What you need is to find the digital camera that suits you. Developing your photo skills is what will make you a better photographer, not your equipment. After all, the photographer actually makes the picture. For a first time buyer the choice can be so bewildering. So how do you choose which camera will suit you?

What most people need is something simple and suitable; a camera that's right for them. Those of you that aspire to more advanced photography will eventually settle on a more complex digital SLR system, or have already; others who need a camera mostly for family or vacation snapshots will likely be fine with a modern digital Point and Shoot.

The basics of choosing a digital camera are to know your budget, know what type of pictures you want to take and how you intend to use the pictures.

For the beginner setting a budget on your camera purchase will cut down the choice to a manageable level. Ask yourself, are you just going to take the odd holiday snap or are you the type who likes to use every opportunity to take some pictures. If you only take a picture on holiday or if you see something truly inspiring then go for the lower price end. If you take pictures regularly and have maybe owned a camera for years then splash out toward the higher end of the basic models.

Once you have established your budget consider the type of pictures you will be taking. Are you likely to be taking pictures everywhere you go? Consider the weight and size of the camera you need. Are you likely to be taking pictures of friends and relatives on location or do you have an eye for the picturesque panoramas? Maybe consider a zoom lens; for your family shots a digital zoom with flash may suffice and for panoramas go for optical zoom. Also consider the size of memory you will require and think about battery life.

Once you have chosen the best combination of size, weight, memory, battery life and zoom for your uses, consider how you will use your pictures. If you need to print large pictures off your computer beware the more megapixels (resolution) you have the better. It is a sure thing that the higher the megapixels the more expensive the camera, so leave this choice till last. For a beginner spending your budget on a camera based on megapixels initially will lead to a poor choice with a camera that does have the other characteristics to suit your purposes. If you generally print off the more traditional photo sizes for an album, do not be to concerned with the number of megapixels, most base model digital cameras will give you an adequate print.

Zoom

Most cameras have two types of zoom; the first is called Optical Zoom, and is the better of the two. Optical zoom is the lens mechanism moving in and out, giving the appearance of a close up. This is the type of zoom you should be more concerned with. Most cameras come with between 3X and 12X Optical Zoom. A higher optical zoom requires a larger lens size, so a camera with 10X or 12X zoom will probably not fit in your pocket.

The second type of zoom is the Digital Zoom. What happens here is this, when the optical zoom is maxed out, the digital zoom takes over by pushing the picture a little closer by expanding the size of the megapixels. This can compromise on the overall clarity of the picture making it look fuzzy or pixilated. Pretty much all cameras have some sort of digital zoom, and less expensive cameras may have no optical zoom at all, but the digital zoom will be there. The clarity difference is less obvious in a higher megapixel camera.

Lag Time

For most people, a simple "point and shoot" camera is adequate. Many easily fit in your pocket, and they take great pictures close up. Cameras with a larger optical zoom tend to be larger, and would not fit in your shirt pocket. If you intend to take pictures at your kids sport game, you may want to consider one of these, not only for the higher zoom resulting in more of a close-up shot, but many of these larger cameras also decrease the shutter time. A second can be an eternity at any sporting event.

Batteries

Another important factor in choosing a camera will be what you want to use it for. Some camera's come with a specialized rechargeable battery pack that is designed specifically for that camera. These particular cameras will also come with a charger. Others take AA batteries, however digital cameras are high drain devices, so alkaline batteries don't tend to last very long in them. Most manufacturers will include a complimentary set of alkaline, but don't expect them to last very long. It would be more beneficial and much less costly to purchase a set of NiMH batteries with a charger. These last longer and usually come in packs of four, giving you an extra set to take pictures with.

Many cameras offer a way to lessen the drain on the batteries, by switching off the LCD screen and using the view finder.

Good Handling

No matter what camera decide to buy, make sure it handles well. It has to fit in your hands and make sure that the controls are large enough for you. We are all different. Don't buy a camera just because it is popular; it doesn't mean they'll fit your particular hands and handle smoothly for you. How a camera handles is the most important criteria for evaluating a camera purchase.

Camera Type: SLR or Point and Shoot

Considering all of the above now is the time to decide if you need a SLR or Point and Shoot Digital. A nice Digital SLR camera system always seems like a good option that allows you to change lenses and accessories, but they are heavy, bulky and expensive. A good quality Point and Shoot Digital makes more sense if your priorities are mobility and convenience. Read the comparison article on Two Types of Cameras: SRL or Point and Shoot before you decide.

