Digital Cameras’ Responsiveness and Photo Shooting Delays

Writen by Ziv Haparnas

Digital cameras have many advantages but they also have some disadvantages and response time is one of them. There are three response times that you should care about: the delay between pressing down the shutter button and shooting a photo, the delay between turning on the camera and shooting a photo and the delay between shooting a photo and shooting a subsequent one. This article explains the causes for these delays and suggests ways to overcome them.

There are three response times or delays that are important to understand and to be aware of when shooting photos. Here is the list with the causes and ideas for how to effectively handle them:

Shutter delay: There is a noticeable delay between pressing the shutter button and capturing a photo. When you press the shutter button the camera goes through a series of setup processes in order to get all its electronics ready. Only when this processing is done can the camera capture a photo. Some cameras will also initiate a focus process when the shutter button is held down and will only take the photo when this focusing process is completed. The delay time varies from camera to camera but is usually less than one second. If you used film cameras before you are probably not used to that delay which did not exist with most film cameras.

Although less than a one second delay sounds very short it can be significant when shooting photos of moving objects such as in sports events. There are a few photo shooting practices that can help in avoiding the delays’ results. One way to handle shutter delay is to hold down the shutter half way when taking photos of moving objects. This method can work if the object is in more or less a fixed distance from the camera or is in infinite focus. Holding down the shutter half way locks the focus and forces the camera to do some setup processing work. When you are ready to take your photo press the shutter button all the way down – the result will be a significantly shorter delay as most of the processing work and focus were already done. Another way to minimize the shutter delay is to avoid the automatic focus process which usually starts when the shutter button is held down. One way to do that is to hold the shutter button half way down. In most cameras the result will be a one time focus process and then a f ocus lock. The camera will stay in focus and when the shutter is fully pressed down it will take a photo without re-focusing. Another option is to put the camera in manual focus.

Subsequent photo delay: This is the delay between taking one photo and when the camera is ready to take a subsequent one. With film cameras this delay was very short as it only involved the camera rolling the film to the next fresh negative. With digital cameras there is processing and housekeeping that needs to be done after each photo is taken. For example the camera has to execute a computational process that compresses the photo (turns the raw pixels into a compressed JPG file) and then it has to store the photo on its memory card (storing files on flash based memory cards is a slow process due to memory technologies used). Another way is using the camera’s burst mode (if the camera supports one). In burst mode the camera shoots a fast series of photos for as long as the shutter button is held down or until the camera’s memory is full. In this mode the camera writes the photos to a temporary volatile memory which is very fast but small. When the shutter button is released or the memory is full the camera starts the slow process of writing the photos to the memory card. Using burst mode you can shoot fast photos of an action event and then choose the one that best captured the event. The speed and the amount of photos that the burst mode supports vary between cameras. For example some high end cameras can take as much as ten photos over the course of one second.

Initial delay: When you turn the camera on the camera has to run some processing in order to get ready to take photos. The processing includes resetting its electronics, initializing the built-in software, checking the memory card and more. This processing can take a few seconds. The result is that if you want to take a photo when your camera is turned off – you will have to turn it on, wait a few seconds and only then take the photo. In some cases the photo opportunity is gone by that time. Most cameras also enter a standby mode if they are not used for a certain time – usually a few minutes or more. When the camera goes into standby mode it turns off most of its electronics in order to save power. Pressing the shutter button will restart the camera but such a restart process is similar to the process executed when turning the camera on and can take a few seconds. The result is a noticeable delay when taking a photo after the camera was idle for some time. In order to avoid this you would have to make sure that your camera is turned on and does not go into standby mode when taking action photos. Some cameras allow you to disable the automatic standby feature through a menu option. If your camera does not allow that you can keep it on by pressing the shutter button half way down every now and then. The downside of leaving the camera on all the time is wasting battery power. In order to maximize battery life in such scenarios you can disable the camera’s LCD screen which consumes a lot of energy and use the view finder instead.

New digital cameras have enhanced software and hardware and reduced response times. If you are shooting action photos or are a semi-professional photographer make sure that you check what the delays are (shutter delay, Initial delay and subsequent photo delay) before you buy your next camera. It is a good idea to practice shooting action photos in order to get a better feeling of your cameras delays and responsiveness.

