By : www.basic-digital-photography.com
Have you been searching the market for a good professional SLR camera? If so, then the Nikon D70s could be right up your alley.
The successor to the hugely popular Nikon D70 camera, the Nikon D70s has a very impressive feature set.
With a maximum resolution of 6.1 megapixels and a 3.8x optical zoom, the Nikon D70s is a great digital camera that will prove to be suitable in many photographic environments.
The Nikon D70s struck me as I wrote this review - the fact that it has a very fast start-up speed, taking just 0.2 seconds to power up and is has minimal shutter release time lag and is very responsive. That being said, some of the quirks of this digital camera are that it is basically an improved version of the D70 and might not be worth the upgrade and has a very high price tag.
Let's now jump right into the review and check out the features of the Nikon D70s.
Design and Construction
In terms of design and construction, the Nikon D70s is sturdy and well-built. It It measures 5.5" by 4.4" by 3.1" (WHD) and weighs only 1.0 pound. Best of all, it looks like a professional SLR , given its black color and sturdy and big body size. All in all, the Nikon D70s is one beautiful digital camera.
Optics and Resolution
The optical system of the Nikon D70s has obviously been carefully thought out to enable one to take great photos. The digital camera comes with a 6.1 megapixel resolution and a 3.8x optical zoom. It also features an impressive ISO range of 200 to 1600, along with a shutter speed range of 30 - 1/8000 sec. Of course, the Nikon D70s allows you to attach a wide range of Nikkor lenses so you can take any kind of photo that suits your fancy.
Compared to the D70, one visible area of improvement was in the strength and coverage of the built-in Speedlight flash. In my tets shots, the D70s took flash shots that improved exposure by about one-half stop over the D70's. At 70 mm, the Nikkor lens's widest zoom setting, the image displayed more even illumination.
User Controls
Ok, now let's look at the user controls for the Nikon D70s. This digital camera has manual controls to allow one to better control the exposure settings. There are comprehensive focusing options available if you’re more adventurous and want to play around with advanced manual camera options. The Nikon D70s also does not come with a movie mode - so if you want to record videos, then you have to look elsewhere.
When handling the Nikon D70s, I was impressed by its 2.0 inch LCD screen. Colors on the LCD were vivid and bright, so I could easily see the pictures I took without having to strain my eyes.
Menus are displayed better, too—now set against black instead of blue in the D70. The D70s, like the D70, has some on-board help screens on the LCD, but they're only for the custom menus. It would have been nice to have them active throughout the various functions.
Battery Life
The Nikon D70s makes use of proprietary lithium batteries. The advertised battery life is more or less sufficient for a full day's shooting. If a long battery life is very important for you, you can always pack along some extras - buy them at your local camera store.
Storage and Transfer
The Nikon D70s allows your pictures to be stored in CompactFlash Type I/II memory cards cards. These days, its pretty standard practice to have at least a 128MB memory card in your digital camera (or even a 512MB card). You can also easily transfer the pictures from the camera to the PC via the USB 2.0 interface. In writing this review, I managed to transfer about a hundred photos in a very short time.
Shortcomings
There are some quirks I noticed in the Nikon D70s. What are these quirks? Well, for one thing, this digital camera is basically an improved version of the D70 and might not be worth the upgrade. That's not a problem if you're buying a brand new digital SLR though. Also, the Nikon D70s has a very high price tag - which will be very limiting for some consumers. On the whole, though, the Nikon D70s is still a pretty good camera which I highly recommend.
Conclusion
I do hope this review of the Nikon D70s has been of help to you. If you’re looking for a decent professional SLR camera to take shots with, then the Nikon D70s might be tough to beat. Of course, do your own research first before shelling out your cash. Happy shopping!
Canon's new entry-level PowerShot, the A310 features a 3.2 megapixel imager with an all-glass 33mm equivalent fixed focal length Canon lens and 5.1x digital zoom. This compact and affordable camera incorporates advanced features such as a 5-point AiAF focus system, close focusing capability of 1.2 inches in macro mode, direct-printing to any PictBridge compatible printer, and user selectable ISO speeds and light metering options.
Like its predecessor, the PowerShot A300, the new A310 has a shutter speed range from one second to 1/2000 of a second, offers a choice of evaluative, center-weighted and spot metering modes and the option of selecting the peak resolution of 2048 x 1536 or reduced resolutions of 1600 x 1200, 1024 x 768 and 640 x 480 (Medium1, Medium2 and Small, respectively). Movie resolution options are 640 x 480 (up to 30 seconds with sound) or reduced resolutions of 320 x 240 and 160 x 120 (up to 3 minutes with sound). Additionally, sound memos of up to 60 seconds can be appended to any still image file and played back in the camera or computer.
