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COMPLETE DIGITAL CAMERA COVERAGE
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Even the best digital cameras connected to the best
printers
cannot produce film-quality photos. However, if the final output device
is a laser
printer, it doesn't really matter whether you take a real photo and
then scan it, or
take a digital photo. In both cases, the image must eventually be
reduced to the resolution of the printer. The big advantage of digital
cameras is that making photos is both inexpensive and fast because there
is no film processing.
Basic Digital Camera
Terminology
Looking for a digital camera,
especially for those unfamiliar with the technology and terminology,
can be an overwhelming project. Most digital camera manufactures use
standard terms on the packaging and in product specifications on
their Web site. For those treading into foreign territory, here are
a few definitions to some of the most important terms you'll
encounter while shopping for a digital camera.
aperture
A device in the
digital camera
that controls the amount of light admitted through an opening. In
digital photography, aperture is the unit of measurement that defines
the size of the opening in the lens that can be adjusted to control the
amount of light reaching the film or digital sensor. The size of the
aperture is measured in F-stop.
auto focus (AF)
Auto focus is a function of the
digital camera where the camera will
automatically focus on the subject in the center of the LCD or
viewfinder. Digital cameras come standard with auto focus, and more
expensive models of digital cameras will have the option to select the
auto focus area, rather than just auto focusing on the center of the LCD
or viewfinder.
digital zoom
Digital zoom is used to make the
image seem more "close-up". Digital
zoom on a
digital camera works the same as cropping and enlarging a
photo in a graphics program. This type of zoom will result in a loss of
quality and image resolution because the image is simply being enlarged
without any extra detail or pixel resolution being added. Due to the quality of
photos taken when using the digital zoom function, these photos may not
be of good enough quality to print images larger than 4"x6".
megapixel
A Megapixel is one million
pixels. The
term is used in reference to the resolution of the digital camera. When
researching cameras, the number of megapixels is equivalent to the number
of pixels available to capture an image. For example, a 2-megapixel
camera can produce an image with two million pixels. It is important to
remember that the number of pixels your camera is capable of using is
independent of the optical zoom. A 3-megapixel digital camera will still
capture only a 3-million pixel image, regardless of whether you're using 2x or
3x optical zoom.
The more megapixels your camera is able to capture, the
larger prints at better print quality you can produce. For example, a 2-megapixel camera can print up a 4"x6" or 5"x7" photo. If you're
interested in larger prints, such as an 8"x10", you should be looking at
a camera with at least 3megapixels.
memory
In a digital camera, memory refers to the number of images and/or video
files you can store on your camera before you have to transfer the image
files to your computer. Digital cameras have internal storage, and many
come with removable storage options so you can store more images than
the internal storage will allow.
optical zoom
Optical zoom is a "true" zoom feature. It allows you to zoom in (or out)
on the subject in the LCD or
viewfinder. This will enable you to get a closer view of the subject
before taking your picture. Optical
zoom changes the magnification of images with the actual optical glass
before the images reach the imaging sensor. Optical zoom allows for
better photo quality than digital zoom.
resolution
Digital camera resolution is measured in megapixels
(see megapixel).
total zoom
Some digital camera manufactures advertise the camera's zoom capability
as a total zoom. When you see a total zoom listing, it basically is the
digital zoom multiplied by the optical zoom. For instance, a camera
touting a 56x zoom could be a digital camera with 8x optical
and 7x digital zoom. Total zoom is, in essence, irrelevant and you
should always find out how much of the total zoom is true zoom (i.e., optical
zoom).
Additional Digital Camera Features &
Accessories
While zoom, resolution and focus
are the basic options to consider in a digital camera,
you'll also find hundreds of built-in features,
upgrades and
accessories available for most consumer digital cameras. Here is a
list of some digital camera features you should become familiar
with.
removable storage
media
Removable storage media is another important feature of a
digital camera. Removable storage allows you to store more images that the
internal memory of the digital camera will allow. Different camera will
offer different removable storage
media options. Many older digital cameras simply allowed users to insert
a floppy disk to hold additional files. Now cameras offer a variety of removable storage
media such as Smart Media cards, CompactFlash, PC cards, memory
sticks or even CDs. In most cases, removable storage
media is easy-to-use and it can be erased and used again.
