Digital Camera: The Future of Cameras

Basically a digital camera is a deice use to capture pictures without the use
of films. Unlike the conventional camera, the digital camera does not rely on
mechanical and chemical processes. It has a built in computer and records the
images it captures in an electronic form. Having and operating one does not
even require the use of electricity.

Since the images that a digital camera captures is in electronic form, it is a
language recognized by computers. This language is called pixels, tiny colored
dots represented by ones and zeros that make up the picture that you just took.
Just like any conventional cameras, a digital camera is furnished with a series
of lenses that focus the light and creates the image that you want to capture.
The difference here is then; a conventional camera focuses its light on a film
while a digital camera focuses the light into a semiconductor device that
electronically records the light. Remember the built in computer, it comes in
here and breaks this information to digital data resulting to all the features
of the digital camera.

Another feature of the digital camera is that it has a sensor that converts
light into electrical charges. A charge coupled device or CCD is an image
sensor that is found in a digital camera. While other low-end digital camera
use complementary metal oxide semiconductor or CMOS as an image device, it can
still become better and more famous in the future but most engineers are do not
believe that it can replace the CCD for higher-end digital cameras.

A collection of tiny diodes, the CCD gathers electrons when they are struck by
photons or the light particles. Each diode or photosite is sensitive to light,
meaning that the brighter the light, the number of the electrons gathering will
be larger

The price of a digital camera nowadays have been depreciating, one of the main
reasons of this is because of the introduction of CMOS image sensors, this is
because CMOS sensors are less expensive and are easier to manufacture than CCD
sensors. A CCD and CMOS sensor works the same way at first, by converting the
light electrical charges into photosites. Simply putting it, is to think that a
digital camera works in such a way as thinking that the millions of tiny solar
cells, each of which forms a part of the whole image. Both CCD and CMOS do this
task using different methods.

When shopping for the best digital camera, take note of these key features.

Image quality. Check the resolution of the camera. The higher the resolution,
the more thou will be able to enlarge your picture without the grainy or the
out-of-focus effect that we all want to avoid.

Lens. Choose a digital camera with better digital zoom. The digital zoom of the
camera will enable you take the pixels from the image sensor and incorporate
them to make an image. Power. Always opt for rechargeable batteries, they can
always come in handy, plus you don't waste as much money on the disposable ones.

Options. So you can brag to your friends how good a photographer or artist you
are. Or choose the one that gives options that best cater to your lifestyle, so
you won't ever whine how you never get the right pictures.

Memory. If you're a photo freak, be sure that you have enough memory in your
camera to take all the wacky, freaky, funny and just about any photo you can.
Think 512MB if you're a photo junkie and takes pictures of just about anything.

Computer Interface. Always make sure that it is compatible with your PC,
laptop, palmtop or whatever your local picture printer software is, you don't
want to go running around the whole state or the country looking for a computer
that's compatible with your digital camera, wont you?!

Physical. If you are going to be bringing it everywhere, choose a handy and
portable digital camera. This way, it won't always feel as heavy and bulky as
those cameras that you see professional photographers are always dragging on
their neck. Don't they ever get tired of that?!

These are just the basic things you have to look for in a digital camera when
you buy one. A digital camera is so great that it is quickly replacing all
conventional cameras in the market, with all its technology and portability,
truly the digital camera is the future of cameras.

Why Digital Photography?

Digital photography is quickly becoming the preferred way to take pictures. If
you are in the market for a new camera, consider the following advantages of
digital over traditional film photography.

In the long run, digital is less expensive. All photos are recorder are on
memory device within the camera and then downloaded straight to your computer.
You skip the need to keep buying rolls of film and paying for developing. You
can send unlimited copies of the same picture to friends and relatives without
spending a penny extra.

You see your pictures quicker. Most digital cameras allow you to view your
photos immediately. There is no waiting and worrying about whether or not that
"perfect shot" turned out. You can take a picture of that new baby and
immediately download it to your computer to share your good good news with
friends and relatives. There's no need for anxious grandparents to wait days or
even weeks for a picture.

Most digital cameras have built in editing features. Cropping and re-centering
the picture to make it look its best can be done easily. You no longer have to
worry about a stray hand distracting from the main subject of your photo.
Sharpening can be done immediately to bring out the details. Within minutes you
can have a print-perfect photo.

You avoid the frustration of running out of film and having to find a store
that is open in the middle of an important event or on vacation. Depending on
the size of your memory card and the setting of file size and quality, which
you often control, you can store a couple hundred pictures on one tiny card.
That is the equivalent of nine or ten rolls of film.

These are just a few of the advantages of digital photography. It is definitely
worth considering as you search for your next new camera.

Digital Zoom Versus Optical Zoom

Many digital cameras offer both digital and optical zoom. These two often
confuse the average camera buyer, until you know what you're looking at.

Optical zoom works much like the zoom lens on a 35 mm film camera. It changes
the length of your camera's lens and draws the subject closer to you. The
optical zoom keeps the quality of the picture. Digital zoom works differently.
It simply takes the picture and crops it then enlarges the part that is left.
It causes the quality of the photo to be reduced, sometimes greatly.

What this means in terms of output is you may have a larger view of an object
with the digital zoom, but chances are your image will become unfocused.
Details will become lost. It is actually best to turn off the digital zoom
feature of your camera if possible. This will prevent you automatically zooming
in too close as the digital zoom is often an extension of the optical.

There are a couple of things you can do if you want a closer view of a subject
but want the quality of your picture to still be good. Try moving in closer
when you take the picture. Often only a foot or two will do the trick. If this
isn't possible, you can set your camera to take a picture at its highest file
size. This will result in a photo that can be cropped to include only your
desired subject, yet allow for an image that is still clear.

Digital zoom has its place. It can be used if the only destiny of your photo is
the internet. Photos online can be a much lower quality in the camera and still
appear acceptable when sent through e-mail or posted on a web gallery. If your
goal is printing, however, seek a camera that has a greater optical zoom and
turn off the digital zoom. Your pictures will be better in the end, even if
they are not as close up.

Digital Camera Terms To Know

It helps when learning to use your new digital camera to also know what some of
the more common terms mean. Below you will find many of these common terms
defined.. Automatic Mode -- A setting that sets the focus, exposure and
white-balance automatically. Burst Mode or Continuous Capture Mode -- a series
of pictures taken one after another at quickly timed intervals with one press
of the shutter button. Compression -- The process of compacting digital data,
images and text by deleting selected information. Digital Zoom -- Cropping and
magnifying the center part of an image. JPEG -- The predominant format used for
image compression in digital cameras Lag Time -- The pause between the time the
shutter button is pressed and when the camera actually captures the image

LCD -- (Liquid-Crystal Display) is a small screen on a digital camera for
viewing images.

Lens -- A circular and transparent glass or plastic piece that has the function
of collecting light and focusing it on the sensor to capture the image. Megabyte
-- (MB) Measures 1024 Kilobytes, and refers to the amount of information in a
file, or how much information can be contained on a Memory Card, Hard Drive or
Disk. Pixels -- Tiny units of color that make up digital pictures. Pixels also
measure digital resolution. One million pixels adds up to one mega-pixel. RGB
-- Refers to Red, Green, Blue colors used on computers to create all other
colors. Resolution -- Camera resolution describes the number of pixels used to
create the image, which determines the amount of detail a camera can capture.
The more pixels a camera has, the more detail it can register and the larger
the picture can be printed. Storage Card -- The removable storage device which
holds images taken with the camera, comparable to film, but much smaller. Also
called a digital camera memory card... Viewfinder -- The optical "window" to
look through to compose the scene. White Balance -- White balancing adjusts the
camera to compensate for the type of light (daylight, fluorescent, incandescent,
etc.,) or lighting conditions in the scene so it will look normal to the human
eye.

Making Your Digital Camera Battery Last Longer

With all the features digital cameras have these days, you may find keeping
batteries a problem. This could well be your biggest expense, but there are
some things you can do to increase the length of time your batteries stay
charged. Let's start with the three biggest sources of power drain. The LCD
screen takes up the most power. It is possible to turn this feature off unless
you really feel the need for it. Using the camera's viewfinder will conserve
power. Another big power drain is the flash. Whenever you can, use natural
lighting to take your photos and turn off the flash. This will help save your
battery for times when you absolutely need the flash. A third drain on your
battery is constantly using your zoom. It takes more power zooming in and out
than it does keeping your zoom at a steady place. Try to find a setting you
like and sticking with it as much as possible.. Some other things you can do to
make your battery last longer are:: * Make sure Power Saving mode is on, or
simply switch off your camera when you're not using it. *In cold weather, keep
your camera and batteries warm in your jacket until you are ready to use them.
The cold drains batteries very quickly. *Store batteries in a cool, dry
location away from sunlight and other heat sources. *Avoid unnecessary playback
of your already taken images. Try to decide when you take the picture if it is a
"keeper" or needs deleted and then refrain from reviewing until the pictures are
downloaded to your computer. *Use the AC adapter. Most digital cameras have an
adapter that allows you to plug directly into a power point. If you don't plan
on moving around a lot and are near an outlet, the AC adapter will increase the
life of your batteries.

Needing to buy more or recharge your battery is something you won't be able to
avoid completely, but with a few precautions this won't be needed as often.

Red Eye and Your Digital Camera You've seen the dreaded demon-eye effect that
occurs when the camera flash bounces off the eye of a person or pet. An
otherwise wonderful picture can be ruined by this. Technically, this is called
red-eye and is caused when the pupil of your subject's eye is wide open and the
light from the camera's flash reflects off the subjects retina. In people, the
color ends up red; in pets, the color is often green. Many photo editing
programs include a red-eye correction filter, but this may not allow your
photograph subject to appear "normal. These filters also do not work on the
green effect produced in a pet's eyes. Photo stores sell pens that are used to
clear up red-eye, but again they are not always natural-looking and do not work
on the green. The best thing is to prevent the demon-eye effect from the start.
It is rare to find a digital camera that does not come with a red-eye reduction
feature. This feature can be turned off or on. It is best left on in all
circumstances other than direct sunlight. The red-eye reduction feature works
by flashing a short burst of light at your subject before you snap the picture.
This burst of light causes the subject's pupil to close and makes it less likely
for the camera's flash to reflect off the retina. This in turn reduces the
chance of red-eye. It also helps to direct the flash of your camera so it does
not directly hit your subject's eyes. Bouncing the flash off a nearby wall or
other object will soften its effect and reduce the chances of this unwanted
malady. Between bouncing the flash and using your digital camera's red-eye
reduction feature, your little angel, whether human or animal, will have eyes
that don't glow.

Digital Camera Memory Cards

Does it really make a difference what size memory card you use? To your camera,
no; to you, however, it could mean the difference between getting the picture
you want or running out of space on your memory card. When choosing the most
logical size, take into account how many pictures you usually take at a time.
Your needs if you are a world traveler will be different from those of a person
who only uses a camera for holiday get-togethers. You also need to decide how
big the files are of the pictures you take. Smaller files such as pictures for
online will take less space and enable you to fit more on a card. Larger files
for printing will need more room. If you have a 2 mega-pixel camera, 128MB is
usually enough. For a 3 or 4-megapixel camera, a 128MB or 256MB memory card is
usually plenty. For a 5-megapixel camera, start with a 256MB memory card.
Here's a rough guideline of how many pictures a flash memory card can hold: *A
128MB flash memory card can store about 21-41 large, uncompressed images or up
to 100 small, compressed images. This is good enough for most photographic
needs. *A 256MB card will store about twice that, 42-82 large pictures and
nearly 200 smaller ones. Important events like weddings and once in a lifetime
events might warrant this size just to make sure you don't miss that one
special moment. A 1GB card has room for nearly 4 times as much as a 256MB card,
If you are planning a long vacation with a lot of picture taking, this might be
best with the capacity to hold 168-328 large images and a total of close to 800
smaller images. Whatever you decide, remember you can always use several smaller
cards and just change them when they are full. It only takes a few seconds to
switch memory cards, so don't panic if you don't have a large memory card.

Five Ways to Make Money Using Your Digital Camera Have you ever wanted to find
a way to bring extra money into your household--yet don't have a lot of time to
spend on a full-time endeavor? The solution is as close as the digital camera
sitting there in a drawer. The following suggestions are only a few of the many
ways you can make money in your spare time with your camera. * Pet photos --
Most owners won't struggle to take a photograph with their pet all by
themselves. You can be the one who makes it easy on them. Not only can you
charge for the service and your time, but you can offer the photograph in it's
digital form or as a print that you can mail to them later -- either created by
your own photo printer or by a photo processing service. *Graduations --
preschool, high school, or college graduations offer dozens, if not hundreds of
opportunities to capture a significant moment in someone's life. If the family
members of the graduate aren't located in as good a location or don't have as
good a camera as yourself -- you'll have even greater opportunity at getting
the shots they couldn't. *Holiday Family Postcards -- offer your services to
families that want their picture taken and put on a postcard that they can send
to their extended family and friends. *Photo Novelty Items -- take photographs
of people that want the pictures of themselves of their loved ones imprinted on
coffee mugs, mouse pads, key chains, tee-shirts, and other items. *Newborn photo
service -- parents of newborns are some of the busiest people in the world.
Advertise your services on an on-call basis so that you can take informal
snapshots for the growing family either before they leave the hospital, or
after they get home. This way both parents and the child can be in more of the
pictures all together, and the parents have one less thing to try and figure out

Capturing the Little Things With a Digital Camera

Have you ever wondered how a photographer gets such clear, detailed photos of
things like flowers or insects? Capturing such close-up pictures is most often
done with a setting that comes as an option on many digital cameras--the macro
setting.

What the macro setting on your camera essentially does is focus on a very small
area. The background often appears unfocused to further bring out your intended
subject. Getting in close to capture all the detail of a small object is nearly
impossible with the regular setting on a camera. Anything closer than about
three feet becomes blurred. The macro setting changes the distance your camera
will be able to focus and often allows you to take clear pictures from as close
as two or three inches.

This camera mode allows for a lot of experimenting. Try taking a picture of a
bee sitting on a flower petal or a close-up of frost on the window. You will be
amazed at the details brought out. You will be able to almost feel the furriness
of the bee and the ice crystals are beautiful.

If you are planning to sell at online auctions, a macro setting on your camera
will help with taking better pictures--and better pictures help with sales. You
can take close-up photos of such objects as stamps and coins, show the engraving
on an object or allow a viewer to see that a piece of jewelry is flawless.