OK. The brand doesn't matter; it is more about choosing a camera that suits you. Also remember that many SLR owners also have a good Point and Shoot in addition.

This article is also published on myCamera> Tipbuycamera

When you are looking for the ultra compact digital camera, you will first look for a camera that is compact, which would be the Canon PowerShot SD870 IS. The camera has perfect image quality and is easy to use. Thos camera comes with 8.3 megapixels and image stabilization. The camera does have wide-angle capabilities with auto focus and face detection. The small camera is great for traveling because it fits nicely in a pocket or fanny pack.

The best value for an ultra compact digital camera would be the Canon PowerShot SD1000. The only disadvantage with this camera is that it does not have image stabilization. If you think you are a steady shooter, this camera will be ideal. The camera has 7.1 megapixels with color sharpness. The compact camera is only three quarters of an inch thick. The camera does have many different scene modes and a few manual controls.

The stylish ultra compact digital camera would be the Fujifilm Z10fd. This particular camera is stylish and the younger generation finds this a hot and must have camera. The blog mode allows you to resize the images right in the camera for posting on your blog or sending in an email. The camera is great for the price and functions that it has.

The [http://foolishmumbles.com/DigitalCameraRecommendations/]best ultra compact digital camera for low light images is the Fujifilm F40fd. This camera has everything you need to take perfect images in any low light settings. The camera is stylish and compact making it very hard to resist. The images you capture in a lighted setting are clear and crisp appearing almost lifelike. When looking for the best ultra digital camera, you will want to compare these cameras and see which one would suit your needs for lighting and price as well as ease of use.

Good camera prices, and [http://foolishmumbles.com/DigitalCameraRecommendations/]good digital cameras, don't always find themselves on the same shelf. There are however deals out there for the savvy consumer, who knows good [http://foolishmumbles.com/DigitalCameraRecommendations/]Digital Camera Recommendations, when he sees it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Campbell http://EzineArticles.com/?Ultra-Compact-Digital-Camera-Wish-List&id=1112590

So since the volume of DSLR cameras is so low overall, why is it so important? And why do all camera manufacturers try to get in this segment? Do not forget that recently Sony went as far as buying the Minolta camera division, mainly for the DSLR system that the later had already developed and sold in the market. So here is some main reasons I come up with:

1. DSLR cameras have large sensors, use high quality lens and in general are high precision masterpieces that offer the best in camera performance and engineering. Therefore excelling in DSLR design and manufacture is important.
2. As a consequence of #1, DSLR design and manufacture attracts the best engineers, designers and technicians available in the job market. Having a great workforce is super important for the future of any company.
3. DSLR cameras are the cameras used by professionals in high profile work, from studio to battleground journalism. These guys know a lot about cameras and can provide invaluable feedback about what to improve or what features to add. Furthermore, professional use is a great promotional tool for any brand.
4. The sale of a single DSLR body means at least the additional sale of kit lens, but in most cases different lens for wide angle work, sports, etc. Add prime lenses, fisheye lenses and accessories, and from one body make a rough calculation of how much money a DSLR body can bring in. Now compare that to the equivalent business from the sale of a compact camera...
5. DSLR profit margins are much much higher than those of compact cameras. If the body does not earn much net profit, it is certain that the lens does. Bear in mind that good glass does not lose its value, even if it is years old.
6. The fact that a dedicated DSLR user buys so much stuff apart from the body, means that he is "locked" in the system. In other words, choosing to change brands is financial suicide since there is no compatibility between brands and everything must be sold and bought again. This is partly why Canon and Nikon have so many stable customers. It is also why it is so difficult and slow for smaller DSLR players to encroach in the market share of the two "big ones".
7. Seeing all the competition compacts have from mobile telephones and camcorders, it is not certain at all that volumes will continue to grow or whether they will continue to exist in their current form. On the other hand, DSLRs are a safe haven, a segment that is bound to morph in the future, but not at so rapid rates.

The above do not of course mean that we should immediately rush out and buy a DSLR. Every market segment has its value and uses. But these reasons are enough to justify special manufacturer attention and effort.

As for the threat of mobile phone and camcorder camera functionality for cameras in general, ElectronRun will return in the future with a dedicated post.

