Best Digital SLR Camera

In the past, cameras were considered as luxury devices. There were old technology devices with which we had to wait till the whole camera film was consumed. After that we had to wait for a few days more till the film could be developed. But these days, there are hi-end cameras which allow us to capture and view pictures instantly. The user can even delete them if he does not like the picture. They have become an essential device to carry on a trip.

Everyone wants to memorize his or her past times. The constant improvement of technology has bought digital cameras into existence. With these superb devices, we can remember our good times when we had lived happily. They have become a passion for everyone. There are a multitude of companies in the markets which manufacture a huge range of video and hi-end cameras.

Canon is one of the popular manufacturer offering a superior range of digital still and video cameras. They offer high-quality features and tools delivering premium quality and performance. The user can view lively images captured by them. The mind blowing categories of Canon digital camera offer superior functionalities and performance. These categories include digital compact cameras and digital SLR cameras.

The first Canon digital camera came in 1996 which was titled PowerShot 600. Gradually, it introduced various digital camcorders. Canon continues to provide its consumers with superb technologies at cost-effective prices. Some of the top rated Canon digital cameras include Canon Powershot A590 IS, Canon Powershot SD 1100 IS, Canon PowerShot SD40 Digital ELPH, etc.

The Canon Powershot SD 1100 IS features 8 mega pixels camera with 3x zoom, image stabilization and auto focus for capturing perfect shot. The Canon Powershot SD950 IS offers features like 12 mega pixel, 3.7 optical & 4X digital zoom, 2.5″ LCD display, image stabilization, auto focus and a secure digital memory of 32 MB.

If the user likes to shoot quality images, he can find various brands at the online shops. Buying a Canon digital PowerShot S2 would be a great idea as it comes with the latest features. Some of the amazing features of this device include an optical image stabilization, a rotating LCD, USB 2.0 high speed support and Secure Digital memory cards instead of Compact Flash cards. All the advanced features of these hi-end cameras make them an essential part of our life. The user can find portable cameras in various brands. The popular compact powerful cameras are really easy to use and possess amazing features.

If the user is shopping for these cameras, he may be confused by seeing such a wide range of brands and features available in the market. Selecting the right camera can be an exhausting experience. When the user searches the online shops, he can find every manufacturer offering different types of cameras to choose from. Shopping online for cameras can be amazing if you get the right price with cost-effective deals.

Canon offers high quality products with cutting edge technologies and is amongst the most familiar and finest cameras in the market. This manufacturer is a leader in the compact digital camera class. They come with brilliant products at very competitive prices. The user can find a full range of high quality accessories too in their vast range of products.

Click outstanding digital photographs at the click of a button. Find a vast range of camera styles and features which satisfy all consumer requirements and makes their experience an amazing one. Canon designs and markets these powerful cameras with excellent range of features both for the novice and serious photographers. The fact cannot be denied that these cameras are manufactured with quality and superiority.

Before you select the camera to fulfill your photography needs, browse through the menu options and see if they are intuitive or not. Research on all the latest models and then select your favourite one.

Alex Armen asked:


This is the first in a series of articles that will highlight individual products by presenting reviews, by the people who bought them and are actually using them daily. We will present the reviews of three similar items and give you a general overview of each, as well as, the approximate street price. We are not by any means endorsing any specific item. The products are being chosen from current Hot Products or Top Sellers.

Today\’\’s Topic: Small Compact Point & Shoot Digital Cameras.

Canon PowerShot SD1000 7.1 Megapixel Digital Camera

Street price around $170.00

Pros: Compact, Bright LCD, Comfortable controls, Good value for the money, user friendly, durable, good quality pictures,

Cons: Cannot adjust the speed fast enough for low light pictures.

Does not come with a case. Small Memory card.

Biggest complaint seems to be that Canon should have included a 1 or 2gb SD card. It comes with a 32MB memory card. With cards being so inexpensive it would not have made an appreciable difference in the cost and would have probably made this a true “5″ rating.

A buyer from Philadelphia, PA 6/8/07

“In the past I\’\'ve owned a Canon SD400, 500, 600, 630, and Rebel xti. The SD1000 is a good value for what you get. Only thing I don\’\'t like about the Canon SD series is that the optical/digital zoom isn\’\'t that great, but for the price, it\’\’s a good deal. Especially now that SD1000 is 7.1 mp. The SD1000 has more of a box look compared to other cameras in the SD series but still nice, with a large LCD screen. Overall good camera.”