The A310 also incorporates a number of high-end features including the popular Photo Effects mode originally introduced in the highly advanced PowerShot G2 camera. A low sharpening mode has been added to the Vivid, Neutral, Sepia and Black-and-White modes for a total of five separate effects for greater creativity.
Like all other 2004 PowerShot cameras, the A310 features Canon’s new Print/Share button for simplified, one-touch Direct Printing to Canon and PictBridge-compatible printers as well as one-touch downloading to Windows XP/Me/2000/98 computers. The PowerShot A310 also supports PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol), making it fully compatible with Mac OS X. It's powered by two AA-size batteries and is compatible with CompactFlash Type I removable media.
PowerShot A310 Features
o 3.2-Megapixel CCD for images up to 2048 x 1536 pixels.
o 33mm (equivalent) F3.6 optical lens, 5.1x digital zoom
o 1.5-inch TFT color LCD, approx. 78,000 pixels
o 5-point AiAF system with single-point center focus and focus lock
o Low-light focus assist illuminator
o Exposure modes: Auto/ manual/ stitch assist/ movie
o Motion video w/out audio, 640x480 up to 30 secs, 320x240 up to 3 min
o White balance options: Auto, daylight, cloudy, tungsten, fluorescent, fluorescent H, or custom
o Shutter speeds from 1 second to 1/2000 second
o Evaluative metering linked to the focus point
o ISO settings: 50, 100, 200, 400 and Auto (50-150)
o Photo Effects: Vivid, Neutral, Low Sharpening, Sepia, B&W
o Built-in flash with Auto, Red-eye reduction auto, Forced on, Red-eye on, forced off and slow-synchro
o 2x-10x enlarged playback function with scrolling
o Direct Print to PictBridge compliant printers
o CompactFlash Type I removable storage
o Canon's exclusive Print/Share button
o USB driverless downloads
o Powered by two AA type batteries
o Small (4.3 x 2.3 x 1.4 in.) and lightweight (6.2 oz)
By : Ben Long
The 8.2-megapixel sibling of the popular EOS 30D has a large LCD and a pleasing interface.
It might be logical to assume that Canon's new EOS 30D digital SLR camera, successor to the company's popular EOS 20D, would pack a higher-resolution sensor. But such is not the case. The EOS 30D ($1499 as of March 21, 2006) provides the same imaging circuitry as its predecessor, but it also includes some much-needed new features for only $100 more than the 20D.
In many respects, the 30D looks exactly like the 20D. The camera has the same control layout as the 20D, but its 2.5-inch LCD screen is a marked improvement over the 20D's 1.8-inch screen.
The 30D's interface is a model of elegant simplicity: Almost all of the controls that you'd use in everyday shooting are accessible via a button. Yet because Canon doubles up the functions of the camera's buttons, the unit is not overladen with buttons and knobs. As a result, finding the control you're looking for is uncomplicated, and making adjustments with one hand is easy. Still, I wish that there were an external bracketing control, so I wouldn't have to navigate a menu, and that the power switch weren't inconveniently located at the bottom of the back panel.
Canon's menu system is simple and intuitive; you can navigate quickly using the control wheel on the back of the camera. With the larger LCD, menu items are bigger and easier to read. Overall, Canon's interface is the best in the industry.
The most important change to the 30D is the addition of a spot meter. Previous models offered a partial metering mode that read the middle 9 percent of the viewfinder, but the spot meter capably reads the middle 3.5 percent. The evaluative and center-weight averaging metering modes remain available as well.
The picture styles feature, which originally appeared on Canon's EOS 5D model, is another enhancement. It allows JPEG shooters to save up to nine sets of image-processing parameters, each set containing custom sharpness, contrast, saturation, and color tone settings. Though not significantly different from the 20D's parameters feature, the 30D's picture styles feature gives you more sets to customize. JPEG shooters will also welcome the new ability to completely deactivate in-camera sharpening. (For RAW shooters, these additions are irrelevant, since the camera doesn't apply any processing to RAW files.)
Other important new additions include the ability to adjust ISO in increments of one-third stop; an ISO readout in the viewfinder, so you don't have to consult the LCD to change the ISO; an optional slower burst speed, which permits more shots in a single burst; and a more durable shutter. Still missing: the ability to auto-bracket more than three shots (and as few as two), and an easier-to-access mirror lockup feature.
By: Robert Bezman
Whether you’re embarking on a family vacation or your family reunion, it’s going to be a special time. When we think of trips we’ve taken, we tend to remember them best with photographs. Here’s some ideas to enhance your vacation as well as your memories of them.
