Do I really need that Waterproof Digital Camera?

Who can deny the usefulness of cameras? As we all know, cameras are meant to capture our most precious memories on film. Some of those moments, however, happen to take place in less than ideal environments. Hence the camera of choice is required to be more sturdy and versatile then your average or standard camera. As you undoubtedly know, digital cameras have now all but replaced the conventional film cameras we've all grown up with. Since digital cameras rely on sophisticated computer boards and microprocessors that are more prone to damage by the elements such as water, the demand for waterproof digital cameras is very strong indeed.

Many occasions such as weddings, parties, and nightclubs where we want to take pictures are full of events that may endanger your precious camera. Among the more common dangers include spilled drinks, watery foods, swimming pools, toilet bowls, and sinks. These are events where a waterproof camera would be an ideal choice.

Fortunately, most if not all the manufacturers offer a waterproof version of thier most popular cameras for sale. In the event that one is not available, all is not lost. There are many protective cases and coverings, some even custom made for your camera, that you could use to protect your camera.

Of course there is the issue of the cost being higher for a waterproof camera, however, when you compare the small difference in cost, it is really not that large considering the benefits you will receive.

Given the choice between a standard digital camera and it's waterproof counterpart, and assuming all other features are similar, it would seem that the waterproof camera would be a wiser choice. This would insure that your investment is secure and your camera will carry with it, the added peace of mind of knowing that you need not worry about the inevitable perils of water damage.

As always, be sure to check out the many resources available online to assist you in making the right buying decision.

Comparing Digital Camera Features

More people are able to afford digital cameras because their prices are falling but the number of characteristics is rising so it is important to be able to compare digital camera features.

The first step in being able to compare digital camera features is to decide what you want to get out of your camera. If you compare digital camera prices you will see that for shooting family snapshots you can get a good basic digital camera for under $400, while a professional model is over $2,000. When you compare digital camera features you need to know the extent of the use you are going to get out of it.

It is essential when you compare digital camera options to understand the issues of image resolution, which is measured in megapixels. Basically, the more megapixels, the higher the resolutions of the final image but you definitely need to compare digital camera images with your actual requirements. This is best done if you compare digital camera resolution with the size of the images that you want to print and you will find that a 1-mg camera can create a 3-by-5-inch (7.5 by 13 cm) photo-quality print; a 2-mg camera will make a 5-by-7-inch (13 by 18 cm) print; a 3-mg camera will make an 8-by-10-inch (20 by 25 cm) print, and a 6-mg camera will make a 9-by-13-inch (23 by 33 cm) print.

One of the other points to consider when you compare digital camera prices is to look at the complete package that is offered. Some included extras to look for when you compare digital camera packages are if the camera includes a cable for your computer and if it comes with image-editing software that works with your computer. If these are not included it is still possible for you to buy them separately but you need to allow for this when you compare digital camera prices. Another important point to consider when you compare digital camera options is to choose a camera with removable memory in addition to built-in memory.

All of the cameras that you are considering when you compare digital camera features should have an LCD screen for viewing pictures, a built-in flash, a timer, and a time/date stamp on even the most basic camera. You should also look to compare digital camera packages that have optical zoom, not digital, if you need a zoom capability and most midrange cameras should have high-quality optical zoom lenses but it is still worth checking to make sure.

Finding A Cheap Digital Camera

There are a number of great websites that are dedicated to helping you find a cheap digital camera. Some of these can help you save a lot of money on your camera purchases. A lot of these websites will take the effort out of finding a cheap digital camera as they search the Internet and physical stores for the best deals for you.

There are so many sales, bargains, coupons and deals available to enable you to get a truly cheap digital camera that it can seem impossible to choose between them so it is important to find a website that gives reviews on the products as well as the vendors themselves. A cheap digital camera may not be such a good deal if it turns out that the vendor has poor levels of customer service.

Obviously, a lot of the cheap digital camera deals are constantly changing and having the latest information can be the difference between getting the camera you want and having to pay more because the offer has ended. Many websites have a number of services to help get the information about current cheap digital camera offers to you as fast as possible. You can choose to have specific cheap digital camera deals sent to you via email, mobile phone or palm text message or RSS feed amongst others. These alerts can be customized so that you can choose to only receive cheap digital camera offers that relate a particular vendor, brand of camera or area if you want to. You can also set the parameters that you would class as being cheap digital camera prices because everyone has a different budget.

Many people underestimate the influence that coupons and rebates can have on their search for the best cheap digital camera deal. It is a good idea to take the time to check through those available as they can make a big difference. Again, check to make sure that these are not subject to an expiry date or you may miss out on cheap digital camera offers.

At the end of the day there is nothing better than finding other shoppers who have bought a particular cheap digital camera. They can give you truly unbiased views about the camera itself and the place where they purchased it. You may want to pay a few dollars more to get a relatively cheap digital camera from another supplier if they have a lot of bad reviews from customers.

Review of the Samsung i5 Digital Camera

Out of the Box

Despite its diminutive size, the Samsung i5 is one solid camera and feels great in the hand. The large 2.5" LCD display is huge, especially when you consider that the entire camera is only 3.53"(w) x 2.35"(h). The camera comes packaged with a compact docking station that is designed to stay connected to your PC. When you place the Samsung i5 on its cradle it automatically allows you to transfer your photos and videos to your PC, while simultaneously charging the camera. The docking base also has a connector for TV hookup. Both cables that Samsung include with the Camera, the USB and the AV cable can be connected directly to the camera for those times when you don't want to take the docking base with you.

