Which Image Format Do I Choose?

If you are into digital photography, chances are that you have already come across the different file formats used by digital cameras.

It doesn’t matter if you are an amateur or a professional because you will have to deal with them when taking pictures and transferring them to your computer and eventually editing them.

But which image format is best for you? It all depends on the result that you want and how much control you want to have over editing your images. Below are the most common image formats used by digital cameras.

1. JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)

- this is probably the most popular image format used not only in digital photography but also in web design. It is a good thing because you can be sure that you can open your file using any computer and without the need of special
software.

There’s a downside, however, since JPEG is considered a ‘lossy’ format, which means that a lot of details are lost due to the format’s compression.

When it comes to image file compression algorithms there are two types: a) ‘lossy’ compression and b) ‘lossless’ compression.
– Type a) make use of the limitations of the human eye and don’t store the invisible information. Type a) allow variable levels of quality (compression) increasing these levels leads to reduced file size.
– Type b) will reduce file size while the high image quality are preserved, though the resulting file size will be considerably greater than a type a) file.

2. TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)

- the TIFF format is the answer to the lossy quality of JPEG. The result is a far better image quality and more photography details will be stored.

This format has its price however, as TIFF files are known to be quite huge and could easily grasp storage media space very fast.

3. RAW

- from these three formats, RAW must be considered as the format that conserve images details best. As RAW images aren’t processed in any way – this gives the photographer a better control in the editing process.

When talking about the RAW format it should be mentioned that this isn’t any standardized format.
This means that it differs from one manufacturer to another and one may have to make use of special software to edit this format. However, many of the oldest RAW formats are supported in many of the main editing software packets.

Parts of a Digital Camera

Although the major parts of the digital camera is much the same as the typical film camera, there are differences that may confuse people especially those who are making the jump from the film to digital format.

It doesn’t also help that digital cameras, even the most basic ones, typically have more buttons than the usual point and click film cameras. We hope that with this article, we can help you in identifying the parts of your digital camera.

1. The LCD screen

- this is probably the most obvious difference between a digital and a film camera. The LCD screen provides users with a preview of the shot they will be taking.

Unlike film cameras which use only the viewfinder, the LCD gives people exactly what they see on the display. Aside from that, the LCD also provides information on the camera such as the amount of battery left and the like.

2. A slot for the storage media

- while the film in a film camera is usually loaded on the back, the slot of the storage media differs from one type of digital camera to the other.

The user manual can help you find where it is.

3. A slot for transferring your data

- you can transfer that pictures you have taken by physically removing your card from the camera and putting it into the card reader of your computer.

However, you can also connect your camera via USB or other ports on your computer if you do not have a card reader.

Equipments Used in Digital Photography

So you want to take up digital photography? While most of the specialized equipments used in this field are pricey, you can take it up on a budget.

Below is a list of the pieces of equipment used in digital photography along with some recommendations whether or not amateur photographers really need them.

1. Digital camera

- anyone who wants to take digital photographs needs this of course. While there are higher end models out there with dozens of pixels available, you should first find out your needs before buying one.

Do you plan to take only pictures of your friends during parties? Maybe a point and shoot model would fit you better. If your needs are much simpler, you can opt to just buy a camera phone with a decent resolution.

2. Memory

- this is another consideration when buying digital cameras. If you’re a professional photographer, you will need tons of memory so you should buy those with large capacities.

3. Tripod

- need to keep that image stable? A good camera with an image stabilizer can do that for you.

If however, you have more specific needs, you may opt to buy a tripod for your camera. It keeps your camera stable far better than your hands can, resulting in clearer images.

4. Lighting

- if you work in a studio and need more controlled lighting, then you’ll need specialized lighting equipment. But if you’re just a point and shoot photographer, you can survive with your camera’s built-in flash.

Editing Your Digital Images

While the use of digital cameras has made it easier for photographers to quickly check whether or not they like the shot they’ve taken, there are still usually flaws that need to be touched up or a crop that will make the image more dramatic. Because of this, they need to use image editors to produce their desired results.

While image editors that are built-in to the computer’s OS (take Microsoft Paint, for example) can do very basic editing, power users such as professionals and web designers need more powerful programs.

There are a number of good image editors out there that are popular among photographers and web designers alike. For one there’s Adobe Photoshop.

Ever since it was released in 1990, its use has become an industry standard in the image editing industry. Then there’s Corel PHOTO-PAINT of the CorelDRAW Graphics Suite.

This program specifically targets photographers who wish to edit their images using the computer.

Another photo editing software is GIMP which stands for GNU Image Manipulation. The good thing about this photo editor is that you can use it in a variety of operating systems such as Windows, Mac and Linux/Unix.

