR cameras are less expensive and more refined than ever and offer more expert management of your photographs. Some of the features within these cameras can include in-camera editing, image stabilization, auto focus, high-speed continuous shooting. However, because they are becoming more attractive to the amateur does not mean that more advanced photographers are losing out.

The number of digital SLR cameras that are on the market now can be overwhelming to the newcomer, but some of the popular cameras geared to be more affordable and worth considering are the Nikon D70s, Nikon D50, Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT, Canon EOS Rebel Xti, Olympus Evolt E-300, Canon EOS 10D, Nikon D40, Pentax K100D, and the Sony Alpha A100. Obviously this list is by no means complete, but is a starting point.

Whether you are upgrading from compact digital cameras or 35mm SLR camera it is easy to see that digital SLR cameras are superior to the more unsophisticated cameras. Digital SLR cameras fall mainly into four categories, between consumer and ultra professional, and it is important to determine how much you are willing to pay as at each level the price increases significantly.

Better quality images without the strain and greater flexibility are just a couple of the attractions of digital SLR photography and once you have a tried it you'll find it difficult to return to point and shoot photography.

35mm Slide Scanner - How to Use it to Back Up Your Non-Digital Photos

Even today, many individuals have their images in drawers and cupboards rather than their systems. Elderly people, enjoy and relish olden times specially and the 35mm scanner helps them to bring those moments back to life once again.

Slide scanner does the difference

While it is possible to use an all in one flatbed scanner, you will get an improved result by using a dedicated photo slide scanner, which would make storing and printing images faster than before. With a dedicated film and slide scanner scanning and transferring your images to your system becomes easy and quick.

Types of Slide Scanners

Photo scanner come in different sizes and models and few include the manufacturer's software. A scanner's software is very important as it is the software that allows you to edit, save and store your pictures on a computer. The flat bed scanner that scans documents as well as images and the dedicated slide scanner which we are reviewing here are the two major types of scanners.

Polaroid, Nikon and HP are the leading manufacturers of Photo Slide Scanners and the price varies from moderate to high, determined by your requirements and liking. When you're thinking of buying a scanner, your basic guide on making a choice should be surrounding the requirements you are looking at from it. If you are just looking to scan the old pictures then a moderately priced one should be OK. A straightforward search online can provide lots of info and there are sites which compare different rates for various models too.

Slide scanner in operation

Since the scanner and the software come together, it's mostly plug and play where you insert the disk to your drive and begin editing your pictures. Once you load the software from the CD, choose the source or type of scan after opening the file, for eg: if it's a slide then choose positive color film and the scan will start. After you scan, you can see a preview of the image which can be edited if needed before you decide to complete the scan.

If you are likely to scan old slides and films then the first thing you need to do is make sure that the images are clean and free from dust. Finalize on your strategy when it comes to saving the images so you'll be able to remember, e.g. by date or subject cause this will make finding easier if they are scanned and stored. You can actually also sort your categorized slides by thickness in order to avoid changing the scanner settings often.

Also for a 35mm slide scanner, ensure you set it to the recommended resolution of 300 dpi to get better quality image. Keep in mind that if you enhance the resolution, you also increase the time it takes to scan the image. Small files that you scan can be saved as BMP for a Windows based PC and TIF for a MAC. Regardless of it being a PC or Mac, the files must be saved as TIF if they are huge.

35mm Slide Scanner - How to Use it to Back Up Your Non-Digital Photos

Even today, many individuals have their images in drawers and cupboards rather than their systems. Elderly people, enjoy and relish olden times specially and the 35mm scanner helps them to bring those moments back to life once again.

Slide scanner does the difference

While it is possible to use an all in one flatbed scanner, you will get an improved result by using a dedicated photo slide scanner, which would make storing and printing images faster than before. With a dedicated film and slide scanner scanning and transferring your images to your system becomes easy and quick.