See the "Removable
Storage Reference" in the
Quick Reference
section of Webopedia
docking station
With some digital cameras you may be able to upgrade to or purchase a
docking station. Generally, you will attach the docking station to your
computer, then attach the camera to the docking station. Docking
stations provide you with an easy way of
downloading your pictures to
your computer and provide the means to recharge the digital camera's
batteries. Some docking stations may also have simple one button options
to e-mail photos.
video capability
Many digital cameras today offer some sort of
video capture. In most
cases, it is simply a matter of changing the camera capture setting,
clicking a button to start recording your video and clicking it again to
stop. Digital cameras generally allow 15-20 seconds of continuous video
capture up to several minutes. It is important to remember that video
capture can really eat up your storage space and you should consider
removable storage media if taking quick videos will be something you do
frequently. Most video capture on digital cameras run at a
resolution of
320x240. This resolution works fine for playback on your computer, but
if you plan to do video editing and run these on your television you
need to look into cameras which offer a video resolution of at least 640
x 480.
image editing features
Most digital cameras will come with a plethora of image features that
allow you to change
color balance, exposure, remove
red-eye, add
borders and more. While these features can be useful, it is important
to remember that these things can all be done with some basic graphics
and photo-editing software after the photos have been transferred to
your computer.
Digital Camera Price Points
Like most
technology, as time passes prices go down, features increase and
last year's hot models are heading towards the obsolete pile. Interestingly enough,
according to Lyra Research, worldwide digital camera shipments rose
to approximately 98 million units in 2006. Lyra Research forecast
also projects worldwide digital camera shipments, excluding
cellphones with cameras, to exceed 130 million units in 2010.
This quick price
comparison will provide you with a basic knowledge of where price
points currently lie in digital cameras, and what standards
(megapixels and optical zoom) you can find within various price ranges.
|
Megapixels |
Optical Zoom |
Price Range |
|
6.0 |
3x |
Less than $150 |
| 7.1, 7.2 |
3x, 3.4x, |
Between $150 and $175 |
| 8.0 |
3x, 4x |
Between $200 and
$250 |
| 8.0 |
10x |
Between $280 and
$300 |
| 10, 10.1, 10.2 |
7x to 20x |
Between $350 and
$550 |
| 12 |
3x |
Between $220 and
$300 |
| 12 |
7x, 10x and
higher |
$350 and higher
(with professional SLR cameras in this range starting at the
$800 range.) |
From Digital Images to Prints
Regardless of the
resolution of your digital images, you will always be limited to
your printer resolution if you decide to print your photos. One of
the best ways to help decide on which printer to buy is to determine
if the printer will be used for tasks other than printing digital
photos, and to estimate the total printing cost including paper and
ink. Other things to consider include the quality of color photo
printing the printer will do.
Color Ink Jet Printers
Basic inkjet printers generally will produce nice output onto photo
quality paper. Many color inkjet printers will print up to 4800x1200
dpi
within a $100 price range. For a better quality photo printing you can
start looking at additional features such as printers that support black
& white and color ink
cartridges and photo color cartridges. You'll also
want to make sure the printer can handle a wide variety of paper types,
sizes and thickness. When choosing an inkjet printer it is important to
look at the cost of replacement ink cartridges. You may find a great
inkjet printer for $100, but you may be looking at upwards of $50 or $60
to replace the cartridges when they run out of ink.
Digital Photo Printers
Digital photo printers are printing devices dedicated to the one task of
photo printing. They are usually limited to using just glossy paper, but
you may can use smaller paper sizes, like 4x6 for example. Some of
these dedicated photo printers will accept a maximum of 4x6 paper.
