Digital Cameras: The Shutterbug Guide
With 35mm film cameras, it used to take days, or even weeks, before you could find out if your vacation photos turned out or not. Then your photos would be stored in one of those photo albums with the acid-free sticky pages or slide carousels and they’d never see the light of day. Today’s shutterbug can have their work posted live on the internet within seconds of being shot for the entire world to see.
Quite possibly the largest individual technology jump in the digital revolution is the transition from film cameras to digital cameras (aka digicams). Whether you shoot one photo a month or 200 shots a day, they’ve become so inexpensive and easy to use that it is feasible to take high-quality wedding photos with a digicam, right out of the box.
Let’s take a look into point-and-shoot digital cameras and the more advanced digital SLRs (dSLR) and help guide you to the digicam that’s just right for you. We will also describe to you the features and functions that make digital photography fun.
WHAT IS IN YOUR VIEWFINDER?
Buying a camera that suits your needs and fits your budget will provide years of service and headache-free use. The #1 mistake consumers make is not buying a camera they’ll outgrow in a few months; it is buying a camera that is way beyond what they really need. If you’re just taking photos a couple times a year, a 15MP dSLR camera capable of producing poster-sized images by the thousands is simply more camera than you’ll ever need.
Deciding what you’re really going to take photos of will keep you in freeze frame mode once the newness has worn off. What’s left will be a tool that will take images of vacations, weddings, birthdays, and dozens of zoomed-in shots of flowers and bugs. Your family and friends might even begin to avoid you once they see you armed with your camera to take yet another photo.
In simplest terms, are you going to stay in an automatic mode or are you becoming a self-taught student of photography? This will separate the simple (point-and-shoot) for the sophisticated (dSLR). What’s the difference between the two?
POINT-AND-SHOOT
This category has three different types of cameras; standard, sleek and slim, and advanced. The advanced point-and-shoot can have the physical appearance of a dSLR but still have the more automatic usage and basic attributes. Cameras in this category are easy to use, have minimal settings and adjustments, and will get the job done. Essentially, these cameras operate mostly on auto mode and all you do press the button; hence, point-and-shoot.
For a first-time buyer or a camera for a teenager, these cameras are the least expensive and are perfect for taking photos for social networking websites and e-mailing images to friends and family. A sleek and slim model can easily fit into your purse or center console in your car. Here are some examples of point-and-shoot cameras available from hhgregg:
dSLR
By definition, a dSLR is a digital single-lens reflex camera. These are the tools and best friend of the serious amateur and the pro photographer. If you’re shopping for one of these works of art, chances are you find out what all the buttons and switches do and you’ll go through every menu on the LCD screen. Photography is in your blood and your camera is your most-prized possession. These cameras are larger in size and provide options and features only available on dSLR cameras. One of these features is the ability to change lenses. Here are some examples of dSLR cameras available from hhgregg:
MEGAPIXELS
Probably the most common qualifying specification you’ll hear about digicams is the grand total of megapixels. Judging a camera based solely on megapixels is a mistake. Although there is some truth to the amount of megapixels being an overall indicator of a camera’s quality and capability, it is a mistake to judge a camera based solely on that one factor.
What is a megapixel anyway? Mega means ‘one million’ so when you add it to ‘pixels,’ it becomes one million pixels. For example, a digicam rated at 7.2 megapixels has a maximum individual image capturing size capability of 7,200,000 pixels (cameras are usually rounded up in their megapixels rating).
The term megapixel is used to calculate the total number of image sensor elements in all digital images. A digital camera with an array of 3096 x 2320 image sensor elements will be rated at 7.2 megapixels (3,096 x 2,320 = 7,182,720 pixels) – rounded up that would be a 7.2 megapixel camera.
Another way to view the image sensor elements is to look at the aspect ratio of the image. The 3096 x 2320 image is displayed at an aspect ratio of 4:3 (1.33:1). What do these numbers mean?
4:3 = for every 4 pixels wide, the image is 3 pixels tall
1.33:1 = means the width of the image is 1.33 times one full length of the height
OPTICAL ZOOM vs. DIGITAL ZOOM vs. SmartZoom
Which is better, optical zoom or digital zoom? Now that’s a question for the ages. Since only one of them, optical zoom, is really zooming (movement of the optics) closer to and away from an object, then hands down, optical zoom wins. But, what do the ratings imprinted on the side of your camera mean if it states 10x Optical Zoom and 4x Digital Zoom? First, let’s define exactly what optical and digital zooming are and then we’ll put them head-to-head along with SmartZoom.
Optical Zoom
As the name implies, optical zoom is optically zooming in closer to the image you see in the viewfinder or LCD screen. The range (e.g., 1x, 5x, 8x) of the lens is the ratio of the length of the lens when zoomed in close versus its length at the widest setting (no zoom at all). Quite literally, the lens moves in and out to adjust for the settings controlled by the photographer. If your camera is rated at 10x optical zoom, that is the maximum range of your optical zooming capabilities. You can still zoom in and take photos at 1x, 5x, 8x, etc.
Digital Zoom
This is literally an invention of the digicam revolution and really has nothing to do with optically zooming in closer to an image. The reason for adding digital zoom to optical zoom is twofold. One reason is better optics cost more money. So a camera lens setup that can zoom optically 14x would cost more than lenses rated at 10x. A lens zoom rated at 10x optical and 4x digital equals 14x zoom, right? Yes, but not exactly.
