Buying A Camera And Understanding Zoom
When the first cameras appeared they were large bulky items available only to the few who could afford them and understand the science of photography. To take a simple photograph you needed to understand both the mechanics of the gadget, some mathematics and a sound understanding of chemistry. Over the years the camera was developed into something which could be more accessible to ordinary folk. Eventually cameras became tiny little boxes which even children could operate but using film meant that once the photo had been taken it was necessary to have the film developed by a photo lab before we could see the results. These days we have the digital camera and there is no longer the need to send off film and most folk don’t even print our their photo’s but are they easy to understand?
If you have been investigating buying a digital camera you will be aware of the multitude of camera manufacturers out there today. Well known camera producers, such as Nikon and Canon now compete against companies usually associated with other electronic items and a huge number of small companies producing digital cameras a knock down prices. Which company do you choose and is that digital camera bargain such a deal after all or are you paying far too much for old technology repackaged?
When buying a digital camera there are a few things to get to grips with. Most people are aware of the word megapixel but do you understand interpolation? These two words are incredibly important as two ten megapixel cameras are not equal if one interpolates the image. Interpolation is a digital way in which to increase the size of an image so a 5 mp camera can interpolate the image up to the equivalent of a 10mp one.
Zoom is another term which can be confusing but gaining an understanding of the two types, digital and optical, will help you find a digital camera bargain.
Ignore the mention of digital zoom on the packaging of a digital camera because the greater the amount of digital zoom the worse the photo. The reason for this is simple, digital zoom involves little more than removing the parts outside the zoom area and then enlarging the remainder. Nearly everyone understands that the more you enlarge a photo the more blocky it becomes and this, basically, is what happens in the world of digital zoom.
In contrast optical zoom is far more important. Unlike digital zoom, your photo does not get worse the more you zoom in. So a large number for optical zoom is better than a low one. When comparing one digital camera with another it is worth noting that the quality of the lens can have a profound effect upon the zoom and it can be better to get a camera with less optical zoom if the lens is superior.
The lens used in a camera can make a huge difference and a photograph taken using a camera with a $3,000 lens will be far superior to one taken using a camera that cost a hundredth of this. For a high quality lens expect to pay a premium price.
Deciding which optical zoom you need depends on how you will be using your digital camera. If you will just be taking snaps of friends then there is no point buying a 800mm lens and a DSLR camera, you would be far better buying a good quality compact digital camera.
If you plan to take professional photo’s then forget the compact as you have no option but to buy a DSLR. In such cases you will need to buy lenses which are suitable for you purposes but there is simply no room here to cover this huge topic.
I use both DSLRs and compact cameras and both have their uses. The Canon PowerShot A480 is a fantastic buy offering 3.3x optical zoom and this is sufficient for most circumstances. Before you buy your digital camera you should read many reviews and always compare the specifications compared to the price before you part with any cash.
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