Digital Picture Frame Choices – Some Points to Consider
It’s hardly surprising that digital photo frames are becoming more popular all the time when you consider the added functionality that they offer. In comparison with conventional frames, which can only show one picture at a time, they have many more features and – if you take the cost of printing out hard copies of photographs into account – standard frames start to look like a pricey option.
There are many digital frames which combine bluetooth, WiFi, video and audio – and even further options may be available in certain high end frames. The majority of these frames will let you make up your own slideshows which allows the display of all your photos using a single frame. Considering the cost on a per photo on display basis, digital frames can be significantly cheaper than static frames.
On the subject of cost, the technology used by digital frames has reduced in price – which means that you can now find these frames for sale at very competitive prices. However, before you rush to the store to buy one, here are just a few points that you might want to bear in mind:
Choose Your Frame With The Intended Recipient In Mind: A very high percentage of digital photo frames are specifically selected for use as gifts – often for elderly relatives who want to view photos of their family and friends. Some frames have additional features – internet radio, news feeds, web browsers etc. However, as well as providing increased functionality, these higher end features can also result in a user interface of increased complexity – possibly even confusing. Obviously all these extra functions also result in a higher price tag. So, if you are choosing a frame as a gift, and if the lucky recipient is mainly interested in looking at snapshots, you may actually be well advised to consider one of the more basic frames. This will not only save you a few dollars, but the frame will be more likely to be used regularly.
Don’t Forget – A Well Known Brand Name Need Not Guarantee High Quality: You would probably be surprised at some of the low quality images displayed by the entry level models produced by some very well known brand name manufacturers. On the other side of the coin, you may be equally surprised (but pleasantly so) at the quality of some lesser known brands. Check out reviews – or try to see the frame working before you buy.
Get A Frame With The Correct Resolution: The seven inch size is the most popular digital frame choice. It offers a decent size frame at a reasonable price – and it’s also pretty similar to the size of many conventional frames. It’s about the size that people are used to in other words.
For a frame of this size you probably need a resolution of not lower than 640 X 480 pixels. Anything less than this will give you chunky, pixelated, images. There’s little point in saving money if the quality of the picture is too poor for your intended use.
Choose A Suitable Aspect Ratio: Generally speaking, digital frames come in two aspect ratios; 4:3 and 15:9. Digital cameras usually take photos which have a 4:3 aspect ratio – therefore a frame with this ratio will be well matched and ideal for displaying your snapshots. Choosing a 15:9 ratio will result in the top and bottom of your images being cropped in order for them to fit the display. Of course, you always have the option to manually crop your images – but choosing the correct aspect ratio will mean that this isn’t necessary.
The Image Isn’t The Complete Picture: Of course, a high quality image display is important – but you might have other requirements that need to be considered. Simplicity of use and functionality may be important factors for you. The user interface ease of use and the menu system can differ greatly from one frame to the next – so you may want to check those items out before making your final decision. You may even want something as simple as a timer which will power the frame down when not in use – or a frame with its own internal batter for use when travelling maybe.
These are just a few points to consider. Think about the end user and the most likely mode of usage, take a little time to review your options and you’ll almost certainly be able to find a good frame which will economically display your photographs for years to come.
Have a look at a fantastic range of Digital Picture Frames. Free delivery available on most models.
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