Progression of Digital Camera Technology

Digital cameras are devices that record images digitally on a light sensitive sensor. They can be used to take still photographs or videos. Highly versatile, they can take thousands of images on a single memory device, can record video with sound, edit these images and delete them allowing re-use of space. Digital cameras have been incorporated into many other devices like PDA’S mobile phones and vehicles. The Hubble Space Telescope is a digital camera.

Initially, the idea of digitizing images on scanners was used by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to provide astronauts with navigational information. A mosaic photo sensor would record locations of planets and stars. This would help astronauts to orbit and land. The FUJI-DS-ISP 1986 was the first true digital device that recorded images in a computerized file. The first digital camera with LCD was the Casio QV-10 in 1995.The image resolution is achieved by the camera sensor that turns light into discrete signals. Millions of “buckets that make up the sensor, count the number of photons that strike it. The brightness of the image is dependant on the number of pixels (the smallest unit of information for an image).

The rapid technological improvements have dramatically reduced costs. “Pixels per dollar” has become the measurement of value of a digital camera. The camera either uses the single shot or the multi-shot method of capturing an image. This refers to the number of times the sensor is exposed to the light passing through the lens. Scanning is another method wherein the sensor moves like a desk-top scanner. In some cases, scanning is achieved by rotating the whole camera, enabling one to get images of a very high resolution. In recent years, technical improvements have made single shot and LCD based cameras very popular in commercial and digital photography.

Let us dwell on the connectivity of these new model digital cameras. Early computers used the Serial port to transfer data. There are cameras that use wireless connections via Bluetooth or IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi.Modern cameras come equipped with Pict Bridge Standard which allows for the automatic transfer of data to a Pict Bridge capable computer printer, thereby circumventing the need for a computer.

These cameras lend themselves to a variety of uses. They allow one to view a photograph as soon as it is taken. With constant improvements in technology, and cutting-edge software available, modifications and digital manipulations seem almost endless. They are ideal for sports enthusiasts, who can capture fast action in all its glory. They are ideal for capturing loving moments of family get-togethers. Professionals and amateurs can use these cameras to freeze those special moments of life that come rarely!

By: Victor Thomas

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Function and fashion are shown best in the latest camera now in the market. The pink digital camera has all the uses of a camera and it is now in your favorite color – pink.

Digital camera, also familiarly called digicam, is a camera with a video or still photographs or both digitally by registering permanently images using an electronic sensor. Basically, digital cameras are operated just like any other film cameras.

Pink digital cameras are quite in demand especially by the female buyers, since pink is the favorite color of most women and even a few men.

Studies made in Britain discovered that there is an evolutionary basis for the color pink as a preferred woman’s shade. During the prehistoric time, men were the hunters and the women were the gatherers of food. It seems reasonable that if women recognized the red to pink ripe fruits; they could gather ripe berries and other fruits.

According to another research, women are biologically programmed to prefer the color pink as it is the redder shade of blue, more than the male’s choice.

Another theory identifies women as caregivers of children. They are sensitive to the child’s reddish changes when the body temperature is high.

Pink digital cameras have all the feature of any other digital cameras. It presents images on the screen right after they are recorded, in its sharpness and details; it is able to store a thousand pictures in a single memory device; it possesses a built-in extra light needed to show the inside and outside location; it takes several pictures in a row; its optical zoom enlarges the picture; it records video with sounds; and it delete images to free storage space.

Many of your popular brands are now available in any camera store and outlet. A wide array of brands, designs, styles, tones of pink (from light pink to hot pink); and budget (from as low as $26.00 to as high as $499.00) are there for you. The following brands have pink color models:

* Polaroid
* Sony
* Kodak
* Samsung
* Casio
* Vivitar
* Panasonic
* Nikon
* Olympus
* Fuji

Aside from satisfying your desire to own a pink digital cameras, you will be doing a humanitarian act. Some suppliers give a portion of their sales of pink digital camera to the Foundation for ****** Cancer.

By: Weenie Rifareal

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In today’s world of technological advances, it seems that more and more people are purchasing digital cameras. The majority choose to go with the smaller, slimmer and more compact digital cameras, while others opt for the more professional SLR digital cameras (single lens reflex). And while the prices of these sleek cameras are coming ever lower, they still warrant the proper care to keep them in proper care.

