Friday, November 12, 2010

Some Things You Need To Know About Digital Cameras

By Cameron Wright

Resolution is less important than you think. There is a popular misconception that more megapixels lead to better pictures. This is not the case.

Admittedly, if your camera has a high resolution you'll have more freedom when it comes to editing, and you'll also be able to print relatively large pictures, but with that said, not many people actually stand to benefit from this.

If you're a casual shooter who won't be printing pictures larger than 8x10" or doing extensive computer editing, then a camera with 5- or 6-megapixel resolution will be sufficient.

Those who take their photography slightly more serious could very well enjoy having a higher level of flexibility which comes with higher resolution, but even if you're striving to take high quality pictures, you still won't require anything to the tune of a 10+ megapixel camera.

Unlike resolution, zoom is probably more important than you think. Whether you want the camera for taking close up portraits, or whether you want to photograph distant wildlife, you can never have too much zooming power. Most of today's digital cameras have a 3 or 4x optical zoom, but if you choose something more powerful, you will never regret it.

The category into which zoom cameras fall has been experiencing a tremendous amount of growth recently, and no longer is it uncommon to see cameras with 8, 10 or a 12x optical zoom.

If you want to have complete control in terms of zoom, you need to opt for an extended-zoom camera which features image stabilization. This will help you to take zoomed in shots without the need for a tripod.

Travelers should use cameras with AA Batteries. Digital cameras come in two varieties: those that use AA-size batteries and those that are powered by proprietary lithium-ion batteries. If you are a traveler, particularly someone who enjoys remote or rustic locations, choose a camera with AA batteries.

When proprietary batteries run out of power, they'll essentially be useless to you until such time that you're able to plug them into an electrical supply. Not only does this mean you'll need to find a power outlet and you'll need to carry your battery charger around with you, but depending where you're traveling to, you may even require a power converter.

If you don't want to carry cords and chargers, or if you often have doubts as to the availability of an electrical power supply, then this type of system is simply too restrictive.

If your camera runs on AA batteries, you will simply be able to replace them when they run out of power. Also, providing you stick to the high performance ones, such as the Energizer E2 Lithium line, you more than likely won't require more than two or three packs for every ten days you expect to be away.

Of course if you do happen to run out of high-performance batteries, you can still use the standard ones as well. While these may not last very long, they are available all over the world.

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