Camera & Accessories Search

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Digital Photography 101

By George Blade

Are you thinking of purchasing a digital camera, but don't know where to start? Read on for some beginners' basics.

How to Pick a Camera

One of the most important tools needed when adding digital photography to your lifestyle, is the tool itself. What type of camera should you buy? What makes a digital camera good or better? In actuality it boils down to four major features plus the type of software that's packaged with the camera. The four features include: resolution, lens aperture, lens zoom range, lens quality and software.

Resolution is one of the most important features to consider. The resolution is the number of pixels in the captured image, which basically means that the higher your camera's resolution, the more detailed and clear your pictures will be.

Lens zoom range refers to how close you will be able to zoom in on your subject while keeping your distance. A zoom lens has a variable focal length, which determines the magnification of the lens. Most digital cameras have a 3x zoom, which allows you to get really close to the subject in your photo without making the photo blurry.

How to Get Started

After you have purchased your camera, you'll be able to immediately start having some fun. Ideally, you will want to play around and get used to the features that your camera has, take some family shots, shots of pets, objects around the house and things like flowers, plants and trees. In that way, you will become familiar with the settings and the different conditions that your camera can handle.

Getting On Your Computer

Once you've taken a fair amount of photos, you're going to want to transfer them either for printing or display. With a regular camera, you could expect about one in twenty-four shots to be good. When you sent your film to the shop, or started developing it yourself, you'd have to remind yourself not to be disappointed that what you saw in your head didn't transfer to the shot.

That won't happen with digital photography. A digital camera uses a memory card instead of film, meaning that you have total control over which shots you keep. When you take a photo you can immediately see what it looks like on the screen of your camera. If you don't like it, you just delete it.

From time to time you will want to transfer your digital images onto your computer. Because everything is digital, photographers tend to take and amass a larger collection than they would with a traditional camera. The reason for this is that you can file them all on your computer and simply print the ones that you like. You can also take your memory card to your local drugstore, mall store or camera shop and have photos printed directly from your card.

With photo retouching software you can also play around with the shading, tones and crispness, as well as eliminate red-eye.

Many folks still like to have hard copy printouts of their photos while others are content to store their images on their computers for viewing in slide show or screensaver mode. You can also share images electronically via email and digital upload sites with friends and families.

In the end, digital photography has provided the average picture taker with an exciting and versatile way to take pictures that will rapidly become an ongoing hobby.

About the Author:

No comments: