| > | | | | along only two or three times in a decade. |
| Let's get something straight right out of the box. | | | | The battle now is to produce digital cameras that |
| If you're looking to buy a new digital camera, you | | | | operate faster, can be sold cheaper and will |
| don't really have to be an expert in pixels and | | | | produce a better picture. Severe competition |
| mega pixels and all that kind of stuff. If you | | | | even exists within the same corporate structure |
| expect to find that kind of deep technical | | | | where teams of developers do their utmost to |
| discussion here, you're in the wrong place. | | | | 'outgun' other camera designers who work in the |
| Actually, there's a whole lot of stuff you don't | | | | same building as they do. |
| really need to know before tackling the daunting | | | | Nikon has a distinct advantage over many of the |
| task of choosing the right digital camera for you. | | | | other manufacturers in that owners of some of |
| First of all, forget all the high-tech jargon. It's | | | | the older series of Nikon lenses can use them |
| mostly a lot of sales hype anyway. Choosing a | | | | with the new digital bodies, a tremendous dollar |
| good unit is pretty simple really...pretty much all | | | | saving to the photographer. |
| you have to remember is that the higher the | | | | Most of this is aimed at the professional |
| mega pixel rating on the front of the camera, the | | | | photographer. But, with technology changing as |
| bigger picture you can make without it breaking | | | | rapidly as it is, a camera technology that sells for |
| up into little chunks (called pixels) and most likely | | | | several thousands of dollars today will undoubtedly |
| the more cash it's likely going to pry out of your | | | | become available to people like you and me in the |
| pocket. Each model has an array of | | | | next couple of years for a whole lot less money. |
| techno-widgets that go by different names but | | | | One of the hardest jobs a new camera buyer will |
| they all have the same basic focus, to help you | | | | have is determine which of the new |
| take a better picture. | | | | techno-widgets does the best job and is the best |
| I have a quick (and admittedly simplistic) overview | | | | value. |
| of the pixel story. The shot on the left on my | | | | One thing to keep in mind about camera |
| web page one I took with a high pixel rating and | | | | features
they all have the same job and |
| the one on the right was with a much lower | | | | that’s to help you take a better photo. |
| rating. They've been enlarged way beyond what | | | | Picture this if you will. If you lined up 10 cameras |
| you would normally do, but I do have a point to | | | | from different manufacturers, each with similar |
| make here. | | | | basic features, took the same picture with each, I |
| If you look carefully you can see there's a terrific | | | | think even the camera manufacturers would have |
| difference in the way they look or, in the | | | | a tough time picking out which of the resulting |
| 'resolution'. The image on the right has already | | | | photos came from their units. |
| broken up into small pieces (pixels) (I hope) you | | | | Getting feedback from all kinds of users is one |
| can readily see. The picture on the left was | | | | very excellent use of newsgroups. Serious |
| magnified several times more than the one on | | | | photographers, amateur and professional both, |
| the right which should give you an idea of how big | | | | love to talk about their latest 'toys'. This is a good |
| you can enlarge it and still retain a fairly decent | | | | way to spend time and a good place to ask |
| result. By the way, these shots are of a very, | | | | questions and get (sometimes) intelligent answers. |
| very small piece of a picture I took of | | | | Don't wait until you've made the investment to |
| snapdragons in our front yard. | | | | start doing your homework. |
| A camera with a 5.0 mega pixel rating or higher | | | | Another rule of thumb, if you're happy with a |
| can produce a decent 16X20 print but one with a | | | | particular brand name already, my suggestion is to |
| 2.0 mega pixel rating or lower should be restricted | | | | stick with it. You'll probably be more satisfied in |
| to a maximum of 4X6 prints. For the most part, | | | | the long run. |
| you won't be happy with pictures any larger than | | | | Now, having said all that, there are currently five |
| 4X6 from the lower rated camera. | | | | search engine 'favorite' companies among the |
| Okay, Let's Pick A Camera... | | | | people looking for information on the Internet, |
| Well, I have my favorites and my not-so | | | | Sony, Canon, Olympus, Kodak and Nikon in this |