For those who are used to the Photoshop interface, there’s the GIMPshop developed by Scott Moschella.

Google has also developed Picasa which is a basic photo editing and organizing software which can be useful to photographers who only need to crop, fix red eye, and adjust the hues on their photos.

Digital Camera Care and Maintenance

Like most electronic devices, digital cameras need extra care when being handled. They have sensitive components that may be damaged by improper handling.

We therefore came up with several tips to help you maintain your camera so that you can use it for a much longer time.

1. Keep your camera from getting wet unless it is indicated that it is waterproof. Otherwise, moisture will build up inside it which will destroy our camera’s internal components.

2. If you are using a rechargeable battery for your camera, the time will come when it no longer works as well as it used to.

Typical Lithium Ion batteries last up to 500 cycles after which a decline in its performance can be noticed. Dispose of your batteries properly and replace them with new ones.

3. Always keep your lens clean. This is especially the case if you have a digital SLR as its lens is more complex and need better maintenance. Read your user’s manual on how to maintain your camera’s lens.

4. Avoid dropping your camera. As mentioned earlier, your camera contains sensitive equipment which may be destroyed due to excessive shaking or impact.

5. When shooting pictures in the sea, make sure to protect your gear by waterproofing it well. Salt water can corrode your camera.

Therefore, you should gently wipe its surface with a cloth dipped in fresh water to rinse off remnants of salt water on your camera. Wipe it dry after.

What is Digital Photography?

The phenomenon of digital photography began when digital cameras became commercially available sometime in the late 1980s to the mid-1990s.

From this point, many people started to stack away their film cameras in their closets in favor of the digital camera.

But before jumping into the digital camera itself and its finer details, it is important to know what digital photography is.

to cut a long story short, digital photography is the act of taking pictures which then are saved into a digital format. A scanned photograph, therefore, can also be considered as a digital photograph.

Most people prefer the digital format over film for many reasons. First of all, seeing the results of digital photographs is instantaneous.

When the shotpicture has been made, the photographer can immediately see and decide if the result of the shot is good or not. This method is much cheaper than film because when using film, one has to print all the photographs taken including the duds which can’t be seen until they are processed.

Other reasons why people prefer digital photographs better than traditional paper copies is that there are many more ways in sharing a digital photograph. One can e-mail it, make a photo CD, share it via Bluetooth or make a paper copy just like film photographs.

However, there are professionals who choose film photographs over digital ones. According to them, their film photographs may produce more lifelike images compared to those taken by digital cameras.

Though the more advanced digital cameras of today may be slowly, but surely are gaining ground and it will only be a matter of time before they produce pictures that will impress even the purists.
 

Underwater Digital Cameras

In the field of photography, one of the most demanding is underwater photography. Unlike other forms of photography, it presents a lot of technical challenges. But, advances in science and technology have overcome many barriers and underwater digital cameras have finally made the task of capturing underwater images a very entertaining pursuit.

(You may be a marine scientist or a biologist|It may be that you are either a biologist or a marine scientist}. Or you may be a professional underwater photographer. Or still you may simply be an amateur photographer out to capture some exciting pictures for pleasure or some specific task. No matter what it is, what with the options they have, underwater digital cameras on sale at present give a headache to the buyer as selection of the best camera is concerned.
In the sphere of photo-taking, digital cameras have been making vast development and is forcing the film-loaded cameras to take a back seat in photography. This is true in the case of underwater photography too. Traditional film cameras are being replaced by underwater digital cameras. The reason for this transformation is the many advantages digital imaging has over film.

For starters, underwater digital cameras let the user take unlimited number of shots whereas its film counterpart has its limitations on that score. You can confirm the status of the captured image in digital cameras on the spot, but this is not possible at all even with above-water film cameras, let alone underwater cameras. (There is no cost for film or processing in a lab for digital imaging, which makes it cheaper than the film type in the longer run|There is no cost on films and no need for digital cameras to have its images processed at laboratories, making it less expensive than capturing on film}.
Further, it is easy to adjust and control images captured in a digital camera on a computer. Actually speaking, you can do a lot of editing work on digital images. Copying digital photographs is quite simple and so is dispatching them to people you want. However, there may be a few advantages of film over imaging such as less initial cost but the pros of going for underwater digital cameras far outweigh those of film.

Just like the conventional cameras, underwater digital cameras can be found in various shapes and sizes. Assess what your underwater photo-taking needs and wants are well in advance and make an intelligent selection from the wide range of underwater digital cameras on offer in the market today. Your intelligent choice will make your underwater photograph-taking an extremely unforgettable one for a long time.