Finding The Best Buy On A Digital Camera
by: Steve Gargin

The best buy digital camera is not necessarily the cheapest, but the one that has the best overall package for your needs. It is important to check on the various functions and accessories before you compare prices to ensure that you find the best buy digital camera. The main reason that people want to buy a digital camera is for convenience rather than using a traditional film camera and there are a lot of best buy digital camera deals available.

The first point is to find the best buy digital camera with the highest resolution you can afford which will normally be at least 2 to 3 megapixels (2 million to 3 million pixels). If you will only output pictures to a computer monitor (for viewing, Web page use or e-mail) then the best buy digital camera will be one with a 640-by 480 pixel resolution and it will provide very satisfactory results. There are very few genuine best buy digital camera packages with high-resolution and the specified resolution may only apply to software interpolation rather than the true optical resolution. To print photographs on a good (at least 720 dots per inch) color printer you will need to look for the best buy digital camera with a high resolution.

Many retailers advertise their best buy digital camera as one with a plastic lens. It is better to buy a digital camera with a 100% glass lens for the best pictures. You should also look for the best buy digital camera packages with the most RAM that you can afford. The more RAM the camera has means that it can store more pictures and does not require downloading or erasing them as often.

When you are evaluating the best buy digital camera offers you need to compare optical, as opposed to digital, zoom capabilities. This is one of the most frequently used features of most digital cameras and you need to be sure that you have the capability to take the type of close-up shots that you want to.

Another issue that needs to be considered is whether the best buy digital camera offer actually includes the accessories that you require. If you find that you are going to have to purchase additional cables and software to be able to connect your digital camera to your computer then it is not going to be the best buy digital camera that you thought it was.

Finally, ensure that you have accounted for any shipping costs before you make your final decision over which best buy digital camera you purchase. A lot of unscrupulous retailers will advertise a price for a best buy digital camera but then charge high shipping costs.

How To Compare Digital Camera Prices

by: Steve Gargin

Digital camera prices have been constantly dropping whilst the quality and complexity of the digital cameras has been rising rapidly. People who used to only dream of owning a digital camera because of the excessive digital camera prices may now be able to afford much better cameras than they realize. In fact, digital camera prices have changed so dramatically that a 5- or 6-megapixel point-and-shoot digital camera has dropped below what a 4-megapixel camera was selling for less than a year ago. Digital camera prices of $200-$300 are now common for good point-and-shoot digital cameras that come with an image resolution of up to 5 mega pixels and a 3X optical zoom lens. It is important to recognize what the minimum features are to expect for this range of digital camera prices. Digital camera prices between $200 and $300 should include: * 1.3 frames per second shooting capability * 10 to 20 scene modes * built-in flash * lens openings from f2.8 to f4.8 * optical viewfinder and an LCD of 1.5 to 2 inches * optical zoom lens with a range equivalent to that of a 35-115mm lens * rechargeable batteries * shutter speeds of 4 seconds to 1/2000 second * solid plastic or metal housing * video clip capture at 320 by 240 resolution with audio Digital camera prices can vary and it is essential to know what the most useful features are. Obviously you want to take good pictures but don’t want to pay the inflated digital camera prices that the high-end cameras have. However, your priority should be to assess which features are the most important to enable you to take the best pictures. The higher the numbers of megapixels that the cameras have, the higher the digital camera prices are but this does not necessarily guarantee better pictures. One of the most useful features to look for in the $200-$300 range of digital camera prices for point-and-shoot picture taking is scene modes. Digital camera prices are not affected very much by having scene modes but these allow an amateur photographer to take shots such as a fireworks display and sunsets without knowing how to adjust the camera settings manually. The majority of the better digital cameras within the $200-$300 range of digital camera prices have scene mode selections available. Another feature of cameras within the $200-$300 range of digital camera prices is that they are compact and will fit in a jacket pocket.

