Comparison — Film/Digital Cameras
April 19, 2009
Although, 35mm conventional film and compact digital cameras are used for the same purpose they are completely unrelated to each other and differ on many grounds. Some people prefer the prints obtained by digital cameras but yet others may prefer the look and feel of film cameras. However there are some main points of differences between the two types of cameras. Film cameras make use of disposable batteries, while different types of batteries are compatible with digital cameras.
In case of film cameras, the pictures are recorded on the film, while for digital cameras the images are recorded on the image sensor. The image sensor determines the size of the frame and light sensitivity factor of the camera. The film based cameras come with an optical viewfinder that can display almost 97% of the subject. On the other hand digital cameras, makes use of optical viewfinder as well as an LCD display. One downside of the LCD display is that though it displays 100% of the desired subject, it consumes a lot of battery power, so you will need to have replacements handy. In some digital cameras, the optical viewfinder is replaced by an electronic viewfinder.
One major advantage of using 35mm film cameras is that the shot fires instantly, there is almost nil waiting time, while in case of digital cameras the wait time depends on the shutter speed and the size of the image. Due to this you need to be careful while shooting with digital cameras. Single Use Film is the storage media for the captured images. It cannot be reused and you are provided with only a fixed number of frames per roll. Nevertheless, digital cameras use memory cards that can be reused . These storage media come with different capacities and can hold a many frames. Also images can be stored in JPEG, RAW or TIFF formats.
Apart from a few high end film cameras, the others cannot display the shots until the film has been developed. Once it has been developed you can scan the photos to be displayed on a computer or television. But in case of digital cameras, the images can be viewed on the LCD screen. You can connect the camera to the computer or television through the respective ports. You can also share your photos online by uploading it on any photo sharing site.
The last distinguishing factor between a conventional and digital camera occurs while taking prints of photos. For taking prints of the film, you need to get to a photo lab, while for digital cameras the photos can be transferred to the computer for printing at the home printer.
Film Based SLR Camera Vs. Digital SLR Camera
April 13, 2009
With the market filled with loads of affordable digital cameras; there is still a debate over the which one is better; a film SLR camera or a digital SLR camera. Both of these cameras have their own advantages and disadvantages and are suited for different types of tasks. With the advancements in the digital camera technology, the dSLRs are now ready to give the film based cameras a run for their money.
The major advantage that digital cameras have over conventional cameras is its convenience. With a digital SLR camera it is very easy to preview and print images. The photo editing software provides you with complete control over the image. Thus you need not have to rely on the printing labs anymore for correcting or editing your pictures. In case of a film based camera you can need a complete darkroom setup with loads of equipments and fluids which is a cumbersome process. Conventional camera users may speak of the advantage of using different types of films for superior photos, however the same effect can be obtained by using filters and photo editing software. The main advantage of using the photo editing software is that you need not be locked into one kind of photos for a particular type of film.
Another major advantage of a dSLR is the facility to preview your images live on the screen. This function is available in compact digital cameras which do not come with traditional viewfinders. Live viewfinder facility is now being incorporated in many dSLR cameras such as the Olympus E510, which is an entry level, simple and light weight camera. One main factor that predicts the quality of your image in digital cameras is the electronic functionalities. But this can be both a boon and a bane. The advantage is you can play around with the features and adjust the lighting features. The bane is caused due to noise reduction and compression. Tremendous noise reduction can cause softening of the image details, while too much of compression can lead to small sized images. These factors can cause distortion in the pictures. It is thus advisable to shoot in uncompressed RAW mode, this saves the image's original information. RAW shooting mode is available in almost all digital SLRs as well as in a couple of compact cameras.
Initially there was a lot of argument that the resolution of a film base camera is quite high as compared to digital cameras. A higher resolution is supposed to deliver superior quality images. But these days more and more digital cameras are coming with higher resolution count that can produce higher quality images. Due to the high image pixel count, you can upload images on the internet, share it via emails as well as print large posters. One point to be considered here is that a higher pixel count need not necessarily mean superior quality images; the camera's lens system and image processors are also some of the aspects. This can be because the processor may not be able to cope with a very high pixel count., but these days digital SLRs have come up with intelligent sensors and processors that produce good quality images.
