Digital Camera Advice

[SoulEdge]

I dabble in photography, probably no longer an amateur but definately not a pro. Just have some random things that I like to share.

- Silver halide film is about 14 megapixel resolution.
- Prints of 300 dpi (dots per inch) resolution is a standard used by photography magazines (in UK).
- perhaps it's better to ask yourself what size of prints you want to get from your digital camera. For 6x4in or 5x7in prints at 300 dpi, 3 megapixel or 4 megapixel digital camera is sufficient.
- zoom range: digital zoom is rubbish. Optical zoom is the real deal, zoom range of (35mm equivalent) 35-200mm probably is good all round. Problem with most digital cameras is the wide angle end of the zoom range (the lower number), if you are into landscape, you probably want more wide angle end on your zoom lens.
- close focus or macro, how close the camera can focus: Usually not a problem for digital cameras (10cm or less), but if you are into macro, close up and/or still life, then it's good to get a camera with good close focus (smaller number better).
- file formats: camera that provide lossless format is always a good thing, like tiff or raw.
- start-up time and write time: shorter the better, else you may just miss that very special moment because the camera takes, say, 10 seconds to start up.
- point-and-shoot, SLR-style, SLR: how much control do you want? Personally, lens changing is a must. As for exposure control: manual, aperture priority and shuttle priority are probably what I use 99% of the time. And for focusing, definately the ability to focus manually when I want to.
- ISO range, digital sensor sensitivity. Usually is the lower end that digital cameras are lacking, ISO 25, 50, and even 100. This dictates the grain size in film and I believe it dictates the "digital noise" in digital camera. Low ISO is good for fine grain (pixel?) prints, capable of enlarging to big prints, but sometimes grainy photograph is nice too.
- maximum aperture: probably more important when you have control over the aperture size (the f/ number ), the lower the number, the bigger the aperture, and that's better in the sense that you have a "faster" lens. Light can reach the sensor/film faster, needing shorter shuttle speed, so less chance of blur caused by shaky hands.
- shuttle speed range: again, probably matters when you have control over which shuttle speed to use. Digital cameras seem to have problem holding the shuttle open for a long time. There are situations when long shuttle speed, say 10 seconds or more, are needed to capture the photo. Conventional SLRs have shuttle speed of 30 seconds, and with the "bulb" (B ) function for longer exposure.
- power: digital cameras need a lot juice, get one using rechargable battery, Lithium-Ion perhaps.
- existing camera system: if you are a Nikon SLR user, make sense to continue using Nikon for all the accessaries you already possessed, and since I am a Canon user, I will continue to use Canon, I like the superb USM lens, thank you very much! :P

I am still using a film SLR, Canon EOS 5 to be precise (USA may call it differently, like they do so with so many other models), and shooting mostly on slides nowadays. Will move on to digital SLR in the future, so I am constantly keeping myself up to date with new digital SLR models. Canon EOS 20D looks neat! B)


EDIT:
For portable point-and-shoot digital cameras, like those credit card size ones, check out Casio and Konica-Minolta:

Konica-Minolta Dimage X series - non-protruding zoon lens!
Casio EXILIM series