Don't save your photo taking for big events exclusively. Take a walk and notice
the little things like the pattern on a tree trunk or an ant carrying a bread
crumb twice his size. There are interesting photos everywhere once you start to
look, and the macro mode on your digital camera is the perfect tool for
capturing them.

How Many Mega-Pixels Do I Need?

One of the confusing things in choosing a digital camera is deciding how many
mega-pixels you should look for. The answer depends on what you plan on doing
with the finished pictures.

First, you need to understand what a pixel is. In terms of digital prints, a
pixel simply means a dot of color that makes up the image. A mega-pixel is
equal to one million pixels. The more mega-pixels a camera has, the greater the
amount of information it records.

The easiest way to decide what to look for is to know what size prints you are
likely to print from your camera. A one mega-pixel camera is fine for those who
don't plan on printing photos but rather just post them on the internet. A small
print, say 4 x 6, will print acceptably from this camera.

A 2 mega-pixel camera will enable you to produce good quality 5 x 7 prints and
fair quality 8 x 10 prints. When you reach 4 mega-pixels you can print out
excellent quality 8 x 10 prints and acceptable 11 x 17 prints and a 5 mega
pixel camera will allow you to print out high quality 11 x 17 prints.

Most families find a camera in the 3.2 Mega-pixel range to be the best choice.
The quality of both 5 x & and 8 X 10 prints is very good yet the files on your
computer are not so large you need worry about not having enough space.

Any camera over 5 mega-pixels is unnecessary for all but professionals in
photography; even then, only those who have need for poster-size prints find
that many mega-pixels worth the money. Most freelance photographers find 4 or 5
mega-pixels to be sufficient for excellent-quality prints.

The choice is yours. Look to what you plan on doing with your photos and then
decide. In most cases spending the money for increased optical zoom and lower
mega-pixels is the best choice.

Focus Modes in Digital Cameras While some of the least expensive digital
cameras have only automatic focus, meaning the camera does all the work on
bringing your subject into the best possible focus, most SLR digitals offer
three different focus modes: manual, single auto focus and continuous auto
focus. All three of these will be addressed here. With manual focus, the camera
stays out of the focus equation and you, the photographer, make all the
decisions regarding this. This is done by setting different buttons or actually
using an attached focusing ring that rotates on the camera lens. For those who
like to have complete creative control of the finished product, this is the
best focus mode. In single auto focus mode, the camera automatically focuses
when you press the shutter button either all the way down to shoot a photo or
half way down to lock the focus. This mode is useful when shooting static
objects. In continuous auto focus the camera continuously focuses on the
objects in the photo. In this mode the camera continuously corrects the focus
as the objects distance from the camera changes. This mode is useful when you
shoot photos of moving objects such as a race car during a race or airplanes
during an air show. You can hold the shutter button half way down and
continuously move the camera to follow the object. The camera will continuously
keep the object in focus. Like any other feature automatic and manual focus
modes have their pros and cons. The first step to using them to your advantage
is to understand how they work and what they were designed for. The next step
is to experiment shoot photos using different focus modes and different types
of objects and see how the camera behaves. Once you have done that you will be
ready to instinctively use the best focus mode for each photo situation.

TAKE BETTER PICTURES WITH YOUR DIGITAL CAMERA: Today's cameras make taking
pictures a lot easier than the one's of yesterday. There is always room for
improvement, however. Use the following tips to help make your photos go from
acceptable to great. 1. Always be aware of the background. You don't want to
find trees growing out of people's heads or a passing vehicle to draw attention
from your subject. Sometimes moving your subject just a couple steps to either
side can make all the difference. 2. Use available light. If your digital
camera has an option to turn the flash off and it's light enough outside to
read a book then use the available light and turn the flash off. In general
camera flashes are too harsh for human skin and make all of us look pale.
Indoors, where there isn't enough daylight, place your subject by a window and
use your fill flash feature. 3. Aim your camera slightly down at the person's
face. Also don't shoot just face on to the person, try a little to the side, a
three quarter view, so that you see more of their face. Remember camera higher
looking down and a three quarter view, it will slim your subject. 4. Remember
your focus. Get closer to your subject. Fill the frame with your subject and
there will be no doubt as to what the picture is saying. 6. Never put your
subject dead center. Put your just slightly off center; not a lot just a
little. When you're shooting groups of people, find the imaginary center line
of your group and put that line just a bit off center in your view through your
lens or screen. Following these tips won't turn you into an award-winning
photographer today, but you will be on your way to better, more powerful
photographs that others will comment on for years to come.

UNDERWATER DIGITAL CAMERA: CAPTURING MOMENTS UNDERWATER

Memories are created just about anywhere. And when I say anywhere, I mean that
memories are even created underwater -- so the creation of underwater digital
camera.

An underwater digital camera is not just used to capture underwater memories;
some professional marine photographers also use underwater digital cameras in
their business. Even marine biologists and scientists use underwater digital
cameras to capture marine life and thus be able to study the life and
properties of the marine life. But I think it is safe to assume that you, my
reader, are neither a marine scientist nor a professional photographer. Like
me, you are just some photo junkie who wants to capture underwater moments and
just cant figure out how without ruining your cameras.

Please listen to me when I say that even waterproof cameras cannot withstand
underwater photography. To be waterproof is to resist the water in certain
levels, submerging in under the water to get the perfect shot is like throwing
it out of the window expecting a pick-up truck to pass by and run over it.

Now if you're really serious about using an underwater digital camera to
capture those wacky and funny moments underwater, I suggest that you buy
specialty cameras.

There are rarely underwater digital cameras, as cameras are electronic and
cannot withstand water and water pressure. The closest electronics has ever got
to producing underwater digital cameras are producing underwater casings for
digital cameras. These casing will turn your conventional digital camera into
an underwater digital camera.

If you are shooting with your underwater digital camera, you need to take note
of a few things to help you come up with the best images underwater.

Remember that as you farther under water, light diffuses. This means that your
underwater digital camera will produce images darker than those images you took
while on land -- this is because of the light diffusion the red spectrum seems
darker. To avoid this, use white balance come up with natural colors. Also,
pictures taken underwater will come up larger than pictures taken on land with
the same zoom effect. Be sure to check your underwater digital camera's
viewfinder to check the right picture angle and size that you want.

An underwater digital camera with its built-in flash will produce marine show
phenomenon. It is a phenomenon wherein your pictures come out as blurry and
with white particles floating above it, to avoid this phenomenon it is
advisable to use external flash for your underwater digital camera.

Before using your underwater digital camera, submerge the camera in the water
first for several seconds then check if there are leaks through the case. Make
sure that no grain of sand or piece of hair is stuck in between the seal to
make sure that water will not permeate the case and thus wet your camera in the
process. It is also advisable to put silica gel or two inside the case of your
underwater digital camera as long as they don't disturb the camera's operation.
(Silica gel will keep the moisture from forming inside your camera case.)

Most underwater digital cameras come with optional lenses. Don't be afraid to
add these lenses to your underwater digital camera kit. Macro lenses will help
you capture small things without getting too close and startling your subject.

Also, remember to always wash of salt when you've used it under salt water. If
the salts are not washed off, in time they will crystallize; act as sands and
cause leaks for your camera case. In cases when sands seem to get into the
case, they are better washed off with streams of water.

Check out Sony, Nikon and Canon's website for available underwater cases for
your digital cameras.

What Is the White Balance Setting on my Digital Camera?

Have you ever taken a picture of a beautiful winter scene and been disappointed
to discover the crisp, white snow came out with a bluish tint? This is the kind
of situation your digital camera's white balance is meant to prevent.

The white balance is a sensor that analyzes the lighting conditions and colors
of a scene and adjusts so the white in the picture appears white. This helps
insure the other colors appear as natural as possible. This is one advantage
digital photography has over tradition film. With film, you buy with a certain
lighting condition in mind. If that changes, you need to either change your
film or hope you can fix any errors in post-production.

Most digital cameras allow you to use either automatic white balance or choose
between several preset conditions such as full sun, cloudy day and so forth.
Automatic white balance will work in most conditions. There may be times,
however when you want to "warm" up a picture to enhance the color, such as for
portraits or sunsets. The best way to do this is set your camera's white
balance to "cloudy". This will deepen the colors and add a glowing quality to
portraits. It will take a beautiful sunset and enhance it to the point of
incredible.

Practice taking the same photo with different white balance settings to get a
feel for the changes each setting evokes. Keep notes until you have a good idea
of what each setting does. In time, you will come to automatically sense which
setting is best for your particular situation.

White balance is a small setting that can make big changes in your finished
photos. Make it your friend and you will no longer have to worry about faded
sunsets or blue snow.

THREE STEPS TO BUYING YOUR FIRST DIGITAL CAMERA: You've decided it's time to buy
a digital camera, but which one? The aisles are full of different brands with
different features and a wide variety of prices to match. The task can be
overwhelming. Following are the three most important things you can do to make
the decision easier.: Do your research. Talk to people who have digital cameras
and ask them how they like theirs. What features do they use often and which
ones are "just there"? Go online and visit sites that review different cameras
and read what they have to say. Next, decide how much money you are willing to
spend on a camera. There is no sense going into debt over a camera unless it
will be used as your major income source. Decide how often you will use the
camera, what places you will be using it and who else will be using this
particular camera. How much money can you reasonably spare? All these things
will help you narrow your choices. Evaluate your needs and experience level. Do
you have experience or is this your very first camera? Do you have time to learn
a lot of features or are you happy with a camera you can just point and click?
Do you plan on growing in photography? If so, a digital SLR may be your choice
so it can be added onto to grow with you. Buying a digital camera doesn't have
to be a purchase full of stress. Do your homework and know what you are looking
for, then stick with the decision. You are the best judge of what you need,
trust yourself. Each of the above steps will narrow your choices considerably
and make that final decision easier to make and you can enjoy discovering the
wonders of photography with your new purchase.

Things You Need to Know Before You Buy Digital Camera

Digital cameras come in many sizes, colors, brands, zooms, resolutions,
playbacks, etc. There are so many features and qualities that are being placed
in the devices that buyers especially first timers become overwhelmed and dizzy
with these outstanding arrays of gadgets. This is even without including the
various advertisements and different ratings that are used to promote these
products.

So what are the things to look for if you want to buy digital camera? To be
able to answer these, there are 2 sets of information you have to know before
you can decide. The first type of information is defining what YOU need and
want in a digital camera. To do this, you can ask yourself the following
questions:

- What do you want to take with your digital camera? Before you buy digital
camera, it is important to determine what kind of pictures you want to take
with it. If you are a digital photography enthusiast, any digital camera will
not just do. You have to look for features that can support the zooming you
need, the resolution, etc.

- How much is your budget? This is a very important question any person who
intends to buy digital camera should ask. Because no matter what your needs and
wants are for the device, your financial resource will play a huge part in
dictating the type of digital camera you will buy.

- What are you resources? When you buy digital camera, sometimes the spending
does not end there. You also have to consider the capacity and the power of the
computer and the printer you will be hooking your camera with for your editing
and printing needs. Editing software are already included when you buy digital
camera but other devices aren't. Aside from a printer, ink and paper for
printing, you might also need additional memory cards for your camera and a
more powerful computer to support image editing and image storage and retrieval.

After answering these 3 questions, the second set of information you need to
know before you buy digital camera are the features that you need in the
device. These are:

- Resolution. Before you buy digital camera, check first its capacity to
produce high quality photo images. The number of pixels indicated determines
resolution. The more number of pixels, the higher the resolution which can make
photos to be enlarged without losing image quality.

- Built-in memory. Digital cameras need memory cards for picture storage. When
you buy digital camera, make sure that the gadget that you buy does not only
have a "built-in" memory but should also have a card slot for external and
additional memory. This allows you to change full memory cards conveniently
while shooting your pictures.

- Look and feel. It is essential for you to feel comfortable holding your
digital camera while shooting. So, before you buy digital camera, it good to
test and check if you are comfortable holding it and using it. Consider where
the buttons are located and how they are spaced out and see also if you feel
comfortable using the viewfinder.

- Battery life. Digital cameras use up batteries fast and batteries are
expensive. Before you buy digital camera, consider if the camera's batteries
are rechargeable. This way you can recharge them. Take also into consideration
an AC adapter when you buy digital camera. You can attach this to the camera
when you are viewing your pictures or uploading them

- LCD. The LCD is a special consideration you have to look into when you buy a
digital camera. This is a small screen located at the back of a digital camera
that allows you to preview the pictures you took. This has to be considered
when you buy digital camera because it uses up a lot of battery power.

- Special features. Special features that will suit your needs should be
thought about, too before you buy digital camera. If you want your camera to
have good zooming, you can opt for those with optical zoom lenses. A diopter
adjustment on the digital camera's viewfinder will also be beneficial to those
who regularly wear glasses and wish to buy digital camera. Other features such
as remote control, tripods, etc. can also be considered when you buy a digital
camera.

With these information, you can now figure out what you really need and want
before you buy digital camera. If you want to see ratings and rankings of these
devices based on price, resolution or other features, check out various websites
that have these in the Internet.

HOW TO FIND THE BEST DIGITAL CAMERA

It seems that every month, if not every week, different manufacturers are
coming up with the latest digital cameras to entice potential clients. And it's
just not working for us!

After spending sizeable amount of time at the mall figuring out which is the
best digital camera for us, we finally have enough money to buy for that
eye-popping, 7 mega pixel, 10x digital zoom, potable, candy colored, up to
512MB expandable memory of super hi-speed SD memory card and not to mention
very portable, (that will be the envy of almost everyone we know). We march to
the mall armed with our life savings and lotsa pride in ourselves, when we pass
by a new display -- an eight mega pixel, up to 1G expandable memory, with built
it mic and stereo surround, video playback capable, with 22 scenic modes
kind-of-camera. And we sigh because the producer of this amazing gadget claims
that this is the best digital camera yet out in the market. And so as we always
want to have the best, armed with our life savings and a few credit cards, we
buy the "best digital camera." But then again, that doesn't last too long,
after two months or so, there's another "best digital camera."

And so it confuses us. What makes a digital camera, the best digital camera?

Well, there are certain factors to consider when looking for the "best digital
camera" for us.

MEGAPIXELS. One of the most important features of digital camera to make it
into the best digital camera category is its mega pixel property. The higher
the mega pixels the better the actual photograph will come out. A mega pixel is
equivalent to one million pixels. The resolution of your image is based upon the
mega pixel property of your camera. This means that as you enlarge the picture,
you would get more detail and less blurry colors.