| favorites. | | | | order of popularity. |
| When I looked at all the digital cameras available, I | | | | Understanding how to set your camera's |
| was more than a little astounded at the vast | | | | resolution is absolutely vital. There's no shortcut |
| selection of available equipment. It seems that | | | | and there's no way around it. This is the core of |
| every company that’s ever heard the | | | | taking a good reproducible photograph. If, for |
| word computer has jumped on the | | | | instance, your camera is set for 240X360, you |
| bandwagon. It seems they lay their hands on | | | | can forget making any kind of decent print above |
| some lenses, wrap a computerized box around | | | | a 'thumbnail' size. |
| them, added a few techno-widgets and bingo, | | | | The low-end cameras are not a bargain if you're |
| instant digital camera! | | | | looking for good photo reproduction. Labs are |
| Where did I start? Well, I went back to my tried | | | | constantly arguing with customers who submit |
| and true method of buying a film camera that I | | | | low resolution digital images from a cheap camera |
| talk about later. It’s always worked for me | | | | for printing and then aren't happy with the results. |
| and didn’t let me down this time either. | | | | They simply don't understand why their pictures |
| My personal digital camera finally wound up to be | | | | are so lousy. Lenses and the type of digital image |
| an Olympus C-5050. By the way, Olympus did not | | | | recording technology are also critical factors. |
| do themselves or their customers any favors in | | | | I won't get into the technical details of why but I |
| my opinion by dumping the f1.8 lens on the | | | | will suggest you consider spending in the $250 to |
| C-5060. | | | | $400 range if you want something that will satisfy |
| I chose this camera for the fast f1.8 lens and | | | | you. |
| ease of use. I'm lazy at best and wanted a unit | | | | Let’s spend a few minutes on lenses. |
| that's going to do most of the work for me while | | | | Pretty well all of the digital cameras these days |
| leaving me with the option of doing what I want | | | | have a form of zoom lens. Most of the higher-end |
| to do when I want to do it. | | | | cameras have the capability for the user to add |
| This unit has all the automatic features I'll ever | | | | either an external telephoto or wide-angle lens. |
| need but I also have the ability to set up the | | | | Depending on the type of photography you want |
| camera completely manually. I can still do | | | | to do will determine whether or not this is of |
| minimum depth-of-field work among other things. | | | | value to you. |
| I never want to completely lose control to a | | | | One thing to watch out for. The higher end |
| mindless computer although they do have their | | | | cameras have very good glass lenses. It’s |
| uses at times. | | | | part of what you're paying for. The lower-end |
| The first thing I did after I opened the box was | | | | units have progressively less expensive lenses and |
| print off the user manual - all 265 pages of it! I | | | | consequently, a lower image definition. |
| figured I had done my duty by it and promptly | | | | There are both optical and digital zoom capabilities |
| ignored it. | | | | on digital cameras. The term "optical zoom" simply |
| After very quickly killing my first two sets of | | | | means you're using the glass lenses to do the |
| high-capacity alkaline batteries, I sprung for | | | | magnification. "Digital zoom" on the other hand |
| a couple sets of Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) | | | | simply increases the size of the pixels to make |
| rechargeables. Not only did they last longer but it | | | | the image larger. For reasons of image clarity, the |
| was a heck of a lot cheaper than replacing the | | | | optical zoom is a far better way to go. |
| alkalines every darn time I picked up the camera. | | | | One last note - if you run across the "best deal in |
| It boils me to have to admit this but I actually had | | | | town" on a very low-priced name brand camera, |
| to go back to the user manual. I wasn't getting | | | | check to make sure it isn't badly out-dated. |
| the results I wanted and there was also some | | | | Buying well-priced clearance stock is okay if it isn't |
| 'stuff' on the camera I had no clue about using. | | | | too old. In this computer age, pretty well anything |
| The moral of this story is that you're gonna have | | | | over a year old is considered 'old technology'. As |
| to at least have a nodding acquaintance with your | | | | new technologies are developed the price keeps |