Location Preparation
1) Since you know where you’re going (that's a minimum requirement), doesn’t it make sense to check out the location before you get there? Create a list of attractions, accommodations, special points of interest, amusement areas, shopping, etc. A good source to help you do this is: the Places and Travel section of msn.com ( http://groups.msn.com/Browse?CatId=179)
2) Figure out the photo opportunities for each appropriate venue. Anyone can take a “that’s nice” picture of the kids at an amusement park. Wouldn’t you rather capture a “WOW” photo that could be hung over the mantle?
3) Depending on the location you’re traveling to, you can see what books are written about them that highlight the best photo opportunities for the entire area
4) If you’re cyber-savvy, start at www.google.com and search using different combinations of: your destination, best photography locations, for images of the location, scenic spots, etc. The options are endless.
5) If you’re off to a non-big city area, scout out the national parks in the area. The great thing about national parks is that the scenery is usually so breathtaking, that a so-so shot looks outstanding, just because of the subject. Once in www.nps.gov, do a search on photos and you will be presented with terrific shots of all the parks
Photography Preparation
OK, you’re either traveling through or you’re at a wonderful location full of photo opportunities. You began this leg of your trip at the crack of dawn and as you’re pulling into the most scenic overlook for 400 miles, the sun is just starting to crack the horizon.
You instinctively pull the car over, grab your camera and your tripod, and look for the best spot to set up. Just one tiny little problem… YOU FORGOT YOUR TRIPOD! Rather than smack yourself on the forehead then, why not plan these things now, before you leave?
Your list should include AT LEAST the following consideration…
1) Do I need to repeat – BRING YOUR TRIPOD? It doesn’t take up much room, and as explained at www.best-family-photography-tips.com/tripod-photography.html, tripods allow you to capture entirely new categories of photographs that won’t be possible without one
2) Memory. Of course, bring all the memory you have, but also pack your portable storage device (explained at http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com/digital-photography-tutorial.html)
3) If your camera has a hot shoe, bring your external flash, and any additional equipment that can be used to help with bounce flash
4) Remember your external shutter release cable for those long exposures. How else are you going to get that “angel-hair” look of the waterfalls?
5) Don’t forget the basics like: batteries, battery charger, camera bag, and additional lenses and filters (if applicable on your camera)
6) And just in case you need it, bring the manuals for your equipment.
Finally, don’t get so wrapped up in taking perfect shots that you don’t enjoy the trip. Remember to use the tripod so that you'll be in at least some of the photos.
Article courtesy of www.best-family-photography-tips.com, where you can see some sample pictures including more photography tips. Copyright 2005 Robert Bezman. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Robert Bezman is a professional photographer and owner of Custom Photographic Expressions. Robert has created www.best-family-photography-tips.com to help the digital photography users create better photographs.
By: Jakob Jelling
Every device needs a driving force to operate, just as every living thing needs a heart to keep it alive! Basically electric power does this job for any kind of devices nowadays. Similarly for any digital camera too, a good battery is necessary in order to ensure an excellent performance from it as long as possible. Being such a crucial task as if searching for a good heart for a human being, perhaps the most tedious thing about digital cameras is the quest for their battery consumption and thereby finding a suitable one for any particular one. Yet a basic overview regarding this so important component of a digital camera makes the ventures of the users somewhat less complicated and makes life easier with a proper selection of the battery!
Leaving aside the ever power thirsty LCD screens and flashes, the digital cameras themselves exhaust batteries much faster than film cameras, due to their state of the art electronic designs and intricate circuitry. Many digital cameras run from AA cells, around 4, and can even drain a set of alkaline cells in less than 1 hour of working! For example, the Kodak DC120 draws about 210mA during start or switch ON, but progresses to around 1.3A with the association of the LCD fully working and can go ahead to about 2.1A while picture taking and after it too.
With all these nightmares regarding the batteries of the digital cameras, it is worthwhile to analyze and reveal some of the available batteries for the digital cameras in an effort to explore area of power consumption in this fantastic device. Coming to first one of these, like its great name suggests, it is the Li-ion (Lithium Ion). It is one of the latest cell types available to digital camera users. This has many advantages to its credit. It is light in weight and currently available for many commercial uses and thus being so the Li-ion (Lithium Ion) battery type is becoming quite popular. This has an added advantage of being able to endow with more power than any of the other main cell types available. It is also free from the problems of memory effect, hat some battery types do have, and maintenance is least in this type of battery. These are but real goodies about this Li-ion (Lithium Ion) battery. Yet it has one major disadvantage, that is, the price is usually significantly higher than conventional batteries, due to its sophisticated design and technology.