LCD SIZE. The best digital camera will always have a large LCD to help you
frame your subject without having to squint to the viewfinder. This is also
helpful when reviewing your images, some cameras enable touch up and editing
features with its LCD. A 1.5-inch display is average, a 2-inch LCD display is
good, but the best LCD size would be 2.5 inches or higher.

ZOOM. Most digital cameras have both digital and optical zoom. A higher optical
zoom is always better than a higher digital zoom. Digital cameras are usually
furnished with optical of between 3x to 10x. The better the optical zoom, the
higher it climbs up to the best digital camera category.

MEMORY CARD. Always make sure that your memory card is the right one for your
digital camera. There are different types of memory card like the xD, SD, Flash
card and the likes. And these types of memory cards go with certain types of
digital cameras. of course memory storage is also up there in choosing the best
digital cameras. Choose the size of memory that you need, if you're a photo
junkie, you might need more than 32MB. Memory cards can go up to 1G.

The key point to find the best digital camera is to find one that will best fit
you and your lifestyle. Don't just buy the latest or the one that claims they
are the best digital cameras out in the market. You wouldn't want to buy a DSLR
and use it with your home activities or family outing and have to lug it
around?! Or you don't want to buy the latest point and shoot camera when you're
serious about being a professional photographer. (Of course, you can use this
for starters, but if you're not a novice photographer anymore, you wouldn't
want to get this kind of camera.)

Actually, the best digital camera is the one that you will enjoy and use. Not
the type that you'll just leave rotting in its box or after a few weeks of
usage or so, up there in the attic.

Your Digital Camera Owner's Manual

All cameras come with an owners manual, but so few people take the time to read
it. Once they get past the basic operations, they get anxious to go out and try
the camera. Maybe all the new terms are confusing or there seems like too much
information to digest. This is understandable, but by not reading the entire
manual, you limit yourself and many cool features of your camera are never
used. Hopefully you will find the following suggestions helpful in getting the
most from your digital camera.

After your first overview of the features your camera possesses, decide what
you would like to explore the most. Pick only one special feature. Read the
instructions on what this feature can do and how to use it. Don't worry if it
isn't completely clear, that will come in time.

Now the fun part. Take your camera and start using this special feature. Try
all the different settings within this one feature. See how your pictures
change. Explore what this feature does. Don't stop until you know this feature
inside and out and don't go onto the next feature until you have fully explored
this one.

When you are satisfied you know the ins and outs of one special feature, return
to the owner's manual and pick another special feature you would like to learn.
Repeat the above process with this feature, only returning to the manual when
you are satisfied you have mastered the new skill.

By working through the owner's manual in this way, you will find it isn't so
overwhelming. The hands-on practice of each skill will help you learn it
thoroughly. When you have covered all the cool things your camera will do, go
out and enjoy them all. You will be glad you took the time to become friends
with this wonderful creation.

TRUSTING DIGITAL CAMERA REVIEWS

Digital camera reviews are abundant not just online but also in the newspapers,
magazines and even TV shows. We often wonder why most digital camera reviews
always praise all the digital camera out in the market, that's why we end up
getting confused on which product to buy or get our loved ones. ]

Here's one thing you should never trust regarding digital camera reviews --
never trust press releases or reviews that are directly from the manufacturer
or advertising office that is directly connected with producer of the digital
camera. Why?! Well because these digital camera reviews are never too truthful,
or they just give out the good points about their products. I mean, what would
you expect, supposing you own your own line of digital cameras and to boost
your sales, you release digital camera reviews about your products. Of course
you wouldn't point out the bad things or the glitches of your product in your
digital camera reviews, because that way you will never be able to shoot up
your sales. Press releases or digital camera reviews from manufacturer are
always half-truths. Haven't you had any experience with that?! I mean, that
just doesn't go for digital camera, remember that brush-blower thingy that you
bought over the internet that says it would work tremendously for your hair,
but ended not working for your hair after all. Press releases are press
releases, meaning that they are aimed to get people to buy the product or to
give the product a better name.

On more thing that you can never fully trust are home shopping networks and
advertisements. As much as press releases, they pretty much pose the same
claims about their products. But hey, don't trust me, you can always get them
and return them after proving to yourself that it doesn't work. Never mind the
time and effort that you've wasted, you chose to listen to a half-truth digital
camera review, that's what you get for that.

The best digital camera reviews available are those found in specialty
magazines (computer based and technical magazines), special websites catering
to techie stuff and unofficial digital camera reviews. Why?! Well because!
Because these digital camera reviews are always truthful. These reviewers and
critics are never afraid to list down the good as much as the bad points of
digital cameras. These digital camera reviews usually points out the difference
between the products that a certain manufacturer has released and how it is
worse or better than the previous one. These reviewers and critics are also
knowledgeable in their craft, so its say to safe to say that they know what
they are talking about when it comes to digital camera reviews. One more thing,
most of the time, these digital camera reviews are actual first hand experience
with the product itself and not just some advertising agent asked to come up
with flowery words to capture you and your wallet.

Another best source for a digital camera review is one that you can write
yourself. And how can you do that?! Of course, you first need to buy your own
digital camera, try it out and compare everything that you do with it to the
things that it claims to be. (be careful to read the specs, options and
features that you need to try out, be on the lookout for words such as
weatherproof, meaning that they are splash resistant as to waterproof that are
water resistant. You don't want to get your newly bought weatherproof camera
wet, just to prove to yourself that the things they claim are not true). After
doing so, then you can write your own digital camera review or reviews,
depending on how many things you've learned from your digital camera. Be sure
to indicate that your review is an on-hand experience with the product and not
just some wild guess.

The most honest digital camera reviews are the best reviews you can look for
and trust. Anyway, you can always call customer center or return your digital
camera if they don't live up to their claims.

The Olympus FE-280

Want a compact digital camera with easy-to-use features, a slim go-anywhere
construction, and amazing image quality? If so, the Olympus FE-280 is the
camera for you. Twenty-one shooting modes and Digital Image Stabilization Mode
and Edit means you'll get high-quality results in all shooting situations.

The Olympus FE-280 is available in four color options: red, silver, blue, and
black.

Features include:

* Superior image quality: 8-mega pixel CCD. * 3x zoom with a precision-crafted
Olympus lens that delivers sharper, clearer images * 2.5" High-Resolution LCD
(230,000 pixels) view screen with Backlight Boost Button provides easy shooting
and sharing of your images with family and friends. * Digital Image
Stabilization (DIS) permits you to freeze action shots and capture sharp, crisp
images with high ISO sensitivity and faster shutter speeds. The DIS Edit feature
allows you to fix blurry images right in the camera. * The Face Detection
feature tracks peoples' faces within the frame, focusing and optimizing
exposure for great portrait pictures. * Perfect Shot Preview allows you to see
the effects of different settings before you shoot by providing a live,
multi-frame window on the LCD, letting you pick the perfect setting for that
perfect shot. * Perfect Fix instantly corrects your photos-- lighten shadows,
remove red-eye and eliminate blur all with the touch of a button, so that
less-than-perfect shots can still turn out great. * Take creative control with
Program Auto Mode, allowing you to adjust settings like white balance and ISO.
* Display a clearer, brighter image on the LCD when previewing and capturing
pictures or recording video in low light situations using Bright Capture
Technology. * Skip the user manual and learn as you go: at the touch of a
button the In-Camera Help Guide provides a brief description of camera settings
and features, conveniently displayed on the LCD. * Use any of 21 preset Shooting
Modes, including the new Smile Shot, Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, three
Underwater shooting modes and more, and optimize the camera's settings for any
shooting situation to ensure the capture of a great shot. * Shoot TV-quality
movies. * Quickly and easily find your favorite images using My Favorites, an
in-camera album that stores your favorite images for easy sharing with family
and friends. * The FE-280's TruePicTM III Image Processor, initially developed
for the professional Digital SLR, delivers fantastic images with true-to-life
color and sharp detail. * The Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery (included)
provides the convenience and cost-savings of long-lasting, economical shooting
power.

Technical Specifications Include:

* Size: 3.6" long, 2.2" high, .65" wide * Weight: 3.8 oz * Inputs: USB cable
(included) * Outputs: USB cable, RCA (audio/video) cable (also included) *
Display: 2.5" LCD * Maximum Resolution: 230,000 pixels * Self-Delay Timer: 12
seconds * Resolution: 8 mega pixel * Optical Sensor: CCD * Total Pixels: 8
million pixels * Optical Zoom: x3 * Digital Zoom: x4 * Shutter Speed: 1/1000
second -- 4 seconds * Digital Video Format: AVI JPEG * Still Image Format: JPEG
Video Resolutions: 640 x 480 -- 30fps (SHQ), 320 x 240 -- 15 fps (HQ), 160 x 120
-- 15 fps (SQ) * Nightshot: Yes * Date/Time Insert: Yes

Most users love this model, and find it easy to use despite all the features.
However, some find the picture quality is not as good as was expected. This
camera costs $150-180 US.

The Nikon D40

Nikon is a trusted brand in the digital camera industry. Some of the high end
Nikons are staples of quality digital photography. One model in particular,
though a little pricey for casual picture-takers, is a favorite among
professionals and industry insiders: the Nikon D40.

The Nikon D40 is a 6.1 megapixel digital camera with 3x optical zoom. Pictures
are taken in JPEG or NEF (RAW) format. The camera's ISO equivalencies range
from 200 to 1600. It has both programmed and automatic focus modes and exposure
settings to ensure the very best photographs regardless of distance or lighting.
It uses a Nikon AF-S DX 18-55mm lens.

A sturdy camera, the Nikon D40 weighs in at one and a half pounds. Its physical
dimensions are 3.7 in x 5 in x 2.5 in (HxWxD), making it a hard camera to fit
into tight spaces, but also a hard camera to break. Users like the Nikon D40's
natural feel. It fits right into the photographer's hands and doesn't feel
clumsy or bulky.

The Nikon D40 uses SDHC Memory Card, MultiMediaCard, or SecureDigital (SD)
memory cards. It comes with A/V and USB cables, as well as a shoe cap, strap,
eyepiece cover, dust cap, body cap, lens cap, and eyecup. All of this hardware
makes the camera sound like serious business, and it is. This is no child's
toy. The Nikon D40 stands at the point where digital cameras start to get
expensive. Its users would pay a higher price still for such crisp, clear
photographs and easy-to-use extra features. This is one camera that's worth the
cost.

User sentiments are overwhelmingly positive. This camera is touted as the next
step after mastering point-and-shoot. When the beginners get serious about
taking great pictures, the Nikon D40 will be waiting for them. Customers insist
that the camera is easy to use, even with all the extra features. You certainly
don't have to be a professional to take professional-quality photographs with
the Nikon D40 digital camera.

User complaints are minimal. Some customers don't like the fact that the D40
has only three auto focus points, while Nikon's D80 digital camera has 11.
There is also some concern over the way the D40 tends to wash people out in
indoor photography, though this is easily remedied with the use of the camera's
"warm" photo editing tool.

True Nikon enthusiasts lament the fact that the D40 can only use auto focus
lenses that have their own built-in auto focus motors, thus preventing the use
of older Nikon lenses with this digital camera. These complaints are rare,
though. Far more often, users say that they haven't had any problems at all
with the camera, and would pay the somewhat hefty price all over again.

The Nikon D40 sells for about $500 US. It can be found online or off, anywhere
digital cameras are sold.

The Nikon CoolPix L14

Digital camera users are always on the lookout for cool new features. The Nikon
CoolPix L14 was designed to give customers what they want. This 7.1 megapixel
digital camera is packed with little extras that really set it apart from the
competition. And with its low price and Easy Auto mode, the Nikon CoolPix L14
is hard to beat for affordability and convenience.

Users can start the camera in Easy Auto mode and start taking pictures
immediately without having to worry about settings. For more advanced
photographers, the Nikon CoolPix L14 has fifteen scene and five movie modes to
work with. There is a setting for every situation. And with a maximum ISO of
1000, the Nikon CoolPix L14 accurately measures ambient light levels and
adjusts itself accordingly.

The Nikon CoolPix L14 also features a selection of new functions that users are
sure to rave about. First is the Face-priority AF. This feature automatically
finds, then focuses on people's faces, resulting in crisp, clear pictures with
life-like facial details. Gone are the days of blurry faces. Face-priority AF
ensures that you can actually recognize the people you just photographed.

Another useful feature is the ability to remove the dreaded "red eye" from
photos using just the camera. This onboard red-eye removal is handy for folks
who don't have photo editing software nearby, or who just want to fix the
pictures without it. Additionally, the Nikon CoolPix L14 comes with D-Lighting.
This special photo correction feature can be used to improve the color and
contrast in underexposed photos. If you took a shot with too much backlighting,
this feature can also help to correct the picture. It works by adding detail to
areas where they are needed, but leaving well-exposed areas alone.

For the young at heart, the Nikon CoolPix L14 also comes with stop motion
animation capability. Users can take a series of pictures of the same subject
in slightly different positions, then string the pictures together to make a
fun animated film.

Beyond its outstanding picture-taking ability, the Nikon CoolPix L14 also
shines in the area of battery conservation. Nikon boasts that users can take up
to 1,000 photos before draining the batteries. Users have been able to get
600-1,000 shots using lithium batteries. With alkaline batteries, the camera
will take about 440 pictures. Still, that's very good for a digital camera in
the affordable price range.

This is also a stylish little camera with a sleek body that comes in silver,
black, blue, and metallic pink. It can be used for everyday photography without
cramping your style. It comes with a 3x optical zoom and a generous 23MB of
onboard memory.

If you take lots of people pictures, this is the digital camera for you. The
Nikon CoolPix L14 has everything you need to take life-like photos of family
and friends. It retails for about $150 US.

The HP PhotoSmart M425

Similar to the HP PhotoSmart E337, the M425 is an affordable digital camera
with a loyal following. Users like the high quality images it takes, plus the
affordability. The M425 is a higher-end version of its E337 cousin. Even
professional photographers praise the camera's clear, vibrant pictures and the
ease with which they can be taken. With its many features and adequate
specifications, the HP PhotoSmart M425 is a good digital camera for beginners
and intermediate users.

The HP PhotoSmart M425 has a 4.9 megapixel resolution. It offers a 3x optical
zoom and a 1.7 inch LCD display, which is a bit on the small side when compared
to similarly-priced digital cameras. The HP PhotoSmart M425 comes with 16MB of
onboard memory. It is also compatible with Secure Digital or MultiMediaCards.
Easy to use with just about any computer, the HP PhotoSmart M425 is compatible
with most versions of Windows and Mac OS.