Types of Slide Scanners

Photo scanner come in different sizes and models and few include the manufacturer's software. A scanner's software is very important as it is the software that allows you to edit, save and store your pictures on a computer. The flat bed scanner that scans documents as well as images and the dedicated slide scanner which we are reviewing here are the two major types of scanners.

Polaroid, Nikon and HP are the leading manufacturers of Photo Slide Scanners and the price varies from moderate to high, determined by your requirements and liking. When you're thinking of buying a scanner, your basic guide on making a choice should be surrounding the requirements you are looking at from it. If you are just looking to scan the old pictures then a moderately priced one should be OK. A straightforward search online can provide lots of info and there are sites which compare different rates for various models too.

Slide scanner in operation

Since the scanner and the software come together, it's mostly plug and play where you insert the disk to your drive and begin editing your pictures. Once you load the software from the CD, choose the source or type of scan after opening the file, for eg: if it's a slide then choose positive color film and the scan will start. After you scan, you can see a preview of the image which can be edited if needed before you decide to complete the scan.

If you are likely to scan old slides and films then the first thing you need to do is make sure that the images are clean and free from dust. Finalize on your strategy when it comes to saving the images so you'll be able to remember, e.g. by date or subject cause this will make finding easier if they are scanned and stored. You can actually also sort your categorized slides by thickness in order to avoid changing the scanner settings often.

Also for a 35mm slide scanner, ensure you set it to the recommended resolution of 300 dpi to get better quality image. Keep in mind that if you enhance the resolution, you also increase the time it takes to scan the image. Small files that you scan can be saved as BMP for a Windows based PC and TIF for a MAC. Regardless of it being a PC or Mac, the files must be saved as TIF if they are huge.

Capturing Every Moment With the Best Digital Camera

There are so many times wherein we take a short trip down to memory lane and just simply enjoying looking back at old pictures. Reminiscing the past is all possible through looking at pictures and videos. It feels so great looking back at what we looked like and how funny our clothes and hairstyles still were. Looking at old pictures with our friends and loved ones sure brings tears in our eyes especially when we are apart from them.

Taking pictures of every special moment we have shared with our loved ones will give us something to remember for always. We should be grateful for the developers of cameras because they have given us the opportunity to have something to cherish. We can easily recall memories from the past when we look at old pictures. Some would even place them in scrapbooks and photo albums that way it will never be misplaced. Keeping photographs is definitely a beautiful memory that will forever be cherished.

When we take pictures, we always make sure that we get the right angle and the perfect view and we can achieve that if we have the best digital camera in town. There are so many new digital cameras in the market and they will definitely give you fun and a different experience in taking pictures.

Digital cameras is just one of the many must have handheld gadget in today's growing world. Though cellular phones have built in cameras, it cannot encompass the features and the effects that digital cameras give. If you wish to buy your own camera, it is much better that you first do some little research with regards to which brand is of high quality and will last long.

You can see so many new and compact designs of digital cameras in shopping malls. But before you buy one, you need to do some researching first in order for you to know which type of equipment is best for you and within your reach. Surely, you will find best cheap digital cameras once you surf the internet or perhaps when visit a digital camera store in your town.

There are few things that you might want to think beforehand when buying a camera of your own. Things like affordability, quality, and its capacity to store numerous pictures. Cameras today are very expensive because of the high quality resolution it gives and the different features it offers. If you cannot afford one, you can still find cheap ones but are still considered the best though.

Quality is also among the concerns of consumers as well. You need to check first if the chosen equipment will last for long and will give you quality photos otherwise you will only be wasting money if the one you brought constantly needs repairs. Taking proper care of the equipment should be a must.

The camera's memory is also important because it will let us know how many pictures it can only store. The higher the memory is, the more expensive the device can get. Spending too much over a something will definitely pay off because you are assured that the device is made of the highest quality and built to last long.