Coming to the next one in the line, the NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride). This is a battery that is perhaps the most frequently under use for not only digital cameras, but also for other sophisticated devices like laptop computers! This has the advantage of being cheap in price due to the fact that it incurs cheap manufacturing costs, and thus a choice for many users! But this does have the problems of memory effect, and much more maintenance and care is required while handling this kind of battery.
Another such battery is the NiCAD (Nickel Cadmium) Battery. This is perhaps belonging to one of the older cell types generally available for older laptops and electronic devices. These batteries or cells have an aptitude for handling high power loads, and therefore is more frequently found in handy power tools and devices that require more amounts power to work efficiently and perfectly. Yet again, these batteries too have the problems of memory effect, and much more maintenance and care is required while handling this kind of battery.
Apart from the different batteries themselves, the selection should be based upon the charging techniques and the different charges available for all these digital camera batteries. Latest batteries come handy with charging free techniques too! So care needs to be taken in this area also, depending upon the requirements of the user.
With all the vivid conversation regarding the hearts of the digital cameras, their batteries, it is expected for every person going through the lines to have grabbed a significant amount of information in dealing with the intricacies of the purchase, and thereby also augment the ability of the person in using such a sophisticated device as a digital camera with a proper battery!
About the author:
Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.snapjunky.com Visit his digital camera guide and learn how to take better pictures with your digicam.
By: Jakob Jelling 
The digital camera being a fantastic and technologically advanced device contains many different applications of its own. Many users of this fabulous device are unaware of quite a few of these functions which can actually do wonders. And it is the duty and right of every person possessing the digital camera to intervene into the depths of knowledge to understand their prized possession and their varying qualities in order to foster the true respect that this device deserves. This article deals with providing information regarding one those qualities - Auto focus and auto exposure!
Exploring the information in slight more details it can be stated that auto exposure cameras are provided with a fixed focus lens or manual focus lens. These cameras are the simplest to set exposure. To obtain the correct exposure for a particular subject of photography, the only thing that needs to be done is to simply lock the exposure by pressing the shutter down halfway on the digital cameras upon a reference object that is about one fifth gray and also illuminated by the aid of the same source of light as subject of photography. After locking the exposure, the photographer has to recompose the frame and shoot the picture. Auto exposure and auto focus cameras are to some degree harder for setting the exposure, because they contain the exposure lock that is generally tied to focus-lock. However, the users or photographers using these auto exposure and auto focus cameras can still make adjustments for the correct exposure and correct focus using the digital cameras and make the photographs perfect! Again, the exposure can be adjusted by locking on an 18% reference that is illuminated by the aid of the same source of light as subject of photography. The users have to only ensure that the distance to this so-called reference is the same as the distance to the subject of photography that actually sets the focus.
Now discussing the auto focus and auto exposure lock (AE/AF) a bit more in detail. The shutter release button on a digital camera has more function than just snap a cool picture. The users have to grab a technique where he or she has to depress this shutter release button half way down thereby locking both the auto exposure and auto focus. This enables the users or photographers to have more control on exposure in difficult lighting situations while using the digital camera. Moreover, this entire process also helps him or her to determine where the camera focuses. Like if the photographer intends to set the exposure before composing the final shot of the photograph then he or she can move the digital camera slightly so that only the subject to be photographed is visible prominently in the auto focus frame in the viewfinder. As a next step he or she can depress the shutter-release button down half way to set focus and exposure and then recompose the picture and finally completely depress the button in order to capture and freeze the moment of time! It is to be noted here that the auto focus and auto exposure lock (AE/AF) is available in all photography modes of the digital cameras that are nowadays available for the general people.
Not much remains to be discussed about this particular topic of auto focus/auto exposure and a brief discussion as above is enough to reveal a bounty of information regarding this fantastic feature of the digital cameras. At the end of this discussion it can be expected that both the novice and expert photographers and user of the digital camera would benefit from whatever has been revealed and the effort to bring out the human mind from the dark oblivion about auto focus and auto exposure lock would be a success in the magic light of the digital camera!
Jakob Jelling is the founder of SnapJunky.com. Visit his digital camera guide at http://www.snapjunky.com and learn how to take better pictures with your digicam.
By: Jakob Jelling 
The digital camera is but a technological advancement of the conventional analog camera. And thus every component of the analog camera must have been upgraded or changed to bring in some improvisations. This discussion is an effort to unravel alteration and make one comparison between what was and what is! This discussion is thereby focused upon a very critical component of a camera (analog as well as digital), the zoom!
Before making a comparison it is important to discuss the significance of the subject matter, in this case the zoom. Well a zoom lens has more than a few portable glass components inside it. By adjusting these components, the focal length of the lens can be altered. Modifying the focal length alters the view distance as well as reduces the field of view, thereby making the projected image to appear larger.
