Digital Photography

DON ' T BE INTIMIDATED BY GOING DIGITAL

I believe that this period is as significant for photography as the mid-1800s advent of the glass plate. This is a new learning stage of technology, yet photography is still involved. The purpose of this little box with a lens was and remains to record the moment in front of you. Photographers continue to engage with light, the moment, composition, narrative, and all other elements of silver-based technology. I have yet to encounter a photographer who has opted to return to film exclusively. This is an additional tool in your kit.

With these considerations in mind, visit a local camera store to investigate your possibilities. Understanding your needs is a component of wise purchasing. Use the following checklist as a basic guideline for different forms of photography and what to look for in the equipment for that discipline.

General Small dimensions

5–10 megapixels Fixed lens Integrated flash Integrated sensor cleaning for reduced dust

An ultra-zoom camera may be ideal for the amateur photographer who wishes to photograph a child playing hockey, football, or another sport. This Olympus camera features a 20x zoom that delivers a 520mm super-zoom. A non-interchangeable lens makes the camera a simple, cost-effective instrument for photographers.

Sports

■ Interchangeable lenses

Six or more megapixels Rapid processor and buffer

Travel Size and weight constraints Weatherproofing

Lenses that can be changed or

4–6-power zoom on a fixed-lens camera Built-in flash Outdoors/Wildlife Rugged body with weather resistance Interchangeable lenses with long telephotos available 10–12-power zoom lenses

Telephoto lenses as long as 600mm for 25 outdoor shooting Image stabilization in the camera body or lens

Lenses with a quick aperture: Extremely pricey and fast 400–600mm telephoto lenses with a maximum aperture of f4 are available at a premium. This focal length in the f5.6 to f8 range is ideal for photographing wildlife.

Rapid processor and cache

Sensor cleaning to reduce or eliminate dust

Portrait/Wedding 

 10–22 megapixels

At the Prosumer level, a fixed lens and moderate zoom may work

Rapid processor and cache

External flash functionality

Regarding the "Myth" of Megapixels

All the information I've provided on chip size and megapixels should be considered intriguing but irrelevant. Increasingly, camera manufacturers are producing larger, more densely packed chips, and many photographers believe that the larger the chip, the higher the quality. Not so. Recently, a "movement" to reverse this perspective has begun, and I would like to join this revolution.

When digital cameras reached a resolution of 6 to 8 megapixels, this technology accounted for around 95% of the market.

needs of amateur, nonprofessional photographers. With these cameras, beautiful prints up to 16 20 can be created, and with prosumer cameras ranging from 10 to 14 megapixels, prints up to 20 24 and larger are feasible. Do not succumb to a salesperson's pitch that you need to upgrade your 8-megapixel camera to a 16-megapixel camera, as the differences will not be significant unless you are printing billboards.

David Pogue, a technology journalist for The New York Times, tackled this topic in multiple columns by displaying big prints taken with cameras ranging from 4 to 10 megapixels; more than 95 percent of viewers were unable to distinguish between the two. Other factors, such as optical quality, file quality, and camera stability, contribute to or detract from the image quality.

Oscar Barnack, a Leica camera designer, created the first 35mm miniature camera in the 1920s, doubling the size of the film image by spinning 35mm film on its side. The design decisions were not based on aesthetic or compositional considerations, but rather on the reality of what was available. Thus was born a photography revolution, the simple-to-use, quick-to-operate, and unobtrusive camera that allowed the photographer to react to a scene rather than contemplate a response.

Not only was photojournalism made possible, but also street, documentary, reportage, and travel photography.

With the emergence of large megapixel-capable cameras, the camera's physical appearance has altered. In the vast majority of situations, the big megapixel camera is just unnecessary. Why fire a cannon at a fly? As stated previously, the 8 to 12 megapixel camera is well than adequate for the majority of photographers.

I believe that these megapixel monstrosities will become the new "medium format" of photography, a tool required when the highest file size will benefit the photographer while photographing billboards or bus signs. For photographs up to 20 24, however, cameras with 8 to 12 megapixels are more than adequate. Additionally, it is easier for the photographer when the subject is closer.

He or she can carry the necessary equipment for a certain shot without needing to visit the chiropractor.