A buyer from Beavercreek, Ohio 5.26.07

“The camera is easy to use, takes great pics and is very user friendly. there are many options that you can set so it may take some time to get very familiar with all the functionality…but well worth the price.”

Fujifilm FinePix A800 8.3 Megapixel Digital Camera

Street price around $140.00

Pros: Quality compares to the higher rated Fujifilm F31fd. Easy to use. Comes with 1gb memory and carrying case. Good for a beginer.

Cons: No viewfinder. Low light shooting could be better, Slow lag time. Not the best for fast shooting.

Buyer: D7t3, 8/10/07

“Impressive photos from a cheap camera (130USD). Basically equivalent quality to the highly-rated Fujifilm ᭷fd, only it has 8 megapixels (not 6). Noise reduction eats away at edges and details, but overall a great performance unsurpassed by other compacts. Startup, lens zoom, autofocus, and image review zoom especially are s-l-o-w. Not the best for fast shooting.”

Buyer: kurupt71, 6/20/07

“It\’\’s a great camera for this price if you\’\'re going to be outdoors in the daylight, no complaints from me except the use at night. Video far better than what I excpected, not a bad camera at all.”

Sony Cyber-shot W55 Digital Camera, 7.2 Megapixels

Street price around $150.00 - $180.00

Pros: Excellent Macro feature. Has a viewfinder.* Sturdy. Long battery life.

Cons: You have to buy a memory card. Low light/indoor pictures could be better.

*Although it has a viewfinder which is a plus, unfortunately it is not that accurate for close ups.

Buyer: karasmith 8/29/07

“The Sony DSC-W55 is truly a gem in the sub-$200 class of digital cameras! It outperforms many cameras that cost quite as much especially it\’\’s macro function which is mind blowing. You can just about put the lens on top of an object, focus in, and shoot and capture every single tiny little detail to perfect precision!…”

Buyer: arkrameⳏ 12/13/07

“This camera is great compared to the one I purchased 3 years ago for about $100 more. It takes decent pictures and is a Sony so you have brand-name reliability. The down side is having to buy a memory card if you want to take more than a few pictures at a time with the internal memory…”

Prices on digital cameras have come down considerably while the quality has improved. It wasn\’\'t too long ago that a 2-3 megapixel camera was the norm.

Now 7-8 is about average.

Selecting the right camera for you is dependent upon what you want out of the camera. If you just want to shoot family, or, vacation snap shots you probably cannot go wrong with any of these. However, if you into much more sophisticated photography, then you should probably consider SLR type cameras.



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Monty Alexander asked:


 

Canon digital cameras have been upfront in their designs, user friendly menus and innovative technology. Be it a simple point and shoot digital camera or a high end digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex), Canon’s expertise has justified every need and pocket. They are constantly on the lookout for path breaking advancements that serve your imaging needs.

Canon has well above 1000 patented digital technologies and is seeking extended innovation each year. Most of the Canon digital cameras have a 9- point AiAF, i.e. providing true auto-focus. The screen is divided into 9 parts and the focus is captured with finesse. This is unique from the traditional 5- point auto-focusing methodology. Canon also developed the popular multi face detection technology that enables to detect up to 9 faces in its lower end digital cameras and up to 35 faces in its higher end cameras. This feature is also extended to its video shooting function. The video capturing mode has this feature extended by incorporating ‘face select and tracking’ which enables you to track a face among a crowd.

Canon’s digital SLR’s sports the ground breaking ESO technology. This technology has an integrated cleaning system which functions to remove the dust particles on the lens and on the image. It has inbuilt hardware to shake off the dust particles from the lens and software to remove the sticky dust grains from the image. Thus it aims at providing the best possible image by removing all faults. They have also initiated the anti-noise processing which takes care that no dots or white lines are formed in the image unlike other cameras which remove the noise after the image is taken which might result in distortion of the image.

Some of the highly rated canon digital camera include PowerShot, IXUS and EOS. The PowerShot is aimed at the simple point and shoot user, the price is affordable and it features cameras below 10 mega pixels available in varied colour options and designs. The IXUS series is the mid-range digital camera offering that are more advanced and bit pricey. The ESO series offers digital SLR’s that are meant for professional photographers and photography enthusiasts. These SLR’s are available with different range lenses. Canon has roped in Sachin Tendulkar as their brand ambassador for marketing of their popular product line. Canon has emerged as a pioneer in its design, technology, and usability thus becoming a name synonymous to photography.