50MB Internal Memory

Unlike most manufacturers that typically supply a paltry 16MB memory card, the Samsung i5 comes standard with 50MB of internal memory - enough to hold twenty 5.0-megapixel images (Super fine mode), 39 in Fine mode, 57 in normal mode, or up to 3 minutes, 38 seconds of full-frame 640x480 MPEG-4 video. The advantage of having some internal memory is that you'll always have it with you - assuming you don't leave the camera behind. The camera also features a standard SD memory expansion slot, which accepts larger memory card. SD Memory cards are available in sizes of 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, and even 2GB.

Layout and Design

The Samsung i5 has an overall height and width are not much larger than a business card, which makes toting the camera around a pleasure. A matter of fact, put the camera into the included pouch (which has an integrated belt loop) and you'll truly forget that you're armed and ready to go.

While the camera does feature plenty of scene modes, options, and overrides, Samsung simplified the design by limiting the amount of external controls. The i5 is housed in a stainless steel body and as previously mentioned is available in silver, black, and red. The front of the camera features just a sliding lens cover, which hides and protects the lens, flash, and AF assist light when the camera is turned off.

Features

SCENE MODES:
The Samsung i5 has a good selection of scene modes to satisfy most every shooting situation. The only mode that Samsung neglected, and one that I have never seen left out of a camera, is a "sport" mode. A sports mode would force the camera to use a higher shutter speed in order to help "freeze" faster action. Since the i5 lacks a sports mode or any way to manually increase the shutter speed, the i5 is probably not the camera to get if you take a lot of sports pictures.

MACRO MODE:
The Samsung i5 offers an excellent macro mode, actually three macro modes. The Auto Macro Mode works automatically and allows the camera to focus as close as 2" (5 cm) from the subject when the camera is at wide angle or as close as 20" in the telephoto position. If you switch the camera to Super Macro Mode the camera can then focus on subjects as close as 0.39" from the lens. Super Macro Mode is superb at capturing the finest details from subjects, even small ones such as coins, jewelry, stamps, etc,. The standard Macro Mode is similar to Auto Macro Mode in that the camera can focus as close as 2" from the lens. Unlike the Auto Macro mode which automatically focuses from 2" to infinity, the standard Macro Mode focuses from 2" to 20". While on the same subject, the Super Macro Mode is used within the .39" to 2" range.

Conclusion

There is a lot to like about the Samsung i5 and a few things not to like. The camera performed satisfactory under most lighting conditions, but performance was only average. Start-up time was fairly quick at 2 seconds, but shot-to-shot times were very slow. Even in continuous shooting mode the best I could achieve was 1.5 seconds between shots and in this mode the screen goes completely dark while the camera captures frame after frame. Since you can't see exactly what the camera is capturing after you press the shutter release, the continuous shooting mode is more pot-luck than anything else. In single-shot mode, it took the camera about 2.5 seconds before it was ready to capture another image. Shutter lag was almost a full second, a pretty slow time when compared to other newer cameras in this class.

Now for the good news. The stainless steal body, sleek compact design, internal 3x optical zoom lens, layout and overall feel, docking station, rechargeable battery, 50MB of internal memory, integrated lens/flash cover, large 2.5" TFT color LCD display, easy-to-navigate menu system, and 30 fps MPEG-4 video mode with audio and zoom are reasons to consider the Samsung i5. The camera also features a superb super macro mode which should be considered if you often take pictures of small objects (think ebay auctions). Long exposures (night mode) seem to be one of the high points of the Samsung i5. A 12-second exposure taken in a dimly lit room yielded bright, sharp, clean results. This was very unexpected especially considering the camera lacks a tripod mount - a necessity when shooting with long exposures. To get around the lack of a tripod mount, use a bean bag or table along with the self-timer to keep the camera steady when shooting.

The camera's large 2.5" TFT display was bright indoors and out, although the LCD was not as visible when trying to frame scenes at night. The camera slides into the docking base with the LCD facing the front, making it a convenient way to do an informal slide show or connect the docking station to a large screen TV for slideshows that have impact.

If you're looking for a pocket-thin camera that balances features and image quality, has very good slow-shutter (night) performance, and is fun to use, then the Samsung i5 is a camera to consider.

Camera Cases: Be Ready for Anything

A successful photographer must be ready for action at a moments notice. A successful photographer never really stops shooting when the action happens. A successful photographer has everything they need close at hand. For all of these things to occur, a photographer needs the right camera case for their needs. There are lots of options available to suit any type of photography.

What Type of Camera Case do you need? First identify what type of camera case you need. Consider the type of photography you are doing. Is it action packed, constantly moving and on the go? Or is it time intensive and localize to one area? These factors greatly affect the type of camera case a photographer chooses.

M-Rock camera cases come in a variety of sizes and styles to suit different types of photographers. For the first case of action photography, a small digital camera case is the perfect fit. M-Rock small camera cases fit a digital camera perfectly inside with soft felt lining so there will be no abrasion during movement. The rigid outer structure composed of water resistant materials, plastic panels, and thick foam protect the camera inside for the worst case scenarios. The small camera cases also have a belt strap that keeps the camera gear where you need it, and also have two small pockets for storing supplies and accessories. With a small M-Rock camera case, photographers can run, jump, and even bike, without worrying about the protection of their camera.

Imagine all the features of the small camera cases on a large scale. For the second case of localized photography, M-Rock large camera cases offer everything a photographer needs. The same quality components are used, with added features that allow the case to store larger cameras, lenses, tripods, and other supplies. To protect valuable lenses, large camera cases come with a u-shaped cradle to carry lenses within the case.