The USB transfer speed of this camera has been called into question. Images are
transferred to over a USB 1.1 connection, which is slower than the speedy USB
2.0 connections offered on most modern digital cameras. This, coupled with the
HP PhotoSmart M425's small LCD, might simply be a sign of the camera's age.
Unlike most of its competitors that came out in 2007, the M425 has been with us
since early 2006. (Perhaps some upgrades are in order?)

Still, even with some features that seem rather dated, this camera has retained
a body of loyal fans for years. Why do so many users go crazy for this camera?
The onboard editing options and red-eye removal, for starters. Users can adjust
the white, black, sepia, and negative settings within the camera itself. That is
incredibly useful for photographers who might not have quick access to a
computer with photo editing software. The picture quality is universally
praised. Customers describe the HP PhotoSmart M425's photos as "beautiful" and
"fantastic any time of day or night". The camera has a flash that is arguably
superior to others, making it a great choice for indoor or outdoor photography.

Other little extras have propelled this camera to popularity. It has a self
timer, which many users enjoy. It also has easy-to-use buttons and menus. There
are no complicated series of button pushes for deleting pictures; one press and
a confirmation is all it takes to get rid of muddled photos. Video is also
simple with the HP PhotoSmart M425's "click to start", "click to stop"
interface. The camera also does audio recording and direct print. It works with
all PictBridge certified printers, among others.

The HP M425 is covered by a 90 day warranty and retails for about $130 US.
Purchase this camera and its optional camera dock to print out high quality
photos anywhere!

The HP PhotoSmart E337

As digital cameras go, price is often an indicator of quality. But there are a
surprising number of lower-end cameras tailored to the skills of new
photographers that perform on par with or even better than their more expensive
competitors. The HP PhotoSmart E337 is inexpensive, but users are full of
glowing reviews -- provided that you don't expect too much out of the camera.

What should you expect from the HP PhotoSmart E337? Customers who have used the
camera rave about the intuitive button layout and menu navigation. In fact, this
camera is so easy to use that many customers have bought a PhotoSmart E337 for
their children or parents. (Younger children should get digital cameras made
specifically with kids in mind; the PhotoSmart E337 has a rather flimsy and
insubstantial body that would break if tossed or dropped.)

Most customers bought this camera to have a simple point-and-shoot device for
parties and special events. Others purchased bundles of the cameras to give as
Christmas gifts for the younger photographers in the family. For what it is,
the HP PhotoSmart E337 is an adequate camera. Its color and image clarity are
on track with similarly priced competitors, and its ease of use even surpasses
some of the more expensive models out there.

In keeping with the competition in its price range, the HP PhotoSmart E337 has
plenty of internal memory (16MB) so that it can be used without a memory card.
The camera comes with a USB port and cable for easy photo sharing. It's also
got leading-edge internal red eye removal. Windows Vista fans will appreciate
that this camera comes fully Vista ready. It is also fully compatible with Mac
OS X v10.3.9 and 10.4.

The HP PhotoSmart E337 runs on two AA batteries. Other camera features include
motion video and direct printing to any PictBridge certified printer. The
camera comes with a 90 day limited warranty and 24/7 customer support. It also
has a hand strap, user manual, and software CD.

So what are the drawbacks of owning an HP PhotoSmart E337? Unfortunately, there
are a few. As mentioned before, the camera isn't the sturdiest on the market.
It's light and feels rather fragile. Image quality has been described as
"acceptable", but not great. The camera is best used for point and shoot
pictures; it has no optical zoom. Finally, the 1.5 inch LCD preview screen has
been described as small and grainy. Kids and novice photographers would
probably have fun with this camera, but real photography enthusiasts are
advised to look elsewhere.

The HP PhotoSmart E337 can be found wherever digital cameras are sold. It
retails for about $80 US.

The FujiFilm FinePix A900

Seldom is a digital camera described as "strange" or "bizarre". Yet those terms
pop up frequently in professional reviews of the FujiFilm FinePix A900. Though
this digital camera has good image quality, the unusual controls and
specifications make it less than user-friendly.

To start with, the FujiFilm FinePix A900 is a 9 megapixel camera. That's the
good news. Most companies don't even offer 9 megapixel models. But getting a
high quality printable photo can be a little tricky with the FujiFilm FinePix
A900. It seems that the while balance adjustment is hidden away in a maze of
non-intuitive menu options. If users plan on printing their digital photos,
they should adjust the white balance before they start shooting. Making
adjustments in the middle of a shoot can be frustrating with the camera's odd
menu layout. While common scene modes like "landscape" are hidden, unusual ones
like "baby" can be found right on the camera's dial -- just another strange
quirk in the A900's layout.

One very nice feature of the FujiFilm FinePix A900 is a long lens which gives
this camera a 4x optical zoom. Similarly priced cameras only offer 3x zoom
capability. The camera also has an infrared sensor which allows it to transfer
photos to other infrared-enabled cameras and mobile phones.

The FujiFilm FinePix A900 does not have the sleek, stylish body so common to
modern digital cameras. In fact, it has been described as "clunky", weighing in
at a hefty 200 grams plus. This camera is larger than most of its competitors,
and critics complain that it barely fits into a shirt pocket. Other sticking
points are the shutter lag and relatively long wait time until a picture takes.
The FujiFilm FinePix A900 was outpaced by
nearly all of its peers in regard to speed.

Some users prefer the thick body and greater weight of this model. Men with
large hands find it easier to deal with than some of the super-slim
alternatives. Surprisingly, given the camera's odd menu layout, many users find
it to be a very straightforward device. It is lauded for the ease with which a
user can pick it up and start taking photos. Beginners and younger children
might have a lot of fun with this sturdy model.

And even the most ardent detractor has to give credit where it's due: if you
can figure out all the controls, the FujiFilm FinePix A900 takes beautiful
pictures. Colors are life-like, faces are crisp, and even the high
magnifications seldom show grain. For all its quirks, this is a quality camera.

The FujiFilm FinePix A900 comes with 10MB of internal memory and is compatible
with SD or xD cards. It runs on two AA batteries. The A900 retails for about
$150-$170 US.

The FujiFilm FinePix A610

The FujiFilm FinePix A610 was announced in early 2007. Much ado was made about
this camera, because it combined for the first time Fuji's proprietary Super
CCD HR sensor and Real Photo Processor. This dual technology means cleaner
pictures with more detail -- something digital camera enthusiasts are always
looking for. And the camera's affordable price tag is another major selling
point. It exceeds most people's performance expectations for a $130 digital
camera.

The FujiFilm FinePix A610 is a 6.1 megapixel camera with a maximum ISO
sensitivity of 400. It has a 3x optical zoom. Most impressively, the Fujifilm
FinePix A610 features a dual memory card slot which accepts both Fujifilm's
xD-Picture Card and Secure Digital (SD) card format. The FujiFilm FinePix A610
is powered by two AA batteries. It comes with 10MB of internal memory, allowing
photographers to take and store pictures without a memory card. Customers
appreciate this camera's ease of use. It has a highly touted intuitive button
layout, as well as easy-to-navigate access menus.

In fact, this digital camera seems to have been designed with beginners in
mind. Fourteen scene positions and multiple picture settings make this camera a
great choice for new photographers. Its generous 2.5 inch LCD is coated with an
anti-glare protector that lets users preview their pictures even in bright
light. Fuji has added a "new baby" setting that captures the true color of
newborns' flesh tones. New parents, traditionally a camera-happy lot, can
really appreciate this feature. Soccer moms and dads will love the sports
setting which reduces the blur in action shots.

Customer reviews of the FujiFilm FinePix A610 are mixed, but mostly positive.
The user-friendly design of the buttons and menus is widely praised. The
picture quality, however, has been brought into question. Some users complain
that pictures come out looking a bit oversaturated. Others have observed that
indoor pictures come out a little too dark. The camera seems to perform best
when used for outdoor photography.

Also, the camera's video quality doesn't seem to be on par with other cameras
in the same price range. The FujiFilm FinePix A610 captures movies in QVGA at a
rate of thirty frames per second, without sound. This doesn't keep the camera
from receiving high marks in other areas, but many of its peers produce higher
resolution video with sound included.

The bottom line is that the FujiFilm PinePix A610 is a nice camera for
beginners. It has easy-to-use buttons, menus, and settings. But for the best
quality pictures and videos, you might do well to look elsewhere.

This digital camera retails for about $130 US, and can be found online or at
any major electronics store.

The Fuji FinePix S700

There is plenty of competition in the digital camera industry. New technology
is coming out all the time which makes these cameras sharper, faster, and
sleeker. It's easy for customers to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of
camera models available. Even photographers on a budget have many choices when
it comes to their digital camera purchase. Some models work best for indoor
photography, while others specialize in outdoor or action shots. In most ways,
though, digital cameras within the same price range tend to offer the same
features.

But every now and then a digital camera comes along which distinguishes itself
in some way. For example, the Fuji FinePix S700 is the premier point-and-shoot
camera for close-up shots. Users claim that shots come out in focus even when
the camera lens is close enough to touch the subject. Now that's impressive!

The camera is also rather heavy for its size, which speaks of good quality. It
might not fit so easily into a shirt pocket, but neither is it the sort of
camera that will break after a week of use.

Here are the specifications for the Fuji FinePix S700 digital camera:

* CCD Image Sensor * 7.1 Megapixel Resolution * 10x Optical Zoom * 35mm Zoom
Lens 38 -- 380 mm * 4.8x Digital Zoom * Autofocus & Manual Focus * Focus Range
from 12 in. to Infinity * Macro Focus Range 1.6 -- 117.6 in. * Focal Length
6.33 -- 63.3 mm * Shutter Speed 4 -- 1/1000 sec * Uses SD or xD Picture Card *
27MB Internal Memory * 2.5 inch LCD * LCD Screen Resolution of 230,000 pixels *
Self Timer, 2 and 10 seconds

Images are compressed in JPEG or EXIF 2.2. The Fuji FinePix S700 has image
resolutions of 640 x 480, 3072 x 2048, 2304 x 1728, 1600 x 1200, and 3072 x
2304. Images are 0.13MB in size for low resolution, and 3.48 MB for high res
pictures.

Video resolutions are 320 x 240 (QVGA) and 640 x 480 (VGA). Videos have a speed
of 30 frames per second and use either AVI or Motion JPEG format. The S700 comes
with a built-in microphone for audio. The camera has automatic and manual white
balance with several pre-sets, including daylight, fuorescent, incandescent,
and shade.

The Fuji FinePix S700 digital camera runs on four AA batteries. Its dimensions
are 4.2in x 3.2in x 3in (WxDxH). It weighs 0.67 pounds and retails for about
$200 US. Black is the only exterior color available. The camera bundle includes
AA alkaline batteries (4), shoulder strap, lens cap, lens cap cord, A/V cable,
USB cable, CD-ROM and owner's manual.

The Fisher-Price Kid Tough Digital Camera

Parents lead by example, and children learn by watching grown-ups. Beloved
hobbies tend to get passed down from parent to child, especially if those
hobbies are kid-friendly and entertaining to young minds. Photography is one
example. Kids love to take pictures. And with the LCD preview panels on digital
cameras, kids have found a whole new reason to be excited about picture-taking.

Unfortunately, too many digital camera models aren't appropriate for kids.
Either they break too easily, or cost too much, or simply have too many
confusing features and non-intuitive button and menu layouts. Children get
disappointed when they are constantly refused access to a camera, especially if
they see parents and older siblings taking pictures. What's a parent to do?

Thanks to Fisher-Price, parents can simply buy a digital camera for their
youngest photographers. The Fisher-Price Kid Tough Digital Camera was designed
for small children who might subject it to rough treatment. The plastic and
rubber camera case can take a lot of abuse.

Available in blue, pink, or red, the Kid Tough Digital Camera is praised for
its superb design. Even two year olds can quickly learn to take pictures with
this camera. It features a pair of large rubber grip handles for small hands.
There is also a wrist strap built into the camera's base. The buttons are large
and easy to use. Kids also enjoy the shutter sound that comes whenever they snap
a picture. Parents and kids both like the fact that this is a true
point-and-shoot camera. Everything is automatic.

But therein lies the problem with the Fisher Price Kid Tough Digital Camera.
Because everything is done for you, there is no chance to change exposure
settings to suit the situation. The photo quality is poor, with pictures often
coming out blurry, dark, or discolored. Many parents have even exchanged the
Fisher Price Kid Tough Digital Camera for low-cost models designed for adults.
The Kid Tough doesn't have enough fun features to compensate for the low image
quality. Its competitor, the VTech KidiZoom Digital Camera, comes with a host
of games, video capability, and silly frames and special effects for images.
The Kid Tough just doesn't compare.

Bottom line: if you want an entertaining camera for kids, go with the VTech
KidiZoom. If you want a simple camera that takes decent pictures, go with
almost any of the low-end point-and-shoots out there. They are more likely to
take clear, printable pictures than the Fisher Price Kid Tough.

The Fisher Price Kid Tough Digital Camera sells for about $70 US, and can be
found in toy stores or online where digital cameras are sold.

The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH

When people shop for digital cameras, they usually fall into one of two
categories: those who want good picture quality at a low price, and those who
want exceptional picture quality, period. The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital
ELPH, though not the least expensive digital camera out there, is still
affordable for most digital photographers. It has been described as being worth
every penny of its moderate price. It would make a wonderful gift for a budding
photographer or new parents who want to document their child's early years in
clear, vivid color.

The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH is a 10 megapixel digital camera. It has
an optical zoom of 3x and a digital zoom of 4x. The camera's LCD is quite large,
at 2.5 inches. The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH uses the following
recording methods: SDHC Memory Card, MultiMediaCard, and SD card. It even comes
with frame movie mode and a self-timer for maximum fun.

With a generous 32MB of internal flash memory, this camera is ready to point
and shoot the moment you remove it from its wrappings and charge up the
battery. It comes with A/V and USB cables, as well as a wrist strap to help
keep the camera in hand. At a slender 5.8oz and 2.4 in x 3.6 in x 1.1 in
(HxWxD), the Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH has been described as
especially pocket-friendly. This is a camera you can take anywhere. Users
praise its photo quality. Some use it for everyday picture-taking, while others
bring it out for special events.

Though this camera is the most highly rated on many Internet shopping sites, is
has a few downfalls. For one thing, the Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH uses
a proprietary battery. Some users complain that the battery life is too short.
Others point out that the camera does not have a battery indicator, which can
be problematic to say the least. Also, this is not a plug-and-play device. The
camera must have its own software installed before Windows will communicate
with it. With so many competitors churning out Windows-ready digital cameras,
one has to wonder why Canon didn't follow suit.