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Jayson Pablo asked:


There was an era when the past good times that we had lived happily were the matters of our memories only. With every new joy, those good times of past were being vanished from our memories and re-living them became so hard for all of us. Then the age of Art arrived and we all learnt to stock our memoirs in the form of paintings and sculptures. However, the boundaries of these methods were limited and hectic. The human culture was demanding more, then, in 1660’s the English Scientist Robert Boyle with his assistant Robert Hooke developed the first portable camera. This device was capable of capturing the events, thus, the humankind found their way to re-live their life. From the day of its inception, the camera has seen various changes in its style, performance, capabilities and looks.

From camera obscure to the modern analog cameras, the history of cameras is itself a legend. The concept of logarithmic camera was first reached its destination in the year 1972 and we got our first bona fide digital camera in the year 1990 with the name-tag of Logitech Fotoman. This camera made the use of CCD Image Sensor; it had the capability of storing the pictures digitally and making them available to download them in PC. From the year 1991, various companies such as Kodak, Fuji, Sony and others started manufacturing the High-end Digital cameras on very large scale. Their attractive products ranged from Simply Digital to the Professional Digital SLRs. When we aim these cameras at the object and fiddle with the shutter release button, the camera robotically focuses on the object and digitally takes a reading of the obtainable light and then with the help of the processor, CCD and ADC it interpolates the pixels to create crystal clear pictures.

Nowadays, having a digital camera is a non-stop passion for every one. There are many companies in the market, who manufactures these digital photographic engines, but some of them are prodigious. Canon is also among those prodigy masters. This giant offers very huge range of products from different categories. They also offer a superior range of digital still and video cameras. Canon Digital Cameras are one of the most significant products that are currently available in the market. These cameras employ high-quality features and tools to make them more efficient in the terms of quality and performance. These numerical photographic machines hold high-quality mechanism and the superb understanding of all colours so that they can easily tender the eye-pleasant lively images. Fathered in the year 1937, the Canon is now one of the biggest companies that offer qualitative technology for the cameras and optics. This company has redefined the way the world look at its past.

Canon has mind-blowing categories of digital cameras in its shelf. These categories hold the range of all way simple cameras to the superbly effective professional ones. These categories are- Digital Compact Cameras and Digital SLR Cameras. The Digital Compact Camera Category is consisting of two superb series named as IXUS and the PowerShot. Both of these series offers the cameras of astounding styles and great performances. The IXUS includes the cameras that are known as the ultimate Style Icons and combines unending grace with the avant-garde technology. In addition, the PowerShot series covers the range of point-and-shoot cameras. These masterpieces are amazing in looks and they capture brilliant images to cater the photographic feel of all levels. Digital IXU𔞔, Digital IXU𔟮, Digital IXU𔟸, PowerShot G9, PowerShot ̓, and PowerShot SX100 are some of the highlights of the IXUS and PowerShot Series.

Whereas, the EOS Series of Digital SLR Cameras are the most widespread approach Digital SLRs. These digital cameras provide sparkling and snappish images with every shot. These cameras are admired and appraised by the photographers worldwide. Ranging from 10.1 MegaPixels to the latest 21 MegaPixels of superior CMOS resolutions, the EOS Digital SLR Cameras are making the world our playground, where we can reach to the new dimension creativity. If the life is all about finding new things then the Canon Digital Cameras are the ever-best things to find and explore.



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Craig Rad asked:


Nowadays, owning an optimized digital camera is more than a must. We are surrounded by beautiful moments, by special occasions and special people - and we need to immortalize all these - but how can we do this, if not with the help of a digital camera? Choose the advanced Canon digital cameras and you\’\'ll never regret it, as they combine everything you could possibly desire from a professional and portable package to immortalize some pleasant moments.

If you are eager to find not any digital camera for your pleasure and fun, then consider the Canon digital camera option. You\’\'ll have all in one, as the creative performance and convenient design are there for you to be grabbed and used with pleasure. The performance of Canon digital cameras is clearly close or similar to that of a professional digital camera, which means that night visibility, red eyes and other usual problems of the past are now completely forgotten. Besides, clarity and no image disturbances are to be sensed with the new generation Canon digital cameras.

Canon digital cameras are easy to use, helping you to choose from a number of shooting modes. There are various helpful features and even functions that were considered advanced in previous generations of digital cameras. If you don\’\'t prefer cameras because of their weight and difficult way of dealing with them, the new generation Canon digital cameras have a really portable package. You\’\'ll love it and you\’\'ll not get enough of it.