Digital Photography Basics – Black & White

Writen by Carol A Miller

One of the least explored creative uses of the digital camera is black and white photography. With a little practice in developing an eye for when it will be effective, taking photos in black and white can be a rewarding addition to your photographic repertoire.

The biggest problem beginning photographers have when experimenting with monotone photography is knowing how to look at a picture with grayscale in mind. Color tone, or contrast, takes on a much larger importance, since the ordinary color distinctions are lost. Training your eye to register color intensity takes some effort. To help speed up this process, use the black and white setting on the camera. Although there is no real advantage to this from the imaging standpoint, since even free photo editors admirably convert images to grayscale and sepia monotones, when you change the camera setting, the display changes, letting you actually see the picture as it will be. This helps to spot problems with color tones blending together, unwanted shadows, and other problems that wouldn’t be noticeable in color. Practicing previewing in this way can help educate your eye, and soon you will become aware of the distinctions even without the camera.

With the removal of color, the photographer must look at his prospective image with new eyes: Linear patterns and shadows can be much more striking in black and white than in color. Look for lines and shapes that define the images – photos that would be quite ordinary in color take on drama in monotones. The ratio of darks to lights (contrast) affects your shot more drastically as well. To create a delicate sense, you can fill the image with light area, creating an otherworldly look. A more somber shot might have a higher ratio of dark space. Experiment with mood – it can often be more easily expressed with the simplicity of black and white.

Black and white portrait photography can produce extraordinary results. The loss of color can mean the loss of many potential defects – blemishes, flushes, red noses and the like can fade away, leaving a more flattering shot than one truer to the real thing. Careful lighting can either accentuate features like wrinkles, or reduce them. Try to choose the lighting to help show what you want to say. Generally, it is best to fill the frame with your subject, unless there is something in the background that is important to the story you are telling about him. Remember, simple images are often the strongest.

Scenery photography can also be more dramatic in black and white. One of the problems in photographing distant points is haze that washes out the colors. This is no problem in black and white! Bring out nature’s drama by using light and dark rather than color. Anyone who has doubts about nature photography in black and white need only look at Ansel Adams’ work.

Whether you’ve tried monotone photography before and haven’t been thrilled, or it’s a new experience for you, you can learn to take stunning photographs in this manner. The basic elements of good photography are the same – composition, contrast, depth of field, focus, lighting, exposure, etc. You just need to learn to see slightly differently – contrast, lighting and exposure have more impact on the final image, and need to be considered more carefully. However, with some practice (and with digital film there is no need to be stingy about the number of exposures), someday you may find your best photos to be in black and white.

Using Film Speed Effectively

Writen by Kelly Paal

So you have this great new camera. Now you’re standing in front of a display of more film that you’ve ever seen. All you want to do is take some great family photos but you don’t know where to start. Here’s short guide to help you get started.

Film speed is a number that represents the film’s sensitively to light. The higher the number the more sensitive to light, in that the less light is needed to take a well exposed photo. The number is also an indicator of the detail you will receive from the negative. The higher the number the more likely that you’ll see a graininess to the print when enlarged. Film speed goes from 25 to 1600 speed film.

25 to 200 Best for still life and portrait work, in studio conditions where the lighting is controlled. This is not the film for family shots indoors even with a camera mounted flash. You’d really need a complete lighting set up to use this film effectively. 200 speed film is very good for outdoor sunny conditions when you’re trying to get a shot of a beautiful landscape. It offers excellent detail and color saturation.

400 Considered the all purpose film. Most films touted as all subject or general purpose are really 400 speed film. When in doubt use 400 speed film. Though you may still be using your camera mounted flash in room lighting conditions. Also good for outdoor conditions, will give you some flexibility in darker conditions and where you are trying to capture a moving subject.

800 to 1200 Made for capturing fast moving subjects in all types of lighting situations. People running, playing ball, etc. This is the film you want if you want to freeze frame the action of a baseball game. This film speed can be used for capturing fast moving wildlife, like birds, but you will see less detail if you enlarge above a 16 by 20 size.

1600 This film is for super high speed shots. Unless you shooting a car or boat race you probably won’t need this film. Don’t use this for nature and landscape images the lack of detail will be obvious in enlargements.

Most of the time you’ll only need a 400 speed film for basic snapshots. But it doesn’t hurt to use the other speeds for special occasions, you’ll notice a difference.