Taking proper care of the equipment will be your next concern. You need to always secure it and place it inside a camera bag. The parts of a camera are very delicate particularly the lens so proper handling is a priority.

Having your own photographic equipment will definitely enable you to take and capture every moment that you have shared with your loved ones. You will have something to remember and cherish as you sail though life and not only that, it will allow you to remember the people that are close to your heart.

Move Up to the World of the Digital SLR Camera

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A digital SLR camera or a single lens reflex (SLR) camera is one of the most popular cameras amongst photographers today. These cameras not only provide high quality images but the photographer can also largely control how he wants the final product to look like. Hence, people who are extremely fond of clicking pictures have a great time while using a SLR camera. If you have a creative spark in you then you will want to consider one of these at some point. I am using a Canon Rebel right now but the Nikon F6 is next on my horizon of my purchases. These are moving into the 8 mp and up range now so the quality is quite good.

The SLR is not cheap at all. The price historically started at about $5,000 - which is very steep. So, only those who are either professionals or wannabes purchased an SLR for themselves. Nowadays however, in order to make the SLR available to a larger number of photographers, companies such as Canon and Nikon have come up with SLRs falling in the price range of around $1000 without extra lenses.

What is it that attracts people to an SLR? One of the main reasons is that an SLR produces pictures which are of much higher quality than point-and-shoot cameras. The contrast and color are extremely good since the lenses used in an SLR are of very good quality. It is an old maxim in the photography world that much of the quality in your images comes from the glass you put in front of the camera. The better the glass the better the photo, it worked in the film days and it still works in the digital age. The camera is important but don't skimp on the lens.

The photographer can change the lenses in an SLR, depending upon the shot that he/she plans to take. For example, a wide angle lens is used to take pictures of landscapes such as animals in the wild while telephoto lenses help to take extremely detailed pictures of small objects. Thus, one can pick and choose according to the environmental needs. Today some of the manufacturers have started building in image stabilization to their lenses. This really helps when taking long focal length images. While it uses additional power it can be extremely useful.

In addition to the above, the creative opportunity available to the photographer is much more in a SLR than a regular camera. This is because of the fact that a SLR has a lower contrast and image sharpening features. Hence, the photographer can do a lot of editing on his own to get the kind of effect that he desires. This can be viewed as a disadvantage as well by those who are not truly photo enthusiasts. So, for you guys, a point-and-shoot camera is the best option as not only is it cheaper but also adjusts things automatically.

Since a SLR is comparitvely more expensive than other digital cameras, it is very important that you get yourself a proper insurance for the camera. Especially if you plan to travel a lot with your SLR, insurance is extremely important. And also make sure that damage protection does form a part of the insurance deal as some insurance policies do not provide it. So, read the fine print before signing on the dotted line!

Slide Scanners - The Basics

Memories last forever, so the saying goes. However, humans still prefer something tangible to remember certain moments by. The advent of the digital camera is perhaps one of best things to ever happen in the world of consumer electronics. This nifty electronic device allows us to take as many pictures as we want and easily store them digitally.

But what about pictures and slides that come from the past? In those days when the digital camera was not an item commonly found practically anywhere, the good old 35mm camera was the norm. Film had to be bought, processed, and developed before we could view the results. The trend is to scan those pictures. There is a three-fold reason behind this. One, digital storage allows for less space. Two, digital storage allows for easy access and viewing. Three, digital storage allows for practically perpetual storage.

There are a lot of scanners to be found in the market today, of which slide scanners are the standard. They are easy to use and are quite convenient as well. They give you the power to bring back old pictures and film strips to life. More than simply converting hard copies of photos into digital format, most of them come with software that allows the user to edit the scanned image. This means that traditional problems like red eye, glare, and the like can easily be fixed, making the image picture perfect. It is good to note, however, that there is only so much that the software can do. Blurry pictures cannot be made "un-blurry."