Canon Digital Camera Guide

by: Steve Gargin

Canon digital camera innovations have always been at the forefront of photographic innovations and their compact digital cameras package a variety of functions into a deceptively small Canon digital camera body. These are particularly attractive to a wide range of users because of their light weight, ease of use, high image quality and high functionality. Canon digital camera experts are highly experienced in camera manufacturer, leading-edge optical technology, ultra high-precision mounting technology, electronic device technology and color management technology amongst others. All of this experience and expertise is combined to produce the Canon digital camera PowerShot series and the PowerShot DIGITAL ELPH/DIGITAL IXUS series. Throughout their continuing research, the Canon digital camera development team has collected a large amount of photographic data and also made broad statistical analyses of the frequency involved in taking photographs. This data led to the creation of the Canon digital camera Photographic Space which is a graphical database of information relating to the relationship between surrounding brightness and distance between a Canon digital camera and the subject relative to the focal length and position of the zoom lens when pictures are taken. The Canon digital camera Photographic Space led to the development of a new scene-recognition technology called "iSAPS" (intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space) Technology. Canon digital camera iSAPS Technology analyses the scene to be photographed and makes optimal adjustments of a number of key functions, including auto-focus, before the shutter is pressed. The Canon digital camera iSAPS Technology closely estimates the camera-to-subject distance based on the lens focal length, zoom position and surrounding brightness which guarantees the most accurate exposure and white balance settings for the overall conditions. At the high end of the Canon digital camera range are their single-lens reflex, or SLR, cameras. The Canon digital camera company has created ultra-high-precision imaging elements and high-performance digital imaging engines so that their digital SLR cameras possess the same ease of operation as their 35mm film counterparts but produce exceptionally high-quality images. The Canon digital camera imaging engine, or DIGIC II, creates image data from signals output from a CMOS, or complementary metal oxide semiconductor, sensor. The CMOS sensor is really the brain of any digital camera. Canon developed the Canon digital camera DIGIC II high-performance imaging engine directly due to the increasingly high resolution CMOS sensors. With the help of a high-capacity DDRS DRAM (double data rate SDRAM) as the buffer memory, the Canon digital camera DIGIC II processes high-resolution images at ultra-high speeds. Repairing A Digital Camera by: Steve Gargin It would be ideal if you never had to use a digital camera repair service but the chances are that you will have to find one during the life of your digital camera. If you have bought your camera carefully then it should have a lengthy digital camera repair warranty. Even if your camera is still within the warranty period for digital camera repair then you still have to ensure that you meet the requirements of the warranty. No digital camera repair warranty covers damage caused by abusing the camera or incorrect use. You also need to check what paperwork you have to send off with your digital camera repair for it to be carried out under warranty, such as the sales receipt and completed warranty card. Your warranty will provide instructions for how to obtain a digital camera repair and the procedures to follow. It is important to use a digital camera repair service authorised by the particular manufacturer of your digital camera to ensure that you do not incur any extra costs. A digital camera repair carried out under warranty will not cost you anything unless the equipment needs to be returned to the factory, in which case there are shipping charges. One of the most frequent problems that require a camera to be sent to a digital camera repair service is a zoom lens that will not zoom, because the lens is out of alignment. This may have been caused by rough handling or some type of impact which will not be covered by the warranty. If your camera is not able to focus then it will not fire and may print out ‘system error’ or not turn on properly. It is a relatively simple process for a digital camera repair service to realign the zoom lens or reset the zoom barrel guide pins that may have been pushed out of their slots, and this will then enable the lens to focus and zoom. The cost for this form of digital camera repair will vary from service to service but it should be a relatively quick job, as long as the digital camera repair company has the correct equipment onsite. It is worth checking before you decide which digital camera repair service to use that they have the necessary equipment and expertise to carry out the repair and not have to send it away. The best digital camera repair services have skilled digital camera repair technicians that