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Basic Digital Camera Terms You Need To
Know
Being familiar with the terminology used in any
subject of interest in is always useful, and digital cameras are no exception.
Although most digital cameras available on the market allow you to simply point
your camera and quickly snap a picture with the touch of a button, there is
often a lot more going on behind the scenes than you may have realized.
Put simply, understanding the most important terms about digital cameras will
allow you to make a better-informed purchase of a new digital camera, let you
have more control over your digital camera's features, and help you to take the
best quality photos possible.
1. Megapixel
When we use the term megapixel, we are referring to the maximum resolution at
which a digital camera can take photos in millions of pixels. This means that a
camera with a range of 4 megapixels can take photos which each contain a maximum
of 4 million pixels.
But what does this mean to the consumer? One word: quality. A higher megapixel
count means better quality photos, and considering the price of digital camera
getting lower all the time; you should try to stick with a digital camera that
has a 3 megapixel range or above, especially if you intend of making prints of
your photos.
2. Focal Length
Focal length is a term overlooked far too often in amateur photography, and
refers to how much the lens of a camera can magnify a shot. Focal lengths are
generally split into two categories, these being wide-angle and telephoto, which
are better for spacious and narrow fields of view respectively.
Due to the ease of manufacturing telephoto lenses, digital camera manufacturers
seem to provide wide-angle lenses in a lot less cameras, even though these
lenses are better suited towards the type of photos that most people commonly
take, including groups of friends and wide landscapes. To sum up, a wide-angle
focal length is the better choice in most cases, with the 20mm and 35mm
varieties catering to most people's needs.
3. Digital Zoom
Unlike the focal length, digital zoom is a term that seems to be given a lot
more attention than it deserves. Unlike optical zoom, which uses the physical
lenses inside the camera to enlarge a scene, digital zoom electronically
enlarges the pixels in the center area of a photo, meaning that any time you use
the digital zoom function on your camera you are actually sacrificing the
quality of your photos. It is a good idea to disable the digital zoom function
all together to stop this from happening.
4. ISO
The term ISO stands for the International Standards Organization, but what does
this have to do with your digital camera? The organization sets standards for
photography, and the ISO range of a camera refers to how sensitive the camera is
to light.
For instance, a low ISO number (100 or under) is not very sensitive to light,
and is best for shots in good lighting conditions. A higher ISO range means that
the camera will be suitable for photography in darker conditions, so it is best
to look for a camera that has an adjustable range; ISO 100 to 400 should be
adequate for most people's needs.
5. Shutter Lag
Shutter lag refers to the time between pressing the button to take a photograph
and the time when the picture actually gets taken. This may not seem a very
important factor when buying a camera, but think of it this way: if you have to
wait a second or longer for a photo to be taken, like with many older and
inexpensive digital cameras, then chances are that you won't end up with the
photo you desired. Many camera manufacturers do not list the shutter lag time
for their cameras, so the best way to find this out is by testing a camera
before you buy.
Conclusion
Hopefully this article has helped you to better understand some of the most
important terms used when referring to digital cameras, and in turn will help
you to choose the digital camera that best suits your needs. I think that
testing a digital camera before you make a purchase can help greatly when it
comes to making a final decision, and it makes sense to do so; you may be using
the camera you choose to capture your memories for years to come!
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