The best advantage of M-Rock camera cases is that they are modular, meaning the can be used alone, or in conjunction with other M-Rock cases for added storage. M-Rock camera cases have Velcro arms on either side that slip into the modular belt or other camera cases for a secure connection.

Visit M-Rock.com and see what types of camera cases are available. You may find some advantages of camera cases you never even dreamed of. M-Rock is number one for camera storage and protection, and will have a successful photographer ready for anything.

How To Take Better Pictures With A Digital Camera

Today’s cameras make taking pictures a lot easier than the one’s of yesterday. There is always room for improvement, however. Use the following tips to help make your photos go from acceptable to great.

1. Always be aware of the background.

You don’t want to find trees growing out of people’s heads or a passing vehicle to draw attention from your subject. Sometimes moving your subject just a couple steps to either side can make all the difference.

2. Use available light.

If your digital camera has an option to turn the flash off and it’s light enough outside to read a book, then use the available light, and turn the flash off. In general camera flashes are too harsh for human skin and make all of us look pale. Indoors, where there isn’t enough daylight, place your subject by a window and use your fill flash feature.

3. Aim your camera slightly down at the person’s face.

Also don’t shoot just face on to the person, try a little to the side, a three quarter view, so that you see more of their face. Remember camera higher looking down and a three quarter view, it will slim your subject.

4. Remember your focus.

Get closer to your subject. Fill the frame with your subject and there will be no doubt as to what the picture is saying.

6. Never put your subject dead center.

Put your just slightly off center; not a lot just a little. When you’re shooting groups of people, find the imaginary center line of your group and put that line just a bit off center in your view through your lens or screen.

Following these tips won’t turn you into an award-winning photographer today, but you will be on your way to better, more powerful photographs that others will comment on for years to come.

Why I’ve gone Digital – And Still Keep My Old Camera

There has always been a debate about what is better. Traditional cameras using film, or the so called new technology, storing pictures in digital form on memory cards, in computers or on CD-Rom.

As being a photographer for more than half of my life, I stuck with traditional film for very long. About 7 years ago I started to supplement my work with photos taken the digital way. A point and shoot camera with just 640x480 pixel resolution was the most attractive gadget I had these days. Its lens was even capable of doing close-up work, using a macro switch.
That Fujifilm DX-7 was upgraded with a bigger Memory-Card and the camera served me well for several years.

Anyway, over time, I was still more satisfied with the possibilities my collection of Pentax SLR cameras gave me. It started with using the best lenses for each picture or just using a Zoom (which offers a range from wide angle to telephoto), changing the shutter speed to either stop or blur the motion of objects in the picture, use external flashlights, change the aperture openings to adjust the range of sharpness and lots more. Not forgetting the better picture quality I could get from a 35mm negative or slide. I was happy to use my heavy, solid metal camera.

The world changed for me when camera makers like Nikon and Canon introduced their Digital SLR Cameras. I went to my local camera shop every week and debated with the salesman about advantages and disadvantages of the models they had on sale. Also I checked with lots of users in online services to get first hand feedback on how these cameras performed. Finally, when Pentax introduced their Digital SLRs, I couldn’t wait much longer. I needed to have one of those.

With the Pentax 1st DS have a whole list of advantages over smaller Digital Cameras:

I can use the same lenses that fit my traditional camera
Have full control over speed and aperture
I can see the picture immediately after it is taken
I can shoot a series of pictures and choose the best (at no extra cost for film or paper)
A good resolution of 6 Megapixel which allows quite big prints
It weights more than a compact digital camera, so you can hold it steady more easily
Make use of all the filters, flashlights, lenses and accessories I have collected over the years.
Storing the pictures on the PC via a fast USB connection
Up to 1 GB storage on a SD Memory Card (about 380 jpg photos)
Selecting only the best photos for printing

With all these advantages of digital SLR Cameras, you may wonder why I still keep my old 35mm film cameras with me. First, it is emotional, and second, photographing the old fashioned way keeps me calm. You just need more time to produce an excellent, satisfying photograph (because you cannot see the result right after the shot).

How Do You Save Photos On Your Digital Camera?

Once you’ve taken photos with your digital camera, you need to store them somewhere. You could always leave them on the memory card, but that would get rather expensive, so let’s explore a few other options.

1. Transfer your images onto your computer. Most cameras come with a wire to connect your camera to your computer, a CD with a downloading program and an instruction booklet. Transferring the images is fast and simple. Once they are on the computer, you can delete the images from your memory card and start taking more photos.

2. Burn your images onto a CD. If you have a CD burner on your computer, you can make photo discs to store or share with others. When it comes to pictures, it is often best to use a CD that can’t be written over. This will save the heartache of losing precious photos. Label the CD and store it where it can be gotten easily when you need to see your pictures.

3. Store your images on a public web site. There are many photo-hosting sites on the internet. Some charge for the service, but many are completely free. You have the choice to password-protect your images or share them with the world. This option helps if your computer should crash. Your pictures are safe.

4. Print your images and place them in a photo album. Many people still like turning the pages of a photo album and reviewing the memories. This also makes it possible for those without a computer to view your pictures.

5. Create a photo gift. There are places out there that will take your digital image and place in on shirts, mouse pads, cups, calendars and numerous other items. These make wonderful gifts and provide a way to keep a cherished picture near at all times.

These are just a few suggestions. Using your creativity, you will come up with many more ideas.

