Removing Spot Scratches in Your Treasured Photos – 5 Minute Digital Fix

Writen by Gary Wilkinson

Probably one of the most common problems you will be faced with in doing any type of digital photo restoration work will be to do with spot scratches on your old photos.

When we first look at those old black and white or early colour photos they often have small scratch marks and spots on them from being stored incorrectly.

These small spot scratches are easily perceived by your eye when you are looking at the photo, detracting from the overall subject matter.

Here is a very easy quick fix using Adobe Photoshop’s History Brush tool.

Our example “before” image on our web-site has numerous small spot scratches on the old sepia toned photograph.

The basic removal method described here can quickly and effortlessly bring those scratched photos back to (almost) their former glory using the History Brush Tool found in Photoshop.

This basic technique works extremely well for those types of images that have spot scratches in areas of the photo that do not contain a lot of detail.

As you can see in our example image on the web-site, the spots tend to be primarily on the background of the photo, making it ideal for this correction method.

Step – 1

Having opened up the image in Photoshop we will first apply the Dust and Scratches filter by selecting Filter->Noise->Dust & Scratches …

Set the Threshold to between 1 and 4 (I generally start with 1) and then increase the Radius until you see the spot scratches disappear.

Our example image on the web-site finally made the largest spot scratch on the left hand side of the photo disappear at a Threshold of 3 and Radius of 10.

All well and good but our image is now totally blurred!! Not really what we wanted to see is it?

This is where the History Brush tool comes into play.

Step – 2

Open up the History Palette by selecting Window->History if you cannot see the window already open.

We are going to create a “Snapshot” of the current state of the image in question by clicking on what looks like a little image of a camera at the bottom of the History Palette window (see the red arrow on the web-site image).

After clicking you will notice that the History Palette now shows an extra image icon called “Snapshot 1″.

This is a snapshot of the image that includes the effect of apply the Dust & Scratches Filter in Step 1.

Now click on the little square box to the left of Snapshot 1.

You will see a little “brush” icon appear which is now telling us that the “Snapshot 1″ image will be used as our “source” when we paint with the History Brush.

Remember … this snapshot image actually has none of the spot scratches on it because we made them disappear by applying the Dust & Scratches filter in Step 1.

Step – 3

Make the original (un-touched) history snapshot active by clicking on it (in the case of our example image this is “Restore-Before-Image.jpg”).

Select the History Brush from the main toolbar (this has the same icon as the little “brush” icon that appeared in the History Palette window).

We are now ready to “paint away” those spot scratches!!

Step – 4

I’m going to zoom in on the largest scratch on the left hand side of the photo to show you how we use the History Brush.

We selected the History Brush in Step 3.

Select an appropriate brush size and soft edges.

We now need to decide how to apply the brush to the scratches in question.

You will notice that the scratches in our example image are “lighter” than the surrounding image.

Step – 5

We need to paint “darker” pixels and as such we set the History Brush Mode: to “Darken” (Top Menu Bar option when you have the History Brush as the active tool).

This has the effect of “telling the History Brush” to only replace pixels on the original image with pixels from our snapshot if the snapshot pixel is darker.

Start to paint over the scratches and see what happens.

The scratches start to miraculously disappear as you paint over them.

They are being replaced with the underlying snapshot image pixels you created in Step 1.

The benefit of using this techniques is that you have complete control over which parts of the original image you “paint over” so as not to blur important details of the image had you just applied a Dust & Scratches filter to the whole image.

Now what if your scratches are darker than the surrounding image, I hear you ask?

Easy!! … just use a History Brush Mode: of “Lighten” instead of “Darken”.

You can experiment with all of the History Brush options – Mode, Opacity and Flow until you get the desired result.

The resulting “After” image has had all of the spot scratches removed easily without compromising on the photographic detail of the image.

And there you have it!! Less than five minutes of digital image manipulation to remove those unwanted spot scratches.

If you find the steps taking are a little hard to understand in this text based article, you can click on the link at the end of this article to see the same method explained on our website with the aid of example graphical images.

© Gary Wilkinson 2005 – All Rights Reserved

You can see this removal method complete with example images at Basic removal of Spot Scratches in Photos

Feel free to re-print this article provided that all hyperlinks and author biography are retained as-is.

Gary Wilkinson is a photographer, photographic restorer and the owner of a photographic retail business.

He is also the publisher of the http://www.restoring-photos-made-easy.com website, where other methods of correcting common photographic restoration problems are discussed.