specialize in repairing certain types and brands of cameras, hundreds of specialized tools to properly service your camera and some may also have custom test jigs to help complete repairs more effectively and efficiently. What Is The Best Digital Camera For Me? by: Steve Gargin There is so much to consider when looking for the best digital camera to suit your needs. It is important to decide what features matter the most to you. The main factors, apart from cost, in assessing which is the best digital camera for you are as follows: • Size and weight • Resolution • Level of Control • Options and features The size and weight of the best digital camera for one person varies greatly to that of another. If you want a camera that is lightweight and will slip into a pocket or purse then a ultra-lightweight cameras will probably be the best digital camera for your needs. These are often the least complex of the digital cameras as they offer point and shoot simplicity and are the best digital camera for beginners. At the other end of the size and weight scale comes a bulky 1? pound SLR camera for the ‘serious’ photographer who wants the best digital camera with all of the accessories to take the perfect shot. The resolution you need can narrow down which is the best digital camera for your requirements. The resolution affects the detail of an image for printing quality and the higher the resolution the greater the detail. The best digital camera for printing standard size pictures has a lower resolution than if you want to create oversize prints. The best digital camera for being able to edit and manipulate your images is one with a resolution of 5 or 6 mega pixels so that you can crop the images with photo editing software and still print them out full size. The amount of control that you have available will also be an issue in finding the best digital camera. Some people think that the best digital camera is one they can use in an automatic mode and let the camera do the work. Others choose the best digital camera that allows them more input in the creative process by manually adjusting the focus, speed, aperture and other settings. A simple point and shoot camera is the best digital camera for people not wanting to make any setting changes but the range of manual controls available on other cameras varies with make and model. The latter will require more research to find the best digital camera to meet your requirements. The next part in deciding which is the best digital camera to buy is to assess what, if any, additional features you would like. Here are some suggestions: • Audio annotation to add commentary to your images. • Burst shooting which allows you to take multiple pictures in rapid succession for fast moving action shots. • Macro photo capability that focuses on extreme close-up detail for images of flowers, insects, etc. • Movie mode with audio to take short videos. • Panoramic stitching function, often included in a camera's software package, which joins individual images into a multi-photo panoramic picture. • Weatherproof casing The most important aspect in choosing the best digital camera for you is ensuring that you are comfortable using it and have some fun taking pictures. Using a Tripod with Your Digital Camera by: Dakota Caudilla The purpose of using a tripod for digital photos is to reduce the chances of blurring the pictures. Even if for most parts, the image is clear, because of the slightest camera movement, the entire picture could be ruined. That’s why you will always see a tripod or monopod in a professional photographer’s camera bag! A camera tripod is extremely useful when taking pictures in dim light. When there isn’t enough light, the shutters are slower, therefore, increasing the chances of the digital image blurring out. A tripod can easily solve this problem. A tripod is also useful when you are planning to make large digital prints of the photos – a good support from a digital camera tripod will make a world of difference. Well, even if you don’t have a tripod handy, you can always use someone else’s shoulder for support – just so your digital camera won’t shake as much when you take the shot. Well, in any case, it’s always better to use a tripod if there was a choice. We see new models and types of digital cameras every single week, and the same thing can be said about tripods. The materials used to make digital camera tripods continue to change – the familiar aluminum tripod is now replaced with the lighter and more expensive carbon fiber tripod models. Although there’s quite a huge shift in pricing, some photographers think that investing in a lighter and more durable model of tripod is worth it – especially if they’re in the game for the money! Before you buy a tripod for your digital camera, the first thing you must consider is how you plan to use the camera. There are essentially three heights that you can choose from…maximum, minimum and collapsed. It depends on the kind of tripod you like. The maximum tripod can be a little bit unstable as with everything tall and lanky. The minimum tripod can be a slightly inflexible, but is especially useful when taking low shots and trying adjust