Camera College

There seems to be an endless race to produce consumer cameras with more and more megapixels. In the complicated world of digital photography, it is easier to explain that a camera with 7mp must be worth more than a camera with 5 mp. But, the question is does a camera with more MP produce better pictures? Isn’t 7 better than 5? Certainly 5 is better than 3. True? Well, not always.

There are many factors that go in to making a digital camera. The amount of pixels is just one of the factors and it is a significant contributor to overall quality of the camera but it is not the only one. There are amateur cameras available with more pixels than some professional cameras selling at 5 times their price yet when the results from the two cameras are compared it becomes obvious that the professional image, taken with fewer pixels, is far superior. The reason for the disparity in quality is not caused by the amount of pixels, but the quality of the pixels. In order to make a consumer digital camera small and inexpensive enough, the sensor that is used to gather the light, to produce the image, is very small. As a result, the ultra-small pixels (more…)

You decided to make the switch from film and buy a digital camera. It can be quite confusing, with so many options and features and a clerk that wants you to buy up. It is hard to decide what you really need so it is important that you know what your needs are and how best to fill them BEFORE you walk through those doors to make the purchase..

Cost

You might want to buy the finest digital medium format camera with the best German lenses but your credit card company might not agree with your choice. The first question you have to ask yourself is what are you prepared to spend. That will determine your choices. Even if you are prepared to spend more, check out the other points because it could be that buying bigger and more expensive will not necessarily get you better photos. (more…)

The concept of digitizing images on scanners, and the concept of digitizing video signals, predate the concept of making still pictures by digitizing signals from an array of discrete sensor elements. Eugene F. Lally of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory published the first description of how to produce still photos in a digital domain using a mosaic photosensor.[2] The purpose was to provide onboard navigation information to astronauts during missions to planets. The mosaic array periodically recorded still photos of star and planet locations during transit and when approaching a planet provided additional stadiametric information for orbiting and landing guidance. The concept included camera design elements foreshadowing the first digital camera. Texas Instruments designed a filmless analog camera in 1972, but it is not known whether it was ever built. The first recorded attempt at building a digital camera was by Steven Sasson, an engineer at Eastman Kodak.[3] It used the then-new solid-state CCD image sensor chips developed by Fairchild Semiconductor in 1973.[4] The camera weighed 8 pounds (3.6 kg), recorded black and white images to a cassette tape, had a resolution of 0.01 megapixels (10,000 pixels), and took 23 seconds to capture its first image in December of 1975. The prototype camera was a technical exercise, not intended for production. (more…)

Written by Alfred DeBat

One way to improve your photography is through better “composition,” which only means thoughtfully “composing” the image in the viewfinder for the greatest impact. After learning a few basic rules, it is easy to do because they will focus your attention on the subject and its surroundings in the viewfinder. Digital photographers have a distinct advantage of seeing the picture they have just taken on the camera’s LCD monitor. You can immediately reshoot an improved version of your previous image. (more…)

Here’s a unique photo tip that just might benefit the entire family. If you’re tired of seeing your kids dragging themselves through school and hating every moment of it, trying giving them a “photo boost.” It makes a fun weekend project, and your children just may learn that studying—with the right approach—can actually be fun.

Ask your children to contribute to a list outlining the major problems in the world today—from overpopulation and air pollution to poverty, race relations, divorce, and drugs. (more…)

It’s true. People can be greedy And that can be good, especially when it comes to photoprocessing. A little greed there can help you take advantage of specials offering two prints from a single negative at a really good price.

Why two? (more…)

They are, according to writer George Eliot, “Agreeable friends. They ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.” More than that, they’re quiet, unassuming, and obedient. They’re often members of the family. And they make excellent photographic subjects-both entertaining and cooperative. What more could one ask for in a subject than pet!

One of the nicest things about photographing pets is that you don’t need a lot of costly equipment to do the job. Even an inexpensive cam ill work. In fact, some of the least expensive cameras have taken some of the best pet pictures around. And with today’s easy-to-use, point-and-shoot, auto-everything models, you can take top-notch photos of your pets and have them hanging on the wall within days. (more…)

If you’re getting tired of taking photographs of the same old boring subjects, why not head on out to where the action is? The real action. You need not spend thousands of dollars traveling to Maui for the International Surfing Championships or to Spain for the Running of the Bulls. There’s plenty of exciting action going on just moments from your front door.

If you doubt that, check with your local Chamber of Commerce or State Tourism Department. Scan the entertainment section of daily and neighborhood newspapers. Tune in to regional radio and television broadcasts. There you’ll find news of upcoming fairs, races, rodeos, sports activities, rallies, and other events-everything from barrel racing and high school diving competitions to baseball, football, and hockey games … from offshore sailing regattas to a neighborhood game of stick hockey. (more…)

Did you ever stop to wonder about how the tabloids get those utterly fantastic photos of your favorite stars for their covers each week? “It’s simple, really,” says European paparazzi Jean Luc Meyer. “I go to where the beautiful people are, or where I think they will be soon, and I wait. Sometimes for hours. Sometimes for days. And when they come, I wait some more … for just the right moment. Then, ‘Snap,’ and the rest is history!” (more…)