Link: ElectronRun - Nikon DSLR share almost equal to Canon's, Canon still world #1 overall

Together with the Coolpix P80 superzoom, Nikon today also announced the Coolpix S52 and S52c compacts. Their main features are:

• 9 megapixel sensor.
• Sensitivity up to ISO 3200.
• Limiting to ISO 800 in auto to avoid high noise pictures. Limiting to ISO 2000 for high sensitivity mode.
• Optical stabiliser.
• 3 inch LCD screen.
• 3x optical zoom, 38-114mm equivalent.
• D-Lighting and red-eye in-camera correction.

The only difference between the S52 and the S52c is that the later includes Wi-Fi functionality to take advantage of Nikon's myPicturetown, Nikon's online storage and sharing service. In the US, buying a Nikon S52c will also get you 6 months of T-Mobile Hotspot service, allowing you to email pictures from your camera. It is uncertain what will be offered for European markets, if not sure, specify at the retailer or stick to the cheaper S52.

The S52 will be $250 and the S52c $280. Availability starts in May.

Link: Gizmodo

Go to article >>>

A bit bulky, a bit slow to start up, has a lens that does NOT get an erection due to gravity (finally), and has image stabilization! (whieeeeeeeeee)

Overall impressions:

Build: Average, like all other canons, painted plastic.

Looks: Almost ugly!

Lens: Long, protrudes a lot.

MP: 8

Zoom: 6x(35mm-210mm) (suckie wide shots)

Image quality: Moderate (Better when set on P or program, with my colours set to vivid)

Handling: Good

LCD: Mediocre, but large in size

Placement of buttons: Good

Night Shots: Horrid-ish

Low Light performance: its a small camera, so don't even go there.

Overall rating: 7/10

I like my new toy. Its exciting.

I am going to play with it some more this weekend, and see what it conjures up.

I took a photo of the Kikkoman Soya Sauce bottle I got as a present from Shivdeep, and it seemed okay with the macro shots. The vivid mode makes colours come out MUCH better than in Auto.

I mostly like the camera, lets see how the photos turn out to be at daytime.

For the last couple of years DSLRs are commanding increased manufacturer interest. Margins here are much better than in the compact and prosumer segments, and products cycles are of the order of 1.5 to 2 years instead of the few months of their smaller brothers. The increase of competition has brought prices down and attracted an increasing number of amateur photographers.

DSLRs have always been seen by photography professionals and enthousiasts as the tools that differentiate men from boys. The first step of closing the gap was the death of film and the darkroom, the later being a major obstacle for many amateurs. Well, like it or not, hardcore or not, in a second step DSLRs now start to have features that we previously expected only from compacts and prosumer models. Let's see the main ones:

• Live view, in other words picture taking with the use of the camera's screen instead of looking directly through the lens via a mirror.
• Foldout screens that do not just sit at the back of the camera but can be aligned as we like and combined with live view allow us to take pictures from difficult angles and positions. If you have ever tried to take frames very near the ground you know how uncomfortable and dirty it can get. Check out the attached photo of a Sony model that will probably hit stores soon.
• In-body stabilisation that helps usually by two to three stops and makes all lens much more useful.
• Dust protection for the sensor.

Things like programs for different conditions -sports, indoors, etc- are direct descendants of compacts and admittedly are a nuisance for serious photography. On the other end, dust protection has first been used by Olympus and is a nice feature that tries to mimic the sensor cleanliness enjoyed by compact camera users.

Others, like foldout screens, were earlier in the decade those little "extras" that differentiated prosumer models from the smaller compacts or the larger DSLRs. Now that cheap DSLRs offer the same goodies combined with better results, the prosumer segment seems to be destined for extinction. Brands like Canon and Nikon with strong legacy are reluctant to integrate features like in-body stabilisation, I expect this however to change as competition has made some of those standard.

So are DSLRs destined to function as compacts? I doubt it, even for the very cheap models. The adopted features are designed to match well with camera character. Fanatical photographers would be very critical of meddling with the character of their favorite brand and would never let it happen.

As has been proven by CES 2008, we are currently at the point where new camera models and especially DSLRs can hardly surprise us and generally follow slower evolution patterns. As however the megapixel race is effectively over and models become ever more similar in operation and performance, new paths will be sought. And yet again, the killer new feature is going to be something enjoyed by compact models for years. Do not laugh, it is video and it will become a huge threat to DSLRs if they do not accommodate it in some way or another. In fact there is a new school of thought that believes that obtaining pictures from video frames will become a standard reporting tool and there are already seminars to prove it...