Portrait Photography- Skiing Photos That Sell- Location, Location, Location

Writen by Brandon Baumgarten

Every year folks from around the world head up to ski resorts for their winter vacation. Many of them will have their photos taken by the on-mountain professional photographer at the scenic overlook at the top of the mountain. The prints that they purchase will be taken home, framed and cherished as their most valuable possessions.

One of the most important factors, is being in the right place at the right time. There are many variables to consider, such as deciding where to set up your photography shop on the mountain. Lets take a look at some.

The weather is a big factor in determining where the best zone is to photograph clients. Because the weather can change minute by minute, shooting zone flexibility is the key. If your zone becomes fogged in, MOVE, it could be that 1000′ down the mountain the view is great.

The “hot zone” on a blue sky day is typically the best view from the top of the ski hill. When the weather is good you will capture the most pictures from the best scenic overlook on the mountain. Families, couples, singles and groups will ski right up and even wait in line on these picture perfect days. Harvest the hay while the sun is shining. Do a good job with your groups, squeeze as much as you can out of each one by doing your breakdowns. By breakdowns I mean a group shot, then just the kids, then mom-n-dad, then individual photos of each kid. Work it, when they go to buy their pictures, the more you shoot the more they buy.

The hot zone on a snowy day is typically the most wind protected area of the mountain. Another important factor when the weather is inclement is your backdrop, so if possibe pick a spot with beautiful trees for the background. The prettier the trees are, the better. People will definitely buy photos taken while it is snowing, especially if they have snow laden branches or are from areas like Florida where it doesn’t snow.

The time of the day may effect your zone choice too. If there is a good view from the deck where everyone meets for lunch, it’s a great opportunity to get everyone while they are altogether and not zooming around the mountain. It can be a challenge getting folks to slow down long enough for a photo shoot. Try setting up at the on-mountain lodge (if it has a good view), particularly during the busy periods, like the holidays and spring break. Try to set up in view of the outdoor eating area, so everyone sees you working, interested groups will come over to you. If it slows down, youcan go over and work the crowd.

At large ski areas where skiers only ride a particular lift once in the morning, just to get to the upper lifts. You can be busy in the morning, then really slows down when everybody’s up there skiing, so move.

Shadows and lighting change throughout the day and some locations can become completely unshootable in the afternoon. A zone thats hot at 2pm may not be by 3pm, as it gets swallowed up by the long afternoon shadows from the tall Mountains. Move to a spot with better light, people are getting tired and now they will slow down long enough for a quick shot.

If you work for a company that assigns you a specific zone to shoot and you have to shoot it hot or not, and at the moment it’s not. Cover your zone the best you can, stay enthusiastic and energetic you will get something, and it could be the best money group of the day!

If you cover your zone, hot or not, your manager will be more likely to give you a hot zone on future assignments. Hone your photography skills and be dependable. You’ll start getting the best location.

I have been a top professional photographer at several western ski resorts including Vail and Breckenridge Colorado, Brighton Utah, Grand Targhee Wyoming and Heavenly California. The season starts Thanksgiving and ends in April. I have exceeded $100,000 in sales in one season, a few times. Now I live in South Lake Tahoe, California and have been a photographer at Heavenly Resort for the last couple of seasons. Check out some of my portrait and action pictures at freelancephotographerjobs.com then click on “Main Gallery” in the side bar. I also publish a blog at lookatyourphotos.blogspot.com Brandon Baumgarten “The Flow”

Digital Cameras – Quality vs Size

Writen by Sara Wells

When looking to purchase a new digital camera there is always the debate between size and quality within the range of your budget. No matter what the budget, the choice will have to be made between a smaller size, more portable camera and a higher resolution camera with more features. Making the choice between the two is simply a matter off considering what the camera’s purpose.

Digital camera users who plan to use a camera for simple point-and-shoot purposes will want to focus their budget on a small, portable camera. These individuals are most likely using their camera to document travels, family events, and personal experiences for their own memory. The photos don’t need to be or a super high resolution because they will not be blown up to poster size, but will remain 4 x 6 or 5 x 7 in a frame on the mantel. It is important to consider that when size is traded for quality, while the photos will be higher quality, users may be less inclined to take photos as the size of the camera becomes a hindrance to taking it along for the fun.