Camera Tripod Variations & Uses

In simple form, a camera tripod is best explained as a three-legged stand used to stabilize and elevate a camera. A camera tripod can be used in either still or motion imagery. Most commonly used by professional photographers in a studio, a camera tripod is designed to capture the perfect image every time.

A camera tripod is available in several variations, including floor model or tabletop. The least expensive begins at $50.00 and goes up, depending on the size and features. A basic camera tripod is designed for consumers and is best used for amateur photography or filming. An expensive camera tripod features feet suitable for rough ground and the head of the unit is designed move smoothly for improved video recording. The most expensive, which are used is studios and professional filming, are made of wood.

A full-size camera tripod is much better equipped to handle heavier equipment, whereas a tabletop model can accommodate up to 50lbs. These portable units are ideal for traveling and where compact equipment is needed.

There are several ways that a camera tripod can be used, including a family portrait where you want to be included in the photo. Simply set the camera up on a tripod and position it so that everyone is in perfect view, set the timer on your camera, push the button to take a photo and get into place with the family. Other uses may include an instance where your hands are shaky and you want to stabilize the camera for a quality image or if you are responsible for taking school pictures. Do you remember the days of middle school when the photographer would come into the gymnasium, set up his/her background sheet and tripod? All he/she had to do was to situate the child, convince him/her to smile and snap the picture. A camera tripod makes it easy to take multiple photos, in which the subjects are in the same location, without having to worry about placement every single time. With a tripod, placement is always perfect so long as the subject is where he/she should be.

When shopping for a camera tripod, first consider the uses that you will need it for. The weight of your camera, the needed features and swivel capabilities, the locations that the tripod will be placed and the needed height. In addition, a realistic budget that you can afford will be best considered early before shopping for a camera tripod. Most photography supply stores, both online and local, may offer camera tripods. Before purchasing, be sure to check out the dealer’s reputation with the Better Business Bureau and also learn about their return policy.

What Is The Best Digital Camera For Me?

There is so much to consider when looking for the best digital camera to suit your needs. It is important to decide what features matter the most to you. The main factors, apart from cost, in assessing which is the best digital camera for you are as follows:

• Size and weight
• Resolution
• Level of Control
• Options and features

The size and weight of the best digital camera for one person varies greatly to that of another. If you want a camera that is lightweight and will slip into a pocket or purse then a ultra-lightweight cameras will probably be the best digital camera for your needs. These are often the least complex of the digital cameras as they offer point and shoot simplicity and are the best digital camera for beginners. At the other end of the size and weight scale comes a bulky 1? pound SLR camera for the ‘serious’ photographer who wants the best digital camera with all of the accessories to take the perfect shot.

The resolution you need can narrow down which is the best digital camera for your requirements. The resolution affects the detail of an image for printing quality and the higher the resolution the greater the detail. The best digital camera for printing standard size pictures has a lower resolution than if you want to create oversize prints.

The best digital camera for being able to edit and manipulate your images is one with a resolution of 5 or 6 mega pixels so that you can crop the images with photo editing software and still print them out full size.

The amount of control that you have available will also be an issue in finding the best digital camera. Some people think that the best digital camera is one they can use in an automatic mode and let the camera do the work. Others choose the best digital camera that allows them more input in the creative process by manually adjusting the focus, speed, aperture and other settings. A simple point and shoot camera is the best digital camera for people not wanting to make any setting changes but the range of manual controls available on other cameras varies with make and model. The latter will require more research to find the best digital camera to meet your requirements.

The next part in deciding which is the best digital camera to buy is to assess what, if any, additional features you would like. Here are some suggestions:

• Audio annotation to add commentary to your images.
• Burst shooting which allows you to take multiple pictures in rapid succession for fast moving action shots.
• Macro photo capability that focuses on extreme close-up detail for images of flowers, insects, etc.
• Movie mode with audio to take short videos.
• Panoramic stitching function, often included in a camera's software package, which joins individual images into a multi-photo panoramic picture.
• Weatherproof casing

The most important aspect in choosing the best digital camera for you is ensuring that you are comfortable using it and have some fun taking pictures.

Getting The Most Out Of Digital Camera Memory Cards

Most photographers, whether amateur or professional, have a digital camera. While regular film cameras still exist and are quite popular, there is nothing like saving money on film developing and being able to see a live review of your photos at the moment you take them. These are the benefits of a digital camera but, in order to enjoy these perks, we have to understand the importance of memory cards.

Memory cards are small devices that fit inside the digital camera and store each photo that we take. It allows for us to review the images immediately and also permits us to make actual prints. If you have ever strolled by the express photo department in a local retail store, you are likely to see a large machine that resembles a copier. This is a unit that often provides actual photos, within minutes, from the use of memory cards and other digital media. Upon closer inspection, you may notice that the unit has a small slot for memory cards to be inserted. At that time, it then begins to read the contents and display the results on screen for photo selection. An individual can select which photos to print and what, if any, retouches are to be made. Upon completing the order, print photos are usually available within seconds and are disbursed in a tray beneath the unit.

Because memory cards are so important to the operation of our digital camera, they must be kept as safe as possible. The best way to ensure the safety of memory cards is to keep them away from extreme heat or cold, avoid prolonged exposure to the sun and keep them away from water at all times. It is best not to handle the cards excessively, but rather store them inside your digital camera for added security.

Memory cards are designed to hold a certain number of photos, which is determined based on the capacity of the card. If you plan to take a lot of photos or simply wish to have ample space without having to continually buy memory cards, consider a model that holds a lot of photos. For the occasional picture taker, basic memory cards will be ideal with a less than 100 image capacity.