Photo printers also offer convenient features for digital image printing
such as printing directly from a camera or removable storage device.
Dedicated photo printers use a technology called thermal-dye which
allows the output to be printed in 256 different shades of the primary
colors. While these printers usually produce images at around 300x300
dpi, the amount of color shades will produce photos as sharp and focused
as photos printed on a 1200x4800 dpi inkjet printer. Another attractive
feature of digital photo printers is, of course, their size. They are
quite small and this makes traveling with your camera and printer an
easy task.
Online & Retail Store
Digital Photo Processing
For those not too keen on printing their digital images at home you do
have other options. The vast majority of retail stores and specialty
photo shops which offer traditional film and negative photo processing
services also offer digital printing services. If you have a CD-ROM
writer, you can burn your images to a CD and drop it off at local photo
processing outlets just like you would traditional film. To gain a
competitive edge however, many outlets offer online services which allow
you to upload your digital images online, select print sizes, and place
an order. You would then either select a store location to pick up your
prints or pay a few extra dollars and have the prints delivered to your
door. Having your digital images printed for you is not as expensive as
one might think.
You can expect to pay as low as 19 cents each for a 4x6 photo up to $3
for an 8x10 print.
Different Types of Photo Quality Paper
If you've decided on
an inkjet printer, the next step will be to choose the right type of
paper for the job. For photo printing you need to purchase specialty
inkjet photo quality paper. This paper is designed to prevent ink
from spreading out during printing and will result in nice sharp and
clear photo prints. From matte to glossy and iron on transfers, here
are some of the many types paper you'll want to know about before
buying!
Glossy Paper
Glossy photo quality paper is designed to make printed photos look sharp
and vibrant. Handling of glossy paper is important as the paper can
quickly and easily be marred by fingerprints and dirt. Glossy photo
paper comes in several varieties including a specialty color
protect/color life paper, semi-gloss, and premium (professional) grade.
Matte Paper
Unlike Glossy paper, matte paper produces nice quality prints but does
not have that vibrant color finish. Matte paper is not vulnerable to
being marred by fingerprints and it produces a non-glare photo.
Types of matte inkjet paper include photo quality matte, premium
(professional) grade, double-sided matte, and semi-matte.
Specialty Inkjet Paper
Specialty paper will come in a variety of finishes from matte, to glossy
to satin, and then some! Generally you'll find a huge selection of
specialty papers to suit any project. Types of specialty paper include
photo quality cardstock, greeting card stock, photo quality stickers,
labels, transparencies, and even iron-on transfers.
By Vangie Beal, Webopedia.com
Last updated: January 15, 2009
Consumer Digital Cameras
HP Digital Photography Products
Information and specifications on HP's line
of digital cameras and photo quality printers.
Kodak Consumer Photography Website
Information and specifications on
Kodak's line of digital cameras, accessories, printers, photo paper,
processing, batteries, & more.
FujiFilm Consumer Digital Camera Products
Information and specifications on Fujifilm's line of digital cameras and
accessories.
Digital Camera
Manufactures
This camera database contains over 400 listings of digital camera models
with full specifications.
Digital Photography & Image Reference Guides
Megapixel.net
Megapixel.net provides news, reviews and a active community for digital camera and photography
enthusiasts.
Digital Camera Buying Guide
An excellent resource for digital camera reviews, how-to articles &
more.
Photoxels Article:
Optical vs. Digital Zoom
An excellent reference article which answers common questions about
optical and digital zoom, photo resolution and megapixels.
Howstuffworks "How Digital Camera Work"
Describes how a digital camera and its functions work.
Choosing a Photo Printer
An excellent resource for those looking to purchase a printer for at
home digital image printing
Tech Guide: Photo printing paper
You can buy almost as many photo paper types
as you can photo printers. This article explains the differences, and
how to get the best archival quality prints.