There are three main hazards to the upkeep of your camera. 1) water, 2) dirt and Dust and 3) damage from being dropped. All three can be prevented from damaging your camera with the proper precautions.

1. Water and Moisture

As you can guess, water and cameras do not mesh very well. Water damage can occur in many different ways. If you are taking your camera out in rainy weather, make sure that you keep it in its’ protective camera case, or a plastic bag if no camera case is available. The same should be done if you are at the beach or pool, as the threat of accidentally dropping your camera in the water is great. Another threat comes from condensation. Sudden changes in temperature can cause moisture to build inside of your camera, like fogged up glasses. Keeping your camera in its protective camera case, can help the temperature of your camera change more gradually. This can prevent water damage to the internal workings of your camera.

2. Dirt and Dust

Dirt and dust can literally be found everywhere, in your house, your car, at work, or outside, even in your purses (ladies). These fine particulates can damage your lens, and if they get inside the camera, they can damage the interior workings, and the best way to avoid dust and dirt damage is to keep your digital camera away from overt situations. For example, if you are going to a horse competition on a dry, windy day. If you are going to be in a situation where dust and dirt are all around, be sure to keep the camera in its bag while not in use, and when you get home, be careful to clean the dirt from the exterior of the camera.

3. Damage from being dropped

Probably the most common damage to a camera is caused from being dropped. Dropping your camera can cause anything from a minor scratch to a broken lens. However, it is probably the greatest hazard to your camera. The best way to prevent dropping your camera is to make sure to use the wrist strap or neck strap that is usually provided with the camera upon purchase. When not in use, make sure to put your camera away. Just make sure to know where your camera is, and to take care of it.

In Conclusion, cameras are expensive, and yet fragile, instruments. They can provide you with great joy and everlasting memories, but also heartache when not cared for properly. Make sure that you protect them from water, dirt, and damage from impacts, or being dropped, to ensure that they last a long time!

By: Melissa A Clark

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An electronics on-line discussion forum contains a story about an elderly woman who wanted a simple camera to take pictures of her grandchildren. When she received a digital camera for Christmas, she looked puzzled for a moment and then asked, “Where do you put in the film?” This humorous example demonstrates how the revolutionary technology of digital cameras may be mystifying for those who have difficulty grasping the concept of a “filmless” camera! For almost a century, photography enthusiasts sagely discussed such topics as 35mm film, light meters and F-stops; today, digital cameras have made such topics all but obsolete.

Howstuffworks.com contains an article by Gurevich, Karim, and Wilson that greatly simplifies an explanation of how digital cameras work. Very simply, they explain that CDs, mp3’s, and DVDs all share the same technology: they convert traditional analog “wave” data into digital data based upon “bits.” In so doing, this radical shift in technology has changed greatly – and forever – how we do things and what has become possible including digital “filmless” cameras. While film cameras depend upon chemical and mechanical processes, digital cameras contain a computer that records images electronically.

In 1994, Kodak and Apple developed and sold the first digital cameras. Today there are hundreds of models to choose from, depending upon the type of pictures you need, the complexity with which you’re comfortable, and what digital camera you can afford. For everyday use, most people prefer a “point and shoot” camera that isn’t complex, takes good quality pictures that can be loaded onto computers or printed for personal use and to send to friends, and is affordable. According to a number of consumer guides and customer reviews, the top ten digital cameras in the low, mid, and high price ranges are:

1. Nikon D300 (high)

2. Canon EOS 5D (high)

3. Canon EOS 40D (high)

4. HP Photosmart M547 (low, great value)

5. FujiFilm Finepix S700 (mid)

6. GE A730 (mid)

7. Nikon D200 (high)

8. Canon EOS Digital Rebel Xsi (high)

9. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 (mid)

10. Canon EOS 30D (high)

The point should be made that what constitutes a “great” digital camera is usually in the eye of the beholder. One person’s “top ten” list is almost certain to differ from another person’s. For example, a digital camera that is making devoted converts is the Casio Exilim series that sells in the mid-level price range, depending upon your digital camera photography needs. On the other end, Digital Camera.com rates the Pentax Optio E-10 as “the worst digital camera ever.”