When shopping for memory cards, make sure that the product you choose is compatible with your camera and is made by a well known manufacturer. Memory cards are readily available in the electronics section of most retail stores and online at any electronics or specialty retailer.

Get The Most Out Of Your Camera. (Part 1).

Did you ever see an image where only a small part of it is sharp? Using the aperture ring correctly can maximise the artistic look of your image.

Not only does it determine the depth-of-field, it also has the power to direct the human eye.

The human eye is instinctively drawn towards noticeable points of an image. These are usually the sharpest and most important parts of an image. Using a wide aperture to limit the area of sharp focus can direct attention to the most important elements of your image and blur out any off-putting backgrounds.

This isn’t that hard to accomplish, and can be blissful if done correctly.

Lets start off with understanding depth-of-field, aperture and f/stops.

Depth-of -field: The distance from the front to back that is in reasonable sharp focus is called the depth-of-field. There are two ways of controlling depth-of-field: Use a small aperture or focus on a point farther away from your camera.

Aperture and f/stops: The aperture is an opening in the centre of the lens through which light passes. The amount of light, which passes through an aperture, is indicated by f/stops. The lower the f/stop the more light that passes through the aperture. Opening up one full f/stop doubles the amount of light entering the camera. F/4 admits twice the light of f5.6.

By selecting a small or narrow aperture (f/16 or up), all or most of the scene will be reasonably sharp. This is ideal for landscape photography. By using a small aperture you increase the depth-of-field.

By selecting a large or wide aperture (f/5.6 or below) you decide which part of your image is sharp. This is ideal for taking pictures of wildlife, portraits, sport and small objects. By using a large aperture you decrease the depth-of-field

The smaller the f/number, the wider the aperture.

There is about twice the depth-of-field behind the point of focus as there is in front of it, using any aperture.

Now you know how to isolate your subject, so it’s time to put it to use. Set your camera to aperture-priority (AV) mode, and then select a large aperture (f/2 - f/5.6). By doing this the camera will select the shutter speed automatically. If you are shooting wildlife choose a low viewpoint to maximise the image, try putting the camera lens at eye-level with the subject.

While the above will help to isolate you subject, it’s only a start. Know your subject, especially when shooting wildlife. Don’t be fooled into thinking all elements of an image must be sharp to be considered a good photo.

Some Basic Tips On Using Your Camera

It's true that taking photos is as simple as running out and grabbing a cheap five dollar camera. But taking good, quality photos has never been easier. So lets explore some quick ideas that can help you take photos that you will be happy to share with friends and family.

Photography as an art has never been more exciting or enjoyable. Todays photography enthusiast has many styles, topics, and tools open to them. Plus, the blending of digital with print makes the craft of taking photos very versatile.

Here are four tips to help.

1. Get a little closer, don't be shy. One of the biggest mistakes most beginning photographers make is shooting from so far away. They leave too much distance between themselves and their subjects. Instead, get up close and personal. Fill up as much of the camera frame, with your subject, as you can. You can always reshape, trim, and resize a good quality shot. But you can't continue to blow up a distant subject and hope that it will come into focus. It just won't happen.

2. This tip springs directly from #1(above)... focus your shot on only one subject. Determine what the main subject of the photo will be, and catch that image. Try and find the one key subject, person, or event that accurately portrays the feeling you are trying to capture.

3. In addition to getting one subject, in your photos, you will want to make the background of the photo as simple as possible. Busy, distracting backgrounds pull the attention away from the central theme of your photo. The subject of your photo is absolutely the most important element, and anything that detracts from the subject can ruin your shot.

4. Finally, you want to take your subject out of the exact center of the frame. You do this by using the rule of thirds. Imagine having a camera lens split into 9 equal sized boxes, 3 across and 3 down (like having a tic-tac-toe game printed right on your camera lens). Where those "tic-tac-toe" lines cross, should become the focusing point of your subject, when you are arranging to take your photo.

Based on this tip, every time you compose a shot, the main subject of your photo should be located primarily on one of these "third" lines.

These are just four very basic tips and strategies to help improve your photos. As you know, photography skills can always be improved. In fact, most professional photographers exhibit a life long passion for learning new techniques, photography angles, and photo inspirations.

Scene Modes and Your Digital Camera

Most people don't want to mess with their digital camera's settings. The rest of us may not understand what they are for and what they can do. Camera manufacturers realize this and are making it easier to take great photos. It is done through a feature called scene modes. Scene modes are mini-programs designed to automatically adjust your camera's settings that are best suited for the situation. By merely twisting a knob or pushing a button a few times, you are able to quickly and easily adjust your camera to get a great shot nearly every time.

Here are some of the more common scene modes and what they do:

Backlight - eliminates dark shadows when light is coming from behind the subject or when the subject is in the shade.

Beach/Snow - this mode is used when photographing beach, snow and sunlight water scenes. Exposure times and white balance are set to help prevent the scene from becoming washed out looking.

Fireworks - shutter speed and exposure are set for shooting fireworks: pre-focusing and the use of a tripod is highly recommended.

Landscape - this mode is used to take photos of wide scenes. The camera automatically focuses on a distant object.

Macro - is used to take close-up shots of small objects, such as coin, flowers or insects. The lens can be moved closer to the object than in other modes. The use of a tripod is highly recommended.

Night Scene - is used when photographing night scenes - what else? Slow shutter speeds are used. You'll need that tripod again.

Panning or Action - this mode will "freeze" the action of the subject while blurring the background to give the feel of motion or speed.

Panorama - is used to take a series of shots from one point and "stitch" them together with software to make a wide angle scene.

