At Home with Technology: Digital Cameras

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At Home with TechnologyDigital Cameras
Due to file size considerations, many photos
have been deleted from the presentation.

• Wes Evard
• Photographic and Multimedia Specialist

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What this is about

• This session will help you be a more informed
  consumer when purchasing a digital camera.
• It will help you define your needs.
• It will explain features.
• It will not teach you how to use your personal
  digital camera.

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Differences Between Film and Digital

• Digital You get what you pay for.
• Film You can upgrade your end product with
  better lenses and better film.
• Some photo labs are now using the same printer
  for Film and Digital photos resulting in Digital
  and Film prints having the same shelf life.

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Advantages of Digital

• You gain control over your pictures.
• You can email images.
• Photos for Web use
• PowerPoint and multimedia presentations
• To have fun and explore your artistic side

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Disadvantages of Digital

• Not as instant as you think.
• You have become the lab. You have to prepare your
  images before you use them.
• Consumer grade cameras can be slow.
• The camera is only part of the process.
• You may need a card reader to transfer files.
• You will need a computer and possibly a printer.

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Four Categories of Digital

• Disposable 10
• Consumer 99499 for 25 mp
• Meets most of our personal photographic needs
• CostLower priced models great for email and
  computer viewing
• Pro-Sumer 499999
• Professional 999

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Consumer Digital Cameras

• Features
• Memory storage
• Batteries

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Consumer Digital Camera Features

• Resolution
• Zoom
• Manual/Automatic Controls
• Shutter Lag Time
• Buffer Size
• Self-Timer
• Video Clips
• Live viewing LCD screen

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Resolution - Pixels

• Some cameras list the resolution as 3008x2000 for
  a 6 megapixel (6 million pixels) camera.
• The megapixel value of a camera reflects its
  highest resolution photos.
• 2 mp 2x3
• 3 mp 4x6
• 4 mp 5x7
• 5 mp 8x10
• 6 mp 11x14

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Resolution

• Low resolution (72 dpi) photos are fine for email
  and web use.
• For good traditional prints from a photo lab or
  your home printer, higher resolutions are needed
  (300 dpi).
• What looks good on your computer will not always
  look good when printed.
• You can always take a hi res photo and make it
  low res you cant take a low res photo and make
  it hi res.

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Zoom

• Optical zoom is the true zoom.
• Digital zoom uses software in the camera to crop
  in on the image.
• Digital zoom can only be viewed on the LCD
  screen, not through the viewfinder.

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Automatic/Manual Controls

• Most cameras will come with fully automatic
  modes. Some will come with manual overrides to
  take pictures very close up.
• Manual exposures allow you to have long
  exposures.
• Most cameras will have several flash settings.

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Self-Timer

• Most cameras will have a self-timer.
• Some cameras will allow you to change the length
  of the self-timer.
• Some cameras come with a small remote control
  unit.

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Video Clips

• Some cameras will allow you to capture a small
  amount of video in the mpeg format, usually from
  15 to 40 seconds long, depending on the camera.
• If you want a digital camera for photos, buy a
  digital camera for photos. If you want a digital
  camera for video, buy a digital video camera.

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USB / Firewire

• This allows your camera to be connected or
  tethered directly to your computer by USB or
  Firewire cables for downloading your photos.
• Most cameras will come with a proprietary cable
  for this purpose.

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Shutter Lag Time

• This is the time after you press the button until
  the camera actually takes the photo.
• A long shutter lag time seems to be a problem of
  many consumer grade digital cameras.
• This can be very annoying if you are trying to
  photograph children or other fast-moving objects.
• Most camera companies do not talk about or
  publish shutter lag times.

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Buffer Size

• This is the cameras built in memory that allows
  you to take multiple photos in a row before
  saving.
• Some cameras may call this a burst rate, allowing
  you to take a burst of 4 or 5 photos in a row.
  The camera may need to be in a lower res setting
  for this.

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LCD

• Most cameras will have an LCD panel on the back
  of the camera for viewing camera settings and
  previewing photos.
• Some will also allow the LCD screen to be
  swiveled so you can hold the camera up over a
  crowd or down low to snap a photo.
• Using the LCD screen is a huge drain on batteries.

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Batteries

• Digital cameras use a lot of battery power
• Using LCD screens drains batteries
• Using USB/Firewire cables for file transfer
  drains batteries
• AA Batteries
• AA Rechargeable Batteries
• Rechargeable Battery Packs

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AA Batteries

• Low start up cost
• Very easy to find
• Relatively short useful life
• Can be expensive over time

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AA Rechargeable Batteries

• More expensive start up costs
• 30 - 50 for a set of four and charger
• Less expensive over time
• Even shorter useful life
• Versatile, can be replaced with regular AA

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Rechargeable Packs

• Proprietary, used by some brands
• 1 Battery and charger usually come with camera
• Additional batteries will cost around 50
• Long charge times
• Longer useful life
• Replacements not readily available

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Memory storage

• CompactFlash / MicroDrive
• Smart Media
• Memory Stick
• Special CD
• Floppy Disk
• XD Memory Card
• SD Multi Media Card
• Others - New every day
• Most cameras come with a small memory card of
  some sort

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CompactFlash / MicroDrive

• Larger capacities
• More common
• CFSturdier build
• CFMore stable than MD
• MDInfo can be lost if dropped
• Price (CF) 80 for 128mg
• Capacity Range (CF) 8mb1G

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Smart Media

• Commonly used in consumer cameras
• Thinner / not as sturdy
• Price 50 for 128mb
• Capacity Range 16mb128mb

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Memory Stick

• Exclusive to Sony Cameras
• Price 120 for 128mb
• Capacity Range 16mb256mb

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CD / Floppy Disk

• Exclusive to Sony
• Proprietary CD (Not Standard CD-R)
• CD
• Not reusable
• Not read by all CD readers
• Archivable finished CD
• FD Floppy driver needed
• Price (CD) 30 for a 5-pack of 156mb CD-R
• Capacity Range (CD) 156mb

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XD Memory Card

• Very small
• Used by other devices (PDA, MP3 players, etc)
• Price 80 for 128mb
• Capacity Range 16mb256mb

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SD Multi Media Card

• Very small
• Used by other devices (PDA, MP3 players, etc)
• Price 75 for 128mb
• Capacity Range 32mb256mb

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Transferring Media

• USB/Firewire Cables
• Card Readers
• Adapters
• Desktop Printers
• Photo Labs

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Working with your Photos

• Basic cataloging/viewing software
• Windows XP
• Basic editing software
• Software that comes with your camera
• Photo Elements
• iPhoto
• Photoshop
• Premier editing software
• Classes available through OITs Discover IT
  program
• Registration at http//www.nd.edu/ndoit/training

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Software comparison
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Printing your photos
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Where to buy

• Camera Stores
• More knowledgeable staff
• Newer models
• May pay more
• Electronics Stores
• Lower prices
• Online
• May find lowest prices online
• Beware of Grey Market

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Things to think about

• What are you going to use the camera for?
• What features are important to you?
• What type of peripheral equipment will you use
  with it?
• What else will you need?
• How will you archive digital files?
• Budget?