The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH comes with a time and date stamp
feature, but, curiously, this seems to be available only at high resolutions.
And, of course, the camera is not cheap. Those users who want a quick
point-and-shoot digital camera with average quality photos could save a lot of
money by going with another brand. But serious hobbyists will enjoy the high
quality and many features that come with the Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH.

The PowerShot SD900 retails for about $350-$400 US, and can be purchased
wherever digital cameras are sold.

The Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS

Subcompact digital cameras are a good idea in theory, but they can lead to
diminished photo quality. Some people are willing to trade a little bit of
quality for the ability to tuck the camera into their shirt pocket and take it
with them wherever they go. Small cameras definitely appeal to many customers
because of their style and convenience.

With the Canon PowerShot SD2200 IS, quality is no longer compromised by small,
slim body. This digital camera packs a lot of punch into a tiny package. And
with its loads of features aimed at improving photo quality, this camera is
perfect for new photographers who want good pictures with minimum hassle.

The Canon PowerShot SD2200 IS is an 8 megapixel digital camera with a 1.25 inch
CCD imager. It comes with a 3x optical zoom lens with image stabilization. Other
useful features include onboard red-eye elimination and face detection
technology for like-like facial details. If you often take pictures of children
and other fast-moving objects, the blur reduction in the Canon PowerShot SD2000
will come in handy. The camera's face detection technology seeks out human
faces and sharpens them, balances the color, and makes them appear true to
life. Image stabilization will keep action shots crisp and minimize blurring
due to hand or camera shaking.

The Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS also has the following specifications:

* 13 Scene Modes * Exposure Times as long as 15 seconds * 2.5" LCD * ISO
Sensitivity Range from 80 to 1600 * Shutter Speed -- 15-1/1500 seconds * White
Balance Control -- Auto, Preset (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent,
Fluorescent H) * Custom Built-in Flash * Auto Red-eye Correction * Shooting
Modes -- Auto, Camera M, Portrait, Special Scene (Foliage, Snow, Beach, Sunset,
Fireworks, Aquarium, Underwater, Indoor, Kids & Pets) Night Snapshot, Color
Accent, Color Swap, Digital Macro, Stitch Assist, and Movie * Self-Timer --
2-second or 10-second delay * Custom Dimensions -- 3.42 x 2.16 x 0.87
(86.8x54.8x22.0mm) * Weight -- 4.41 ounces (125 grams) * Colors Available:
Metallic blue, pink, gold, silver, and brown

Users consider this camera a resounding success. They do, however, point out
that the camera's color names (which include "Bohemian Brown" and "Pink
Melody") sound a little too much like cosmetic products. But, silly names
aside, this camera delivers tons of features that aren't found in the average
affordable point-and-shoot.

The Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS can be found wherever digital cameras are sold.
It retails for about $250 US.

The Canon PowerShot A710 IS

An upgrade to the short-lived Canon PowerShot A700, the A710 IS received a
design facelift and a few feature tweaks, the biggest and most welcome of which
is that the new model adds optical image stabilization. In addition, upgrading
from 6 mega pixel to 7 mega pixel provides for improved image quality. Is the
A710 IS a worthy successor to the popular A700?

Here are the main features:

* 7.1 Megapixels * 6x optical zoom with optical Image Stabilizer (35-210mm
equiv.) * DIGIC II, iSAPS, 9-Point AiAF, FlexiZone AF/AE * Digital
Tele-Converter and Safety Zoom * 2.5" LCD with wide viewing angle and
real-image optical viewfinder * 20 shooting modes

What else has changed?

Although a better looking camera, the A710 IS is more than mere style, with the
addition of the optical image stabilization system, the only downside of which
is the slight decrease in battery life. Still, one can get an impressive 360
shots from a good pair of rechargeable AA NiMH batteries.

Additional changes include:

* 60fps (QVGA) movie mode * MyColors effects in playback mode * Playback
overexposure warning * 3:2 overlay on live view * SDHC card support *
Underwater scene mode (for use with new optional 40m underwater case) *
Slightly reduced continuous shooting speed (1.7fps vs 2.0fps) * 10g (0.36oz)
heavier

Here are the full list of features and specifications:

* Sensor: 1/2.5" Type CCD, 7.1 million pixels * Image Processor: DIGIC II with
iSAPS technology * Image Sizes: 3072 x 2304, 3072 x 1728, 2592 x 1944, 2048 x
1536, 1600 x 1200, 640 x 480 * Movie Clips: 640 x 480 -- 15/30 fps, up to 1 GB
or 1 hour. 320 x 240 -- 15/30/60 fsp, up to 1 GB or 1 hour (15/30 fps) or 1
minute (60 fps). 160 x 120 -- 15 pfs, up to 3 minutes. AVI motion JPEG. * Lens:
6x optical zoom, 35-210 mm equivalent, F2.8 -- F4.8 * Optical Stabilization: Yes
(shift type) * Focus: TTL auto focus, AF illuminator, 9-point AiAF or 1 point AF
(any position or fixed center), 1 cm macro mode * Metering: Evaluate,
Center-weighted average, Spot (center or linked to focusing frame) * Shooting
Mode: 13 different modes, including Night Scene, Shutter Priority AE and
Aperture Priority AE * Shutter Speeds: 15 -- 1/2000 second * Apertures: F2.8 --
8 (Wide) F4.8 -- 8 (Tele) * Exposure Compensation: +/- 2EV in 1/3 stop
increments * Sensitivity: Auto, High ISO Auto, ISO 80 -- 800 * White Balance: 8
settings, including underwater * Image parameters: 12 different settings,
including photo-stitch * Continuous: Continuous (1.7 fps) until memory is full
* Flash: 5 modes, including red-eye reduction. Range: 55cm -- 3.5m (wide) / 2.5
m (tele) * Storage: SD, SDHC, MMC compatible. 16 MB card included * Viewfinder:
Real-image zoom, optical viewfinder * LCD Monitor: 2.5" P-Si TFT, 115,000
pixels * Connectivity: USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, AV out * Power: 2x AA batteries
(alkaline included, but NiMH recommended), optional AC adapter * Optional
Accessories: 3 lenses, high-power flash, waterproof case * Dimensions: 97.5mm x
66.5mm x 41.2mm

Generally, users of this camera give good reviews, citing the advantages of
using 2 batteries over 4, the convenience of using SD disks, date/time feature,
overall quality and ease of use. Some users find that using the zoom feature
indoors lowers image quality and the limits of the 1 GB file (about 8 minutes
of video) and the limited storage capacity of the provided 16MB card.

The camera retails for around $300 US.

The Canon PowerShot A640

The Canon PowerShot A640 10 megapixel digital camera has been described as
"bursting with creative options". This sounds a bit optimistic, but it's
actually true. Canon has put together a great digital camera for photo
enthusiasts, and it won't even leave you with an empty wallet.

Professionals and photography teachers alike use the Canon PowerShot A640 as
their "walking around" camera for everyday use. The quality of the pictures is
undeniable, especially when printing. The Canon PowerShot A640 receives high
marks for its 11x14 printed photos, with users often calling the quality of the
pictures "incredible". If you do a lot of photo printing, this could be the
digital camera for you.

As mentioned before, the Canon PowerShot A640 is a 10 megapixel digital camera.
It has 4x optical and digital zoom capabilities. The camera's minimum focal
length is 7.3mm, with a maximum focal length of 29.2mm. The minimum shutter
speed is 15 seconds, with a maximum of 1/2500 of a second. Images are produced
in JPEG format.

The Canon PowerShot A640 has automatic and manual focus modes, as well as
programmed, automatic, manual, aperture priority, and shutter priority exposure
settings. This guarantees great shots in any level of light. And with a 2.5 inch
LCD and real-image zoom, photographers can preview their shots in great detail.

Like many of its peers, the Canon PowerShot A640 has a frame video mode and
self-timer for those who want to include themselves in their pictures. The
camera has 32MB onboard memory and is compatible with SDHC Memory Card,
MultiMediaCard, and SD memory cards. It comes with a wrist strap along with A/V
and USB cables. At 8 ounces in weight and 2.6 in x 4.3 in x 1.9 in (HxWxD), the
PowerShot A640 is about average in size.

What do PowerShot A640 owners think about their cameras? By and large, they are
thrilled with their purchase. Some do point out that certain extra features are
available, but only at an additional cost. For example, the A640 has no image
stabilization, no information in the viewfinder, and no RAW setting. To get
these extra features, customers have to spend extra money -- approximately $200
more.

Some users complain that their photos lose quality when taken in low light
situations. Wide angles and close-ups are subject to barrel distortion in any
light. Others share their unhappiness about seemingly small things, such as the
wrist strap being too near the USB port, or the battery cover seeming a little
flimsy. One should note, however, that there have been no reports of customers
needing to replace their A640 due to any defects or physical damage.

The Canon PowerShot A640 is about on par with similar cameras in its price
range, but it stands apart because of the high recommendations it has earned
from people who know digital cameras well. The A640 sells for approximately
$300 US.

SONY DIGITAL CAMERAS: EMBRACING PERFECTION

Known for producing quality electronics, Sony is also one of the pioneers and
the best producers of digital camera. Truly using a Sony digital camera is
embracing perfection with its many features exclusive to a Sony digital camera.

Indeed, one of the best ways to capture your memories forever is thru photos
and what better to do it than with a Sony digital camera. Photos are used to
remember or when we reminisce of the wonderful times of our lives. And only
vivid and detailed photos can help us bring back all those memories. And
quality photos are exactly what a Sony digital camera offers to its consumers.

Equipped with the best optics and imaging technology available, the Sony
digital camera line ensures its consumers that a Sony digital camera will only
capture more detail, more color and more brightness imaginable.

Every Sony digital camera has an exclusive Sony technology that enhances photo
capturing experience. Armed with the Real Imaging Processor (RIMP), any Sony
digital camera allows high digital processing that reduces picture noise and
delivers smoother and more detailed images. The RIMP is an intelligent Sony
digital camera technology that allows faster shooting time, swifter burst
shooting and almost simultaneous processing of your images (enables immediate
display of your image) for your Sony digital camera.

All Sony digital cameras are furnished with Carl Zeiss lens. Carl Zeiss lenses
are world renowned for their quality brilliance, outstanding accuracy of colors
and enhanced definition with almost zero distortion. With a Carl Zeiss lens,
flawless imaging is truly embracing perfection with a Sony digital camera.

Sony has its own Cyber-shot line of digital camera for all photo fanatics out
there. One of the lower ends of their Cyber-shot series of the Sony digital
camera is the DSC-L1. The L1is a 4.1 mega pixel camera with a 3x optical zoom
and plays MPEG Movie Vx. It is also supplied with a Vario Tessar lens from the
Carl Zeiss line.

A higher version of the L1 is the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P200. Almost same in all
respect with the L1 expect this baby is a 7.2 mega pixel Sony digital camera.

For those who are serious in their craft, the right Sony digital camera for you
id the Cyber-shot DSC-F828. Designed for professional photographers, the F828
has a 28-200mm equivalent of a Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar lens, which makes it
excellent for action and low-light shots. An 6 mega pixel Sony digital camera,
it is outfitted with 7x optical zoom and a 1.8 inch LCD screen where you can
review the pictures that you just took. The DSC F828 has a four color system
that includes RGB+emrald colors and enables night shot/night framing system.
The F828 even allows manual exposure, zoom and manual focus controls for your
customization needs.

For the younger and trendier generation, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-M1 is the
right Sony digital camera for you. The M1 is a digital camera and a camcorder
in one. It can record either up to five seconds MPEG 4 playback or unlimited
video recording, depending on your preferred setting. Shooting with 30 frames
per second, it is 5.1 mega pixel camera with a 640 x 480 maximum pixel
resolution. It has 3x optical zoom and 2x digital zoom.

Very lightweight at only 6.5 oz. the M1 is very portable and is only 2x1.1x4.5
inches (dimensions). A USB 2.0 compatible and with PictBridge support, the M1
makes file transferring from your Sony digital camera to your computer as easy
as taking pictures.

Available with accessories such as wrist strap, docking station and a 32MB
memory Stick Duo, the M1 comes with an expansion slot that lets you upgrade up
to 512MB of memory for further picture taking or video playback. It even has a
built in features such as stereo surround, built-in mic and a 2.5inch TFT
active matrix LCD display.

Check out Sony's website at www.sony.com to look for
other available Sony digital camera models that will fit you and your lifestyle.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA: PROFESSIONAL CAMERAS GO DIGITAL

Olympus has always been known to produce quality cameras, either point and
shoot or professional cameras. However, these days Olympus has joined the
digital scene by producing their own line of digital cameras.

Olympus digital cameras are best known for producing DSLR cameras. These
digital cameras are the kind that professional photographers use in their
craft. Although this is for a fact, this company has also produced their own
line of point and shoot Olympus digital cameras.

First up is an Olympus digital camera called the MJU-mini. A 4.0 mega pixel
Olympus digital camera, it is cute, portable and can capture great pictures.
Also, a tough Olympus digital camera, it is made with a metal frame and known
for its solid weight -- this is great because hands get too shaky when a camera
is too light. With 2x digital zoom, a 5.8-11.6mm Olympus lens, this baby is your
best bet for your personal Olympus digital camera.

