Digital Photography

Digital photography is a form of photography that utilizes digital technology to make images of subjects. Until the advent of such technology, photography used photographic film to create images which could be made visible by photographic chemical processing. By contrast, digital photographs can be displayed, printed, stored, manipulated, transmitted, and archived using digital and computer techniques, without chemical processing.

Most digital cameras use built in and/or removable solid state flash memory cards where your images are stored. These replace the roll of film and are capable of storing 1,000's of images (depending on capacity of memory card).

The quality of a digital image is the sum of various factors, many of which are similar to film cameras. Pixel count (typically listed in megapixel, millions of pixels) is only one of the major factors, though it is the most heavily marketed. Pixel count metrics were created by the marketing organizations of digital camera manufacturers because consumers can use it to easily compare camera capabilities. It is not, however, the major factor in evaluating a digital camera. The processing system inside the camera that turns the raw data into a color-balanced and pleasing photograph is the most critical, which is why some 4+ megapixel cameras perform better than higher-end cameras.

Digital photography has been adopted by many amateur snapshot photographers, who take advantage of the convenience of the form when sending images by email, placing them on the World Wide Web, or displaying them in digital picture frames. Digital cameras have also been integrated into many cell phones, although, because of the small, poor quality lenses and sensors in most of these phones, the quality of these pictures makes them unsuitable for making even moderate size prints.

The zoom camera usually offers both optical and digital zoom to get you closer to your subject.

Advantages of digital photography

The advantages of digital photography over traditional film include:

* Instant review of pictures, with no wait for the film to be developed: if there's a problem with a picture, the photographer can immediately correct the problem and take another picture.

* Minimal ongoing costs for those wishing to capture hundreds of photographs for digital uses, such as computer storage and e-mailing, but not printing.

* If one already owns a newer computer, permanent storage on digital media is considerably cheaper than film.

* Photos may be copied from one digital medium to another without any degradation.

* Pictures do not need to be scanned before viewing them on a computer.

* Ability to print photos using a computer and consumer-grade printer.

* Ability to embed metadata within the image file, such as the time and date of the photograph, model of the camera, shutter speed, flash use, and other similar items, to aid in the reviewing and sorting of photographs. Film cameras have limited ability to handle metadata, though many film cameras can "imprint" a date over a picture by exposing the film to an internal LED array (or other device) which displays the date.

* Ability to capture and store hundreds of photographs on the same media device within the digital camera; by contrast, a film camera would require regular changing of film (typically after every 24 or 36 shots).

* Many digital cameras now include an AV-out connector (and cable) to allow the reviewing of photographs to an audience using a television.

* Anti-shake functionality commonly called image stabilized(increasingly common in inexpensive cameras) allow taking sharper hand-held pictures where previously a tripod was required.

* Ability to change ISO speed settings more conveniently in the middle of shooting, for example when the weather changes from bright sunlight to cloudy. In film photography, film must be unloaded and new film with desired ISO speed loaded.

* Smaller sensor format, compared to 35mm film frame, allows for smaller lenses, wider zoom ranges, and greater depth of field.

* Ability to use the same device to capture video as well as still images.

* Ability to convert the same photo from color to sepia to black & white

* Ability to provide a zoom camera with both optical and digital zoom to get you closer to your subject.

Digital Photography Tutorials

Learn how to take and edit digital photographs using visual tutorials that emphasize concept over procedure, independent of specific digital camera or lens. Topics range from basic camera tips to advanced techniques including zoom camera technology. Visit >>> Digital Photography Tutorials

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