Party Mode - is used to take photos in a dim lit room. Exposure and shutter speeds are adjusted for room brightness. The camera must be held very steady in this mode.

Portrait - this mode automatically focuses on the subject and puts the background slightly out of focus.

Sports - is similiar to action modes. Fast shutter speeds "freeze" the action. Best shots will result when taken in bright lighting conditions and when you are pre-focused on an area.

Sunset - is used to take photos of sunsets and sunrises. This mode helps keep the deep hues in the scene.

Some cameras have as many as 20 different scene modes. Some modes will automatically adjust the size of your photo for on-line auction. Some are supposed to take 10 pounds off the subject. Regardless of how many scense your camera has, always read the instruction manual. Each manufacturer has their own terminology. By understanding and using scene modes, you will get a great shot every time.

How to choose a camera with the right number of Mega Pixels?

The race for mega pixels has started and there is no way to stop it. Every few months cameras with more pixels hit the market. The manufacturers want you to dump your old camera and buy the newest and greatest one after all aren’t 10 mega pixels better than just 8? Apparently the answer is not that simple.

As with many other things when it comes to mega pixels more is not necessarily better. There are many considerations when buying a camera and the number of mega pixels is just one of them.
One of the most important things to consider is usage. More mega pixels are good for people who plan to print photos (especially enlargements) or for people who need to zoom in and grab fine details from a big photo. If the main usage of the photos is watching them on your computer screen and maybe printing a few 4X6 prints than 2 mega pixels is more than enough (yes… just 2). Most screen resolutions are 1024X768 so even when viewing the photo in full screen mode you can only view 1024X768 < 1 mega pixels. A 2 mega pixels 4X6 photo print will have a DPI higher than 300 which is more than enough for a good quality print.

If you plan to use your photos for enlargements than a rule of thumb is to be able to print at least 300DPI resolution. The following is a table for different print sizes and the needed mega pixels for such print quality:

page 4X6 2MP
page 5X7 3MP
page 8X10 7MP
page 11X14 14MP
page 16X20 28MP
page 20X30 54MP

Another practical consideration is price and budget: Usually the more mega pixels the more expensive the camera is. Unless your budget is infinite when buying a camera you make a compromise between mega pixels and other features. For example is it better to spend money on more mega pixels or on better lenses? Or maybe instead of getting the latest number of mega pixels get an external flash for low light photography? When buying a camera try to predict what and how you will use it. In many cases a lower mega pixels sensor with better a lens will result in a much better photo than a high mega pixels with an inferior lens. Shop around and make sure that you get the best package in terms of mega pixels and other features.

To conclude when shopping for a camera it is best not to be a victim of the mega pixels race. Although it is generally a good thing to have a high number of pixels there are many other factors that influence the quality of the photos taken and the choice of the right camera for you. Lenses, battery life, light sensitivity, sensor technology used, external flash and many other features are not less important as the number of mega pixels. When shopping for a camera make sure that you consider the whole package and not use the number of mega pixels as a “quality” indicator for your buy.

Getting Great Photo Prints From Your Digital Camera

The first step to getting great digital photo prints, is to make sure you use a good quality digital camera.

Digital photos are gaining popularity over traditional film photos because of the features and convenience associated with the newer technology. In some cases it's even more cost effective to print your own photos at home instead of taking them to a developer or sending them in.

Here are some words of wisdom for making great digital photo prints at home.

There are really 4 key components to a great printed photo: Image, Printer, Ink, Paper. Each is part interrelated therefore equally important for success.

The image is the starting point for a good photo. There are many different camera models out there, but in general, you will need at least 3.2 megapixel picture taking ability. Some snazzy digital SLR cameras have 8 megapixels or more. The camera should always be set to the highest resolution while taking the shots just in case you want to make enlargements later on.

Image transfer is crucial! Do not just throw the highest pixel image at some paper, you may not be happy with the results.

Sometimes, too high of a pixel count will create unsightly jagged color transitions in your photo and waste a lot of your ink and time. Too few pixels and the photos will turn out very "grainy". It's usually best to stay within the 200-300 pixels per inch range.

This chart may help you determine your appropriate photo sizes.


Print Size : Good Results (200 ppi) : Excellent Results (300 ppi)
========================================================
4x6 inch ... 800 by 1200 px (~1 mpx) ..... 1200 by 1800 px (~2 mpx)
5x7 inch ... 1000 by 1400 px (~1.5 mpx) .. 1500 by 2100 px (~3 mpx)
8x10 inch .. 1600 by 2000 px (~3 mpx) .... 2400 by 3000 px (~7 mpx)
11x14 inch . 2200 by 2800 px (~6 mpx) .... 3300 by 4200 px (~14 mpx)
16x20 inch . 3200 by 4000 px (~13 mpx) ... 4800 by 6000 px (~29 mpx)

Legend
========
px = Pixels
mpx = Megapixels
ppi = Pixels per inch


(data compiled from PC World.com)


For example, if you had a picture taken with a 1.5 Megapixel digital camera, a 5x7 inch print is probably the largest size print that would work. Anything larger than a 5x7, may not look good.

However, if you had a picture taken with a 14 Megapixel camera, you should be able to print out a 11x14 inch print with excellent results (300ppi), or a "good" looking 16x20 inch print at 200 ppi.

In addition to the digital camera image, there are a few other components that go into making good quality digital photos you'll want to be aware of: Your printer, the ink cartridges you use, and the quality of the photo paper you use. Each component factors into your end result.