Another personal Olympus digital camera is the MJU 500, obviously the higher
version of the MJU-mini. the MJU 500 is a 5.0 mega pixel Olympus digital camera
that is easy to use and one favored by consumers who are looking for a digital
camera within this particular price range. (The MJU 500 is around $400-$500).
The first notable feature of the MJU 500 is its large 2.5-inch HyperCrystal LCD
screen. With its 160-degree wide view range, this large LCD screen enables its
users to view subjects at extreme angles (though it does not feature the flip
or rotate like other LCD screens from other digital cameras). Made from durable
lightweight metal with rubber gaskets in its interior and weighing only 3.0
lbs., the MJU 500 is also weatherproof. Meaning that this Olympus digital
camera can withstand a few splashes here and there. (Note: it is weatherproof
and not waterproof, there is a big difference between the two -- splashes and
not water). The MJU 500 of the Olympus digital camera line, introduces an
alternative design apart from the curvy MJU series with its new flat surface
and smooth and round edges. It is so compact, with its 3.9 x 2.2 x 1.2 inches
dimension, it can easily fit in your handbag or the back pocket of your pants
(just be careful not to sit on it). This Olympus digital camera also features
23 shooting modes, one of which will enable its users to shoot in consecutive
sequences and just choose the best one later. Another one of its many features
is its ability to record and playback those videos and sounds. It has an
expandable memory card slot, but when you buy the package, you would have to
settle with temporarily with the 32MB xD card that comes with the package. this
fashionable Olympus digital camera comes in two colors -- silver and blue.

for a professional Olympus digital camera, the Olympus 5300 is the right DSLR
for you. it is the first 8-mega pixel camera out in the market. with a 7-14mm
lens, it gives the equivalent of a 14-28mm lens. also, a first for this Olympus
digital camera is its side-swing mirror that doesn't need a pentaprism, giving
you a smaller and sleeker camera. another unique feature is the Super Sonic
Wave Filter (SSWF) that shakes off the dusts in your sensor, this way dust can
never accumulate in your camera. with features like four exposure modes and 14
scene modes, this USB 1.1 compatible Olympus digital camera is one of the best
DSLR cameras in the market.

another Olympus digital camera is the Olympus CaMedia C-70. It is also a small
and compact digital camera but equips a 7.0 mega pixel camera that gives you
power and portability at the same time. Packed with 5x optical zoom and, it
start up fast and auto focus even quicker than most digital cameras in the
market. It has a 2.0-inch LCD screen, a xD picture card slot and furnished with
a 7.9-39.5mm Olympus lens that has 5x optical zoom. The CaMedia C-70 is the
perfect choice for high quality shots, good features, great build and excellent
portability.

Visit Olympus' website at www.olympus.com to look for other Olympus digital
cameras and other Olympus products available in the market.

NIKON DIGITAL CAMERA: DIGITAL SLR CAMERAS

Nikon is a camera brand, best known for producing SLR camera. As with the boom
of digital cameras all over the world, Nikon joined the bandwagon by producing
what they make best, thus the new era of the Nikon digital camera was born --
digital SLR.

One of the best in DSLR, the Nikon digital camera called Nikon D70 is 6-mega
pixel
Nikon digital camera. Coated with polycarbonate over its stainless steel
chassis, this Nikon digital camera is furnished with a 50mm AF Nikkor lens that
can combine with an 18-70mm kit lens and still be portable enough to be carried
around. It has a 200-1600 ISO effective speed range, great for taking pictures
both in the shade and under the sun. and why won't it be?! With its three
frames per second continuous shooting rate and its 1/8000 second shutter speed,
taking pictures is as easy as clicking away and having fun. this Nikon digital
camera is supported with a Flash card.

Another SLR from Nikon is the Nikon Coolpix 8800. An 8-mega pixel Nikon digital
camera, the Coolpix 8800 has a compact body. Furnished with a 1.8 inch flip-out
and swivel LCD, this baby is surely first rate SLR. This Nikon digital camera
features an image stabilizer system to reduce camera shakes particularly on
long shots since this gadget can zoom up to 10x (optical zoom) and can focus to
up to 3cm in macro mode with its 35-350mm lens. Key controls are very
user-friendly, with modes such as sensitivity, image size/quality and white
balance -- found directly with the mode dial. The image output quality is the
middle name of this Nikon digital camera, with great detail rendition, color
fidelity and saturation. a rather exceptional feature of the 8800 is the
continuous shooting modes, where users can choose 1.2 or 2.3 frames per second.
A bit bulky to carry around, the 8800 is perfect for shooting action and sports
shots. The 8800 works with a Compact Flash card for storing up your images.

Another digital SLR from Nikon is the Nikon D50. A 6.1 mega pixel Nikon digital
camera, this gadget has 7 varied modes to shoot from using its AF-S DX Zoom
Nikkor 18-55mm lens. These modes are Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Close Up,
Sports, Night Portrait and Child. To see the images that you took, this Nikon
digital camera is furnished with a 2.0 inch LCD screen. How fast can this
camera shoot? It has 2.5 frames per second and with uninterrupted shooting of
up to 137 frames per second. This Nikon digital camera is not too bad,
especially for novice photographers. This package also includes a software for
touching up, editing and sharing your pictures. The software even enables you
to burn your images to VCD or DVD format.

One of the first point and shoot Nikon digital cameras is the Nikon Coolpix
4800. A four mega pixel Nikon digital camera, the old school designed 4800 is
equipped with a 1.8 inch LCD screen for viewing your pictures. The 4800 is an
8.3x zoom Nikon digital camera with 6-50mm Nikkor Ed lens that zooms quickly
and has continuous auto focusing (a feature where your lens is always trying to
keep your pictures sharp). It also allows users to shoot, record and playback
short movie clips with its assist and excellent scene modes -- meaning that
includes providing outlines for portraits (for tweaking purposes), exposure and
sensitivity settings. These features are very helpful especially for novice
photographers that want to try their hands at photography. Along with that, it
comes with a 13.5MB SD card and the Li-on battery pack.
Remember to check out Nikon's website at www.nikon.com.sg or www.nikonusa.com
to see the latest Nikon digital cameras.

SHARE SMILES WITH KODAK DIGITAL CAMERA

Ever since, Kodak has always been associated with photographs. Kodak is
primarily known for producing quality films and photograph that capture our
smiles and tender moments, so it's no big surprise that Kodak ventured with
camera business. Starting out with analog or conventional cameras, they finally
followed suit with their line of Kodak digital cameras.

One of the best and handiest Kodak digital cameras is the Kodak easy Share one.
Only about $600 the Kodak easy Share one is one of the first new series of Kodak
digital cameras supports wireless sharing of your photos. This new technology
from the Kodak digital camera is a super-intelligent wireless (think Wi-Fi)
snapper that allows users to instantly share and print photos without the
hassle of using and putting up cable connections. This Kodak digital camera
supports Kodak Wi-Fi card. The Wi-Fi card will enable the owner of the camera
to instantly use basic web browser in sending images directly to Kodak's online
storage and printing service. And of course, the Wi-Fi card will also enable you
to beam your images straight to a Wi-Fi printer. This amazing Kodak digital
camera includes a 3x optical zoom from its C. Variogon 38-108mm equivalent
lens, an extra SD card slot and a three inch fold out touch screen display.

The fold out touch screen display comes with menu buttons that helps users
customize their camera settings or edit their images. This Kodak digital camera
also supports Video out USB and 3volts DC in adapter, just in case you'd want to
just view through your photos while your batteries are recharging.

As with all Kodak digital cameras, the easy Share one comes with a Kodak Easy
Share program that further makes it easier for file transferring and editing of
your images.

Personally, I would recommend the Kodak dx7590. This is my ultimate dream Kodak
digital camera. This is a Kodak digital camera for those who are just starting
out with photography as a hobby or those who wish to pursue one as a craft.
This baby is perfect for your practice shots. It is a 5 mega pixel Kodak
digital camera with 10x optical zoom of a professional quality
Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon lens. The dx7590 is one of the Kodak digital
cameras that have the exclusive Kodak color science Image processing chip. And
to check out all those amazing photos you've captured, this Kodak digital
camera is furnished with a 2.2 inch high resolution indoor/outdoor display. As
I've mentioned, if you've been wanting to learn the tricks of the trade, there
is a manual and custom controls that you could always experiment with. It's
high speed, low light auto-focus with continuous shooting and bracketing modes,
so you could always get your sister, girlfriend or just about anyone to model
laughing, changing poses as you click away. The dx7590 has 22 modes and color
scenes, so you could always mess the images you took using your computer,
making the picture come out as older or earlier that day. This amazing Kodak
digital camera lets you store pictures up to 128 MB, using an SD card (that you
have to buy separately). This dx 7590 comes with the Kodak easy share camera
dock 6000, for recharging your batteries or transferring your photos to and
from your computer. The best thing about the Kodak dx7590, this Kodak digital
camera is only around $500. Now, is that a bargain or what!? An almost
professional camera for the price of a lower end digital camera.

Be sure to check out Kodak's website at www.kodak.com to
check out their latest releases of digital cameras. The Kodak website also
offers basic information regarding their products and its prices.

CANON DIGITAL CAMERA: EXPRESS, SHOOT AND SHARE

Canon is well known across the country as an imaging equipment and information
systems. Their many products include copiers, printers, lenses, camcorders,
semiconductors among others, and of course Canon digital cameras.

The latest high end canon digital camera is the PowerShot S2 IS. This is a 5.0
mega pixel Canon digital camera that features a 12x optical zoom and a 4x
digital zoom. This baby is furnished with Optical Image Stabilizer (that is
what the IS in S2 IS stands for) that eliminates camera shakes for people who
have shaky hands or for taking camera shots. The UD lens found in this canon
digital camera provide amazing color accuracy throughout the whole zoom area.

As with many digital cameras nowadays, this certain canon digital camera can
record moving pictures. Now with another first, the S2 allows you to record
moving pictures, and there no use for missing a perfect image incorporated with
that moving picture. With the Movie Snap feature, just snap away when you see
that perfect image, and it will be saved in your canon digital camera along
with the recorded video.

This canon digital camera is also equipped with the DIGIC II Image processor
that is designed to increase processing speed and image quality. It instantly
says that with the DIGIC II, your canon digital camera has faster start-up
time, playback and auto focus while giving your images the absolute brilliance.

The S2 also support USB 2.0 Hi-speed standard, so you will always have the
easiest time transferring your files to and from your computer. With the USB
2.0, you can take advantage of your super hi-speed SD card.

This canon digital camera is also supplied with a 1.8 inch LCD power saving and
fold out screen that's 115,000 pixel resolution. S2 shoots at 30 frames per
second; this shooting rate can be reduced when taking pictures in night
display, to give you the brightness that you need when taking pictures.

On the other hand, the latest point and shoot canon digital camera is the
PowerShot SD500 and the PowerShot SD400.

The SD500 is the first 7.1 mega pixel canon digital camera that gives amazing
images and absolutely to die for details. It has a 3x optical zoom that enables
close up shooting with a 37-111mm equivalent with a 35mm film camera. This is
one of the new perpetual curve design for a canon digital camera that fits the
hands perfectly.

Sporting a very slim design, you would marvel at its 2.0 inch LCD that gives
easier frame and play back use.

This baby is also equipped with the same DIGIC II Image Processor found in
canon digital cameras that gives you amazing features. Also USB 2.0 compatible
and works with the same high-speed SD card.

Even better than most digital cameras out there, this gadget can shoot moving
images to up to 60 frames per second- perfect for moving objects (especially in
sports) and a 30 frames per second for shooting still images. Furnished with
scene modes like portrait (blurs the background and focuses on your subject),
foliage (perfect for foliage, greenery or blossoms), beach (sunny shots without
the dark faces), underwater (reduced background scatter. Tip: you can always buy
waterproof case for shooting underwater images), fireworks, night snapshot, kids
and pets, indoor, snow and digital macro (larger than life images).

This canon digital camera even enables you to customize and correct as you
shoot. With modes like lightening skin tones, positive film, darker skin tones
and others, you can never go wrong with using a canon digital camera.

These are just some of the many features of the SD500. There are more to the
SD500 that has yet to be discussed. Check canon's website at www.usa.canon.com for a full profile of the SD500 and to other latest
releases and products.

Top 10 Digital Camera Reviews: The Kodak EasyShare C613

The Kodak EasyShare C613 is a low-cost digital camera designed to simplify
picture sharing. It comes with special Kodak EasyShare software that makes
uploading a breeze. Users like the camera's clear pictures, large LED, and
affordable price. It's also got enough buttons to perform useful functions, but
not so many that the camera becomes complicated. It can also double as a video
camera, and a custom camera docking station can be purchased and affixed to the
top of your printer to make photo sharing and printing easier than ever. The
sturdy build of the camera and the detailed Getting Started guide included with
the software make this a nice camera for teens or beginning digital
photographers.

First announced at PMA 2007, the Kodak EasyShare C613 is a six megapixel camera
with a 3x optical zoom lens, a 2.4" generous LCD display, and 10MB of built-in
memory. Attractive and compact, this is the perfect digital camera for everyday
use. The camera sports a USB port for easy connectivity, and an SD/MMC card
slot. It is powered by two AA batteries. A wrist strap keeps the camera from
falling out of the photographer's grip.

One thing professionals and hobbyists like about this digital camera is its
selection of scene modes. There are settings for portraits, nighttime
portraits, landscapes, close-up pictures, documents, action, and low lighting.
The camera has a top ISO sensitivity of 1,250. Scene modes include sports,
snow, beach, backlight, museum, fireworks, high ISO, self-portrait, and many
more. There is a special setting for just about anything you'd want to
photograph, which makes for clearer pictures with true colors.

Even more fun for kids of all ages is the camera's video mode. You can record
up to eighty minutes of movies complete with audio. The videos are recorded in
Quick Time MPEG4 format, in VGA or QVGA resolutions. Kids especially like this
option, since the videos can be uploaded to the computer in a ready-to-play
format that they can share with relatives and friends.

User reviews are enthusiastic. Many rate this camera's performance equal to
that of cameras which cost much more. Some users didn't have high hopes when
they saw the low price tag of the Kodak EasyShare C613, but they were impressed
the moment they started taking pictures. This affordable digital camera gets
high marks across the board. In fact, the only common complaint is the speed
with which this camera drains it batteries. Some users compensate for this by
turning off the camera in between shots, but the typical life of the AA
batteries seems to be about 200 photos. Rechargeable batteries are recommended.

The Kodak EasyShare C613 is available at all major electronics stores, and
online. It retails for $90-$120 US. If you're looking for a small, sturdy
camera that won't drain your wallet, check out the Kodak EasyShare C613. It
outperforms its peers and gives users just what they want: sharp, colorful,
high quality images and videos.

The VTech KidiZoom Digital Camera

No digital camera review would be complete without a few entries about cameras
designed for kids. After all, kids are almost universally enthusiastic about
taking pictures. And parents with a love of photography often pass down their
passion to their children. But digital cameras are not always kid-friendly, due
to fragile construction, price, or complicated menus and buttons. The newest
trend in children's electronics is a group of digital cameras made especially
for small children. These cameras are easy to hold, come in bright colors that
kids love, and have many of the same features as grown-up digital cameras. Kids
love them.

The VTech KidiZoom Digital Camera is one of the top digital cameras for kids.
This camera was made with fun in mind. Kids like the KidiZoom's large LCD
screen and the onboard photo editing options. Prepare for your young ones to
take candid shots of you, then "improve" them by warping the pictures in silly
ways or adding funny frames. The camera can store up to 120 photos or 5 minutes
of video.