You can find recent models with optical image stabilization, feature that is very helpful. The blurring is considerably reduced, as well as shaking moves while using it. The tradition of creativity, versatility and user-friendliness is carried on by Canon with each model and generation of digital cameras. That is why when it comes to choosing digital cameras, Canon is the answer in most cases. There are professional digital cameras as well, with amazing features and capacities, with outstanding photos and high performances. No wonder many professional photographers choose Canon.

Canon digital cameras are very popular, being given their user-friendliness, advanced features and great looking photos. The results speak for themselves. This is probably why once choosing Canon, you\’\'ll choose it again when time comes for better performance and versatility. You don\’\'t have to count the effective pixels, the sensor photo detectors or zoom lens, as for non-professional customers these things don\’\'t matter that much; the important thing is the great looking picture of a professional quality, with no image problems other generations had to deal with.

Read some reviews on Canon digital cameras and choose the one that suits you and you preferences the most. You\’\'ll not be disappointed by such a great choice, especially after you see the pictures and appreciate their quality.



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Craig Rad asked:


All in all, there are three main categories of digital cameras: the Digital SLR camera, the Compact Point and Shoot camera and the High Performance Digital Point and Shoot.

The Digital SLR camera boasts with a high mega pixel, the lowest being 6.3 and extending higher up. The Digital SLR is great because it offers full manual setting options while the Compact camera has only a few manual settings. The manual settings will help you establish the precise environment for taking a great picture, so you have more control over the quality.

The Digital SLR features also interchangeable lenses. This provides quality pictures, as you will be able to change the lenses according to the light and the context. On the other hand, the interchangeable lenses may be a drawback for the SLR cameras, as they cost a lot and some people don\’\'t want to bother changing lenses only to take a picture of their dog barking.

The shutter lag time is non-existent with the SLRs, but this might be a problem when it comes to Compact cameras.

The Compact Point and Shoot camera features also all sorts of options such as an optical zoom, an LCD screen size, computer connectivity and lots more. This type camera is very easy to use and you won\’\'t have the inconvenience of having to change lenses or settings as you can use the auto option.

The compact cameras will do well when it comes to deep depth of filed, but will not excel in taking superior macro shots. You won\’\'t be disappointed in the wide angle of these cameras either. What do you say about an angle of 15 mm?

They will do extremely well in low light conditions, when it enables the auto focus, consequently you will be able to shot at nighttime also. This digital camera will provide good pics in available lighting so it will perform just fine in these conditions.

Moreover, the Compact Point and Shoot camera is highly flexible and easy to handle, as it is smaller in size than the SLR cameras. The latest cameras can even fit in a small pocket.

Another strength of this type of camera is the price. According to the number of the mega pixels and their features, the price will hardly exceed $500. The cheapest Compact Point and Shoot camera can be found at $130-$150. The superior SLR camera prices start from $1000.

All things considered, the Digital SLR camera is highly recommended for specialists and enthusiast photographers, while the Compact camera is suitable for amateurs. Nevertheless, a quality Compact Point and Shoot camera will also allow you to take creative pictures.

The bottom line is: you choose the SLR or the point and shoot according to your budget, requirements from a digital camera and lifestyle.



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Julie Peterson asked:


If you own a newer Canon SLR, you have several choices of lens brands that you can buy for your camera. In addition to buying Canon brand lenses that work with the automatic focus of modern Canon\’\’s, you can buy lenses from third party vendors such as Sigma and Tamron, who make Canon-compatible lenses for less cost than Canon. After having spent a large amount of money on the camera body, you may be asking yourself if it is worth spending the extra bucks for the brand name lens as well. I am an amateur photographer, so am certainly no expert, but from the day that I bought my Canon SLR with its brand name lenses you could see a marked jump in improvement in my photo albums. It is like someone focused everything and turned on the lights! I recently switched to a digital Canon and gave my six-year-old film Canon to my mother. Her photos showed the same amazing improvement.

Reasons to Buy the Canon Lens

I generally like to stick to matching brand names with brand names, and my research has shown that most people on the web agree that doing so with Canon lenses is worth it. The first reason for the popularity of this Canon lens is image quality. Canon lenses are well-corrected for distortion, and have excellent color fidelity and contrast. In addition, they are characterized by superior lens construction. Canon lenses are the choice of many imaging professionals the world over, whether those lenses are being used on EOS SLR cameras or on broadcast cameras.