It must me noted that both the optical zoom and the digital zoom are components that are used to magnify an image, but they work in fundamentally different principles and acquiesces drastically different results. In general, optical zooms always produce a far finer and advanced image than digital zoom.
Looking at the functions of these zooms, in digital cameras that offer optical zooms function the same way similar to a zoom lens of a conventional analog camera. A conventional lens works by accumulating light rays that are projected over a portion of a film, and in this case of a digital camera optical sensor. The distance of the lens from the focus point where all of the light rays converge is known as the focal length of the lens. Unlike the optical zoom, the digital zoom works by ranging the pixels in the ultimate image after the image has been captured. The fact remains that the same number of pixels are collected when the photograph is magnified. The only thing that alters is the light rays that are projected over the optical sensors to figure out those pixels.
It is a common intuition that optical lenses are far better than the digital zooms. The reason is that the digital camera zooms are more prone towards computer applications in them rather than mostly human interactions and expertise. Yet, it also remains a fact that beginner photographers find it more useful to handle a digital zoom and also its computer friendly nature. There the computer does the intricate tasks of finding some levelheaded approximation of colors that pixel might take up as it had captured the images or photographs. Many algorithms are existent in this area, but perhaps the most abundantly used algorithm involves looking at the pixels that are quite nearly like neighbors and come up with a kind of an average. Anyways the process remains too complicated and its end result is what the digital zoom users are interested in.
Thus the ultimate truth remains that it is useless to compare digital zooms with optical zooms. Perhaps it is more logical to compare optical zoom with optical zoom and digital zoom with digital zoom. Both these two types of zooms, the optical as well as the digital, have some good and bad qualities. Both of them have some extra features and preferences over the other. And thus it is not wise to compare them, even though a comparison may exist. The efforts would then perhaps look like comparing oranges with apples!
About the author:
Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.snapjunky.com Visit his digital camera guide and learn how to take better pictures with your digicam.
By: John Howard
Being a professional digital photographer is a dream many people have but most lack the ambition to do it. Still, you want to take the best digital pictures you can without forking over the cost of a photography degree. So, here are some tips to help you find the best digital photographer in you.
1. Take a class. Yes, we just said you don't want to go to school to learn. But, we aren't talking about a lot of classes, just one or two. This will help you learn about exposures, lighting, horizontal lines, flashes…. You get the idea. Most community colleges offer these types of classes to the public.
2. Get the right kind of camera for what you plan to use it for. Even the simplest pictures of your kids can look great if you know what you're doing with your camera. Don't buy something that is too high tech for you or something that is too simple either.
3. Know about white balance. Balancing the amount of white in a picture can create warmth in your pictures. How does your camera do this? Did you read the manual yet?
4. Use a filter. Just like wearing a pair of sunglasses, filters help to eliminate glare and reflections that can ruin a good picture. Again, consult your digital camera's manual to know how to do this with your camera.
5. Flash or Not to Flash? Read up on when you should and shouldn't use your flash. Auto flash isn't the only flash. In fact, you can get some great shots using the flash on setting as well.
6. Use close up. For some of the most detailed pictures and some of the best quality pictures, zoom in and get a close up. A simple picture of a leaf can look incredible in close up.
7. Get a good sized memory card. When you purchase your memory card, consider upgrading to the next level. In order to take good pictures you will want to use it at its highest setting. So, purchase a large enough memory card to hold the most pictures in the highest level of mega pixels.
There are many more tips and tricks you can learn and use to take the best possible digital photographs possible. Think about grabbing a book or two from the library and reading up. Or, if you're an Internet fan, check out several websites on digital photography. The more you know, the better your digital photographs will be.
About the Author
John Howard is an avid digital photographer. Visit his site for tips and advice at www.1st-digital-cameras.info
By : Basic-Digital-Photography.com
The latest Canon EOS 20D digital SLR camera is released as a direct competitor to the Nikon D70.
Canon and Nikon have always been at loggerheads when it comes to DSLR wars. The Canon EOS 20D may just swing the scales in Canon’s favor, given its fast performance, higher resolution and amazing quality of pictures.
This article will serve as a Canon EOS 20D review, and highlight to you some of the best features, along with shortcomings of this camera.
Design and Construction
In terms of dimensions, the Canon EOS 20D measures 5.7” x 4.2” x 2.8” (WHD). It’s weight is a hefty 24.2 ounces. The camera body and chassis is made of magnesium alloy, and looks very durable. Holding the camera in your hands, you can tell that it has a sturdy feeling and can be held very stably when shooting tricky shots. I like the presence of a nine-way joystick which allows you move the autofocus point quickly or panning a playback image.
