Everything Digital Cameras

It almost goes without saying that when you are looking for a travel camera to purchase, you will be looking for a digital camera rather than a film camera. It is easier to use digital so you don’t have to worry about finding a place to buy film or loading film into your camera.

Here are the top 5 features to look for in a great digital compact travel camera:

The first thing to consider is the portability of the camera. Especially if you are planning on moving around a lot while on your trip, you will want to find a digital camera that easily fits into your pocket, purse, or travel bag without adding a lot of weight to your load. Zoom Range would be second on the list. You will want to be able to take great photos of the landscape, which means having a wide lens (lower numbers such as 28mm are wider than 36mm). But, on the other hand, you may also want to be able to zoom in to get super images of distant objects. This would call for a zoom range of at least 5-10x, meaning 180mm or higher. Image Stabilization is another extremely important camera feature. IS allows the photographer to avoid blur associated with the movement of the camera when the shutter button is pushed. Since you are traveling light (without a tripod) IS is a very desirable feature. Battery life ranks 4th on the list. Some cameras have been rated low on this item. Make sure you read the reviews on the camera you plan to purchase. If your camera uses regular 2A batteries, you could just carry some extras, but if you need special batteries for your camera, you should carry an extra battery even if the life of the battery is good. You don’t want to get caught with a dead camera battery when the best photo op of your trip comes up. Finally, look for a digital camera with excellent video capability. The newer releases are featuring 720p video with 30 minutes or more of recording time depending on the size of your memory card.

Make sure to do your homework before buying your next camera. Check for these 5 features if you are in the market for a great travel camera. There are some excellent “user friendly” reviews for highly recommended cameras at http://www.digital-photographic-resources.com

By: Wayne Rasku

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Digital photos are stored as files on memory cards and computer hard disks. They can be stored in different file formats (each format has a unique file extension). Most of the formats are compressed to save space and each has its own pros and cons.

The need for standard file formats

Digital photos are saved as digital files on electronic media. These digital photo files are a collection of bytes. If each manufacturer and camera would have used a proprietary file format then you would have needed proprietary software that could read, print and display those formats. Using a standard format allows any camera to save photos while any other software can read, display and print them.

What is compression and why it is needed

A digital photo is a collection of pixels each pixel is stored as a value that represents its color and intensity. Usually each pixel is represented by an RGB value (three numbers one byte each with values 0 to 255 representing the intensity of Red, Green and Blue that combined together create the pixel’s color). An RGB value occupies 3 bytes. So how big is a digital photo file? It depends on the number of pixels in the photo. For example if you shoot a photo using an 8 mega pixels digital camera the photo will have 8000000 pixels each one occupying 3 bytes. The total file size would be 8000000*3=24000000 or 24Mbytes. This is a very big file. Big files are harder to manipulate they take a long time to send by email, they occupy large storage space and they take longer to load.

In any digital photo there is data that is either redundant or that if removed the viewer would not be able to notice the difference. In addition representing pixels as RGB values is not efficient in terms of storage space. The process of compression takes advantage of these facts. When you compress a digital photo the compression software represents pixels in a more efficient way, removes redundant data and removes data that is “not important”. The result is a significantly smaller file. For example the above 24Mbytes file could easily be compressed to about 3Mbytes with hardly any noticeable quality degradation.

Before compressed digital photo files can be viewed or printed they need to be decompressed. Decompression is the reverse process of compression – a compressed file is converted to its original format usually a simple RGB pixel file. Using standard compression file formats allows one software to compress a digital photo file and another software to decompress it and process it.

Lossy or Lossless compression?

There are two main types of compression software: lossy and lossless. Here are the differences:

Lossless compression: Lossless compression means that if you take a file compress it and then decompress it the decompressed file would be the exact copy of the original file. With lossless compression no data is lost in the compression process the compression software uses better representation of the data in the file but it does not remove any data from it.

Lossy compression: Lossy compression means that if you take a file, compress it and then decompress it the decompressed file would be slightly different than the original one. The compression software not only represents the file’s data more efficiently but it also removes data that it considers minor or not important. Such data can be removed without hardly any noticeable degradation in the file quality. The differences between the original file and the decompressed file are minor and should be negligible to the user.

Lossless compression is usually applied to text and other data where all data is equally important. For example when compressing the text in this article and later on decompressing it you would want to get the exact original article without any words or sentences dropped by the compression software that decided they were not important.

Lossy compression is usually applied to digital photos and graphic files. Such files include data that the viewer would not be able to notice if removed. For example small changes to color in a photo might not be noticeable. The decompressed file is not exactly the same as the original one but when viewing both the original and decompressed photos side by side the viewer can not tell the difference. Lossy compression software can be set to different compression levels based on how much data is allowed to be lost. At some point losing too much data is noticeable and degrades the digital photo quality. Many digital cameras allow you to set the level of compression from low to high where high compression means smaller files but less quality and low compression means bigger files but no noticeable quality degradation.

Common digital photo file formats

You can know what a digital photo file format is by checking its extension. Usually the extension is three letters representing a specific format. Here is a list of the common extensions and formats:

BMP Windows Bitmap: this is a basic raw format. The photo is stored as a pixel raster and is not compressed. While this format is very easy to use and is supported by practically all software it is not efficient as there is no compression applied.

GIF Graphics Interchange Format: An old file format initiated by CompuServe. It uses a lossless LZW compression and is thus more efficient than BMP files. GIF files are very efficient for storing basic graphics (that include lines, circles and other graphical shapes) and also efficient for storing small digital photos but are rarely used to store large digital photos as there are more efficient formats for that purpose. GIF files can also include multiple “frames” and support basic animation.

