| One of the most important decisions you're going | | | | aperture is how big the hole is that lets the light |
| to have to make when learning digital | | | | through the lens onto the chip in the camera. The |
| photography basics, or any sort of photography | | | | smaller the aperture number, the bigger the hole, |
| for that matter, is to consider carefully the sort | | | | and the more light is let in. Aperture will also |
| of equipment that you are going to start out with. | | | | affect the depth of field, which is how much of |
| This is especially true for when you're Buying A | | | | the image is in focus. The smaller the aperture |
| Digital Camera. There are such a wide variety of | | | | number, smaller the depth of field. |
| options, and many different brands, that at first, | | | | Buying A Tripod |
| this process might seem a little overwhelming. | | | | Next on the list when Buying A Digital Camera is |
| Buying A Digital Camera | | | | the tripod. Often when taking photos, you won't |
| For starters, cameras effectively fall into three | | | | be able to hold the camera still enough to achieve |
| main categories. There is the standard | | | | a nice, crisp image. This is generally due to a lack |
| point-and-shoot, which as the name suggests, are | | | | of light, which in turn reduces your camera's |
| designed to be a simple camera meant for | | | | shutter speed, resulting in a soft, or blurry image. |
| beginners. As such, there are very few features | | | | The thing is, you can often get amazing |
| to play with, which limits any real creativity when | | | | photographs in the early morning or at dusk, |
| taking photos. Next is the SLR, or Single Lens | | | | when there is very little available light. This is |
| Reflex, which will generally have the extra | | | | where the tripod comes in. It enables you to use |
| features, and produce higher resolution, better | | | | your camera's full range of shutter speeds, and |
| quality images. If you're really serious about | | | | make interesting combinations with its aperture, |
| learning photography, I recommend saving up and | | | | often yielding incredible results. |
| purchasing an SLR. The last category is the top | | | | When buying your tripod, try to look for one that |
| of the range, professional cameras, which will | | | | is sturdy, but is also not too inconvenient to carry |
| often include advanced features and produce | | | | around. They are generally adjustable, but just in |
| very high quality images. However, these cost | | | | case, make sure that it's tall enough for you to |
| thousands of dollars, and unless you've got a lot | | | | be able to look through your camera at eye-level. |
| of money to spend, it would almost be a waste | | | | Memory Cards |
| buying one of these until you've learned more. | | | | Next up when Buying A Digital Camera are the |
| Buying A Lens | | | | memory cards. These tiny devices are so much |
| Probably the next thing you'll be looking at when | | | | more convenient and practical than the traditional |
| Buying A Digital Camera, is the lens, or lenses. Put | | | | photographic film, and you can literally hold |
| simply, the lens is what your camera uses to | | | | thousands of photographs on one of them. They |
| focus on your intended subject. Some of the | | | | vary in memory size, and can range from as low |
| major defining features of a lens are its focal | | | | as 128MB up to 32GB and even higher. Most SLRs |
| length and its aperture. The focal length is basically | | | | will use Compact Flash, or CF, memory cards, |
| how much the lens will be able to magnify the | | | | while the smaller cameras will more often use |
| image. So the higher the focal length, the more | | | | Secure Digital cards, or Sony Memory sticks. |
| you can 'zoom in'. | | | | If at some point you decide to buy another |
| The average focal length is 50mm. Anything more | | | | camera, try to look for one that uses the same |
| than that, and the lens is considered to be a | | | | memory card type as your original camera. This |
| telephoto lens (think of a telescope). Anything less | | | | will allow you to interchange them and is far more |
| than 50mm and the lens is referred to as a | | | | convenient than having two cameras that use |
| wide-angle lens. Also worth noting are the zoom | | | | different memory cards. Most small, |
| lens varieties. These lenses have a variable focal | | | | point-and-shoot cameras do use SD cards, |
| length. You can have anything from a 28mm - | | | | however some of the more sophisticated ones |
| 105mm, or a 80mm - 210mm. The other defining | | | | will use CF cards. |
| factor of a lens is its aperture. Basically, the | | | | |