With all these differing opinions, what’s the best way to buy the digital camera that’s right for you? If you simply want to take personal pictures, choose a digital camera that has at least three megapixels. This will give you good quality pictures at a very affordable price. Remember that the higher the number of megapixels, the better quality your pictures will be, but the digital camera you choose will be more complex and more expensive. Also consider the size and shape of the camera; is it easy for you to carry in your purse or pocket? Finally, be sure your digital camera has at least 256-512 megabites of space on its memory card so you won’t have to buy additional memory cards. Taking all these factors into consideration will help you enjoy capturing treasured memories for years to come.



By: Ernie Delgado

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So you are one of the few people who does not yet own a digital camera? You did not really find a use for one until now? It may be a new baby, a puppy or your newly found love to travel. Whatever the reason is, you suddenly find the urge to take pictures, lots of them. Then you finally decide to get yourself one. The problem is, with all the models and brands that are out there, you find yourself scratching your head, confused on what to choose.

Here are some tips to help you pick up the best digital camera for you.

1. Know what you need. Most people have the tendency to be magnetized by huge professional cameras like DSLRs. But these beauties are not for everyone. For one, they are more expensive and much more complicated than the average user needs. So if you are just starting out, or if you are looking for a unit that you can easily slip in your bag and bring with you everywhere you go, you may want to invest in a smaller and cheaper point and shoot model instead.

2. Get a camera with a high enough resolution to suit your needs. In digital photography, the images captured by your camera are made up of single elements called pixel. One million of these pixel units amount to one megapixel. The number of megapixels or MP determines how large the image size is but does not determine image quality! Technically, if you are going to print your photos in the standard 4X6 size, a 5-7MP image should be enough. But if you attempt to blow it up to a bigger size, you may end up getting a blurred “pixelized” image. Rule of the thumb is, if you want a bigger picture, you should invest in a camera with higher MP capacity. But, if you do not plan on printing your pictures in big posters for example, you do not need something that has a 10 to 14MP image size.

3. Be brand conscious. It seems to be an unlikely advice but for cameras, the brand is a big thing. Kodak, Nikon, Sony and Canon are among the few brands that you may want to check out. Picking something from Kodak for example does not only give you better picture quality but the piece of mind that if something goes wrong, you can get Kodak digital camera parts and professional camera repair if needed.

4. Do your comparison shopping online until you find a few cameras you want to compare. If you have access to several camera shops nearby, then go ahead and visit them. Try to see which model gives you a better feel. Pick something that feels comfortable and solid to your touch.

Last but not the least, you have to know your budget. The prices for a digital camera can range anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Since money is of great importance especially nowadays, stick to the models that fit into your budget range.

By: Thomas Drayton

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By: Russ Snapper

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In comparison to film cameras, digital cameras have number of advantages which includes displaying the image on the camera screen right after recording, a single small memory device can record thousands of images, records video with sound, provision to edit images, and above all storage capacity can be re-used by deleting the images. There are numbers of devices available that has in-built digital cameras like mobile phones, PDA`s etc. Specialized digital cameras are fit into astronomical devices like The Hubble Space Telescope.

Digitizing images on scanner and digitizing video signals are much older than making of still images using digital signals from an array of discrete sensor elements. It was then used for astronauts to provide onboard navigation information during their visit to planets. It provided the still photos of stars and planet locations during transit and also additional stadiametric information for orbiting or landing guidance while approaching planet.

Steven Sasson, an engineer at Eastman Kodak, attempted to develop first digital camera with solid state CCD image sensor chips. But it was just a technical exercise. The true digital camera was Fuji DS-1P developed in 1988. And the first commercialized camera was Dycam Model 1 in 1990. Then in 1991, Kodak launched its Kodak DCS 100. Else Casio QV-10 was the first consumer camera in 1995. Nikon D1, a 2.74 megapixel camera was the first digital SLR developed in 1999. And in 2003, Canon 300D, first 600 megapixel camera was launched.