This resilient camera is sturdy enough to handle the tumbles that it will
inevitably face. Designed specifically for children ages 3-6, the VTech
KidiZoom Digital Camera has large buttons that are easy to manage. It also has
two large grips for small hands, and a dual viewfinder. Kids can connect the
camera to their television or PC and show off their work to friends and family.
They can add special effects to photos and videos. Another popular feature are
the games that come with the camera. Three games geared toward preschoolers are
included with the VTech KidiZoom Digital Camera. The camera also comes with a
set of headphones that can be plugged into the side to keep game noise to a
minimum.

Some of the VTech Kidizoom's additional features include:

* .3 megapixels with an 1.8" color screen * Double viewer or LCD screen for
easy photo taking * Connector cables for TV or PC hook-up * Photo editing
capabilities * SD card slot for extra memory * Three preschool games *
Changeable faceplates * 16MB internal memory

Parents who bought the VTech KidiZoom Digital Camera praise its solid
structure. Children who received this camera as a gift were very pleased with
it. Some users mentioned that the camera is too dim in low lighting, and the
videos are very low resolution, but that those things were expected from a
child's camera. In all the KidiZoom is a wonderful camera for young
photographers to learn with, and the games and special image effects add to the
fun.

Digital cameras have become a common part of our daily lives. Since children
always want to do what the grown-ups are doing, it was only a matter of time
before companies started producing digital cameras with kids in mind. The VTech
KidiZoom Digital Camera is a top rated camera with tons of extra features that
will keep kids entertained for many hours.

The VTech KidiZoom Digital Camera can be purchased in toy stores, online or
off. It retails for about $60 US.

The Sony Cyber-shot� DSC-W55

Powerful, colorful and pocket-sized, the ultra-compact Cyber-shot� DSC-W55
camera offers 7.2 mega pixel imaging, a Carl Zeiss� 3X optical zoom lens, high
ISO 1000 sensitivity for low-light shooting and Stamina� battery power for
extra long life and up to 380 shots. A bright 2.5" LCD screen makes it easy to
compose shots, check results and read menus even in bright sunlight. The 56MB
of onboard memory allows you to save photographs without a flash memory card.
And the optional Memory Stick Duo� media slot makes it easy to save and
exchange photos. The Cyber-shot� DSC-W55 is available in four stylish colors
including: black, blue, pink, and silver.

Features include:

* 7.2 Mega pixel with Super HAD� CCD -- The Sony� Super HAD� (Hole Accumulated
Diode) CCD design lets more light pass to each pixel, improving sensitivity and
reducing noise. * Carl Zeiss� 3X Optical Zoom Lens Design -- This advanced lens
design allows the DSC-W55 to bring distant subjects closer and lets the user
frame shots quickly -- a significant advantage for action shots, outdoor fun
and travel photos. * Large 2.5" LCD Screen -- a large and bright LCD screen
that is easy for the eyes, letting the user compose shots, check results, share
photos instantly and read camera setup menus even in full sunlight. * High
Sensitivity Mode -- with high ISO 1000 sensitivity, the DSC-W55 takes better
shots in low light so the user can shoot without flash to preserve the mood --
fantastic for birthday parties, indoor gatherings and candid portraits. *
Original Sony� Clear RAW� NR (Noise Reduction) image processing technology --
helps negate color noise that can happen with high-sensitivity shooting. * 56
MB Internal Memory -- capture a large number of images with the onboard memory,
great for traveling or for quick snapshots. * Memory Stick Duo� Media
Convenience -- a built-in slot for optional Memory Stick Duo� or Memory Stick
PRO Duo� media is provided, making it easily to upload photos to your computer
or make lab-quality prints at home on your Sony Picture Station� digital
printer (sold separately). * Function Guide Text/Icon Display -- skip the user
manual and let the on-screen Function Guide text/icon display teach you the
camera functions that you want, giving you greater creative freedom to adjust
the photo settings you are interested in. * Versatile Color Modes -- greater
creative freedom to adjust color mode for the creative results you want is
yours -- use the Natural setting for subtle colors, the Rich setting for more
intense colors, and the Monochrome and Sepia color settings for special
effects. * Convenient Photo Modes -- easily adjust to specific shooting
situations by choosing from several available photo modes: Auto, P-Auto, and
Scene Selections for Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, High Sensitivity,
Soft Snap, Snow, and Beach environments. * 14X Smart Zoom� Feature -- this
camera feature intelligently "crops into" the central portion of interest in
your photo, avoiding the image degradation found with many other digital zooms.
* MPEG Movie VX Fine Mode -- capture VGA (640 x 480) audio/video clips at high
frame rate (up to 30 frames per second), with length limited only by the
capacity of your media. * Stamina� Battery Power -- capture up to 380 shots
with a fully charged NP-BG1 Lithium Ion battery. * Burst Mode -- fire off four
successive shots automatically at 7.2 MP mode or up to 64 shots at VGA Standard
mode, and get that perfect shot of even unpredictable subjects like animals and
small children. * Picture Motion Browser Software -- easily upload, organize
and search photos on your PC with the supplied software package. Includes a
convenient map view function to sort photos by location and display their
origin on a world map by using an optional GPS unit.

Other specifications:

Dimensions: 2.3" high x 3.5" wide x .9" deep Weight: 4.2 oz PictBridge Enabled:
yes

Users give solid reviews of this product, with the ease of use and zoom
capacity being particular favorites. Unlike many digital cameras, users are
generally happy with the battery life of this model. Users do complain that the
software is not compatible with lower-end or home-built computers, that the
factory-specific batteries are expensive, and some users would prefer slightly
larger control buttons.

This camera sells in the $150-$200 range.

The Sony CyberShot DSC-T20

Of all the top-rated digital cameras, Sony's CyberShot series consistently
performs at or above industry standards. The Sony CyberShot DSC-T20 has long
been a favorite choice for intermediate digital photographers. It ranks near
the top of all digital cameras given as holiday gifts in recent years. Users
love its quality photos and many useful features.

The Sony CyberShot DSC-T20 is an 8.1 megapixel digital camera with 3x optical
zoom. Pictures are taken in JPEG format. The camera's ISO equivalencies are
100, 800, 400, 200, 80, 1600, and 3200. It has both programmed and automatic
exposure settings for a variety of picture-taking situations and lighting
conditions.

A slim and trim little digital camera, the Sony CyberShot DSC-T20 weighs a mere
4.5 ounces. Its physical dimensions are 2.2 in x 3.5 in x 0.9 in (HxWxD), making
it an easy camera to slip into a shirt pocket for a day of photography.

The Sony CyberShot DSC-T20 also has a video mode for those who want to capture
motion and sound rather than still photos. The camera uses Memory Stick Duo and
Memory Stick Pro Duo recording methods. It comes with A/V and USB cables, and is
covered by a one year warranty.

So what are Sony CyberShot DSC-T20 owners saying about the camera? They have
nothing but praise for the picture quality. Photos are bright and clear, and
the camera has a very bright flash. It is a very small camera, though. While
some users like the super-slim dimensions, others find themselves worrying that
the device will break. This concern could be unwarranted, however; none of the
many customer reviews mentioned having to replace the camera due to physical
breakage. It's not recommended that this camera be given to small children,
though; not only is it small and light, it's also a little on the pricey side.
Besides, with so many digital cameras made especially for kids, children would
probably prefer a sturdier, more colorful camera anyway.

Another caveat for beginners: this camera has a lot of features. Users describe
feeling a little lost due to the sheer number of settings, modes, and options.
If you're the adventurous type, jump right in and start experimenting. But if
you're the cautious sort who likes a straightforward camera, you could find a
better fit with another brand.

The Sony CyberShot DSC-T20, like many cameras in its price range, is good for
beginners and intermediate photographers. When a particular camera series has a
large and loyal following, it's usually for a good reason. Sony's CyberShot
series gives users plenty of cool features at a fair price.

This camera retails for about $300 US, and can be purchased wherever digital
cameras are sold.

The Polaroid i531

Another contender in the low-priced digital camera arena is the small,
lightweight, 5 megapixel Polaroid i531. Praised for its image quality and wide
LCD, this digital camera is wonderful for beginners. Children might find the
thin, lightweight body too frail for their use. But for adults who want a
simple camera for daily photography, the Polaroid i531 delivers.

The Polaroid i531 has a 3x optical zoom, 4x digital zoom, and CCD image sensor.
It has a maximum aperture of f/2.8 and a minimum aperture of f/5.6. The camera's
focal length ranges from 6.2mm to 18.6mm. Pictures are taken in JPEG format.

Like other cameras in its price range, the Polaroid i531 has a collection of
settings, both automatic and programmed. Some settings work best for outdoor
action shots, while others make the most of low light situations. The camera is
praised for being easy to use with intuitive buttons and settings that are easy
to figure out.

Other features include ISO equivalencies of 100, 400, 200, auto, and 50. The
camera comes with 16MB of internal flash memory. A good-sized LCD screen (at
2.4 inches) makes image previewing a breeze. Users can also capture motion
video with this camera.

For connectivity, the Polaroid i531 comes with a USB cable. It also comes with
a wrist strap to keep the camera secure -- a necessity, since many users have
described the Polaroid i531 as easily breakable.

A real stand-out feature of the Polaroid i531 is the camera's self-timer. These
are fairly rare among the lower priced digital cameras. Users who want to take
pictures of themselves can set the timer for 2 seconds or 10 seconds, pose, and
enjoy. Digital camera users have long searched for low-priced cameras with
timers included. This feature sets the Polaroid i531 apart from its competition.

What do users think about the Polaroid i531? They laud its user-friendly setup
and picture quality. However, many do point out that this camera is rather
flimsy. With dimensions of 2.4 in x 3.5 in x 0.9 in (HxWxD) and a weight of 4.9
ounces, this is not a camera you want to subject to rough treatment. Some users
complain that they have had to replace the camera after only a couple of days
because of physical breakage.

To summarize, the Polaroid i531 is an easy to use, low cost digital camera with
a generous LCD and good picture quality. It also comes with a self timer for
users who want to take photographs of themselves. But the camera is also easy
to break, so should be handled with care. This digital camera would be a good
choice for beginners, but not necessarily for children due to its fragility.

The Polaroid i531 retails for about $70 US and can be found wherever digital
cameras are sold.

The Polaroid a520m Digital Camera

Designed for the first-time user, the Polaroid a520m Digital Camera has some
easy-to-use features. Here are a few examples of what you can do with the
Polaroid a520m camera:

* Enjoy point & shoot operation. The resolution is adjustable for print or
email. * Store video clips and pictures to an SD card or the internal memory. *
Shoot pictures or video clips, and play them back on the LCD screen or on a
computer. * Send your friends and family your pictures and video clips over the
Internet. * The camera has PictBridge capability.

The camera offers a splashy break from the sea of traditional black and silver
cameras, being offered in a cute theme of colors: pink, light pink, and magenta
-- sure to appeal to young girls -- in support of the Breast Cancer Research
Foundation.

The list of technical specifications and additional features are as follows:

* PC and Mac compatible * 4x digital zoom * Standard 16 mega byte integrated
flash memory * Supports MultiMedia Card and SD Card for extra memory * 5.1 mega
pixel resolution * Built-in flash * 2.0" bright color TFT active-matrix LCD
which offers a preview of images before shooting * Video recording in AVI
format * Built-in microphone * Built-in tripod stand (tripod sold separately) *
Still image compression in JPEG, EXIF 2.2 and AVI format * Settings include
flash off, auto, red-eye reduction, and fill-in flash * Automatic white balance
* Automatic exposure * Features an electronic 10-second delay for taking
pictures of yourself * Optical sensor type: CCD * Image sensor type: CMOS *
Minimum focus range: 38.4" * Image resolutions: 640 x 480, 2592 x 1944, and
2048 x 1536 * Video resolution: 320 x 240 (QVGA) * Aperture range: f2.8/f8
(w/t) * Shutter speed: 1/8 -- 1/2000 of a second * Unit dimensions, metric:
60mm high, 94mm wide, and 21mm deep * Unit dimensions, English: 2.4" high, 3.7"
wide, and .8" deep * Retail package dimensions, metric: 222mm high, 267mm wide,
and 69mm deep * Retail package dimensions, English: 8.74" high, 10.5" wide, and
2.7" deep * Unit weight, metric:13 kg * Unit weight, English: 4.5 oz * Retail
package weight, metric:49 kg * Retail package weight, English: 1.1 lb * Comes
with a wrist strap, skin, USB cable, 4 "AAA" batteries, and a software CD which
includes drivers and utilities.

People who have purchased this camera describe it as a good camera for
first-time users especially young teen-agers: it's cute, it's light, it easily
fits into a pocket, it's easy to use, and it seems to be priced with this young
demographic in mind, coming in at around $65.00 US.

Many users complain about the photo quality, stating that even in moderately
well-lit indoor settings photos are too dark without the flash, but that photos
come out too bright with the flash or outside on a bright day -- sometimes to
the point of washing out people's faces. However, this problem seems to be more
pronounced when the subjects photographed are close to the camera -- subjects
further away photograph better.

Some users also complain that the LCD display is too dark when used indoors as
well. In addition, the LCD goes black for a few seconds after a photo, which
some users find frustrating. On a bright note, the LCD is considered large
enough to be eye-friendly.

The lack of a view finder is aggravating to users who are used to having this
functionality in their digital cameras. Users sometimes find background objects
to be out of focus. However, users do find it easy to upload photos from the
camera to the computer.

Bottom line: it's a good camera for younger first-time users who will be more
excited about owning a pink camera than being discerning about the quality of
pictures they take.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50-K

When you think of digital cameras, Panasonic is probably not the first brand
that comes to mind. But Panasonic is a major contender, and the Panasonic Lumix
DMC-FX50-K is a popular 7 megapixel digital camera. The camera's slick case and
sharp images make it a favorite for point-and-shooters. A rectangular patch on
the camera's front side doubles as a grip for better control. The Lumix also
comes with the standard wrist strap to keep the camera from tumbling and
breaking.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50-K has 3.6x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom. It
contains a CCD image sensor, and produces images in JPEG format. The camera has
a minimum shutter speed of 60 seconds, maximum 1/2000 of a second. The Lumix
DMC-FX50-K has a number of focus modes, putting it right alongside its
competitors. Its 18 exposure modes are more generous than average. The camera's
ISO equivalencies range from 100 to 3200. Its large 3 inch LCD display is a
favorite feature, and has a higher than average resolution of 230,000 pixels.