Canon Lens Critics

As with any product, Canon lenses have their critics. For example, I found one person who felt that on the Canon lens the auto focus seemed slower than and not as decisive as the other lenses they had owned, especially in low light.

Canon Lens Facts and Benefits

Lenses are extremely complex and sensitive pieces of equipment in which a myriad of problems can occur. Canon lenses are adjusted through the camera body with no on-lens control. All modern Canon lenses focus with a motor in the lens, which may be one of the main reasons my mother and I got such great photos. If you are near-sighted, this is an especially nice feature since it is difficult to focus manually if you wear glasses.

Used Canon Lenses

Another great reason to invest in the higher priced Canon brand lens is that camera lenses tend to hold their monetary value over time, while camera bodies do not. I have bought both a used Canon lens and a new Canon lens for work and home and, frankly, I could not tell any difference other than the price.



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Scott Karcich asked:


When shopping for a Digital SLR Camera people often overlook or skimp on the camera’s lenses. Camera Lenses serve as the digital SLR cameras “eye,” the lens determines what and how your camera will see your subject and how well that view is transmitted to the camera’s sensor chip for recording. The way I like to look at camera lenses is as painter’s brushes, broad strokes, medium stokes, all purpose brushes, and small detail brushes. There is a lot to learn about digital slr camera lenses and this article will serve as a basic outline to understanding them. The following sections explain the basic types of digital SLR camera lenses, how they work, and how to select them.

Focal Length

On a digital SLR camera the focal length of the lenses measures the distance between the lens and the image sensor, measured in millimeters. Lenses can be classified into subgroups like prime, macro, wide angle, normal, telephoto, and zoom lenses. They are also rated in regards to f-stop or speed an example would be a F2.0 50mm lens or a 1.4F 80 mm lens. We will explain this later in this article.

Prime Lenses:

Prime lenses are fixed focal length lenses like a 50mm 1.4f lens. To zoom with these types of lenses you need to use your feet and to get closer or farther away from the subject. Traditionally prime lenses are sharper and faster then zoom lenses. If you’re on a budget you can pick up some amazing used older prime lenses off eBay or your local camera store.

Macro Lenses:

Marco Lenses are your detail brushes they enable you to get up close and personal with your subject. These types of lenses are used for extreme close ups on small objects like daisies, pennies, and food but not limited to these types of subjects. Examples of macro lenses are 50mm and 100 mm macros. These lenses are also great for selective focus types of photos.

Wide-angle Lenses:

Wide-angle lenses are your broad stroke brushes; these types of lenses have short focal lengths. The short focal length has the visual effect of “pushing” the subject away from you and making it appear smaller. The beauty of wide-angle lenses is you can be relatively close to your subject and fit a broad stroke of the background into the scene.

One problem with wide-angle lenses is known as convergence, a distortion that makes vertical structures appear to lean toward the center of the frame. A way to check if the wide-angle lenses you are interested in has convergence is to take test pictures before buying the lens. With high quality wide angles lenses like Canon “L” series lenses address this convergence issue well. Examples of wide-angle lenses are 15MM, 17mm, 24mm and 28mm lenses.

Normal Lenses:

Normal Lenses try to mimic how the human eye sees and are some of the most versatile lenses you can use. These are my all purpose brushes, and are somewhere between a wide angle and a telephoto lenses. If you buy just one lens try and buy the fastest normal lenses you can like a 50mm 1.4f lenses. Some examples of normal lenses are 35mm; 50mm, 65mm and some consider a 80mm a normal lens.

Telephoto Lenses:

Lenses with long focal lengths 100mm and higher are called telephoto lenses. A long focal length seems to bring the subject closer to you and increases the subject\’\’s size in the frame. Telephoto lenses also give your subjects a graphic look and flatten out your subject. These lenses are my short stroke brushes.

Zoom Lenses:

Zoom lenses are special because they can be very versatile. These types of lenses vary in their focal lengths and come in many in wide-angle, telephoto, and wide-angle to telephoto. In my bag I carry a 17mm to 35mm my wide–angle broad brush, 24mm to 70mm my medium brush, and a 80mm to 200mm my short brush. With these three lenses I get a very board range of focal lengths for any situation. All of my zooms are at least f2.8 through out the lenses range, which means my f-stop can stay constant while I am zooming in and out. These types of lenses are very expensive but so get what you pay for. When shopping for a zoom lenses check out the f-stop range rating. An example is a 24mm to 300mm f3.5-f5.6 lenses meaning the lowest f-stop you can shoot is at the 24mm range of the lenses and when you zoom to 200mm the lowest you can go is f5.6. Zoom lenses can give you flexibility and versatility all in one lenses. When buying a zoom lens try and get one that is made of glass and is the fastest you can afford, you will not regret it.