Copyright 2004 Kelly Paal Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. Recently she started her own business Kelly Paal Photography (www.kellypaalphotography.com). She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. She enjoys applying graphic design and photography principles to her web design.

Traveling to Europe with Your Digital Camera?

Writen by Douglas Rogers

The Vacation Season is fast approaching and naturally you will be taking your digital camera along for the journey. After all your vacations are far and few between and it is nice to look back on those memories as you slave away at your job. However, when you travel with a digital camera, it is a completely different experience from that of traveling with a film camera. This is a lesson that far too many travelers seem to be learning the hard way, especially if you’re traveling to Europe. After a couples years of relying solely on digital camera for taking photos when I travel, there are things you should consider before you head off on your next trip.

Charging Batteries is one of the biggest stumbling blocks you’ll face when you travel. Outlets can be scarce in hotels. On a recent trip to Europe, only one of the five modern hotels I stayed in had more than one outlet available for use when charging up electronics. Charging your battery can be more of a hassle if you’re traveling by train: If you take an overnight train in Europe, they don’t have power adapters at the seats (certain trains do, but it’s not something you can count on). I suggest bringing at least two rechargeable batteries, three if you plan to travel with overnight trains, or don’t think you’ll be able to charge every night. If your camera uses regular AA batteries, consider yourself lucky-you’ll find those everywhere. Scope out the situation in your room when you check in: You should get at least one usable outlet, but don’t count on more than that.

Bring your plugs. Some digital cameras typically come with a power brick that can handle international voltages, so you won’t need a voltage adapter. However, you will need a power plug adapter to convert a US outlet plug to the local plug. Most of Europe is on the same outlet now-but not all countries accept the general “Europe” plug. Be sure to research what you’ll need to jack in, and try to buy it before you leave (try CompUSA, Radio Shack, Rand McNally, or your local luggage store). If you don’t have a chance to get what you need Stateside, don’t fret: You should have no trouble finding an outlet converter overseas.

How do I offload my images? For fellow travelers using digicams, this was the number one problem I have heard repeatedly. Many comments from folks traveling for a week or more are: “I’m taking more pictures than I expected to.” “I’m not shooting at the best resolution, because I need the room on my memory card.” “I’m only halfway through my trip, and I have only 50 shots left.” When you travel, odds are you’ll take more pictures than you expect to also. A 1 GB card is very useful, and should suffice for low-usage shooters. But for those of us, who can go through a gigabyte or more in a day, not a week? Whether it’s because your a high-volume shooter, shooting in RAW format, or a combination of the two. What I discovered is many who had digital SLRs, that had 5 megapixel or more reported they were traveling with a laptop to off load their images. None of these folks were traveling on business, so they didn’t need to bring a laptop along. The sad fact is, for now, a laptop remains the most efficient and usable means of off loading images. Epson and Nikon have dedicated handheld units with a hard drive, card reader, and LCD display for copying over and viewing your images. But neither has a full-blown keyboard.

If you’re first buying a laptop, and intend to travel with it, I suggest going for the smallest one you can. Fujitsu, Panasonic, Sharp, and Sony all have models under four pounds. A laptop provides several additional advantages. For one thing, you can see your pictures on a big screen-to view how you’re doing, and if you see any problems you want to correct with your exposure, for example, or if your pictures are being affected by dirt. For another thing, you can properly label your folders, so you know which pictures were taken where.

Most newer laptops have integrated memory card readers, but otherwise, you can buy a small external card reader. For the wire-free approach, use a PC Card slot adapter for your memory card; and invest in a 32-bit Cardbus adapter (Delkin and Lexar Media offer these), for speedier transfers. Nothing’s worse than coming back to the hotel after a long day of sightseeing, and needing to stay awake another 40 minutes just to off -load two 1 GB cards, at about 20 minutes a pop. If you bring a laptop, I also suggest investing in a portable hard drive.

A portable hard drive can serve multiple purposes: It can be a means of backing up your photos on the go; a means of giving you a way to take your photos with you if you have to leave your laptop unattended; and a means of expansion, if you somehow manage to fill up your laptop’s built-in hard disk. If you don’t want to bring a laptop, and already have an Apple iPod, Belkin sells an attachment for using your iPod with memory cards; or, consider the pricey units from Nikon and Epson. And if you’re in a bind, remember you can always buy memory overseas.