Photographers who are more interested in the end product will want to sacrifice size for a higher resolution camera or one with more features and/or accessories. The bulkier high-resolution cameras or digital SLRs will be the better choice for users who are taking artistic or professional photographs. Even the amateur artist, will want to invest in quality over size to produce the kind of photos that can be enlarged to show detail. Cameras used for professional shots, whether to be displayed in a portfolio, brochure or website, will also need to be of higher quality, and it will be worth hefting the extra weight to get the higher-end photos.

Knowing the type of photographer you are, will help you make the right choice in cameras. When you have an idea of what characteristics are most important to you, take the time to shop, read the reviews, and compare the various cameras in your price range.

Sara Wells is a successful writer for CameraPieces.com. She provides information and details on cameras and accessories on her website.

Heavenly-Opportunity: Must Have Software for Landscape Photographers

Writen by Patty Hankins

As landscape photographers, one of the great challenges is knowing when to be at a location for either sunrise, sunset, moonrise or moonset. We recently purchased a software program Heavenly-Opportunity that makes this task much easier for photographers in the United States.

Heavenly-Opportunity accurately predicts the time and location for each of these events, as well as the phase of the moon for over 30,000 locations in the US. The program includes information for much more than just about every city or town in the country. It also includes information on 500 National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and recreation areas and 2500 names lakes, mountains or other named geographic feature In the past we had to find information for the nearest major city, now we can have information about the exact location we’re planning on shooting at. On my recent trip to Cape Cod, I knew exactly when I had to be on the beach in the Cape Cod National Seashore to get the sunrise photos I wanted.

In addition, the software allows you to enter a latitude and longitude and get information for a specific place. This is a great feature if you are GPS to determine your location.

Another wonderful feature is the ability to search for specific criteria for a location – and determine what dates you should plan on shooting. For example, we’ve been wanting to get a photo of the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol Building with a full moon over the Capitol. We know where to take the photo from (the US Marine Corps Memorial in Arlington, VA), that if the moon comes up between roughly 80 – 100 degrees and if moonrise after sunset – we should be able to get the image we want. With Heavenly-Opportunities, I know that my opportunities for taking the photo in the next year will be on either September 8, 2006, October 7, 2006, February 2, 2007 or March 4, 2007. Needless to say, all of these dates are already in our calendar.

In a previous newsletter, we have already reviewed another program, Ephemeris, which gives the times for sunrise and sunset and positions of the sun and moon. Ephemeris has three main advantages over Heavenly Opportunity: 1) the interface is a little easier to use, 2) it has a version available for the Pocket PC, so that we can carry it into the field with us more easily, and 3) it’s free. If we’re going out into the field and want to know when tonight’s sunset or moonrise is, then we tend to use Ephemeris. The two main advantages of Heavenly Opportunity over Ephemeris are the much larger number of locations included in the program and the search function. The search function alone is well worth the cost of the software. If we’re planning trips, we use this program to plan where and when to be. We wouldn’t mind if future versions of Heavenly-Opportunity addressed the first two issues; we certainly won’t begrudge paying a reasonable fee for valuable software.

Heavenly-Opportunity is distributed as shareware by Fossil Creek Software of Fort Collins, CO. You can use an unlicensed version for 30 days. After than, you really should purchase the license. The cost for a licensed version is $ 24.95. The license allows you to install as many copies of the program as you need – we have it installed on both our desktop machines and our laptop.

As far as we are concerned, Heavenly-Opportunity is must- have software for landscape photographers. We really encourage everyone to go to the Fossil Creek site and download the trial version. Be sure to buy your copy before the 30 day trial period is up. Once you start using Heavenly-Opportunity – you will wonder how you ever got along without it.

Patty Hankins & Bill Lawrence are the co-owners of Hankins-Lawrence Images, LLC, a photography company based in Maryland. HLI Photonotes, their ezine, provides information and tips for photographers. To subscribe email hl_images@earthlink.net with subscribe in the subject or visit http://www.hankinslawrenceimages.com.

Finding a Digital Camera at Wholesale Price Without Getting Swindled

Writen by Chris Simons

There is a vast number of different makes and models of digital cameras, and thousands of companies online selling digital cameras. So how do you sort through all the information to find a great digital camera at a wholesale price? Digital cameras are available in several price points and can be purchased wholesale or retail. So, what do you do if you want the best at the cheapest price?