the lens to eye level. The collapsible is the most preferred type of tripod. In professional photography, a tripod can help you take low shots on objects from the top. This can be done when you place the object on the floor and arrange the tripod on top of or slightly over the object, and then take a shot. Most of the high quality tripods come with a center column that enables you to adjust the height of the tripod according to your needs. Take your time and adjust the tripod height accordingly. To find the right angle, make adjustments to the tripod head. With a tripod, you can easily take professional photographs even if you’ve never taken a professional photograph all your life! That’s how big a difference a tripod can make. 5 Things You Can Do With Flash Memory by: Lynn Chan Got flash memory cards? They aren’t only for your digital camera. Probably the coolest yet overlooked ways to use your flash memory card is as floppy drive replacement. Think about it, a flash memory card is really a form of storage disk. Most notebook computers today don’t come with a floppy drive anymore. I’ve personally been in situations where I needed to share a file with someone and haven’t been able to because they handed me a floppy disk. If you already own a card or a digital camera, chances are you already have the necessary equipment to read the card and transfer files to and from them. If you don’t it’s easy. Get yourself a flash memory card reader – they are so inexpensive these days you can even pick one up free after rebate if you watch the deals. Hookup it up to your computer and pop in the card. It will show up on your computer as a new drive. When you’re ready to save data to it, just drag and drop. It’s no different than a regular floppy or hard drive. Once you see in this light there is a whole bunch of things you can use your flash memory card for and here are 5 ideas for you. 1. Use as a greeting card. Hey there’s always an occasion around the corner. If you’re already thinking of sending a CD greeting card – use your flash memory card instead. With the large storage sizes you can afford to have multimedia in your ecards too and when that person gets tired of it, the card itself is a gift for their computing convenience. As if that wasn’t enough, you can probably get by with less postage too. 2. Use as media storage. One of the best things about flash memory cards is how much its small physical size can pack in. With memory sizes up to several Gigabytes, you could use it to store your media like video clips, picture clips, audio files and just about any downloadable content. Its small size also makes it highly portable without taking up valuable space on your notebook computer hard drive. 3. Sharing files or transferring files from one computer to another. If you need to do this often, here’s a quick tip. Carry with you a USB card reader. Many of them are very compact and no heavier than your cell phone. Doing this has advantages over carrying a flash memory drive. Flash memory cards are smaller and a tiny catalog of cards can offer you much more memory than a flash drive. Better carry two things than a bunch of drives. 4. Build yourself an ebook library. Are you a book worm? One tiny flash memory card can store a lot of ebooks since most text based files are smaller than media files. You can store whole libraries of ebooks in various topics either on one card or dedicate one for each topic you are interested in. Again, they are easy to share and very portable – you’ll never run out of reading material again even when on the road. 5. Run small software from it. Yes, there are tiny software that don’t need to be installed and can run from the card itself. This is particularly helpful when you’re using someone else’s computer. Now you can carry your software with you too. Now that you know – gather up those flash memory cards and start using them. Just because your new camera isn’t compatible with it doesn’t mean you should let it go to waste and the best part is, you won’t have to worry about obsolete cards anymore. Home Theater's 3 UGLY Secrets! by: Bob Wood Secret #1: WHAT YOU BUY TODAY WILL BE OBSOLETE TOMORROW, IF IT ISN'T ALREADY. What you should do about it: Don't sweat it. Just read what you can before you buy to educate yourself so you don't make a terrible mistake. If you shop wisely, you can get a tremendous leap over what you have come to know as television. The good news is the better stuff coming down the pipe is knocking prices down on the stuff out now. Plus, consumer surveys SCREAM to the electronics companies that people WANT these new, slim, high resolution Home Theater setups. There are billions of dollars to be made. Those surveys snapped the head of every exec in the biz. They geared up to make more. "Make more" equals "economies of scale" equals "make MORE money," even at lower price points! The first one costs a bazillion dollars: research, tooling up, marketing. Then, with volume, the cost per unit plummets. The guys who want to have very latest get to pay the most. Why be that person? If you’ve already purchased a particular technology – Plasma, DLP, LCD, front or rear projector, whatever, ENJOY it. It