| user manual. Sorry, but that's just the way it is. | | | | going down so you could actually be money ahead |
| Back to choosing a camera... | | | | by investing in the 'latest and greatest'. |
| Throughout the years I've learned that if a | | | | Always keep in mind the old adage that 'you |
| camera 'fit' my hand it worked well for me. It | | | | usually get what you pay for. |
| may sound a little strange at first but just think | | | | If you go to a 'box' store looking for the best |
| about it. If you're handling something that feels | | | | price, don't expect service. The folks there simply |
| awkward, your results are going to look like it. I | | | | don't know what they're selling. Their job is to |
| had a Mamiya RB-67 for a lot of years. It was a | | | | move as much merchandise as they can as |
| big, ungainly unit but it was a good 'fit' for me and | | | | quickly as possible. It's not to give you advice. |
| produced a great image. I also used a Hasselblad | | | | Go to the Internet to get the latest data directly |
| for quite a while but I much preferred the | | | | from the manufacturers. It changes very, very |
| Mamiya and it gave me better results than the | | | | quickly. When you do this, try to climb through all |
| Hasselblad. (Don't tell Hasselblad lovers I said this, | | | | the sales hype to get to the 'meat' of what the |
| they'll kill me!) | | | | cameras are all about. Newsgroups can also a |
| So, rule of thumb...if it fits your hand nicely, if the | | | | very excellent source of advice for 'newbies'. |
| main controls are handy to your fingers, if it has | | | | Most people will be very happy to give you their |
| the mega pixel number you want and falls within | | | | personal opinion of what you should buy. Just |
| your budget, you can be pretty confident this will | | | | remember, they won't usually tell you what the |
| do the job you want it to do. Oh yes, if it's a | | | | downside to their purchase is. They don't want to |
| brand you've never heard of before, be very, | | | | look less than 'expert' in your eyes. Do your own |
| very wary. It may work well and it may not. If it | | | | homework. This is an investment you probably |
| doesn't, there may not be any tech backup for | | | | won't repeat for several years. |
| you to be able to access. | | | | A specialty camera store on the other hand gives |
| The major camera companies spend lots of | | | | the buyer both service and product and usually |
| money developing new photo technologies. | | | | very well. Keep in mind that the specialty store |
| Although the latest techno-widgets go by | | | | personnel are quite often very highly trained and |
| different names, they all have the same goal, to | | | | will probably be well prepared to help you find the |
| make your pictures look as good as possible. | | | | best equipment for you and will also give you a |
| Pretty well every company in the world that has | | | | 'leg-up' in getting started using it. |
| even come close to producing a good digital | | | | We need to spend a couple of moments on |
| camera has gotten into the "SLR Wars". | | | | storage media. Whatever size media card you |
| Single lens reflex cameras dominated the photo | | | | stick in your camera will determine the number of |
| market for years until digital technology hit the | | | | pictures you can take and store. It's like a roll of |
| market. Because of design and price limitations, | | | | film, the bigger the roll the more pictures you can |
| SLR technology has not been widely available in | | | | take. |
| digital cameras until the last year or so. | | | | Digital images are no different. The greater the |
| The furious pace of technological developments | | | | number of available megabytes (Mb), the higher |
| has completely overtaken the market and even | | | | the number of pictures you can take. |
| professional photographers are being boggled | | | | A word of caution - never, never, never leave |
| trying to keep up. | | | | your media card in a photo lab. The incidence of |
| Remember the old Nikon F2? It was the major | | | | loss is high and most labs won't replace lost cards. |
| link in the Nikon chain of professional cameras for | | | | Quite frankly, I don't blame them. Far, far too |
| over 10 years! This was pretty much the norm | | | | many false claims have been made and labs now |
| until the computer hit the photographic industry | | | | refuse to take any responsibility for your |
| big time. | | | | memory cards. |
| Changes used to come slowly and deliberately and | | | | That’s it for this one. |
| it wasn't hard to keep up with the latest and | | | | Keep your film dry your lenses clean! |
| greatest when major new developments came | | | | |