One major issue with digital SLRs is purple fringing; this casts a ghostly purple halo around the edges of high contrast sections of the image. For coping with this factor it is advisable not to shoot high contrast objects at full wide angle. There are many friendly and simple to use entry-level dSLRs like the Nikon D40 DSLR. An example of a great advanced dSLR is Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR. With time and practise you will soon gain experience with the digital SLR. Now all you need to do is make more space on the walls for hanging all the great photos.
Types of Digital Camera Batteries
April 11, 2009
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Although, batteries were the last thing to think of while buying conventional film cameras, it plays a major role in influencing one's buying decision in case of digital cameras. The various types of batteries and the merits and demerits of each variety has been explained. Thus, before buying a digital camera please ensure to check the battery compatibility without fail.
Storage Media – Uses and Types
April 10, 2009
Table Format for two columns and a row
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CompactFlash Types I and II: - Compact Flash (CF) is a type of mass storage device that is used mainly in portable type of cameras. For storage purposes this one mainly uses flash type of memory in a standardised enclosed format. The main advantage of this storage media is that it comes in large capacities, is fast and it is widely supported along with being competitively priced. Many manufacturers such as Canon, Nikon, Kodak, Minolta, Konica and Pentax support this one. The only possible disadvantage is its large size. |
| Hitachi Microdrive: - These ones comes with large capacities and deliver high performance. It also consumes low power as compared to the others. The major drawback however is that it is very expensive. Thus it is mainly supported by the professional camera manufacturers. |  |
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Secure Digital/MultiMediaCard (SD/MMC) : - The SD is a non-volatile type of storage device mainly for portable devices. The MMC card is a flash memory card that is of the size of a postage stamp. Both these types are very popular in most of the portable types of electronic devices. They are small, fast and come with a variety of capacities. They are also small in size along with being budget friendly. The main manufacturers who support this type of storage device include Casio, Canon, HP, Konica, Kodak, Kyocera, Pentax, Panasonic and Toshiba. |
| Memory Stick Duo : - Memory Stick Duo is a form of removable flash memory form that was launched by Sony. It is thus compatible with almost all Sony devices and is slowly gaining popularity amongst the others. The demerit of this storage device is its storage capacity, which is limited to 128MB only. Konica Minolta and Sony are its supporting manufacturers. |  |
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Memory Stick Pro Duo: - This one is similar to Memory Stick Storage media, however it is smaller in size and thus can be used with compact devices. It is used in most of the tiny electronic products, however it is only supported by Sony. |
| xD-Picture Card : - xD-Picture Card stand for extreme Digital and it is a type of flash memory card that is mainly used in digital cameras, it was originally developed by Olympus and Fujifilm. The major merit this one has over the others is that it is the smallest available storage device. This means that it can be used with very small devices with ease. The downside of the xD-Picture Card is that it is still new as compared to the others. The manufacturers supporting this format are Olympus and Fujifilm. |  |
Different storage devices are available in different sizes, shapes and capacities. The number of picture you can store in each one generally depends on the camera's compression settings that can be used for saving files. Although, higher compression settings allows you to save more files the image quality may suffer in some cases. Thus depending on the type of storage media supported by your camera you can choose one of the devices listed above.