Let the internet help you. There are numerous internet services called “price comparison engines” that search the internet for the best available price on any product. All you have to do is type in what you are looking for. It is a good idea to check on about ten different price comparison search engines so that you find the absolute best prices. This however only works if you know exactly what you are looking for. If you aren’t sure what make you want you will want to do some preliminary research. Go to electronics stores and try different cameras out. This will help you get a feel for what features you want or dislike and can do without.

Another option is to talk to friends and family and see if there are at least a few people that are also looking for a digital camera. If you can find a camera you all agree on and buy more than one camera with the same information you will most likely be able to get a better deal. Manufacturers give some generous discounts for buyers purchasing more than one item at a time.

Looking for wholesale prices can bring up some less than reliable companies promising items at amazing prices. Before you buy anything or give any information make sure you check out the company or website to be sure they are legitimate. Watch out for these signs when looking for a cheap digital camera.

Understanding What the Anti Dust Feature is in Digital SLR Cameras

Writen by Ziv Haparnas

Digital cameras use a sensor known as CCD in order to convert light energy to pixels. Dust that accumulates on the CCD can result in black pixels or imperfections in the photo as it blocks light energy from hitting parts of the CCD. We will go over a few solutions for eliminating dust on the CCD.

The CCD sensor is located behind the reflex mirror in a digital SLR camera. When taking a photo the mirror moves and lets the light coming through the lenses hit the CCD which then converts the light to a series of pixels comprising the digital photo. Most of the time the camera is closed and dust can not penetrate it. Some cameras might not be completely sealed against dust resulting in dust penetrating he camera’s body even with the lenses installed. However in most cases the majority of dust exposure is when lenses are replaced. During that time the camera is open and exposed to air and dust.

In order to minimize dust on the CCD make sure that you minimize the time in which the camera is open and exposed to air. For example when changing lenses make sure that you are in a relatively clean environment and that you have the second lenses handy. Try to avoid changing lenses when in windy or dusty environment. Never take the lenses off a camera and leave the body open and exposed – either install other lenses or put a seal on the body to prevent dust penetration.

Even with careful care dust will eventually find its way into the camera and on the CCD. There are a few ways to get rid of that dust. Depending on your camera some of them will not be available to you.

Active dust removal:

Most new SLR cameras include some sort of active dust removal mechanism. The most common one is anti dust vibration. This solution removes dust from the sensor by vibrating it in high frequency for a short period of time. Vibrating the CCD will result in dust falling off the CCD or “dancing its way” from the CCD. Different cameras turn the anti dust vibration at different times. Some cameras turn it on every time the camera is switched on, some every time it is switched off and some both when the camera is switched on and when it is switched off. Other cameras turn the vibration on periodically or let the user turn it manually.

Cameras that include an image stabilizer based on sensor movement usually also include anti dust vibration since they already include the mechanical part: a motor that can move the sensor and thus the anti dust vibration is a simply software addition.

Passive dust prevention:

Passive solution that tries to eliminate some of the causes for dust accumulating on the CCD. The main reason that draws dust to the CCD is static charge. Some manufacturers add an anti-static coating on the outer layer of the CCD (usually this is the low pass filter layer). By doing that the CCD is less likely to attract dust due to its static charge.

Manual dust removal:

Manual removal is simply a way for you to manually clean the CCD. When put in manual dust removal mode the camera moves the mirror and keeps it in a position where the CCD is exposed and is reachable. At that time you can try to blow off dust from the CCD for example by using an air blower. You could also use special cloth in order to clean the CCD but be very careful when doing that and make sure you read the manufacturers instructions for how to clean the CCD without damaging it. If you’re not sure how to clean the CCD it is better not to attempt cleaning as it can be easily damaged.

All dust removal methods have their limitations. Adhesive dust or other material is either very hard to clean or impossible to clean. Eliminating dust completely from the CCD is impossible but by applying care and the mentioned features most of the dust that results in photo imperfections can be avoided. For the casual photographer the built-in active or passive anti dust features should be enough and manual cleaning will not be needed.

Great Incomes for Artists and Photographers

Writen by Randy Redhawk

For Artists and Photographers they will be happy to know that Johnson’s Fine Art will be opening on the Internet soon at http://johnsonsart.com The company, owned by Jason Johnson, will specialize in fine art gallery canvas prints and large gallery mounted prints only. This gives experienced and new artists and photographers a great new venue for their works.