There are various types of digital cameras available. For videos, there are professional video cameras which are used in television and movie production. Camcorders come with inbuilt microphone and a small liquid crystal display to watch video while recording and playback. One can get still photographs also with them. Webcams, attached to computers, can capture full-motion video and are also available with microphones or zooming ability.

In live-preview digital camera, there is an electronic camera that can be used to frame and preview before taking the photograph and also to review stored photographs. Many of such cameras can take motion pictures. Then the recorded images can be transferred to computer, printer or any other such device. USB mass storage device enables the camera to function as disk drive for computer and Picture Transfer Protocol is then used.

To use Firewire, storage device is removed from camera and inserted into other device. Compact digital cameras, small and portable with inbuilt flash, are easy to use, and images are stored using Lossy compression. They might be able to capture motion picture but that to a limit. Bridge or SLR like camera is higher-end-live-preview camera with more advanced features like superzoom lenses, takes movies with sound, etc. Digital rangefinder, a user operated mechanism, is capable to measure subject distance.

Apart from above mentioned digital cameras, there are other categories also. Professional modular digital camera systems are used in studios for commercial production. Line-scan camera systems, based on focusing mechanism, are used in industrial settings to capture images of constantly moving materials. They capture images at extremely fast with high image resolutions.

Most of the digital cameras come with pre-set modes for different applications. Data can be transferred through USB port, Firewire port, USB PTP mode and even through wireless connections like WiFi, Bluetooth etc. These data are mostly stored in Microdrives, Joint Photography Experts Group (JPEG), Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) and RAW. Formats for movies are AVI, DV, MPEG and MOV. Recently MP4 format is also developed. Digital cameras have small but powerful batteries to operate for enough length of time.

By: Roberto Sedycias

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If you are looking for discount digital camera bargains, you can look online at wholesalers and online retail stores. There are always bargains on the Internet. Whether you want a point-and-shoot camera or a fancier, digital SLR camera, you will find one on the Internet. In many cases, you can find a bargain digital camera for $100-$200 below the manufactures suggested retail price. What this means for you is that you can find a great camera and save money. Keep in mind that before you buy any camera, you should always compare the features, functions and other options as well as the warranty.

Just because you find discount digital camera bargains, it does not mean it is a bargain. You need to read reviews, do comparisons and shop around to make sure you are getting a bargain. You need to make sure that it is not a refurbished camera, especially if you are only interested in new cameras right out of the box. You can find bargains on cameras that are being sold on clearance, which is a great way to get a very nice camera. Not everyone needs the newest technology to produce quality pictures. You might find a Nikon point-and-shoot camera that is already a few years old, but it is just as nice as a newer model Casio.

When you are looking for discount digital camera bargains, do not forget to compare the older models with the newer model cameras. In many cases, you can find an older camera that offers all the features and functions of some of the newer cameras. It is all a matter of preference when you are looking for bargains on digital cameras. However, you can find some great deals on digital cameras when you look at wholesalers and manufactures direct. All you have to do is look around and compare.

By: Chris Campbell

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Online digital camera sales have more than double in today society. It is easier for people to compare and shop online that it is to browse local stores. The Internet allows you to do side by side comparisons for different makes and models. What this means for the consumer is more choices in digital cameras. You might only find a few makes and models in a local camera store, but online you will find every camera made. The camera selections come from top companies such as Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Fuji, Olympus and Sony as well as Casio and Samsung. There is probably nowhere else in the world where you would find such a large assortment of digital cameras and accessories.

If you are looking for online digital camera sales, you can look wholesalers and retailers that have many selections and reviews of the cameras. The nice thing about buying online is that you can read user reviews and see how the cameras stand up to the users test. The reviews are very helpful when you need some information about ease of use. Online camera sites also have the full range of specifications, where as in a store, you usually have to open the box before you know everything.

The cameras online come with the same warranties and some have sale prices that make the purchases even more enjoyable. Online digital camera sales provide you with so many details, reviews and even any news about possible problems with the cameras. It does pay to shop around online if you are looking for the right digital camera. The only thing you cannot do online is hold the camera to see how the feel of the camera is, but if you buy it, you can always return it to the online dealer for a refund.

By: Chris Campbell

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By: Erick

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