Digital
Camera Basics
With all the emphasis on e-commerce today, having a digital
camera is no longer a luxury — it's practically a necessity.
Whether you're posting pictures of your merchandise on your Web
site or moving excess inventory through barter or online
auctions, having a digital camera on hand makes these tasks
easier — and more profitable.
But what makes a good all-around digital camera? What features
does an average small business need? Let's take a look at what
you should look for in a digital camera.
Resolution
In digital images, the resolution of an image is expressed in megapixels.
The higher the number of megapixels at which a digital camera is
rated, the larger — and crisper — the image it can produce.
Consumer cameras can range anywhere from .3 to 3.3 megapixels.
If you're going to use your camera primarily to photograph your
inventory for sale on your Web site or for online auctions, and
you feel that the digital equivalent of a 4x6 print is
sufficient, a camera with 1 megapixel resolution will be more
than enough. Don't pay for more resolution than you need.
Storage Media
The next variable to consider is the myriad storage formats
available. Most entry-level cameras use SmartMedia memory cards,
which come in capacities from 16MB up to 128MB — enough to
hold more than 200 high-resolution 4x6-size images. Other common
storage media include PCMCIA cards, Type III cards and Compact
Flash cards.
If you'll always be taking photos near your computer (i.e., in
your office or shop) and will never need to store more than 20
or 30 images at a time, you'll probably never need to upgrade
your storage media. But if you'll need to take your camera on
the road and take (and store) lots of pictures away from your
PC, you may need to buy additional memory. Be sure to factor
this into the purchase price.
LCD Screen
Another advantage of digital cameras over their analog
counterparts is the advent of the LCD screen. Now rather than
pressing your face against the camera and peering through a tiny
viewfinder, an LCD screen allows you to hold the camera away
from your face and still see the exact image that will be
captured.
Once you try a digital camera with an LCD viewfinder, you'll
never want to use a traditional viewfinder again.
Digital vs. Optical Zoom
Zoom capability is another feature to consider. Almost all
consumer-level digital cameras now come with zoom lenses,
whether optical or digital. In an optical zoom, the lens
physically moves to adjust the image size, while digital zooms
use software to magnify a distant image. If high-quality zoom
capability is important, insist on optical zoom.
If you expect to be taking lots of detailed photographs, choose
a camera with "macro" capability, which allows you to
get precise photos of very small objects, like fine parts and
jewelry.
Power Source
One final note on digital cameras: they devour batteries. You
can easily burn through four AA batteries in a day or two of
moderate use. So while not officially part of your digital
camera outfit, rechargeable batteries and a charger are a worthy
investment.
You may be able to get by without a digital camera in this day
and age, but having one around can make doing business a whole
lot easier. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. And
the ability to take a picture of a product and email it to a
prospective customer immediately just might be the difference
between making and not making the sale. If so, your digital
camera could pay for itself with your very first sale.