IS important to realize that wide screen aspect ratio does not equal high-definition TV, though. Some think if the picture is wide, they’re there. That might be FAR from there. I hate to say this because I’m a guy and guys hate this – you might want to read the instructions. Secret #2. And this is really, really big: YOU CAN'T TELL WHAT THE PICTURE LOOKS LIKE FROM WHAT YOU SEE IN THE STORE. What you should do about it: What you are doing now. Research. The hard part is cutting through the opinions of weenies who want to see a feather clearly, blowing in the wind at 50 yards. I'll help you there. Read on. There are three reasons why Home Theater Ugly Secret #2 is true. 1- The sets aren't adjusted right. They are turned way up to dazzle you. The dazzle will bother you when you get home. Worse, it drives the set to what you'd call distortion. The better picture happens when the picture is turned down in brightness, sharpness, contrast, and whatever else has been goosed. Why do they let this happen? It's like a conspiracy that everyone is in on - except you. Because when they are all lined up, 40 sets in a row, the manufacturers know you might think theirs is different and better. But they ALL do it, so it's a wipe. And if a store is a little bit shady, with some hi-def sets to move at a higher profit margin, well, now, those might have been "optimized" to look better than the others. Yes, most of the hi-def sets CAN be adjusted correctly for you in your home. MAYBE by you. Did I mention that Bubba the shopper-doofus was there, just before you browsed in, that he found the remote control and screwed up all the settings anyway? So, you can't trust what you see in most stores. But wait, there's more. 2- Many of the sets are being fed video poorly. A distribution amp or humungous splitter shares the picture among the displays. That hurts the picture. A store might have 40 sets on one distribution, but the ones they really want to move on a purer source, showing a better picture. You'll never know. 3- What you see may or may not be high definition or even good quality. Just as bad, it might be super fidelity you won't likely ever see again. Because, what you watch at home might not be broadcast or cablecast with a good picture. So, you can see misaligned sets fed bad pictures that bear little resemblance to anything you'd see at home. Ready to drop several THOUSAND on that? Didn't think so. But tens of thousands of people do. Probably WILL this weekend. Eager commissioned salespeople will confide that THIS unit is the superior one. No hidden agenda there, do you think, huh?! Secret #3. THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH EVERYTHING. What you should do about it: Relax. Don't obsess. It's more a matter of things being done different ways by different designers. For example, on this set, the colors are spot on, but the resolution is a little off. On that set over there, the resolution is incredible, but the red... You are still going to love the setup you buy - and remember - you just might have it for 10 years or MORE! You'll look at it more than you look at your wife, husband or kids. I'm talking face time. Relax. We'll get you through this. A personal note to THE OBSESSIVES: If you haven't already left this article, I want you to think about the fact that there are millions of screen dots to go wrong. Not that they will, but the 317th one from the left and 119th from the bottom IS a little shaky, don't you think? Time to take a deep breath. One, two, three. Exhale. Even though there's something wrong with everything, if you embrace that thought and LET IT GO you'll be able to enjoy the - uh - big picture. The state of the Home Theater art - even if it IS yesterday's art, is very very nice. Relax. Why a Home Theater? And what's it MEAN anyway? Good questions. A Home Theater is simply the natural; evolution of the TV experience. Now that we can, we do. It's how it goes. Basically, you get a shorter, wider picture (more like a movie in a... theater) and the picture is much clearer than the TV you sat too close to as a kid – remember Mom yelling? And you can have better sound too. It can be all around you, or just in the front. You choose. You can have a box that plays the deep notes - fun things like car crashes, earthquakes, whale farts, cannons. You get to experience them like never before. It's not essential, but it's there if you want it. A Home Theater is just like going to the movies. Except the screen isn't that big, but you can get a good seat. You don't have to endure advertisements in the ‘pre-show entertainment’ if you don't want to. You can go to the bathroom and touch the door handle on the way out. No paying $5.75 for a bag of stale popcorn. No popcorn bagging zomboid teenagers. No lines. No sticky floors (unless that's the way you live, not that there's anything wrong with that.) There. Now you know the top 3 Ugly Home Theater secrets. But, it isn’t quite that simple. At http://www.GreatHomeTheater.com/ there are 9 more secrets revealed. I promise you won’t get neurotic or your hands dirty, and I won’t talk you out of what can be a tremendous and highly enjoyable leap forward in home entertainment.