One type of slide scanner is the digital slide scanner. This type of slide scanner can normally make use of 35mm film only. However, some the scanners are compatible with film strips and slides. Most of these digital scanners come with USB connectivity, which means that you simply plug it into any USB port of your computer, and you are good to go. Even better, some scanners do not need a computer connection. These scanners will take in a memory card and transfer scanned images directly onto the card.

As mentioned earlier, digital slide scanners come with accompanying tools. The software is usually very intuitive and easy to use. The scanned digital images can reach more than 5 megapixels after conversion, which means very high quality images.

Another specific kind of slide scanner is the Imagebox Film Scanner. It does everything outlined above plus it has the ability to scan existing photo prints (up to 4x6 in size). This slide scanner also comes with Adobe Photoshop Elements, allowing you to play around with your digital images more. As for the OS compatibility, it works well with Windows XP and Vista.

Whichever slide scanner you decide to purchase, you should take a look at the image resolution and the speed at which it can carry out the scanning procedure. Slide scanners are the perfect way to convert your old photos into digital images, turning them into tangible memories that will last more than a lifetime.

Visit http://www.35mmslidescanner.org for more info on Slide Scanner.

The Benefits of Underwater Digital Cameras

Underwater digital cameras are fun and easy to use under the water and great above the water as well. Use your underwater digital camera in all kinds of weather, for many activities and in a variety of locations that could be either wet or wild.

Are underwater digital cameras better than the film underwater cameras? It's up to you to decide. The digital camera cannot run out of film. It has the ability to delete bad shots or change to a lower resolution if you need extra shots.

They have better (up to 4 times) depth of field. This is also great for wide-angle photography in low light conditions. Shooting with film at f4 would typically produce fuzzy backgrounds and edges. The same scene shot in digital will give you sharp photos

When using a strobe, most film cameras are limited to shutter speeds of 1/60th - 1/250th of a second. The new consumer digital cameras don't have mechanical shutters and will sync at speeds up to 1/800th of a second. Therefore, you can shoot in bright shallow water where high f-stops would make strobes ineffective. Higher shutter speed options allow you to keep your f-stop at a better setting. These high shutter speeds are also great for freezing light rays and fast action.

35mm zoom lenses don't do well underwater. They are bad at close-focus. The built-in lens in the new digital systems offer a large zoom range with minimum focus ability to 8 inches or less. So if you had a new digital camera and a high quality aspheric housing port, you could take a 100degree wide-angle shot and zoom into 1:3 macro shot without changing lenses. Who likes to change lenses all the time?

Underwater digital cameras are small and lightweight, and the quality is comparable to film if you go for the higher resolution shots. Scans and digital camera images require a small amount of sharpening in Adobe PhotoShop®. Just apply the ""unsharp mask"" filter for an instant improvement.

Underwater digital cameras are not perfect, however and like video, the cameras have a tough time with high contrast scenes. Also, it's fairly expensive to transfer your digital files to slides if you are interested in having your images presented in slide shows. However, most digital cameras allow you to plug directly into a television for image display. And there are digital projectors on the market that produce brilliant images and even professional presentations complete with audio tracks.

Unfortunately the underwater digital camera has not fixed the one worst digital camera problem: when you press the shutter release, the camera will not immediately take the picture. This shutter delay could be a problem--fish swim fast.

If you're just starting with underwater photography, it would probably be best to purchase a digital underwater camera instead of a film underwater camera. The instant feedback of digital imaging will take years off your learning curve. With the 5 megapixel cameras, print qualities are great.

Regardless of your photo experience, think about your goals with underwater imaging. Shooters looking for instant results, quick web posts and prints of 11 in. x 14 in. and smaller will be thrilled with digital. Digital is probably the best solution for all new shooters that are comfortable with computers. Instant feedback is always great.

If you are still not sure, however, try out the equipment before you buy it. Take a class with demo gear and instruction. Then buy something wonderful and go out and have a great time with your new digital underwater camera.