I was surprised that when I went to Europe, the prices were high, but not so outrageously so that I wouldn’t buy another card if I were in a bind. Cards were more readily available, too, than they were when I last traveled through Europe three years ago. Look at it this way: Even if you overpay on the card, you can still reuse it-which beats overpaying for a single use 35mm film cartridge when you were in a bind in years’ past.

Be prepared for problems. Things happen when you travel and I’ve had more things go awry carrying my digital SLR than I have had with my 35mm over the years. Lens paper is always useful to have on hand, but if you have a digital SLR, another supply is absolutely critical: An air blower bulb, to blast out the dust and dirt that will inevitably get trapped inside your camera. I never had problems with my 35mm SLR, but with my digital SLR, I constantly find dirt gets trapped inside, when I change lenses. And there’s nothing worse than having a splotch marring your otherwise awesome shots. Finally, remember the philosophy of redundancy.

Whether your battery dies and you have no way to charge it, or you run out of space on your memory card(s), and don’t want to buy another at a higher-than-usual price, I suggest packing a second camera if you can. A digital point and shoot is a good option but I usually carry a point and shoot 35mm to use if I run into any problems just so I won’t lose any precious pictures.

Doug Rogers has worked as a freelance photographer for the past 25 years in various fields of photography. In the past two years he has become an avid and devoted fan of digital and video photography and a life long lover of new technology. For tips on better digital photography and the latest reviews on the newest digital equipment that hits the market, Subscribe to his monthly Newsletter “The ViewFinder” at http://www.best-digital-cameras-review.com

Cut Through the Hype and Make the Right Digital Camera Comparisons

Writen by W R Kirk

There are soooo many choices. With all the styles and features, and prices are all over the map, digital camera comparisons can be mind-boggling. Pixels, memory, optical and digital zoom, camera size and cost are all factors to compare. So how do we sift through all the hype and find the best digital camera?

First step: Identify your primary prerequisites. A camera is normally something we will own and use for several years. To find the best camera for your needs, certain basic decisions need to be made before you start comparing features. These include:

• Suitability - do you want a camera for candid snapshots or serious photography?
• Quality - compare quality of both the camera and the photos it takes.
• Size - models to compare include miniature, compact and full-sized cameras.
• Price - compare cameras in a price range set by your needs and budget.

Second step: Compare specific features

Compare Pixel Quantity and Quality

In general, more is better. Each pixel is a tiny square of light and color. Digital photos can be compared to mosaics – more pixels mean smaller squares and sharper pictures. But comparing pixel quality is just as important.

Tiny photodiodes in an image sensor is the technology that creates the pixels. The sensor functions as the camera’s eye and some digital camera sensors measure only a few millimeters. Other cameras with larger sensors usually have better quality diodes, resulting in sharper, clearer pictures.

Don’t Skimp on Memory

A single digital photograph can require several megabytes, though file type, compression rate and subject matter all affect file size. Most digital cameras don’t have nearly enough built-in memory, so when doing a digital camera comparison plan on buying more. A general rule of thumb is to have at least 256-512MB of memory – more if taking high resolution or a lot of photographs.

Check memory compatibility when you compare digital cameras. Compact flash is the most universal and cost effective. MultiMedia cards are smaller and also work with other devices. Secure Digital are MultiMedia cards with an added write-protect switch. xD Picture cards are small and adaptable to most compact flash applications. Others such as Memory Sticks, SmartMedia and MicroDrives have limited applications, but may be best for the camera you want.

CCD Compared to CMOS

Charged Coupled Devices (CCD) and Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductors (CMOS) are digital camera image sensors. They can be compared to the shutter and film in a traditional camera.

Developed in the mid 1970’s, the CCD is the heart of most digital cameras. With millions of light collecting cells, its image perception can be compared to the human eye. The CCD sensor’s quality makes it the preferred choice for high-end digital cameras.

CMOS sensors were developed in 1998 with technology comparable to processor chips. Advantages are lower cost, less power required and multi-tasking ability. Disadvantages include signal noise and resolution issues. As the technology improves, CMOS sensors will make digital cameras more affordable and be the best choice for entry level cameras.

Beware the Zoom-Zoom

In your comparison of best digital cameras, be aware of the zoom issue. Digital zoom isn’t much more than a marketing gimmick. It crops the image on the sensor, reducing total pixels and degrading resolution. Optical zoom magnifies the image before the sensor reads it, retaining full resolution.