There is no monthly fee for the service, or ongoing fees of any kind, the artist or photographer actually has a sellers page to put their bio, works and even a link to their home page if they desire. Jason would prefer that the artists create their own page, but he does employ Tag Craig of http://am-nuke.net as web master for this gigantic project. There is no charge if the artist/photographer creates their home page.

All prints on the site come either in gallery canvas or mounted prints. Each piece comes with a free gallery style frame for canvas, or outstanding frame or mounted gallery frame. In most cases the buyer has the choice of free frames and in some cases the authors and photographers want the finished product to look as how they know it should look. Either way, the buyer of the print has choices and freebies. After all how many Art Galleries include a $100- $300 frame free with a purchase?

The artist can choose what sizes they want their work to be available in as well as the pricing. Most pieces on the site that I have seen, so far, range from $459.00 to over $2500 (usd) depending upon the size. The artist gives their price for the smallest canvas or mounted print, and the other sizes are calculated from that.

Although I did not see an affiliate program as yet, you may want to keep in mind that most affiliate programs give about 15% of the cost. Keep that in mind when setting your price. I am sure the site will have an affiliate program before they open.

This is a great opportunity for the advanced hobbyist to professional photographer to earn their keep and a natural resource for any starving artist to supplement their income. The site will require the actual scanned 4×6 at 300-1200dpi (@ 1222% for 30×40) or better print for testing to see what the maximum size can be. Of course if you have an 11×14 print your scan will be less. They will also need a 300 pixel wide thumbnail that Johnson’s Art will watermark to keep folks from reprinting. Although they are still setting up, you can get a sneak preview.

To get your work listed and for the details, you can contact the web master: tag AT am-nuke.net he will have some of the questions I stated here for you and will set up each piece of your work exactly how you want it. The site is scheduled to open December first, but like most major sites that is an approximate date but as you can see the news is already going out and will probably have several major links before it even opens.

Randy Redhawk New Mexico, USA Contact: randy@rwpbooks.com Website: http://rwpbooks.com The father of five (four adoptions), Randy is a published novelist – Please visit his site at http://rwpbooks.com

Digital Photo Printer Reviews – Which Is Best For You?

Writen by Thad Pickering

The old days of sending your film out to be developed and waiting days to see what they looked like are quickly fading into the past as today’s photo printers make everything so much easier and quicker. Now all you have to do is just snap your photos, hook up your camera to the photo printer and in seconds your beautiful prints are pouring out before your very eyes. It’s really that simple!

Of course, you can also upload your photos to your computer and edit them before printing too. With all of the photo editing software that is available for use today, there is no reason that your photos can’t look like like they came straight from a photo lab as they come out of your printer. But which photo printer should you buy?

The term photo printer is often used for just the small specialized snapshot printers that only produce 4 X 6 photos and no enlargements, but these days even their larger brethren are being called photo printers since that is the main use that many folks are putting them to at home. Here are a few digital photo printer reviews to help you find a high quality printer for your needs:

If a snapshot printer happens to be all that you really need, a good unit to look into is the Epson PictureMate Deluxe Viewer Edition that comes with a 2.4 inch LCD preview screen and is really economical to operate, producing great 4 X 6 photos that only costs on average a little over 20 cents each.

If a larger inkjet photo printer is needed, the Canon Pixma iP4000 is almost universally agreed to be one of the best in it’s category. It uses four separate ink cartridges for improved image results and a special black ink that makes photos just pop off the page with contrast. It is also a great multi-function printer, but it makes an excellent photo printer as well.

For those who want even more professional results, and capability to print enlargements on up to 13 X 19 inches, the Canon i9900 would be a great selection. It uses 8 ink cartridges with 2 picoliter droplets to produce outstanding photo results, and can even print a 13 X 19 borderless print in under three minutes, making it blazing fast too.

Any of these digital photo printers would make a great choice, but we tried to select a printer for each level of photography from that of just wanting to print snapshots alone, to those who are more serious about their photography, and then even to the most demanding of serious photographers. All of these three printers have received very high marks from online independent and consumer reviews, so a selection of any one of them should be a very wise choice.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including digital photography. You can find photo printer reviews and the best professional digital photo printer by visiting our Digital Photography website.

What Digital-SLR-Photography is all About

Writen by Low Jeremy

The cameras of the past did not have that much clarity or depth. Even with the development of the lens which allows the user to focus in on images, this did not yet make photographers completely satisfied after a take.

Fortunately, the digital age has brought about the creation of the SLR camera. This single reflex unit allows the user to produce quality images from pressing the button till it comes out when it has been developed.