Understanding what these different groups of lenses can do will help you make more informed decisions on what lenses to purchase and what to put in your camera bag.



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Ted Burns asked:


Photography is a hobby that many not only enjoy, but have adopted as a profession earning money from some of the great photographs produced using acquired photography skills. Becoming a great photographer requires at least three essentials: practice, technical know-how, and an artistic eye.

Below are a few simple guidelines to assist beginners to move in that direction.

1. Choose the right camera

For a photographer, the camera is a significant part of life and separation from it can leave a photographer feeling almost as if physically disabled. Choosing the right camera is critical for taking great pictures. There are a wide variety of cameras available on the market, all within various price ranges. As with just about anything in life, a good quality camera will be more expensive.

The common types of cameras follow:

I. Disposable camera

II. Compact camera

III. Digital camera

IV. Single Lens Reflex camera (SLR)

It is advisable that beginners not spend too much initially on a camera. That advice is because the higher priced ones typically include features that are only useful for experts already familiar with their benefits. Try using a camera like Pentax, Canon, or Minolta. These types of cameras take pictures with almost as good quality as the expensive ones.

2. Select a suitable lens

There are two types of lenses that will meet the needs of a person just beginning in photography. They include 28mm to 80mm and 80mm to 270mm. Within those two broad categories are macro, zoom, and wide-angle lenses.

3. Film types

The type of film selected is also very important. You will want a good quality film both for the beauty of the picture and also for longer-term storage. Of course, you can select between color film or black and white.

4. Consider film speed

Generally, faster films are the ones with the higher ISO number. Typically fast ISO films are used to capture quick movements, such as birds or sports players in action. It is also used to take pictures when the preferred amount of light is not available. If plenty of light is available, then a 100 or 200 ISO film will work great.

5. Color balance

Always consider the type of light under which you plan to shoot. Film is very sensitive to light colors. If the film doesn\’\'t match with the light, then unfortunately the colors in the pictures after development will be a mess.

Photography as a hobby is not limited by age groups. Whether young or old, anyone can find enjoyment in it. To become a great photographer, take the time to learn proper techniques and develop your skills. The guidelines above will assist you to begin producing pictures that over time may amaze even you!

6. Photographing People

The job of a good photographer is to capture their subject\’\’s best moments, such as when they are truly at ease and not actually trying hard to “act natural” in front of a camera - usually a prescription for capturing a horrible pose.

A photographer should also make sure the people in the pictures look as natural as possible. A great picture will bring out the innate personality and beauty of the subject - rather than serving as an attempt to create what isn\’\'t really there.



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aldrin garcia asked:


My top 20 key questions to ask yourself when buying a digital camera.

1. How many “megapixels” /resolution?

Once and for all, at least to me, you have to get the highest resolution your money can buy at the time you buy. Period.

2. Who made the lens?

Most cameras will give you an idea where the lens was made just by looking at the front of the lens. Know if the lens of your camera came from a reputable company like Leica, Zeiss, Canon, Etc… Lens quality is one of the most important factors you should consider especially if you\’\'re going to use it for commercial, technical or scientific purposes.

3. Will I need interchangeable lenses? How many are available for my specific camera in mind?

Having the option of interchangeable lenses gives you the freedom to experiment with different kinds of focal lengths. Although some P&S (point and shoot) cameras can rival DSLR\’\’s with a generous zoom range for a non interchangeable lens system.

Also note the number of lenses available for use with your specific camera because of flexibility reasons. You can practically cover the entire “zoom range” with interchangeable lenses versus modest zoom ranges on non interchangeable lens systems or P&S cameras.

4. Does it have a zoom capability? What\’\'s the range?

Almost all applications that I listed above will need some form of zooming in (telephoto) or out (wide angle), especially if you don\’\'t have the space to move around the object you are shooting.

For Landscape shots, wide angle shots are very common and appealing while zooming in on the details serves as a break and complements the wide angle shots.

For weddings and events, you need a zoom because there will be times where you are limited by the shooting space and you will have a difficult time moving around. Its a good thing to know that you can do all sorts of framing without even moving from your position.

