digital camera : Computer Hardware Buyers’ Glossary

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digital camera
Digital cameras work by detecting light electronically, then sending numbers indicating the colour of each pixel in the image to a computer for further Photo-shop style processing and distribution. Typically the software that comes with the camera converts the raw image to a more compact JPG (Joint Photographic experts Group) image.

Most cameras have USB (Universal Serial Bus) port to upload images. For rapid uploading some have a memory card or a thumb drive. The advantage of the cards is you can store a dozen or so on a trip to later upload into a computer. The disadvantages of the memory cards is they are often fragile, expensive and may not be compatible with all computers. Some cameras write to magnetic tape or DVDs. The key statistics to know about a camera:

  1. Do it do stills, movies, sound? Does it have the ability to attach a high quality microphone?
  2. How many pictures can the camera hold without uploading them to a computer?
  3. How big are the images?
  4. How many different colours are they capable of resolving?
  5. For movie cameras, how many frames per second can it capture?
  6. How much does the camera weigh? How big is it?
  7. Does it have OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation), an electronic deblurring technique to compensate for camera jiggling.
  8. How well does it perform in low light?
  9. What technique does it use to upload the images into your computer?
  10. How good is the quality of the lens and the image? You have to read reviews or look at sample images to determine this. There is no simple specification number.
  11. How good is the manufacturer’s reputation for keeping your camera working? My digital Olympia camera is useless because the software is obsolete as is the serial port connection.
Check with your local college for a short course on the use of such equipment. You will gain familiarity with the equipment before you waste money on inappropriate equipment, and with your instructor’s help will pice cost effective equipment.
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