 The PowerShot SX100 IS is the first model in Canon's new SX series of budget super zoom compact cameras, and in the Powershot line-up slots in somewhere between the tried and tested A-Series and the more upmarket S5 IS. Canon's engineers combined the materials and build quality of the former with the long lens, some features and design of the latter to merge them into a brand new camera that goes head to head with Panasonic's popular TZ series (and the new Sony H3). The SX100 IS comes with a 8.0MP sensor, a 10x zoom, optical image stabilization and a comprehensive range of manual photographic controls, all nicely wrapped up in a compact silver or black plastic body. Canon says the SX series offers exceptional performance in the hands of any member of the family, so let's find out how it performed in our capable hands, starting, as ever, with the headline features

Editorial Reviews
From the Manufacturer

PowerShot SX100IS will inspire you with its with phenomenal 10x optical zoom... and so much more. There's the 8.0-megapixel CCD and Optical Image Stabilizer for shake-free shooting. Plus, the DIGIC III Image Processor with advanced Face Detection, Face Selector Button, and red-eye correction assure superb results every time. Auto ISO Shift and ISO 1600 make low-light shooting easy. The large Mode Dial lets you select Scene Modes or full manual control effortlessly. [...]

Announced just six months after the launch of the P5000, the Nikon P5100 is a gentle re-working of the existing model with a slightly larger, more pixel-dense sensor and hardware-based face-detection. Beyond that, the changes are predominantly cosmetic alterations to the existing model. The camera is Nikon's flagship compact camera, with the 'P' denoting 'performance.' Although it may not visually leap out from a line-up of contemporary compacts, its magnesium alloy body and manual exposure controls belie the unassuming appearance. It aims to offer a greater degree of manual control than the majority of compact cameras and has a strong feature set to help it stand apart. We were actually very impressed with the P5000's image quality and feature set, and only really complained about the sluggish performance. So has Nikon fixed the P5000's Achilles' heel in this update? Lets find out!

Differences compared with P5000

Unlike the names applied to image processors by many of Nikon's rivals, Expeed doesn't specifically refer to any particular technology or set of features. Rather, it is a "digital image-processing concept," so shouldn't be taken to imply any kinship to the D3 and D300 DSLR models that share the name, beyond the the use of similar Nikon algorithms and know how.

Key features

Nikon Coolpix P5100 specifications

The DMC-TZ3 has been given a more luxurious touch with its stylish design and metallic, stainless steel exterior. The DMC-TZ3 features a 28mm wide-angle 10x optical zoom Leica DC lens (equivalent to a 28mm-280mm zoom on a 35mm film camera) in an ultra-compact body. With the high-power 10x optical zoom, you can get clear and beautiful shots even when you can't get close to your subject. The 28mm wide-angle lens lets you easily capture large groups of people indoor or expansive architectural structures and scenes. The 10x optical zoom lets you easily capture and magnify distant subjects. 3.0-inch Polycrystalline TFT LCD (230 K Pixels) Field of View - 100% Power LCD Mode, High Angle Mode ISO Sensitivity - Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1250 (High Sensitivity Mode - 3200) Li-ion Battery Life (3.7 V, 1,000 mAh) - 270 pictures Shutter Speed - 8 - 1/2000 seconds Starry Sky Mode - 15, 30 & 60 seconds Wide Aperture - F3.3 / F8.0 (2 steps) Tele Aperture - F4.9 / F11 (2 steps) Self-Timer - 2 & 10 seconds Scene Mode - Portrait, Soft Skin, Scenery, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Self-portrait, Food, Party, Candle, Fireworks, Starry Sky, Beach, Aerial Photo, Snow, High Sensitivity, Baby1, Baby2, Underwater, Sunset and Pet Dimensions - Width 4.20 x Height 2.37 x Depth 1.47 inch (105.0 x 59.2 x 36.7 mm) Weight - 257 grams with Battery and SD Memory Card (0.57 pounds)

TZ3 (and TZ2) vs TZ1: Key changes

As is the case with most of Panasonic's Lumix models the TZ1 is available in either silver or black (though this may not be the case for every country and / or every retailer).

DMC-TZ3 specifications

The first digital camera I took underwater was my Fuji Finepix F810 which I bought in 2004 and have been using for above and below water until this April when I drowned it. Most of my galleries are with this camera.

etc

In my grief I bought a few others to play with Fuji E900 and Ikelight housing (which will now be my backup underwater but I haven’t used much yet), Cannon G7 (which I couldn’t really get on with) and Olympus sp550 (which I love but wouldn’t be so good underwater due to the massive zoom).