Other important features

• Shutter lag - how quickly can you take another picture? Should be a second or less.
• Start up time - when turned on, the camera should be ready within a couple of seconds.
• Manual override - allows you to adjust exposure and focus settings.
• Auto-focus - should be nearly instantaneous in most lighting conditions.

Digital camera ratings often discuss other features, but getting these right will enhance the enjoyment of your digital camera experience for years to come. Find more detailed comparisons at our Digital Camera Technology page.

Digital cameras information from A to Z: camera types & features, how they work, accessories, photo printers, comparisons and more – plus digital photo processing tips and info at A-Z Digital Cameras.com, Your Complete A-Z Resource for Digital Cameras, Accessories and Information.

This article may be re-printed in its entirety, with no changes and this resource box included. © 2005 A-Z Digital Cameras All rights reserved

How to Create a Quick Slide Show for Your DVD Player Using a CD of JPG Images

Writen by Carl Chesal

As a photographer, I like easy ways of storing, editing and producing digital pictures. As a moderate user of Adobe Photoshop, I have now discovered Picasa (http://picasa.google.ca), Free Software from Google that allows you to simply catalogue, store and perform some post production enhancements to your digital pictures.

Like many Digital Photographers, you may want duplicates (multiple versions) of your digital pictures, to which you apply various enhancements – cropping, B&W, softening, etc. If you are using Picasa, then you will need to apply some file renaming to ensure your pictures are grouped together: picture original, picture copy1, picture copy2,,,picture copyn. Currently, duplicating a digital picture within Picasa does not produce a filename which preserves the desired filename sequence (ascending sort – alphabetic order) – “Original, OriginalCopy, OriginalCopy (2),,OriginalCopy (n)“

Do not despair. Here is a simple fix that will ensure that your ‘CD of JPG images’ will playback properly on an inexpensive DVD player ($29.95 at Walmart), which is capable of playing back (like a Slide Show) stored JPG images.

A little background on how Picasa creates JPG file copies on your computer. When you copy/duplicate a file in Picasa it creates the copied file with the following prefix – “Copy of IMAGEnnnn.jpg“. Since alphabetic sequencing has “C” coming before “I”, this means that all of the prefixed files with “Copy of” are saved in your computer [picture] directory ahead of the original JPG images, which all start with “IMG” or “IMAGE” – Ouch! But you want all your JPG picture files to start with “IMG” or “IMAGE”, just like they were originally created on your digital camera.

Apply a simple and consistent renaming of these “Copy of” JPG files and you will get the desired playback sequence. Rename these “Copy of” files so that the original filename prefix is preserved – “IMG” or”IMAGE”. Just remove the “Copy of” prefix and add an appropriate ascending numeric sequence suffix to each of the copied files. For example, IF your original JPG file and the Picasa two copies were: IMG_2787, Copy of IMG_2787, Copy (2) of IMG_2787 THEN you would rename the TWO Copy files to get this grouped sequence: IMG_2787, IMG_2787-2, IMG_2787-3

Now you will be sure that the filename sequence will match your desired Slide Show sequence.

You can submit an enhancement request to Picasa to fix the way they name copied files (Adobe has is right!). You can submit your request to: Picasa Help Ticket Submission (http://picasa.google.ca/support/bin/request.py?contact_type=contact). The more requests the sooner they fix this inconvenience.

Carl Chesal is a business development consultant, trainer, photographer, and avid snowmobiler. He owns Bizfare Enterprise Inc.(http://www.bizfare.ca) and Foursight Marketing and Consulting (http://www.foursight.on.ca)providing business, marketing, and internet marketing consulting services. He also owns a number of e-commerce web-sites, MyLeatherExpressions, CoolComfortWear, and PewterExpressions, which sell custom leather bags, casual apparel and pewter collectibles.

Buying A Digital Camera: A Beginner’s Guide

Writen by Javier Fuller

For any beginner photographer or a first time buyer of digital camera, choosing and buying a digital camera can become a task. There is so much that goes in to buying a digital camera for the first time. But you need not worry about that. For I provide you a step-by-step camera buying guide here:

Research: Talk to people

As a beginner you should keep certain things in your mind. First of all you should ask yourself, what are the features you need, what type of photos you are going to click with your new digital camera. There are a lot of features in a digital camera such as modes, zooms, lenses, flash, focus, viewfinder, resolution and timer. Decide which features you want in your camera. You can talk to your family and friends and other digital camera features to know their opinions on various camera features. This will help you jot down the basic expectations you owe from your new camera.