PNG Portable Network Graphics: This relatively new format was designed to be used in online applications such as web pages. It uses a lossless compression. The original goal of the PNG format was to replace GIF (due to some licensing complications associated with the GIF format). PNG is commonly used now by online web sites to represent small digital photos or graphics replacing the GIF format.

JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group: Also known as JPG this file format was designed by a special industry group and became an ISO standard. The design goal of the format was the efficient storage of digital photographic files. Although JPG files can support lossless compression they are almost always used in lossy compression mode. JPG files are very efficient in compressing digital photos. The JPG compression software can be set to different compression levels with higher compression levels the photo files can get very small but they can also get distorted. JPG files are the most common ones used by digital cameras to store compressed digital photos on memory cards and computer hard disks as they result in small file sizes and hardly any noticeable photo quality degradation.

By: Chris Marshall

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With so many shops filled with tiny digital camera bags designed for a compact point-and-shoot, it can be tough to find a bag that can handle a few lenses, a flash and accessories.

Best of all, I have seen professional carry their camera hands-free. Now it is time to get the highest quality professional camera gear bags, waterproof camera case items and camera backpacks to protect and safely carry your precious photo, video equipment, your accessories and there is even space for your tripod and notebook.

You’ll look extraordinary with your sturdy, stylish photo bags and essentials from Jill-e designs! You can add Tamrac accessories using the attachment slots for the Strap Accessory System S A S products to customize this large pro bag to perfectly fit your needs.

There are also pouches and sleeves, and the kicks are a nice touch that makes it easy to reach for needed equipment while shooting. A convenient side zipper features pockets for extra memory cards and batteries.

Waterproof camera case is also a must and you might want to look for offer for Camera Gear Bags, Waterproof Camera Case and Other Small Camera Bags on the net. May be you can some of the nice discount camera bags, and small camera bags storage solutions your equipment that can serve you longer.

Professional camera bags and backpacks are design to help reduce impact, harsh weather conditions, and at the same time gently store your precise high tech gear.

Check this out for professional photographers who need speed, durability and accessibility. If you’re a professional or even a hardcore enthusiast, take a look at this site.

By: Ann Susan

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The Sony Ericsson w580i is a slick camera phone that has made a distinctive place of excellence for itself among the tech-savvy as well as fashion conscious people from across the world. The flip open design ensures that the handset is easy to use. A 2 inches 262,000 colour display ensures an engaging viewing experience. One can read messages quite easily in the large and vibrant colour display – even when one is in the sun. The handset comes with inherent light effects that are mesmerising to say the least. The w580i is small in size and light in weight. The colour of this handset is urban grey.

The handset comes with a 2 megapixel digital camera with CMOS matrix. One can use the camera options in two different modes, which are the normal mode and the fine mode. One can even use the handset to record videos in 3GP file format. The pictures are crisp and the colour depth would take your breath away. The handset is Bluetooth compliant and supports the A2DP mode. The 12 MB of built-in memory can be expanded through the microSD memory card support. With dial-up networking, PC synchronisation, and the provision to use the gadget in hands free mode – the SE w580i grey is versatile in its capabilities.

As a matter of fact, the Sony Ericsson w580i grey is a great handset for people having an active lifestyle. An athlete can use this Sony Ericsson mobile phone to know the exact distance that he has covered while running or walking, for instance. He can also get to know his speed as well as the time taken to cover a particular distance. The amount of calories burnt can also be known – thanks to the intelligent capabilities of this Sony Ericsson mobile phone.

Many people are fascinated by the idea of a sleek camera phone with captivating looks that can be used in more ways than one. It can be said that great looks combined with an array of user-friendly features make the Sony Ericsson w580i grey quite popular among different sections phone users from across the world.

By: Jack Daniel

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Kansieo.com

If you love exploring the ocean, then why not capture those precious moments with a scuba camera? As well as seeing the spectacular marine life firsthand, you can take some high quality photographs to show to friends and family.

The scuba camera comes in all shapes and sizes; there are many accessories for those who are professional underwater photographers or for those whom this is a serious hobby. It is even possible to buy a scuba camera that is integrated into a scuba mask.

There are numerous stockists available online and you will find an abundance of information about the different equipment at your fingertips. This makes it a bit easier in the decision making process about which camera is best to spend your money on. The average cost of these cameras is approximately $200 but you can find good quality ones for as little as $50. Top-of-the-range and digital cameras usually command as much as $500, sometimes more. Whatever the cost, the camera should be able to handle the task and produce some amazing photographs for your collection.

Many people who use scuba cameras usually also purchase an underwater digital camera housing case. This product is usually made from aluminum or moulded plastic. An underwater digital camera housing case is specifically designed to prevent the scuba camera from the effects of salt water and protect against accidental breakage. It is not necessary to buy an underwater digital camera housing case but it give a lot of people peace of mind that there camera is protected, no matter what happens.

In order to choose the best camera for your needs, you need to gather some information. It is imperative that you identify how often you will be using the camera and what depths you will expect it to dive to. It is important that the equipment you buy will be able to withstand the pressures of being at certain levels under the water. Other things to take into account are the upmost limit of your budget and whether you are looking for a certain make or model of equipment.

If you are new to using a scuba camera, you may wish to read some comments on reviews about certain cameras that are available. You can find this information on many diving and photography websites. These reviews will help you to establish exactly what kind of camera you need to purchase.

If you decide to order a scuba camera on the internet it is generally a simple and straightforward task. Some retailers can offer bigger savings by purchasing equipment off the internet. You may also qualify for free delivery and the equipment is usually on your doorstep within a matter of days.

Scuba diving is a fun and energetic activity and allows you to take in the wonder of a world experienced by so few of us. Using a scuba camera could encourage your friends and family into taking up scuba diving themselves so that they can enjoy this magical world too.

By: Randy Rushmore

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