Digital Camera Vs. Film - Pros And Cons

Consumers have been pretty receptive to the lower priced “point and shoot” models (some 5 million digital cameras were sold in the U.S. during the Christmas 2005 holiday season), but there are still some holdouts.

Great strides have been made in digital technology over the past few years, but more sophisticated digital cameras have only recently come down in price enough to attract the “serious amateur” market. In the past, the price of high-end digital camera equipment was more suited to the professional who could turn that investment into an income source.

Even traditional film buffs are slowly coming around to the benefits of digital photography. Among the holdouts, the chief problem seems to be confusion. There are so many choices, with a broad range of options, and just as many price ranges.

It’s cheaper not to make a decision, than to make a mistake.

They get lost in the terminology, and have reservations about the quality of digital photos and about the reliability of the digital cameras. With the whirlwind of innovation flooding our lives everyday, it’s become really difficult to keep up.

Technology advances, prices come down, and a deal today may be obsolete tomorrow. At least that’s what worries many potential digital camera owners.

So let’s look at five of the most common questions about digital camera photography to shed some light on the matter, for those who are hesitant about this new technology, or who have dismissed it as a mere fad.

1. Do digital cameras produce quality photos?
Digital photos can be displayed at very high resolutions, and could easily surpass conventional photographs, but many have seen poorer quality images. Early color printers could be used to print color photos from digital cameras, but the quality just wasn’t there. Blurry images on low-grade computer monitors or on the small LCD screens of the cameras themselves, do nothing to increase your confidence.

But view the high resolution images available from today’s digital cameras on a capable monitor or after being printed on one of the newer photo quality printers (using photo quality paper) and you’ll see the crystal clear quality of what is available today.

2. How durable are digital camera photos?
Digital camera photos are not stored on film. They’re stored on electronic memory devices that actually require much less care than negative film.

As long as reasonable care is taken of the particular storage device, there shouldn’t be any problems with protecting images caught on a digital camera, and you can easily make copies of the digital image files on your computer or even burn them to a CD - an option that isn’t available with film.

3. Are digital camera photos more expensive to process?
Not anymore. First, you can eliminate any poor images before printing and only pay for those that you print. With “easy share” technology and photo quality printers now available, it is both affordable and convenient to print digital camera photos.

You can even do the task yourself, in the comfort of your own home - without buying expensive development chemicals that are required for film processing! Or, you can send your images electronically to a professional processor, and receive professionally produced photos back in the mail in just a few days.

4. Can I get different effects with a digital camera?
That depends on the digital camera. High end models have built-in features that allow different kinds of effects. But even if your digital camera doesn’t have these advanced features, you can always manipulate the photographs on your desktop computer, using any image editing software.

5. Are zooming features comparable?
Here digital cameras actually have a distinct advantage over film cameras. While cheaper digital cameras may only have digital zoom (which is really just a form of in-camera enlargement that results in a lower resolution original image), high end models are available with both digital and optical zooming.

When shopping for your digital camera, give priority to the optical zoom capability and buy the highest power optical zoom that fits within your budget. Digital zoom is a nice extra, but the effects can easily be replicated during the “processing” of the image on your computer, prior to printing the images.

Buying Digital Camera Batteries

A digital camera battery is probably the most important digital camera accessory. Some digital cameras can consume power at an alarming rate, providing no more than a few hours of continuous shooting time before the battery is drained. Other cameras are renowned for the long life of their digital camera battery which allows users to snap away with barely a thought to power consumption. It is important to know how you intend to use your camera and what type of battery it needs.

There are two types of digital camera battery. The most widely available digital camera battery is a standard AA-size battery. The other type of digital camera battery is a rechargeable battery that is made by the manufacturer, otherwise known as a proprietary battery.

A proprietary digital camera battery offers the advantage of being lighter and more compact, but they are substantially more expensive, making the prospect of buying one or two backup sets much less appealing.

The alkaline AA-size digital camera battery usually has a very short life - less than an hour in extreme cases - when used in a digital camera. This type of battery makes an acceptable emergency backup, especially if you are travelling with your camera. However, the Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) digital camera battery can be used instead of the alkaline ones with a charger and this rechargeable NiMH digital camera battery has a substantially longer life at an affordable price.

Another type of AA-size battery is the non-rechargeable Lithium batteries and rechargeable Nickel Cadmium (NiCD) batteries. The lithium digital camera battery has a superior life to alkaline AA's and offers good cold-weather performance but their price and non-rechargeable nature make them less useful than rechargeable NiMH batteries. It is also important to ensure that your camera can take a lithium digital camera battery. On the other hand the NiCD digital camera battery offers the advantage of retaining their charge while unused, unlike NiMH cells, but have shorter lives and need to be discharged completely before recharging which can be extremely inconvenient.

The LCD screen of a digital camera is responsible for consuming the most power from a digital camera battery so it is worth only using the LCD when necessary to help conserve the battery life. Always try to carry at least one backup set of batteries, especially if you plan on being away from power outlets for an extended period of time. The universally-available alkaline AA-size battery can make a convenient emergency backup if your regular digital camera battery fails.

Finding The Best Buy On A Digital Camera

The best buy digital camera is not necessarily the cheapest, but the one that has the best overall package for your needs. It is important to check on the various functions and accessories before you compare prices to ensure that you find the best buy digital camera. The main reason that people want to buy a digital camera is for convenience rather than using a traditional film camera and there are a lot of best buy digital camera deals available.

