What is it?
A digital camera works much like a conventional camera with the major exception being that it stores its photos digitally and stores them in memory. Most cameras use removable memory that is reusable.

Why would I want one?
Digital cameras offer numerous benefits over conventional film cameras. And, because they are more affordable then ever, they are popping up in more households, on more family vacations, and in more offices everywhere you go. Digital cameras offer countless advantages for both personal users and professionals everywhere.

Cost-efficiency: A digital camera uses no film. Instead, it stores its digital images on reusable memory cards or in internal memory, and sometimes both. If you're a frequent photographer, the cost savings on film and developing alone could offset the purchase price of a digital camera in just months. Memory cards are available in many sizes (in megabytes) and their size and the image resolution combine to determine how many pictures a card can hold. The great thing about memory cards is that once you've downloaded the images to your computer for a permanent record, you can erase the card and use it again. That's like buying one roll of film and using it over and over again for 10 years or more!

Simplicity: Today's digital cameras are as easy to use as the conventional point-and-shoot cameras you've been accustomed to for years. In fact, most actually employ the simplicity of point-and-shoot cameras without sacrificing on the features necessary for quality images. And while just about any digital camera is easy to use, the higher end cameras offer many advanced features that are sure to satisfy the needs of enthusiasts and professionals alike.

Versatility: Digital cameras are perfect for countless uses, including professional, personal, or for just plain fun. And you have even more options than film for sharing them with friends, family, or colleagues. You can store all your images on your computer's hard drive and/or back them up on tape, CD, or floppy discs. You can share the back-ups with friends, family, and colleagues. Or, you can email them, too. Imagine sharing pictures of your newborn with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and anyone else within minutes of his or her arrival into the world with just the click of your send button!

How do I install and use it?
The only installation that is required of a digital camera is its accompanying driver and image software. If you purchase a memory card reader, additional driver software installation might be required.

Because digital camera features vary, each one differs in its capabilities and uses. Lower and mid-priced cameras are usually fully automatic and as easy to use as a traditional film camera. Higher priced cameras generally offer more bells and whistles and can be more complicated to use.

Digital Camera Uses:

Home/Personal			Business/Professional
Family vacations/events			Web publishing
Sharing photos via email			Insurance appraisals
Personalized greeting cards			Real Estate
Insurance/security records			Law enforcement
Newsletters			Photo IDs
School reports			Presentations
			Graphic design
			Newsletters

How do I go about buying one?

Choosing a digital camera is as easy as determining your need. Consider first the camera's price and functionality and compare it with other cameras. As a rule of thumb, the price of a digital camera will generally reflect its capabilities. Simply put, higher priced cameras offer more functionality and higher quality pictures than lower priced ones. For a family camera or for casual photography, most cameras in the $300 range should suffice. Keep in mind, though, that you might sacrifice some very useful options, such as removable memory card storage or an LCD viewer, in lower priced cameras.

There are several key attributes you should pay close attention to when considering your digital camera purchase. They include resolution, memory capacity, viewfinder, flash, lens, focus, power source, and interfaces (some cameras offer multiple interfaces).

Resolution: The higher the camera's resolution, the more detailed the image is. Resolution is measured in pixels, which is a single dot on an image. A resolution of 800 x 600 produces 800 pixels across the image and 600 pixels down the image. To determine which resolution is best for you, determine how you intend to publish your images. Lower resolutions, such as 640 x 480 are more than sufficient for publishing photos on the Internet or viewing them on a computer screen. However, if you intend to publish images in print, higher resolutions are necessary. Your printer must also be capable of printing comparable resolutions. It's recommended you consider a photo printer if you must produce high quality prints of your images.

Memory Capacity: While some cameras have internal memory, most of today's digital cameras employ a removable memory card system, either SmartMedia, CompactFlash, PC Cards, or even floppy discs. Essentially, they all serve the same purpose: store images until you're ready to store them in a more permanent environment, such as on a CD or your hard drive. The amount of pictures a memory card can hold is dependent on two points: the size of the card and resolution at which you captured the image. High resolutions consume more memory. It's always wise to carry additional memory as a back up in case you run out.

Viewfinder: Cameras offer two options for sizing up pictures before you take them: an optical viewfinder and an LCD viewer. Some cameras even have both. An optical viewfinder is just like the glass viewer you've used in your film camera. You line up your shot within the square in the glass and snap the shutter. But probably the greatest advantage of an LCD viewer is that not only can you size up your shot before you take it, you can review all your stored images with it and delete any you don't want to keep. You'll never be stuck with an blurry or over lit photo again.

Flash: While most digital cameras are equipped with a built-in flash, not all come with one. Check the product documentation carefully to ensure the camera has a built-in flash. Also check to see if it fires automatically, which can eliminate several retakes if you neglect to turn the flash on too often. Red-eye reduction is also a great feature and you should check to see if it's available.

Lens: More cameras are offering zoom lenses today that allow you to change the lens setting from normal to wide-angle to telephoto. A zoom lens is an excellent feature and useful to any photographer.

Focus: Many of the less expensive cameras feature a fixed focus, meaning the camera is set to shoot from a specific distance. Many higher end cameras include an auto-focus that does all the work for you.

Power Source: Most digital cameras are powered with an AC adapter, batteries, or both. Having both is your best option. Downloading images and using the LCD viewer drain battery power quickly. The added convenience of an AC adapter, especially for downloading the images to your computer, ensures your battery power is saved for when you need it to take pictures.

Interface: A camera needs to interface with your computer in order to download the images from either its internal memory or its memory cards. Most cameras use a serial interface, which is standard on most all computers. Unfortunately, serial interfaces are slow. If your camera uses memory cards, you can purchase a memory card reader for faster downloads and to save the hassle of connecting, disconnecting, and reconnecting a cable from the camera to your computer each time you download images from the camera. Newer models are using a USB interface, which is faster than a serial interface. And some cameras offer a PCMCIA interface for connecting to your portable computer.

TV-out: This feature is essential if you want to share photos with someone who doesn't have a computer. The TV-out connection allows you connect the camera directly to a television set with a cable so you can view them on the TV screen. You can also use this feature to connect it to a VCR and record your still images on to videotape.

Handheld Digital Cameras

KB Gear JamCam 3.0

• For beginners & kids
• 800x600 megapixel
• Expandable memory
• 10-second timer
  $92.95

Fuji MX-1200

• User-friendly camera
• 1.3 million pixels
• 1280x960 print resolution
• 2X digital zoom with autofocus
  $270.95

 

Nikon Coolpix 800

• 2.11 Megapixel resolution
• Fully automatic focus, flash and light metering
• Ease of use for beginners
  $524.95

Kodak DC-290

• 2.1 megapixel resolution 
• Brilliant, dazzling photos 
• Quality 8" x 10" prints 
• 3X optical zoom lens 
  $654.95

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-S50

• 2.1 megapixels
• MPEG movie mode
• Built-in microphone for voice recording
  $579.95

Epson PhotoPC 3000Z

• 3.3 megapixel CCD sensor
• 2544x1904 resolution
• 3X optical zoom
• Built-in audio
  $874.95