Optics and Resolution
The Canon EOS 20D is an 8.2 megapixel resolution camera. It is capable of producing a maximum resolution of 3,008 x 2000 pixels. The camera has an optical zoom of 3x, which is enough for most regular shots.
What’s also interesting about the Canon EOS 20D is the support for auto-exposure, shutter-priority, aperture-priority, manual and six other program modes. If you’re a Nikon D70 user, you’ll realize that it cannot take black and white monochrome images. Not so in the Canon EOS 20D, which is fully monochrome capable. The Canon EOS 20D also exhibits an impressive ISO range from 100 to 3,200, compared to the 200 to 1,600 range in the Nikon D70.
User Controls
The Canon EOS 20D has well thought out user controls. There is a subdial behind the shutter button which allows easy access to several features of the camera. You can also find a circular quick control dial on the back of the camera too.
The menus on the Canon EOS 20D are bright, intuitive and very well organized. I found all functions easy to access and the text easy to read even under pretty bright light.
The entire body of the camera is also ergonomically shaped. I like the many non-slip surfaces available on the hand grip and camera body. This makes easier to hold the camera stable when snapping pictures.
Storage and Transfer
The Canon EOS 20D accepts both Type I and II CompactFlash memory cards. However, do note that Canon does not include a memory card with the camera kit. So you will need to fork out more money to buy a card (a 512MB card is recommended for this 8.2 megapixel camera).
Image transfers are done via a USB 2.0 interface, so you can be assured that your image download times are minimal.
Battery Life
The Canon EOS 20D comes with one battery pack BP-511A, which includes a protective cover. The advertised battery life of the camera is about 1000 shots with no flash and 700 shots with 50% flash use.
Shortcomings
The Canon EOS 20D is a great camera. However, there are a two problems which need to be highlighted. Firstly, there is feedback from several users that some flash pictures are often underexposed and not consistent. Secondly, there are reports that the EOS 20D seems to lock up sometimes. However, this is probably an early firmware bug that will be fixed.
Conclusion
In summary, the Canon EOS 20D delivers superb, fast performance and shoots incredible images. It is reasonably priced for a DSLR with its feature set, and should be placed high on your shopping list if you’re in the market for a professional camera.
By : Basic-Digital-Photography.com
If you're tired of cameras from Canon and Nikon, you may want to look into the Kinoca Minolta Maxxum series of cameras. In particular, in this article, we discuss the features of the Kinoca Minolta Maxxum 7D.
The Maxxum 7D is a midrange digital SLR that can apply optical image stabilization with any lens. It has an interesting and unique Anti-Shake system which works with all lenses and also has an efficient control layout. Let's find out more ...
Design and Construction
The Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D is finished in a businesslike matte black - similar to most standard DSLRs. Its angular styling, although conventional, looks good. The body, a hybrid of magnesium-alloy and plastic, is sturdy and well crafted. The grip is nicely contoured and feels secure, and without a lens, the camera weighs about 30 ounces, which is an ounce or two heavier than average for this class.
Similar to the Olympus Evolt E300, the Maxxum 7D dispenses with a separate status LCD and uses the camera's main LCD to display shooting settings, a design convention we've decided we like. On this Maxxum, the large 2.5-inch LCD has room to display more settings than a typical status LCD - including ISO, color mode, and image parameters, among others.
Optics and Resolution
The optical system of the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D has obviously been carefully thought out to enable one to take great photos. The digital camera comes with a 6.1 megapixel resolution and an Anti-Shake mechanism.
The Anti-Shake mechanism prevents image blur caused by camera movement. This mechanism is in the Maxxum 7D's body - it works by shifting the CCD - so it functions with all Konica Minolta autofocus (AF) lenses.
In addition, the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D's sophisticated AF system incorporates nine focus points. You can designate the active point yourself or leave all of them active and let the camera decide which to use from shot to shot. You can also set the camera to automatically switch to continuous or tracking AF operation if it detects subject movement.
Extensive exposure options are available on the Maxxum 7D. These include all four standard exposure modes; three light-metering modes (14-segment honeycomb, center-weighted, and spot); ambient exposure compensation either in half-EV increments to plus or minus 3EV or in one-third-EV increments to plus or minus 2EV. The sensor's sensitivity can be set to auto or from ISO 100 to ISO 3,200 in 1EV increments.
User Controls
Ok, now let's look at the user controls for the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D. As should be the case with a serious shooter's camera, most important features are controlled via dedicated external buttons, rather than being buried in the menu system.
Exposure adjustments and some other shooting settings are controlled with thumb and forefinger command wheels. The white-balance control, a rotating switch surrounding a button that cleverly accesses numerous menu choices, is the quickest and most flexible I've seen.