The first point is to find the best buy digital camera with the highest resolution you can afford which will normally be at least 2 to 3 megapixels (2 million to 3 million pixels). If you will only output pictures to a computer monitor (for viewing, Web page use or e-mail) then the best buy digital camera will be one with a 640-by 480 pixel resolution and it will provide very satisfactory results. There are very few genuine best buy digital camera packages with high-resolution and the specified resolution may only apply to software interpolation rather than the true optical resolution. To print photographs on a good (at least 720 dots per inch) color printer you will need to look for the best buy digital camera with a high resolution.

Many retailers advertise their best buy digital camera as one with a plastic lens. It is better to buy a digital camera with a 100% glass lens for the best pictures. You should also look for the best buy digital camera packages with the most RAM that you can afford. The more RAM the camera has means that it can store more pictures and does not require downloading or erasing them as often.

When you are evaluating the best buy digital camera offers you need to compare optical, as opposed to digital, zoom capabilities. This is one of the most frequently used features of most digital cameras and you need to be sure that you have the capability to take the type of close-up shots that you want to.

Another issue that needs to be considered is whether the best buy digital camera offer actually includes the accessories that you require. If you find that you are going to have to purchase additional cables and software to be able to connect your digital camera to your computer then it is not going to be the best buy digital camera that you thought it was.

Finally, ensure that you have accounted for any shipping costs before you make your final decision over which best buy digital camera you purchase. A lot of unscrupulous retailers will advertise a price for a best buy digital camera but then charge high shipping costs.

My Secrets of Choosing a Digital Camera

When shopping for a digital camera, there are a few things that you should consider. It is not only to get the cheapest digital camera or the model with the most functions. Check out my list and than go and find the right camera model for your special purposes.

Size
Small is beautiful. Todays digital cameras are sometimes so small, that they fit into the breast pocket of your shirt easily and are still fully featured so you get the most out of the camera in almost every situation. Just imagine taking a picture of a wonderful sunrise when your are on your morning run or the happy smile of your kids when you pick them up after school. With a small digital camera you don't have to lug around heavy equipment, you are always ready to take the picture of your life.
But too small could be a nightmare for someone with large hands or big fingers. In this case it is not practical and the fingers could cover the lens, the internal flash or could not work the tiny buttons to select the diverse functions, a modern digital camera offers.

A larger, heavier digital camera is useful when you want to do more serious work. Think about taking pictures where the internal flash is disabled and you work with longer shutter speeds. A heavier camera is easier to hold steady and it can better compensate the tine movement when you press the shutter button.



System
there are many different kinds of cameras on the markiet today. The consumer has the choice between an ever increasing number of brands, but mainly his decision is based on what what he wants to use the camera for and what his past experiences with photography are.

Viewfinder cameras
this is the most simple system on the market. The viewfinder is located in the upper left corner of the camera (seen from the rear) and presents a picture that is slightly offset to what the camera really sees. When you are very close to an object, the difference in view can be dramatic.
This type of digital camera works very good for snapshots as well as for most photographic needs of the average person. Disadvadvantages are the fixed lenses, the lack of influence you can take on the picture (e.g. sharpness, focus, light).

Some more advanced models also use the small LCD monitor as a viewfinder. The advantage here is that the picture you see on the screen is the same that you will take with your camera. You have good control of what you will put into your picture. Disadvantage witht his type of display is that you cannot preview the pictures in a brightly lit environment. Taking pictures in brought daylight is sometimes difficult as you try to hold the camera stready and also shade the lcd.

Bridge cameras
this type of camera is more heavyset than the usual compact digital camera. Usually it features a fixed lens with a good zoom factor. Ranging from wide angle to telephoto, you can cover most photographic challenges with these models. They offer a trough the lens view finder, which gives you a correct impression of the photo you are going to take, regardles of focus length. The picture is projected on the CCD chip in the camera and projected on a small monitor that is either inside the camera positioned like on traditional cameras or on the back panel of the camera body.
These cameras are usually more capable of changing photographic parameters and are used by people who want to do more than the occasional snapshot.

Digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex)
this is the most advanced type of digital camera on the market today. It works very similar to traditional SLR cameras, but using the digital process instead of film.You can choose different lenses for every possible purpose. Whether it is a wide angle lens for landscape photography or a small telephoto lens for doing portraits or close-up work. The lenses are interchangebel and you sometimes even get compatible lenses from thrid party manufactures that are of similar quality, but lower in price. The picture is reflected into the viewfinder via a mirror (this is why its called reflex). When you release the shutter to take the picture, the mirror is moved away, the shutter curtains open and the light is directly sent to the CCD chip. A small LCD screen on the back panel of the camera is used for doing a first check on picture quality and for setting the different features and options of the camera. Digital SLR cameras are usually used by professional photographers and high level enthusiasts.

Memory - Bigger Is Better
The advantage of digital cameras compared to traditional ones is that you can shoot as many pictures as the memory chip allows. Pics that turned out to be low quality can easily be discarded and again you have room on your memory card to take new pictures. As advantageous as it is, this circumstance leads to taking more pictures than with traditional cameras and as the resolution of the digital cameras increases from year to year, the need for memory increases. Therefore it may be useful to exchange the memory card that came with the camera with a bigger one or having a spare one when going on a longer trip. Below table lists the aproximate number of photos that fit on a 128 MB memory card when using the jpg-format:

Resolution \ Quality_____Best_____Good_____Standard
6 mpixel - 3008x2000_____34_______70_________117
4mpixel - 2400x1600______51_______96_________161
1.5 mpixel - 1536x1024___106______173_________271

The above quality rating is based on the compression factor of the jpg format (higher compression results in smaller files, but in lower picture quality).

Now, I wish you good luck with shopping for a new digital camera.