The 10x optical zoom is truly zooming in closer to the object 10 times closer. When your camera’s 10x optical zoom has reached its limit and you still want to move in closer to see the wings of a fly, your 4x digital zoom kicks in. But, it is not actually moving in closer to the image. The digital zoom is actually enlarging the pixel size, causing it to appear as though you’re zooming in further. But, you’re actually still at 10x zoom.
When you increase the pixel size of an image, you reduce the overall quality of the image. Interpolation, the act of digital zooming, enhances the image with some loss of image quality. You can achieve better results if you take the picture at the optical zoom limit and then use the tools available in image editing software such as Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro.
SmartZoom
There is even a third zoom to consider but just like digital, it isn’t a real zoom. Sony has developed a digicam feature they call SmartZoom. It is better than digital zoom in that there is no interpolation but instead, the image is cropped. For example, if you’ve shot a 5MP image the SmartZoom will only capture 3MP but will still obtain a full-quality zoom at the cost of megapixels. Once again though, you’re better off cropping your images in a photo editing software where you control where the crop is taking place and other attributes of the software (brightness, contrast, etc.).
Zoom Summary
Now that you know optical zoom, digital zoom, and SmartZoom, the decision is obvious. If you want real zoom power, optical zoom is the way to go. With digital zoom or SmartZoom, you’re either simulated zoom (interpolating) or cropping (losing resolution) – neither of which are zooming. Only use them if you have no other choice (e.g., no editing software).
PRINTING PHOTOS
You can run your own personal print shop from your desktop with today’s photo printers. With a high-quality image from your digicam, a good photo printer and photo paper, your local photo lab would be hard-pressed to outdo the job you can do at home for small quantities. But how do you match up print size to megapixels?
The chart below is a guide to ensure you get the best print possible. The .jpg from your camera was probably saved at .72ppi (pixels per inch) but to get a good print you’ll need at around 240ppi. To figure out what size your printed photo will be based off of your image resolution, divide the width and the height by your desired pixels per inch (in this case, 240ppi).
Another point to consider before printing is cropping the image. For example: if you start with a 5MP image that has a resolution of 1936 x 2584 and then you crop it to 1700 x 2300 to remove some of the background, you won’t be able to print it at 8″ x 10″ anymore without the image distorting. That’s because the image would have to be stretched to regain the original resolution of 1936 x 2584. This is especially important if your cropping isn’t proportional. If you end up cropping more of the image’s height than width or vice versa, then the image won’t be at the 4:3 (1.33:1) aspect ratio anymore.
ACCESSORIES
Don’t forget the accessories you’ll need like a bag to transport your camera. You don’t want to invest all your money into the camera itself and then be short of cash in the final outlay when you discover some other goodies you’ll need to take that perfect shot.
Although you’d think some accessories such as a bag or at least one digital memory card would be included in the original packaging, this is usually not the case. Review your what’s inside roster before taking your camera home and you’re way anxious to take some photos only to find there are no batteries, memory card, etc.
Other items to consider when purchasing your camera are:
- Memory Cards
- Spare Batteries
- Bag/Case
- Recharger
- Additional Lenses (for DSLR only)
- External Flashes
- Tripod/Monopod
If you already have some camera gear and it’s still in good shape, check to see if it is compatible with the camera you’ve got your heart set on. The money you save recycling your old gear can extend your buying power for the ultimate dSLR.
DIGITAL PHOTO STORAGE
Along with the transition from 35mm cameras to digital cameras, came the change from using film to store images to digital media to store images. There are two key differences between the film of yesterday and the advances in digital media of today.
- Large Storage Capacity – One roll of 35mm film might store 36 images while one SanDisk Extreme III compact flash card holds 32GB. Instead of being restricted to just 36 shots per roll of film, a photographer could go camera crazy while not worrying about developing costs or wasting film.
- Reuse & Reuse & Reuse – Unlike 35mm film, images stored on digital media can be stored indefinitely, altered and the saved again, copied and/or moved to other digital media and hard drives, or deleted altogether to make space for a new image.
The make or model of your camera will be directly associated with the media used in your camera. Some digital cameras have built-in hard drives that can store a few images before requiring the use of removable storage media. There are several types of removable digital media available on the market today.
- CompactFlash (CF)
- Memory Stick
- xD Picture Card
- Secure Digital (SD)
- MultiMediaCard (MMC)
- SmartMedia
- Mini CD-R R/W
To learn more about digital media, read our Learning Center article entitled “Digital Film – Flash Memory Storage for Digital Devices.”
FINAL THOUGHTS
A new digital camera can easily bring out the novice or pro photographer in all of us. Create, store, change, e-mail, post, and share; the possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Don’t eschew or sally forth the world of digital cameras; embrace it and you’ll be rewarded with images that will amaze your eyes and capture memories that will last lifetimes and beyond.
Now that you can chat megapixels, zoom, and digital storage with the best of them, following these easy steps and you’ll be saying, “Smile everybody!” in no time.
STEP 1 – Set a budget.
STEP 2 – Decide what you’ll be using your camera for.
STEP 3 – Choose between point-and-shoot and dSLR.
STEP 4 – Select megapixels, zoom, and storage media to fit your needs.
STEP 5 – Pick out other accessories you’ll need (bag, batteries, etc.).
STEP 6 – Have fun!
And lastly, cameras don’t take great photos, photographers do.
To browse hhgregg’s digital camera selection including lenses, storage media, digital picture frames, printers, and more, click here.
Still have questions? – feel free to speak with an hhgregg associate. We offer the best-educated associates in the business who are smart enough to make it simple. Price and Advice Guaranteed!