There's also a dial on the camera's top-left side for setting flash or ambient exposure compensation, but those adjustments can also be made using the forefinger wheel, which I found to be more efficient. Overall, control placement and operating efficiency on this camera are among the best I've seen on any DSLR.
Battery Life
The Konica Minolta 7D's advertised battery life is more or less sufficient for a full day's shooting. If a long battery life is very important for you, you can always pack along some extras - buy them at your local camera store.
Storage and Transfer
The Nikon D70s allows your pictures to be stored in CompactFlash Type I/II memory cards cards. You can also use a MicroDrive if you wish. Pictures are easily transferred from the camera to the PC via the USB 2.0 interface.
Shortcomings
There are some quirks I noticed in the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D. What are these quirks? Well, for one thing, the camera is slow to start-up. You are also limited to one JPEG compression ratio in raw-plus-JPEG, and there is no way to avoid noise reduction processing in high ISO images.
Conclusion
I do hope this review of the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D has been of help to you. If you’re looking for a decent professional SLR camera to take shots with, then the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D might be tough to beat. Of course, do your own research first before shelling out your cash. Happy shopping!
By Jakob Jelling 
Looking at the digital camera, a person can visualize it as a combination of a camera along with a miniature computer system that stores the images as files or sets of bits, rather than a chemically treated film. Thus it comes to be a fact that there are certain file formats in which these images of the photographs captured by the camera are stored. And again, this is subject of discussion for understanding the digital camera properly. In this effort this discussion reveals the intricate but overlying to provide a brief overview to the readers regarding the file formats of the digital cameras.
Basically, strictly considering the facts, there are three file formats used by digital cameras to create images of photographs taken by them. These are JPEG, TIFF and RAW. These are the names of the formats but like their strange names their identity remains in the dark if these are not conversed in a little detail. The most vastly and commonly used file format for digital cameras is the JPEG file format. It is time and again the lone available file format on primary and some intermediate standard digital cameras. Many sophisticated digital cameras allows the users to opt for between JPEG, TIFF and RAW. However professional photographers usually prefer to shoot RAW. Yet the discretion remains with the human preference only.
It is a fact that the acronym JPEG stands for "Joint Photographic Expert Group" after the group that developed this file type. To make things easier it must be clarified that JPEG is a compression technique that can considerably trim down the file size of a photograph and other unremitting tone images. Almost all digital cameras have a number of JPEG compression levels and quality settings to select from. The users can make use of them as per discretion and the photograph taken. Thus the jpeg images do not consume much space on a memory cards. Another specialty of this digital camera file format is that JPEGs store camera settings and scene information. All these advantages make this file format so popular and diversely accepted.
The next digital camera file format is the TIFF (Tagged Image File Format). This file format has the greater advantage that it does not lose any image file information during the compression process and moreover as a consequence it does take up a lot of space from a memory card in comparison to a JPEG image. Due to this detailed storage it also takes additional time to retrieve the information to the card. Basically the TIFF compression reduces images to about one-third their original size as per convention.
Coming to the next digital camera file format. It is defined as the RAW file! It is also sometimes referred to as an appropriate digital negative. Most advanced digital cameras allow or permit the ability to shoot RAW in professional standards. The interesting portion is that in a RAW image no alterations are made by the camera (such as sharpening or white balance). And this gives entire control to the photographer when he or she processes an image later. However this RAW file format is not used extensive due to the fact that most image editors cannot open it and computer-processing time is also more. However the fact still remains that a RAW image has a smaller file size than a TIFF.
With all these discussions regarding the different digital camera file formats, it is clear that the three most widely accepted file formats have their own advantages and disadvantages, yet they are unique in some way or the other that makes them special in their own manner. The knowledge about these digital camera file formats of storage not only yields greater understanding of the camera; it also opens the eyes towards the fantastic results of technological advancements in our daily lives.
About the author:
Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.snapjunky.com Visit his digital camera guide and learn how to take better pictures with your digicam.
By: John Howard
You are anxious to purchase your new digital camera! You want to get it in your hands quickly so you can begin to enjoy it. Are you going to go to the store right now and pick one out? Wrong! You must have some basic knowledge and know-how prior to entering into the world of salesmen and
digital cameras!
Here are the steps to buying the digital camera that is right for you.
1. Know your budget. Yes, you have to do the number crunching this time. No sense in getting your hopes up for a high powered digital camera you can't afford. Do not be afraid to tell the salesman straight way what your budget is either. Don't waste your time looking for cameras that don't fit this budget.
2. Know what you want to use the camera for. Is this for a professional or to take pictures of your kids? Will it be used mostly indoors, outdoors, or both? Knowing this information can help narrow down your search as well.