A Walk in the English countryside with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1
April 10, 2009
“The road is long, boy. Lined with uncertainties of all kinds. I have no idea of what I've done with my life. So many people I've met, with some, I fell in love, some I detested, I know not why.. After 65 years of life, I feel like a looser, big time.” The man was speaking more to himself than to Adrian. He was drunk, Adrian was sure, for he reeked of alcohol. He pressed hard on the accelerator, keen to drop him off at 4th street, and cursed himself for having offered to give him a lift. Adrian kept mum with his eyes on the road. The man rumbled on, disparaging himself more and more. Adrian pulled over with a sigh of relief. “This is where I turn right, Mr. Griffin. You can take the straight road.” The man gaped at him for a second and said, “Oh, thanks boy. Allen, right?” “Adrian.” came the curt reply. The man shuffled his huge form outside with a lot of difficulty, and Adrian did fell a bit sorry for the chap. He seemed wealthy, his expensive-looking tweed said as much, so did the Rolex at his wrist. When he stood at the pavement, looking around as though he was lost, his shoes untied, buttons undone and his expression hapless, Adrian sighed and got out of the car, held him by his arm and brought him back to the car and took him home. The man needed help, and Adrian was not going to let him get mugged.
Mr. Griffin, obeyed with not a bit of revolt. He followed Adrian like a puppy. Once home, Adrian made him a hot cup of tea and offered him a sandwich. He put him to rest in his couch and went to the balcony for a smoke. Mr. Griffin, thought Adrian, whoever he was, was in a really bad state of mind and was in need of help. He stood there, he knew not how long, and went to sleep in a couch there. He awoke when he heard movements in the living room and saw Mr. Griffin walking towards him. “This is very kind of you, son. Thank you so much. I...could've gotten myself killed, in the state I was in.” He looked around, his face flushed, he was in a state of such high embarrassment. “I, uh, I'll leave, right away. Sorry, for all the mess.” He took a few quick strides towards the door. Once there, he took out a piece of paper, scribbled a few lines, and left without a backward glance. The note read thus: “Such kindness will never go unreturned. I will be honoured to have you for dinner at my house.” Below was an address at Rotherfield, near East Sussex.
This was why Adrian was sitting with his brand new Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 digital camera, by the window of a chug-chugging train to Tunbridge Wells. Rotherfield was 6 miles from there, and Adrian decided to visit the place, he had never been there. The invitation was not the only reason he was heading there, he wanted to visit the English countryside, it was quite sometime since he did some serious traveling and he thought he would spend the weekend there. The DMC-G1 was his choice for this trip and he was exploring the 12.1Megapixel camera. He smiled, thinking of the new kid at Evan's. He was in his early teens, all too eager with his new job. “The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 is perfect for your trip sir.” he had started. “It is easy to grip, for it is built such that hands of an average size can use it with ease. It measures about 124x83.6x45.2mm, the body weighs 385g and the lens a decent 195g. Look, it's so comfortable to handle.....” Adrian had given him a huge tip, he liked his sincerity.
Coming back to the camera, Adrian felt that it was a cross between a DSLR and a compact digital camera, as it had the features of both. It had interchangeable lenses and point-and-shoot ability, that is what Adrian liked about it - it was not a DSLR camera since it did not have a mirror system, but had certain features of a DSLR. It had a 14-45mm lens kit to go with it and was powered by a Li-Ion battery. But the view outside pulled his eyes like magnets to scrapes of iron. Rolls and rolls of pastures, a solitary cow grazing with her head bent low, a hidden creek that sparkled as it caught the sun, a shepherd boy laying with his arms stretched wide, a herd of hop-skipping sheep, what a sight that was! When the train stopped at Tunbridge Wells, Adrian disembarked with his mind and body so full of peace.
He reached Rotherfield sooner than he expected and it was time for his G1 to start its job. It had continuous AF, single AF and manual focus systems, of which he used the manual focus to get some shots of his first impressions. It gave him several choices for manual exposure and combined with the shutter speed of 60sec to 1/4000sec, the shots came out very well. He decided to first find a good place to eat and took several shots on the lookout. The on screen Quick Menu was comfortable, for it provided access to several settings from a centralised location. He found the 76mm flip-and-twist LCD interesting and also felt that the electronic viewfinder provided 100% coverage along with 1.4x magnification. Thus he walked on and finally settled for a meal at Joey n Jenny's. He drank and ate along with the villagers of Rotherfield, what a cheerful lot they were! He feasted on authentic mash and sausages and drank ale from a cask!