A nice zoom will give you the efficiency and versatility in your photography, so my suggestion is to go for the longest range you can get (usually from a 7X to a 10X for Point and Shoots).

Also note the speed of zooming in or out as this will be a factor if you\’\'re shooting events like weddings. You will fail to capture that “decisive moment” on a mediocre zoom speed.

5. Does it have the provision to capture raw images?

Many photographers will say you\’\'ll need this digital camera feature if you want to have big prints from your pictures. Although this is correct, the main reason why you will want this is because of the benefit it will give you…pure total control of your pictures… from exposure, color, metadata, hdr and a lot more.

6. Can I attach an external flash?

Having an external flash capability will give you the power and creative freedom to light your subjects any which way you like.

You can connect your digital camera to all sorts of lighting equipment thus giving you more options and versatility. This comes in the form of a hotshoe or a PC-Sync socket.

If your digital camera doesn\’\'t have this feature, there is still hope because accessories called flash slaves are being sold by third party companies in different flavors that will also do the same job more or less.

7. Does it have a tripod socket?

Some of the most beautiful landscape pictures that I\’\'ve seen are undoubtedly made with a tripod, so this is a must have if you are planning to do this kind of photography.

The “available light shots″ in a wedding, still life and product shots, studio and fine art shots … all need a tripod for successful execution… so guess what happens if you don\’\'t have a tripod socket?… You cannot effectively use a tripod!

8. Does it have automatic and manual focusing?

It will not be evident at first why you\’\'ll need this especially if you\’\'re just starting out in photography. But if you\’\'re like me… A total control freak when it comes to cameras… and you really want to express your creative side, this is definitely a must have.

9. Can you attach filters to it? and what filter size?

Creative expression through special effects is just one of the many reasons that makes photography fun and interesting, and experimenting with filters is one creative pursuit you should try with your photography especially if you\’\'re a beginner.

Always remember to ask if the particular digital camera you are eyeing for can handle filters and ask for the filter size. (To save you from buying the right filter with the wrong filter size) Please note that most Digital SLRs should be able to to handle filters as most lenses that come with it have a filter thread built into the lens.

Most P&S (point and shoot) digital cameras normally doesn\’\'t have a filter thread built-in and might need special accessories to accomplish this so you should check to know for sure.

Again, there are many third party accessories that you could buy to adapt filters to your P&S digital cameras that don\’\'t have this provisions. I\’\'ll discuss all about this in a future post so watch for it. (Or subscribe to my announcement list (feed via email) so you\’\'ll know when it\’\’s up.

10. Can I upgrade the firmware?

The good thing about some digital camera manufacturers is that they keep on improving their digital cameras even after they sold it to you… this comes in the form of a firmware upgrade.

Usually this involves an improvement on one or many features of a camera. Be sure that the digital camera you\’\'re planning to buy has an easy way of upgrading its firmware. This comes in the form of either an easy download via the manufacturer\’\’s website (find it and bookmark it now) or a FREE CDROM.

Another caveat - be sure to consider if a downgrade is also possible or available with your digital camera… Why is there a need a downgrade you ask?… Because, you may want to reinstall an earlier firmware… just in case you don\’\'t like the results from a firmware upgrade.

Occasionally there\’\’s a feature that will be removed by the upgrade that you failed to read about and you decided that you just want to keep that feature instead of a bunch of trivial upgrades from the new firmware. (Yes, I personally experienced this.)

11. Are there extra goodies or software that come with it?

Some people ignore the fact that you can save a lot of money just by doing a simple arithmetic. Did you know that you could actually get your digital camera for a lot less if you study the deals and offers on the marketplace?

If you buy a digital camera and it comes with software that you can really use… like photoshop, elements, or any other image editing software for that matter, then you already saved some money you would otherwise spend. Some dealers will throw in lots of extras… If you just simply ask.

Always try to ask for these things that you\’\'ll end up buying anyway if you don\’\'t - like camera bags, extra lenses, extra batteries, memory cards, tripod, lens cleaners etc. Trust me… you will end up buying these things if you don\’\'t ask for it on the deal. What have you got to lose? Simply ASK. Would you believe that I effectively lowered one of my camera purchase cost by as much as 30%? Ask away.

12. Is there Local Support in your area?

Finding the answer to this one will give you a great benefit in the long run. Wouldn\’\'t you sleep better at night because you feel that extra security - that in case there is something wrong with your digital camera, you can bring it in for repair at a moments notice?