Price factor

Set a realistic budget for your first camera and look for cameras in that price range only. Prices of digital cameras have fallen greatly over the years. Still, a digital camera purchase is considered expensive to its 35mm counterpart’s purchase.

Next, gain a good knowledge about the models of cameras you are considering buying. Don’t be a fool by going all by your friend’s choice. Be a proud owner of a digital camera that suits your needs rather than someone else’s.

Satisfy your needs

As a beginner you should look for models that are easy to use and operate. Do not go for flashy models. They may not satisfy your needs.

Now decide on your printing needs. If most of your photos will be uploaded to a website or emailed, you will not need a lot of mega pixels in your camera. But if you are planning to make a lot of larger prints, you need a camera with a lot of mega pixels.

By narrowing down your options as per the needed camera features, you can decide which camera is best suited to you. Visit the stores and handle the devices personally. You should shop around for the best price. Pick up additional warranty if any. Take some great pictures.

Below are some of the great cameras for you:

1.Nikon coolpix 4100: It is a one easy to use camera. The camera is imaging wonder with 4.2 mega pixels and 3x optical zoom features to it.

2.Kodak Easyshare cx7330: This is a decent point and shoot camera that comes with 3.1 mega pixels and a combined 10x zoom features. The camera does not have much fancy features. But for a beginner, the camera is perhaps the best pick.

3.Canon Powershoot S410: This power shot camera from Canon is a four mega pixel camera. The camera is very stylish to operate and indeed offer all the basic functions of an average camera.

I am sure buying a digital camera is no longer a task for you.

Top of the Line Digital Cameras

Writen by Warren Lynch

If you think that digital cameras are for snapshots only, then you obviously haven’t heard about SLR (Single Lens Reflex) digital cameras. SLR is a type of camera which has one lens for composing the frame and capturing the image. SLR cameras are also known as TTL (through-the-lens) cameras.

An SLR camera displays an image through the viewfinder that is exactly the same image as the camera sees and is exactly the same image that the camera is going to record when you release the shutter.

An SLR camera provides a much more accurate image through the viewfinder than a digital camera produces on its LCD because the LCD does not faithfully reproduce the colors and light intensity that is actually entering the camera.

The top of the line SLR digital cameras rival the best film-based SLR cameras and are designed for serious hobbyists and professional photographers. Digital SLR cameras are much larger, bulkier, and heavier than traditional digital cameras.

The SLR uses a mirror that is located behind the lens as well as an optical device known as a pentaprism to channel the light that enters the camera’s lens to the optical finder. When you release the shutter the mirror moves out of the way and the image is captured in the same way as any digital camera.

The better digital SLR cameras let you mount different lenses just like their film-based counterparts do. Many of your existing 35mm lens may be compatible with a digital SLR. If you have a large lens collection then you should definitely look for a digital SLR that is compatible with them.

Because the digital SLR cameras are more professional, they come with a hefty price tag. A 6-megapixel Nikon D100 runs around $2,000 and the 11-megapixel Canon 1D runs near $8,000. This is for the camera body only and does not include a lens! This is why I mentioned earlier that you should look for a digital camera that will mount your existing lens collection. Just a good quality zoom lens can run you at least $3,000 and can climb as high as $10,000 depending upon the features!

Of course, there are also starter-priced digital SLR cameras available. The Olympus E-20N, a 5.0-megapixel SLR camera, which includes a non-replaceable lens that is capable of duplicating a 35 mm to 140 mm lens, runs around $3500.

These prices are not out of line if you make your living shooting pictures. You can actually create additional revenue streams when you shoot digital pictures, instead of film-based ones, by offering image enhancement options and all sorts of digital FX options for thee prospective bride and groom’s on their treasured wedding album.

If all of this sounds a bit too expensive for your blood, then you’ll probably find all of the digital camera that you’ll ever need way down in the $99 to $500 price range and you’ll never have to worry about buying extra lenses. Digital SLR cameras aren’t for everyone but, if they’re for you, then there are plenty of models to look at. SOme of the best are made by Canon, Olympus and Nikon which are familiar names in the photography world.