After that heavenly meal from yesteryear, Adrian decided to walk along the quite lanes and take some shots of the woodlands and meadows of the English countryside. With no one but the wind singing in his ears, Adrian was spell-bound by the pristine beauty of the countryside that he wondered if he time-traveled to the past. A thin sheet of mist, played behind the trees, and Adrian decided it was time for his camera to play. His Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 came with live-view, which was an asset, and the Intelligent Auto Mode made things so simple. Once in this mode, the G1 was on its own, choosing the precise scene mode from Macro, Portrait, Landscape, Night Scenery and Night Portrait, and also ISO speed. Not just that, this mode also turned on the quick auto-focus, image stabilization and face detection. This mode was so brilliant that it also included Intelligent Exposure, so that when Adrian shot at a landscape that was in the shadows, the under exposed areas were exposed, adding brilliance to the image.
Though an experienced photographer himself, Adrian let the Intelligent Auto Mode of his camera do most of the work. He then saw an exotic bird, oh how beautiful it looked! He focused it and took one stunner of a shot just as it spread its wings - the AF Tracking gave him a hand with this shot, which tracked the moving bird and kept it in focus. The Film Mode was yet another interesting feature, using which Adrian took shots choosing from 6 different colour options and 3 monochrome types. He played with this for a while, the LCD clearly reflecting the options that he chose. All the shooting and focusing and walking made him tired and Adrian decided to visit the village for a drink, thinking of the smooth ale he drank that morning.
The path criss-crossed several fields and meadows, with shepherds and cattle walking lazily, at peace with the world. How he wished he was one among those snow-white lambs, with not a care in the world! Dreaming this way and that, stopping at an elegant church, all Adrian could think of was how he spent his life locked up in a concrete world of computers and television, when there was a totally magical part of the world, waiting with its arms spread wide. He took some shots of the church with his G1. Using the 23 focus points and selecting from metering options such as spot, multi and centreweighted, the historic church was caught with such magnificence. In the bright condition, Adrian discovered that his camera could focus and shoot in just 0.4 seconds.
The sun sinked lower in the orange-tinged sky and Adrian took out the address of Mr. Griffin's from his pocket. He debated whether he should visit him or not, and finally ended up standing in front of the most beautiful mansion he had ever seen. It was huge, constructed with the finest of architecture. The brass door knocker looked quite intimidating and Adrian thought he would return back when the door opened.
Mr. Griffin stood there in his expensive tweed, smiling. “Come in, come is son! Am I glad you came.” Dinner was an elaborate affair, served by three butlers, atleast one of whom, thought Adrian was named Cadbury! They ate in silence, after which Mr. Griffin invited Adrian for a walk in his vineyard. (He had his own vineyard!)
“I must look like a spoiled snob, eh?”asked Mr. Griffin. Breaking the silence. “Not at all, sir. You are very kind.” “Not as kind as you, son” Adrian remained silent, and the conversation shifted to more mundane matters. When it was time to leave, Mr. Griffin offered to drop Adrian at the village, for which he refused. “I shall walk, sir, this place is so very beautiful.” From the very beginning, Adrian felt that Mr. Griffin wanted to tell him something, but kept refraining himself.
Finally, he said, “I have everything that a man would desire, son. I have earned enough for the next three generations. I have over 20 butlers to serve me, wear the top brands, drive the best car in the world. But, I'm not happy. No, not a bit.” To this, Adrian did not know what to say, for he was no philosopher. But he spoke what his heart told him to. “Take a walk around the solitary lanes, Mr. Griffin, there is peace there, talk to the shepherd boy, laugh with him. Drink at the village pub, fall in love, it's not too late. Come out, Mr. Griffin, life is more beautiful than you think.” Mr. Griffin smiled, a tear peeked from his eye.
