Our digital camera tips will help you make a more informed decision if you are in the market to purchase a new digital camera as well as help you get the most from your current camera.
Digital photography has opened so many doors for additional creativity.
You can now incorporate you favorite photos in digital or conventional scrapbook pages.
Create gift items that feature your digital photographs.
Learning to get the most out of your digital camera is just the beginning of the creative possibilities.
Tips for Choosing a Digital Camera
If you are looking at purchasing a new digital camera, consider the following digital camera tips when making your decision:
Do you want a camera that is simple to operate or do you want the flexibility of interchangeable lenses?
Do you want to be able to carry your camera in your purse or pocket?
As a professional photographer, I use both DSLRs and Point and Shoots. I certainly prefer the quality and flexibility of the DSLRs and use them for client work, but there are many times when I am more comfortable carrying a good quality Point and Shoot.
Sometimes it is a matter of physical comfort and sometimes it is a matter of being in areas that I prefer to carry something less conspicuous.
What will be the final use of your photos? Do you want to print poster size or do you just want to take photos for you scrapbooks? Larger prints will require larger files.
What is your budget? Don't forget to figure in the cost of memory cards, card readers, camera bags and any other accessories desired.
Shop locally if possible. Make sure the camera you are considering is comfortable for you to hold, not weighing too much or being so light that it is difficult to hold stable when pressing the shutter. Also check for the ease of using the controls. Does the camera seem well built? Open doors, turn dials, etc. to see how they feel.
Consider the type of photography that you will be doing. Do you need a long telephoto or will a mid-range telephoto do the job?
Only consider optical zoom. Digital zoom does nothing that cannot be accomplished (and often better) in your photo editing software.
Remember that contrary to advertising, mega pixels are not the only thing to consider. Check product reviews for cameras you are considering - look for information on noise, color fringing, and overall image quality. Make sure the strong points of the camera you choose match with the type of photography you plan on doing.
Digital Camera Tips Getting the Most from your Camera
Once you have your camera, the following digital camera tips will help you get the most out of your camera:
Read your owner's manual. Yes, I know it's not the most exciting reading, but it will give you an overview of what your camera is capable of. Many cameras now ship with a regular manual and a condensed version. Review both and carry at least one of them in your camera bag at all times.
Digital camera settings will vary somewhat between different models and types of cameras. Take the time now to learn what your digital camera settings are.
The next thing is to develop a consistent method for downloading and backing up your photos. There is nothing worse than deleting files and realizing you haven't backed them up. The following explains how I deal with my files:
After each session or day of shooting I download all files to my computer without viewing them. They are copied to a folder labeled as: YYMMDD_name or location. A CD or DVD is then burned with all files. Nothing has been edited or eliminated at this point.
Once the files are downloaded and copies are on both my computer and a hard disk, the memory cards are reformatted in the camera.
Then I bring all files into a program that allows for previewing and choosing.
Learn where your camera focuses and how it determines the exposure. Learning this will give you better control when taking photos.
Digital Camera Tips for settings:
Does your camera have Aperture Priority and/or Shutter Priority modes? If so, try using Aperture Priority set to the lowest number possible for portraits and close ups. Try Shutter Priority set to a fairly high number for action shots.
Does your camera have full Manual Settings? If so, learn to use them.
Does your camera have a zoom lens? Learn to use it.
Your camera may have settings for color temperature such as daylight, florescent, incandescent, etc. These can be very helpful especially when shooting JPEG files.
If your camera has the option to shoot RAW files, learn to shoot and edit RAW files. They have many quality advantages over JPEG files.