The
Lumix DMC-FX50-K comes with a paltry 16 MB of internal memory that can be
extended to 32MB through the use of SBHC. Still, users should plan to add a
memory card fairly soon. For picture storage, the Lumix DMC-FX50-K uses SDHC
Memory Card, MultiMediaCard, or SD memory cards. Some users insist on cameras
with self-timers so that they can be in their own pictures. The Lumix comes
with a self-timer that can be set for a 2 second or 10 second delay.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50-K offers a higher than average movie resolution of
848 x 480 pixels. Lower resolutions are also available. Videos are produced in
the fairly standard QuickTime Motion JPEG format. The camera comes with the
standard USB cables, and also with an NTSC / PAL video output system that lets
users display photos on their television. The cables for this are also included
in the bundle, along with Arcsoft Software. The software package includes
drivers and utilities, LUMIX Simple Viewer, ArcSoft PhotoImpression, ArcSoft
PhotoBase, and ArcSoft Panorama Maker. Artistic types will no doubt enjoy
dabbling in these photo editors.

Despite its small amount of internal memory, this digital camera has received
very few negative reviews. For its price, it gets average or above-average
marks in every category. Users like the camera's streamlined style and
user-friendly layout. Though they caution that you will probably not get
professional-grade photos with this camera, users seem to be very happy with
the quality they do get. Between the crisp photos and large LCD

The Panasonic Lumix has the following physical dimensions: 2.2 in x 3.9 in x 1
in (HxWxD). It weighs a mere 5.3 ounces, making it the perfect everyday camera
to put in one's pocket. This camera sells for about $300 US, and can be found
online or anywhere digital cameras and electronics are sold.

The Canon EOS 40D

The Canon EOS 40D is a 10 megapixel SLR digital camera that saw a lot of hype
prior to its release. According to users who have bought this camera, it lives
up to the hype -- and then some. Its DIGIC III image processor and large 3 inch
LCD make it a favorite among casual photographers and professionals alike.

Users have nothing but lavish praise for this camera. The Canon EOS 40D
consistently gets 5-star ratings and plenty of glowing reviews from owners.
Some laud the camera's impressive light sensitivity and its hefty size. The
camera feels substantial, not like something fragile that might break with
rough treatment. With the EFS 17-85 IS in place, the camera weighs in at two
and a half pounds! But it does fit into the photographer's hands naturally, and
handles very well.

Professional action photographers use this camera for outdoor work and enjoy
its sharpness and color identity. The camera even cleans itself every time it
is turned off, thanks to an automatic sensor cleaning feature.

Some users feel that the Canon EOS 40D is more suited to advanced camera users.
The sheer number of features can be intimidating. Customers recommend a lot of
patience and exploration, or even the purchase of special training DVDs to help
new photographers learn the ins and outs of the 40D.

Here are just a few of the Canon EOS 40D's many features:

* 10.1 Megapixel CMOS Sensor * DIGIC III Image Processor * RAW, JPEG File
Format * Canon EF/EF-S Lens Mount * Auto and Manual Focus * Auto and Manual
Exposure * ISO 100-1600 (3200 Enhanced) * 3.0-inch LCD * Compact Flash Memory *
Lithium-ion Battery * USB Cable * Video Cable * Neck Strap * Battery Charger

The Canon EOS 40D is an SLR professional grade digital camera with image
resolutions of 3888 x 2592, 2816 x 1880, and 1936 x 1288. It has a minimum
shutter speed of 30 seconds, and a maximum shutter speed of 1/8000 seconds.
Pictures can be snapped rapid-fire for excellent action shots. The EOS 40D does
up to 75 images in burst mode. Its exposure controls include Auto, Manual,
Daylight / Sunny (Preset), Cloudy (Preset), Fluorescent (Preset), Tungsten
(Preset), Shade (Preset), and Flash (Preset).

A few critics voice disappointment that the camera kit doesn't come with a lens
hood as would be expected from a camera of this caliber. But complaints are few
and far between. The Canon EOS 40D would be a great gift for a photography
student, journalist, or anyone who is ready to move away from point-and-shoots.
This is a real camera for real photographers.

The Canon EOS 40D retails for about $1,200 US.

Canon Digital Rebel XTi

The Digital Rebel XTi, the newer version of the Digital Rebel XT, resembles its
predecessor in many ways. It offers a 10.1-megapixel sensor, bigger eye-friendly
LCD screen, and many new features. Small body molding changes in the XTi
arguably makes a difference in the ergonomics of the camera; depending on your
hand size, you may find the XTi comfortable or unbalanced and cramped.

Two of the most salient changes from the XT are readily apparent on the back of
the unit: the LCD screen is a larger 2.5 inches, and the dedicated status LCD is
missing; instead the XTi uses the main LCD as the status display. The camera
automatically activates or deactivates the LCD screen as your eye moves to or
away from the viewfinder. In addition, the newer version shows flash exposure
lock and white balancing in its viewfinder's status bar.

The critical shooting functions are easily accessible through the four-way
buttons and LCD screen on the back of the camera. Program shift, exposure
compensation, exposure lock, drive mode, and focus-point selection all have
dedicated buttons.

The menus are simpler and easier to navigate than with the XT. Additionally,
the Picture Styles feature has been added, offering predefined image parameter
sets for shooting in specific situations. For example, the Portrait style
provides settings appropriate for reproducing skin tones.

Several features from the previous two versions of the Digital Rebel have been
added or enhanced. The Auto Rotate During Playback mode allows users to magnify
and pan around the image that appears immediately after shooting. Users can view
the histogram display in luminance (brightness), RGB or monochrome. And users
have new long-exposure noise-reduction options.

The XTi has a 10.1-megapixel sensor, upgraded from the XT's 8-megapixel.

The Xti features a triple self-cleaning sensor system. First, the sensor has an
antistatic, dust-repelling coating. Second, a clear element in front of the
sensor vibrates ultrasonically when the camera is turned on or off, to shake
off dust.
Third, users can create "dust referencea" shot that permits the digital removal
of dust spots during later editing.

Users have versatile lens options, as this camera will accept all Canon EF and
EF-S line lenses, which include everything from ultra-wide-angle to
super-telephoto functions. The unit is also compatible with EX-Series Speedlite
flashes.

This camera tends to retail in the $500 to $800 range.

Features and Specifications include:

Camera Type: SLR/professional Image Sensor: CMOS Dimensions: 3.71" high x 4.98"
wide x 2.56" deep Weight: 1.12 lbs Exposure Speed: 3 frames per second Shutter
Speed: 30 -- 1/4000 second White Balance: Auto, Manual, Daylight / Sunny
(Preset), Cloudy (Preset), Fluorescent (Preset), Tungsten (Preset), Shade
(Preset), Flash (Preset), Color Temperature Adjust Flash Type: Built-in and
External Flash Functions: Flash Off, Auto Flash, Red-eye Reduction, Manual ISO
Speeds: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 Image Resolutions: 3888 x 2592, 2816 x
1880, 1936 x 1288 Microphone: no built-in microphone Self-Timer: 10 seconds
Interface: USB 2.0 Video Interface: video out Focus Type: auto and manual
Lenses: Interchangeable Power Type: NB-2LH Power Duration: 360 Images Memory
Type: CompactFlash Card, Types I and II LCD Screen Resolution: 230,000 pixels
Viewfinder: Optical (Through the lens)

Users generally give this camera good reviews. Users who are transitioning from
point-and-shoot cameras give the XTi especially good reviews, citing the great
picture quality and ease of use. Some users lament the lack of an inborn
anti-shake feature, and although lenses are available
with this feature, they are high-priced. Prospective purchasers, especially
those transitioning from point-and-shoot cameras, should be aware that fully
realizing the potential of this and similar cameras does require purchasing
multiple lenses, the selection of which is not especially easy or cheap. That
having been said, there is little buyer-remorse for those who do wish to invest
in this camera and the lenses suitable to their photographic goals.

The Leica V-LUX 1 Digital Camera

Debuted in Cologne in 2006, the Leica V-LUX 1 is a sturdy, compact camera known
for its high performance optics. With 10 megapixels, this camera captures images
with clarity and life-like detail.

This camera was designed with the action photographer in mind. It comes with
many innovative features that protect against motion blurring and camera shake.
The Leica V-LUX 1 also comes with a tilting TFT display that allows
photographers to get great shots from different perspectives.

The Leica DC VARIO-ELMARIT 1:2.8-3.7/7.4-88.8 ASPH lens has a very wide focal
range. The minimum focus length is 35mm, with a maximum of 420mm -- a much
larger range than most other cameras in this price range. The lens has a 12x
optical zoom that produces excellent far shots and landscapes. Close-ups are
also clear and vibrant. And the integral image stabilizer keeps tripods from
being a necessity. Photographers can get a clear shot with just the camera and
their bare hands.

The Leica V-LUX 1 comes with a 512 MB SD memory card, a battery charger, a
proprietary rechargeable battery and a comprehensive software package that
includes Adobe Photoshop Elements and QuickTime Movie Player. Customers can
also purchase a direct power adapter, a spare rechargeable battery, and two
types of camera cases. Both cases are very durable and protect the camera from
damage.

Users like the flip-out, rotating LCD screen. It makes tricky shots easier to
capture, especially at odd angles. Also, the Leica V-LUX 1 takes dazzling
photos. When compared to other digital cameras in the same price range, the
V-LUX 1 was found to have better than average photo quality. There is a slight
problem with noise in the pictures at higher ISO settings. Some noise is
apparent even on the lowest ISO, but it's very slight and won't affect print
pictures. Starting at ISO 1000, the noise is probably too much to make for good
prints. Stick to the lower settings and you'll have nice pictures.

Additionally, some users have complained of insufficient white balance under
tungsten lighting. There is a preset for this, but it does not balance out the
tones as well as manual white balance.

Finally, the camera's size and bulk put some people off. The Leica V-LUX 1's
dimensions are 3.3 in x 5.6 in x 5.6 in (HxWxD), and it weighs in at a hefty
1.5 pounds. This is not a camera you can keep in your pocket. The Leica V-LUX 1
is a serious camera for serious photographers, and it looks the part. The price
tag, too, will probably put this camera out of the reach of casual
picture-takers. For its quality, though, the Leica V-LUX 1 is well worth the
expense.

This digital can be found wherever cameras and electronics are sold. It retails
for about $850 US.

466

The Casio EX-Z77 EXILIM Zoom

The 7.2 mega pixel EXILIM Zoom EX-Z77 joins Casio's successful EXILIM Zoom
series, which balances high functionality with compact yet stylish features.
The EX-Z77 also adds enhanced movie functionality and features a new YouTube
Capture mode.

The EX-Z77 also features a blur reduction function by using motion analysis
technology, an auto-tracking AF system, and face detection technology. The
combination of face detection technology and the auto-tracking AF system
ensures that once the focus locks on to a person's face, it will stay sharp and
maintain the right exposure, even when the person moves, ensuring great shots
every time.

In addition to the YouTube Capture mode, this camera features the eBay� Best
Shot Mode, exclusive to the U.S. line of Casio EXILIM digital cameras. The eBay
Best Shot Mode optimizes photos for display on eBay, allowing users to quickly
and easily create photos for selling items on eBay. Such photos are even stored
in a special eBay directory, making the process very easy and user-friendly.

The YouTube Capture mode records in next-generation MPEG-4 H.264 video format,
providing an optimal compression ratio that allows users to record longer movie
segments without downgrading movie quality. The YouTube Capture mode also
provides sharp resolution (640 x 480) and a frame rate of up to 30 frames per
second. An exclusive software application is included which provides for an
easy and seamless two-step process to upload clips from the camera directly to
YouTube. The software also allows users to upload multiple videos at once,
making it easier than ever to share original content with your family and
friends or the public at large.

Photos and movies are stored in 11.4 megabytes of internal memory and on
optional SD/SDHC or MMC/MMC Plus type memory cards. The camera is powered by a
rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery with a charge lasting for 190 shots. The
camera can be charged with either an AC charger (included) or an optional
docking cradle. The camera interfaces with the computer via USB and you can
print directly to any PictBridge compatible printer. Still images are ExifPrint
and PRINT Image Matching III compatible.

Features include:

* 7.2-Megapixel effective CCD imager * 3x optical zoom * Large 2.6-inch TFT
color LCD * Onboard blur reduction function * 39 "BEST SHOT" modes set the
camera for easy to difficult situations * Record voice-only audio, or add up to
30-second audio memos to still images, either at the time of capture or
afterwards * MPEG-4 H.264 format Movies * Movie Resolution: 848 x 480, 640 x
480 and 320 x 240, up to 10 minutes in length * Autofocus system with
selectable AF modes: Multi or Spot AF * Face Recognition technology for sharp
portraits * ISO sensitivity from 50 to 800 * Built-in flash with Red Eye
Reduction and Flash-assist function * USB data transfer to PC or Mac computers
* Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery and charger (included) * 11.4 MB of internal
memory and SD/SDHC/MMC/MMC Plus card slot * ExifPrint, PRINT Image Matching III,
USB Direct-Print, and PictBridge compatible * Available colors: black, blue,
pink and silver

This camera retails from $160 -- $220.

Users find this camera to be easy to use and appreciate the small compact
design, but some users express dissatisfaction at the quality of photographs
taken, citing poor noise reduction. The proprietary USB cable (included) is
also a source of dissatisfaction, and the LCD quality and photo quality
sometimes do not match.

570

How to Save Photos From Your Digital Camera: Once you've taken photos with your
digital camera, you need to store them somewhere. You could always leave them
on the memory card, but that would get rather expensive, so let's explore a few
other options. 1. Transfer your images onto your computer. Most cameras come
with a wire to connect your camera to your computer, a CD with a downloading
program and an instruction booklet. Transferring the images is fast and simple.
Once they are on the computer, you can delete the images from your memory card
and start taking more photos. 2. Burn your images onto a CD. If you have a CD
burner on your computer, you can make photo discs to store or share with
others. When it comes to pictures, it is often best to use a CD that can't be
written over. This will save the heartache of losing precious photos. Label the
CD and store it where it can be gotten easily when you need to see your
pictures. 3. Store your images on a public web site. There are many
photo-hosting sites on the internet. Some charge for the service, but many are
completely free. You have the choice to password-protect your images or share
them with the world. This option helps if your computer should crash. Your
pictures are safe. 4. Print your images and place them in a photo album. Many
people still like turning the pages of a photo album and reviewing the
memories. This also makes it possible for those without a computer to view your
pictures.

5. Create a photo gift. There are places out there that will take your digital
image and place in on shirts, mouse pads, cups, calendars and numerous other
items. These make wonderful gifts and provide a way to keep a cherished picture
near at all times.

These are just a few suggestions. Using your creativity, you will come up with
many more ideas. 
 
 

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