Pics from the oly:

Above water I used auto and below I used manual settings (due to the external flash I kept over exposing the pictures until I switched to manual). With such a simple set-up why on earth would I want to switch to something as heavy, bulky and complicated as an SLR? Well I asked myself the same question. The answer is better growth potential. I spend most of my free money on my holidays and I felt that underwater with my compacts I was running out of the potential to take significantly better pictures. Cue the D300, Nikon because the general consensus was its easier to house a Nikon and it had the lure of live view… what better way to easy myself into an SLR than using the screen like I do on my compacts. Well it didn’t quite work out that way but I’ve bought it now, I’ll just have to learn.

Dulu waktu pertama pengen coba motret aku pilih kamera jenis compact. Kamera compact pada prinsipnya yang sekali keluarin jepret jadi deh. Ada beberapa hal yang dipertimbangkan waktu memilih kamera jenis compact :

1. Harga - kalau pilihnya jenis kamera compact so pasti kamu masih ragu - ragu, atau ada constraint biaya. Kalau benar demikian maka tentukan dulu deh budget kamu berapa. Kalau hanya punya budget 3 juta, ya jangan maksain beli yang 5 juta :) pasti ada koq kamera yang sesuai dengan budget mu.
2. Spesifikasi - ada banyak hal teknis yang menentukan pilihan, tapi berikut ada beberapa yang kamu bisa jadikan patokan :

• MegaPixel (MP) - MP ini menyatakan seberapa besar foto kamu bisa dicetak tanpa pecah (tahu kan maksudnya? Itu lho...gambar kamu terlihat kotak2 kayak di sensor). Makin besar MP nya maka ya makin besar foto kamu bisa dibesarkan. Memang ukuran cetak tergantung beberapa hal lain selain MP, tapi biar gampang gini deh, sebenarnya kalo mau motret dan dibesarkan sampai kurang lebih 20 x 25 cm (ukuran 8R) maka kamu hanya butuh 5 MP saja. Jadi kalau tidak mau cetak guedeee ngapain juga beli kamera yang punya MP besar tapi harganya mahal? Lengkapnya bisa dilihat di :
  •  Wikipedia - printing size
  • MegaPixel vs printing size
• Lensa - Yang ini gampangnya liat dari zoom-nya. Jangan lihat yang digital zoom nya ya, kalau digital zoom itu pada intinya cuma melakukan zoom aja, hasilnya tidak bisa optimal. Lihat zoom optics-nya, ini yang bener2 "ngefek". Rule of thumbs nya sih pilih yang zoom optics-nya segede-gedenya. So kalau ada yang zoom optics-nya 4X dengan yang 6X ya pilih 6X kalau masih masuk ke budget. Kapan - kapan aku jelasin deh ya apa sebenarnya zoom optics itu.
• Mode - Ini bukan mode dalam arti fashion lho, maksudnya gini....di kamera kan ada shooting mode (liat gambar dibawah). Nah shooting mode yang bentuknya gambar-gambar itu yang mode otomatis. Jadi kalau kamu pengen motret yang jeprat jepret saja ya cari yang mode otomatis ini yang sebanyak-banyaknya. Nah, kalau kamu ingin nantinya mengembangkan hobi motret kamu pilihlah yang ada mode Av, Tv dan M - nya. Ketiga mode ini dibutuhkan untuk kita "berkreasi"

•  Aksesories dan teknologi lain - Aksesories yang aku maksudkan disini misalnya ada flash bawaan tidak, apa jenis batere yang digunakan (menggunakan batere yang bisa charge ulang akan jauh menghemat biaya), jenis memory yang digunakan (Compact flash dan SDCard adalah yang umum digunakan), dll. Sedangkan teknologi lain adalah contohnya Image Stabilizer (IS). Teknologi ini memungkinkan kita mengambil foto yang tajam hampir setiap kali.

Lalu dimana kita cari - cari informasi buat beli ? Ada beberapa websites yang bisa dijadikan patokan untuk belanja nih :

• JPC Kemang
• Toko Camzone
• Bhineka.com

Nah setelah liat - liat harga dan spesifikasi di websites diatas, kamu bisa beli di websites itu, atau pergi ke toko-toko kamera di pasar baru, mangga dua, atau Oktagon (di Jalan Gunung Sahari-dekat arah ke pasar baru). Nah tinggal pilih mana yang memberikan harga dan garansi yang paling ok....

Nanti aku cerita lagi mengenai pilihanku dan kenapa aku pilih itu ya......G Nite

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