Not knowing when your camera will be repaired (or if it even arrived at a distant repair facility) is one of the worst feelings a photographer can have especially if you\’\'re in the middle of a photoshoot or project.

13. What type of warranty does it have? Worldwide / Countrywide?

If you travel a lot its good to know that a countrywide or even better - a worldwide warranty can get your camera fixed wherever you are. Always bring the warranty card and glue it on your camera bag.

14. Does it have the ability to take video and audio?

I know, most DSLRs don\’\'t have this function. But some non interchangeable lens DSLRs have it. This is a very useful feature to have if you\’\'re on a project or photoshoot and want to document or record a procedure, a moment, or an idea that you would otherwise have trouble remembering or even writing. It\’\’s always a good idea to bring a P&S camera backup that have this function.

The things that you could do with audio and videoclips on a photoshoot are only limited by your imagination… interviews, documentation, funny quips, training procedures, bloopers, etc..

15. Does it have a manual white balance?

White balance is one of the most interesting aspects of digital cameras. Its fun and fascinating to work with. Having this option puts the photography fun-o-meter way way up. In future posts, I will be discussing white balance in detail so be sure to stay tuned.

16. How sensitive is it to infrared?

If you\’\'re planning to make infrared pictures or enter the exciting world of Infrared fine art photography then you\’\'ll want to know if your digital camera can do it.

TIP: There is a simple way to test how sensitive your digital camera is to infrared using a very common device - a TV remote control. For P&S, you can aim the remote control towards the lens and gauge how bright the LED from remote is. This should give you an idea how sensitive your digital camera is to infrared. For DSLRs you will need to take shots of the LED and experiment a little or you can simply research or google the particular camera model you have in mind for other people\’\'s experiences and thoughts about it.

17. How high is the ISO sensitivity? Is it manually adjustable?

ISO sensitivity is a term referring to the sensitivity of film to light. In the digital camera world, it refers to the sensitivity of the electronic sensor in your digital camera in relation to the ISO standard used for film.

The higher the ISO sensitivity of your camera the faster or better it can record a specific amount of light.

High ISO sensitivity is useful for taking better pictures in dark settings… such as inside a church or at night. The higher the ISO setting, the more details you can capture of a dark scene.

One caveat - take note of the amount of noise a particular camera exhibits at higher ISOs. Some people like it and some don\’\'t. Again, don\’\'t be afraid to ask or do research on the noise characteristics of your camera model in mind to see if this is the right choice for you.

18. How high or low can you set the shutterspeed? What are the minimum and maximum aperture settings?

Shutterspeed and aperture settings are the basic mechanisms that drive your camera and controls the amount of light that is exposed by the film or image sensor.

You use high shutterspeeds in action shots and to prevent camera shake, and you use low shutterspeeds for movement effects and bulb or long exposures. You can check for these figures on the websites that I gave you in part 1. You can see it in the technical specifications for a particular camera.

A bulb or “T” function is a nice feature to have because you can take exposures for virtually very long periods of time. Another feature to have is if your camera has a remote control to use this bulb or “T” mode. This gives you the capability to take pictures without holding your camera and adding to the “camera shake”.

With the subject of apertures, a small one (small aperture opening) lets you have a wider depth of field so your shots are sharp from near to far versus a large aperture (big aperture opening) where your shots have a narrow depth of field and appear “selectively focused”.

19. Does it have some form of an image stabilizer?

New cameras coming out as we speak often have this feature. Simply put, an image stabilizer is some form of a mechanism built into the lens or the camera body (depending on the manufacturer and their implementation) that basically prevents you from getting blurred pictures when taking pictures in low light or you are using a long or telephoto lens. Having this feature can mean the difference between a blurry picture (aka no picture!) to a usable one.

20. How close can it focus? Macro abilities?

The closer your camera can focus… the bigger the picture of an object you can take in relation to the image dimensions of the final photo… and the bigger the picture of the object… the more detail you can get. If you want to take pictures of small objects such as flowers and fine details then this is a must-have.

That\’\’s it. Whew.

Do you really have to go over all these questions?… Of course not, but even if you only study and ponder on half of them…and take the time… I promise you that one thing will surely happen…

You\’\'ll be…

a lot smarter!

than when you first started asking these questions… ergo you\’\'ll be in a better position to decide what digital camera to buy… Because you are now armed with the most powerful tool anybody can have

the power of information!

In any case, I hope you find as much value in these questions as many of my friends have and be able to get the camera of your dreams.

Enjoy!



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