3. Needs Versus Desires. Okay so just about everyone wants the digital camera that is loaded with features and added bonuses. But, is it really what you need? Cutting down all these extras will help you cut the extra costs as well. But, don't skimp either. Take some time to check out several of the available digital cameras in your price range. Know what to expect for your money.
4. Do your research. Trust me, once you walk into that saleroom, chances are you are going to want to lay your hands on a camera and leave with it. But, this is not a smart choice. You need to either decide not to do this until you have checked out several places or you can do the smarter thing. That is doing your research online from home, far away from the store itself. Just keep going from site to site to determine what are the basic cameras available in your price range. Who is offering the most bang for your buck?
5. LCD screen or not? Most of us want to be able to preview the image we are going to take using the LCD screen. But, it is a costly addition to the camera. Consider whether it is right for you or not.
6. Memory Cards. Will you need to purchase a memory card for your digital camera as well or will one be provided. How many should you buy depends on how much you will use the camera in between downloading them. How much memory will be on the cards for the camera you plan to purchase?
7. Pixels and Resolution. Just, what is all that about? The better quality cameras which have higher pixels and resolution provide a clearer picture with much more detail then others. Again, compare the different models once you are at the store. Which model, in your budget range, has the best picture? Or, which camera has the best picture for what you are willing or able to spend. Test them out prior to purchasing to see the difference here.
8. Is the camera compatible with your computer? This is very important here since this is how most people download and even print off their pictures! This is usually not a problem unless you own an older computer.
9. Ease of use. Purchasing a digital camera is supposed to make your life easier, right? Make sure you are choosing
one you can understand how to use and one that is simple to use. When you want to take a picture, you usually don't have 5 minutes to figure it out.
10. Cost of features over name brand. Our last comment has to do with name brands. Surely, you know that just because a name brand sticker is on an item it is not a way
to tell if it is the best model out there. Compare the features and items listed above to find the best camera available to you, not the label.
Putting all of this together can produce a great digital camera that suits your needs, your budget, and even your desires. Now, that you have an idea of what to look for, go ahead, run to your retailer with the best deal and get the digital camera you have been waiting for!
About the author:
John Howard has been an avid digital photographer for over 10 years. Visit his website for tips and tricks at:
http://www.1st-digital-cameras.info
By Jakob Jelling
The digital camera is not something of a magic box that came out of the blue and made wonders! The digital camera is very much like the conventional analog camera, but the technology has been altered. It also contains most of the associated components that the conventional camera contains, like lens and a shutter for letting in light, however instead of reaching a photosensitive film, the light is made to fall upon array of image sensors or photosensitive cells. Much of the differences are like this, yet most of it still remains in oblivion for the ordinary people. And it order that the digital camera gets its true respect, it is necessary to explore these areas of truth and reveal them in light.
Looking a bit more in details about the working of the fantastic device, the digital camera. As a continuation of the above lines, it can be further investigated that the sensor array is basically a microchip about 10 mm across. Every image sensor is a charged-couple device (CCD) converting light into electric charges, and is essentially a silicon chip used to measure light. These charges are stored as analog data that are then converted to digital via a device called an analog to digital converter (ADC). Over the chip are present a collection of very small light-sensitive diodes, named photosites, or pixels that convert light (or more scientifically, photons) into electrical charges called electrons. The pixels are very much light sensitive, therefore with brighter light striking them, produces greater build up of electrical charges. Each 1000 array receptor creates 1 pixel, and every pixel corresponds to some information stored. The light enters the digital camera via the lens, which is the same mechanism as the conventional analog camera. And this light hits the CCD when the photographer presses the shutter button. The shutter opens and thereby illuminates every pixel, however with various intensities.
Taking a look apart, it can be observed that quite a few digital cameras use CMOS (meaning complementary metal oxide semiconductor, a technology of manufacturing these microchips) technology based microchips as image sensors. The basic advantage is that the CMOS sensors are appreciably cheaper and simpler to fabricate than CCDs. Another great advantage from CMOS sensors is that these take very less power compared to other technology, which adds up to the fact as to their extensive use, and can thus even support the implementation of additional circuitry on the same chip like ADC, some control units etc. Thus it can be stated that CMOS technology based cameras are small, light, cheap and also energy efficient, yet at the cost of some amount of image quality.
However the common trend remains that all cameras of the mega pixel range and higher up use CCD chips instead of CMOS. This is because of the fact of picture quality only, leaving aside the price differences.
This is basically the fact about how digital cameras work! Having known this much difference would not come in the photographing expertise of the users, but it always feels a kind of satisfaction on understanding the inner depths of a device that is so close to the eyes! http://www.snapjunky.com
