Digital Cameras

If you want to include pictures in a document on the computer, two options are available to you: take the pictures using a regular camera and scan them into the computer or use a digital camera. Until recently most people opted for the later because of the cost associated with buying a digital camera. Now that a digital camera can be purchased for as little as $200, more people are starting to look at it as an affordable tool.

There are several things to consider when purchasing a digital camera. Brand name is probably one of the first things that people use to narrow the field of choices. Most of the standard camera companies such as Kodak, Nikon, Canon, Olympus and Fuji make digital cameras, along with some computer / electronics companies such as Epson, Sony and Casio.

After choosing a handful of brands to consider, you should then determine the quality (resolution) of pictures you require. The higher the resolution, the clearer the picture. Digital picture resolutions are measured in megapixels, which are approximately equivalent to millions of pixels. Current digital cameras advertise maximum resolution rates ranging from 1 to 3 megapixels. Cameras often have three different resolution settings because the higher the resolution the more memory required. Digital pictures that are solely for use on the computer, in webpages or computer presentations, don’t need to be high resolution. Higher resolution pictures are preferable if you plan to print and/or enlarge your pictures.

Once you have an idea of the resolution you require, then you should be able to determine the amount of memory you will need. Digital cameras store pictures as computer files on removable memory inside the camera. Most digital cameras come with a CompactFlash memory card that looks like a very small floppy disk. These memory cards come in varying capacities and are relatively expensive. For example, a typical 20-MB card might cost close to $120.00. A small number of cameras, mostly by Sony, use standard high-density floppy disks. What does all of this mean? More memory general means that you can take more pictures before needing to switch the memory card or download the pictures into a computer. Determining the amount of sufficient memory is difficult because the amount of memory required for one picture can vary significantly depending on the resolution and the type of graphic format used to store the picture. Most cameras store pictures in JPEG format but some cameras provide the option of saving in the much larger uncompressed TIFF format. Now, before you give up completely on trying to sort out memory, most companies provide Specification Sheets for specific cameras that tell you how many pictures you can take at the various resolution levels and the amount of memory that comes with that camera.

Another factor that indirectly affects the number of pictures you can take is the power source. You can’t take any pictures if you run out of power. Choices include regular alkaline batteries, lithium batteries, nickel cadmium (NiCd) batteries or AC adapters. NiCd batteries are the longest lasting power source other than an AC adapter, which isn’t practical in most cases. How often are you a few feet from an electrical outlet when you want to take a picture? Whatever battery choice you make, rechargeable batteries and a charger are a must; taking and viewing pictures drains batteries quickly.

Zoom, automatic focus and flash controls on digital cameras are generally similar to those of regular cameras, although, optical zoom is preferable to digital zoomwhen comparing zoom levels.

You can use the LCD display screen which is standard on most digital cameras, to preview your pictures. After you've taken several pictures, the next step is to transfer your pictures to the computer. If your camera uses a floppy disk then this step is as easy as inserting the floppy disk into the computer. Because floppy disks are so small, most of us are likely to be dealing with a CompactFlash memory card. In this case, most cameras come with a USB cable that connects the camera to the computer. You use this cable and software from the company to download the pictures off the memory card and onto your computer. Alternatively, many companies also sell a memory card “reader” that connects to a port in your computer. In this scenario you would remove the card from the camera and insert it into the reader that is connected to your computer. This has its advantages if many different people are going to be sharing the same camera; each person could keep his/her own memory card and have access to it without needing to have possession of the camera.

Once on your computer, the only thing left to do is view, edit and print your pictures. Many digital cameras come packaged with third party software such as Adobe PhotoDeluxe to assist you in doing this. This software is a definite bonus but you should remember to check that all of the software is compatible with your computer.