Warren Lynch is a Professional Commercial Photographer located in Louisville, Ky. Sign up for “The Digital Dose” and receive Digital Photography tips every other week absolutely FREE! http://www.photopheed.com

Tips for Taking Great Lightning Photos

Writen by Ziv Haparnas

Lightning photos are very dramatic. The contrast between the night darkness and the lightning brightness results in very powerful photos. In this article we will provide you with a few tips and guidelines for successfully taking lightning photos.

The first thing to do when preparing for lightning photography is to set the camera to manual mode. Since all the preparations are done in a dark environment the camera can not automatically set the right focus, exposure and aperture.

Set the focus to manual and focus the camera on infinity. This is the right setting since lightning photography is done from long distance. Set the exposure to anywhere between a few seconds to a few minutes. The right exposure depends on the type of lightning – some lightning last a friction of a second while others can last a few seconds – and the distance from the lightning storm. Usually you would guess what the right exposure is and after the first lightning shot you would have to review the photo and correct the exposure as needed.

Remember to turn the flash unit off. Flash is not needed in lightning photography but if left in automatic mode the camera might fire it anyway due to the dark scene. The aperture should be set to a small value since lightning are very bright and with a small aperture they will still be more than visible in the photo.

Now that the camera is set you will need to choose the right scene for the photo – this is also referred to as framing the photo. To make lightning photos more interesting try to find contrast or objects that will be interesting when lit or stroked by lightning. Such objects could be trees, city sky line, roads or antenna towers. After your first lightning shot you should review the photo and make any needed corrections to the photo frame.

You can also play with other settings of the camera to achieve different effects. For example you can take photos with different white balance settings to achieve different color temperatures.

Remember that it can take a very long time to take one good lightning photo. Since there is no advanced notice as to when lightning strikes you will need to take photos continuously as the lightning storm is active. Be patient and make sure you are comfortable. Keep yourself dry have plenty of food and coffee and prepare for a shooting session that can last hours. After doing all the preparations and framing your photo the only thing to do is wait. Some luck can always be of help in getting this one perfect lightning photo.

And last but not least make sure that you are safe. Lightning can be dangerous. Make sure that you are not too close or in the heart of the storm. Avoid having metal objects around you or tall sharp objects. Remember that lightning strikes the highest object that can conduct its electrical current to the ground.

In conclusion taking good lightning photos is not hard. It takes a lot of patience some know-how of camera settings and regardless of your photography level it also takes a lot of luck.

Ziv Haparnas is a technology veteran and writes about practical technology and science issues. This article can be reprinted and used as long as the resource box including the backlink is included. You can find more information about photo album printing and photography in general on http://www.printrates.com – a site dedicated to photo printing.

Comparing Traditional and Digital Photography

Writen by Jill Kane

When it comes to photography, the digital wave is very much in evidence and yet, both operate on the same principles. Both have a lens, an aperture and a shutter. The difference lies in how the image is formed. Classic or traditional photography uses film on which the image is captured and then developed in a darkroom with chemicals to give you negatives. These need to be printed before you can see the picture in its final form. In a digital camera, you bypass all these processes because the image is captured by an electronic sensor. You aim, click and almost immediately, you can see the picture you took in the viewfinder. There is no developing, no negatives, no printing. Just the sensor which is actually millions of pixels or megapixels where light gets converted into a number.

The pixels in a particular camera are constant. So if you were to print out a picture that is larger than the usual size you print, you would find that it is not as sharp as the smaller size. So you should keep this in mind when you are buying your camera. If you feel that you will probably want to print larger pictures, go in for one with a greater number of pixels. If you are not terribly particular, it does not really matter. Apart from a slight difference in sharpness, the picture quality does not suffer. You could find out from your photography store just how big a print it would be all right to print from your camera.

The greater the number of pixels or picture elements the sensor has, the better the picture quality and of course, the higher the price. In fact most cameras have a greater number of pixels, also referred to as ‘resolution’ than a regular computer screen. The resolution is expressed in megapixels. The number of pixels for black and white photographs can be a smaller number as it only involves the two colors and the many shades of gray in between. The number of pixels needed for color photography, however, is much more. The greater the number of pixels, the better the color quality. Digital cameras usually come with the capacity to produce 16 million colors expressed as 24 bits a pixel. Professional cameras have been known to go up to 48 bits a pixel which translates to nearly 300 billion shades!