The SLR is quite expensive. One unit costs about $5,000 and upgrading the lens to reach farther will be another expense. This is probably why many advise to have this insured in case this gets lost or damaged.

Here are some of the known brands of SLR camera’s worth checking out in the market.

1. The first is the Nikon D2x digicam. Though its features are almost the same like others in the market, it comes with a GPS recorder so that the person can remember when and where it was taken so this can be done again.

The pictures can be downloaded to a laptop so the pictures can be printed or developed in the store.

2. Another great SLR camera is the Canon EOS-1DS Mark 2 Digicam. This model enables the person to shoot in any environment. This has better shots per second than the first one mentioned which is great for shooting moving objects.

3. The Kodak DCS Pro is another camera worth checking out. This lightweight model can use Nikon accessories and lenses to be able to get those shots that other units cant.

These units are just one of many that are available in the market. The price of each are not that far apart so it will really depend on how comfortable the user is. Some hobbyists have used one brand for a number of years and decided to stick to it.

In order to keep these in good condition, the owner must also know how to properly store or clean these items. The cover must always be placed on the lens when not in use and should be wiped after each use.

Some people who are not happy with the cover can use a filter which is better protection from dirt, fingerprints or crashes.

A lot of stores usually sell the SLR camera with a bag but others usually buy a bigger one to hold other equipment and accessories.

The digital SLR camera is one innovation that is here to say. Though it may hurt the pocket in getting one, the shots taken will be rewarding.

Mini Digital Camera

Writen by Mostafa Shabban

If you are constantly on the move and love to travel, then your best travel companion can be a mini digital camera. With its unique and easy to use features and its small and unique size, a mini digital camera is the most sought after thing in the present world for travelers and photographers. You don’t have to be a professional photographer to make use of this ultra compact camera. On the contrary, the enhanced resolution of the small sized camera can make you an extraordinary photographer by improving the quality of even the ordinary photographed items. While searching for a mini digital camera, there are a few features that you must make sure is present in the one you are purchasing.

Basic Features of Mini Digital Camera

Give due attention to the megapixel rating. This rating helps you to determine the amount of information that is stored with each and every photograph that you take. Megapixel rating is dependent on the resolution of the photograph that you take. Mini digital cameras may have a higher megapixel that can store more information. It also produces superior quality enlargements. Usually a minimum of 3 megapixels will suit your camera since most of the pictures taken are within 4X6.

Battery usage is another consideration to be made before purchasing a mini digital camera. Usually the bad cameras offer around 50 shots with a set of batteries. But make sure that your enhanced mini digital camera provides you with around 400-500 shots per set of battery. Also it is beneficial to use AA batteries since they are rechargeable and can be used for a longer duration of time. The AA batteries for a mini digital camera are economic in the long run.

It is best to select a mini digital camera that is fast. Time is taken by a digital camera to process an image after the pressing of the shutter. This time gap in between varies from camera to camera. There are some cameras that have a time gap of around 5 seconds where you have to wait for that long to take the second snap. Time can even be consumed by what is known as the shutter lag which is the time required for the autofocus mechanism to terminate and then trip the shutter to commence. Thus, while selecting your mini digital camera, make sure that it is really fast.

Another feature that you will have to keep in mind while buying a mini digital camera is the flexible optical zoom rate. Usually it is the zoom rate of 5X – 10X that provides you with better zoom in and also provides you with the necessary close-up shots.

There are a number of things that you can do with the help of your mini digital camera, all of which the film cameras will not allow you to do. In order to get the scanned images from the film cameras, you need to wait for the film to be processed and have to pay extra amount for this procedure. But with a digital camera, apart from being able to view it on the LCD screen immediately, all you need to do to scan the photographs is to store them on a reusable media chip. You can easily upload the photographs in your PC and edit them according to your own liking. You can print them anytime you want to with the help of a printer and store them easily in CDs and hard drive.

The mini digital cameras come with a built in LCD screen. It helps you to frame the shot before you click and view the picture immediately after you have clicked. Most of them are supplied with built in autofocus. Make sure that the autofocus mechanism is fast. If you are opting for a zoom factor of 10X and above for your mini digital camera, make sure that it has image stabilization to dismiss the shaking effect that can be caused during taking the pictures. Mini Digital cameras beautifully frames the moments of joy with the least effort.

Mostafa Shabban provides information on digital cameras and the founder of Digital Camera Shop Guide