Wanting to find the very best photo stitching software?  If you want to take panoramic style pictures, you know that finding the best photo stitcher software is important.  While there are cameras that can take panoramic pictures, that doesn’t mean that the camera does everything.  All it does is take the appropriate style pictures that can then be important into photo stitching software.  If you are struggling to find the best photo stitching software, don’t worry – we will help you find the best, easy to use software that is great for any type professional photographer or amateur photographer.

Best Photo Stitching Software on the Market

If you are trying to find the best photo stitching software, you have come to the right place. We always love playing with all the different types of photography software on the market.  While you may want to just pick any type of software, it is important to remember that no every piece of software on the market is created equal.  For this reason, we have created our own list of amazing software on the market, one of which is a very well known piece of software to photographers, and two others that are freeware programs that we believe every photographer should try out.   The best photo stitching software programs on the market includes:

• Photoshop
• Hugin
• Autositch

Best Photo Stitching Software: Photoshop

Being the most popular piece of photo editing software on the market, we will not spend much time talking about Photoshop. It can do just about anything you want, including photo stitching.  The only problem with using Photoshop as a photo stitching software is that it is very complicated and very expensive, making it not a real possibility for many amateur photographers, unless they are willing to spend over $1,000 for this piece of software.

Best Photo Stitching Software:  Hugin

If we had to choose between Hugin and Autostich, we would say that Hugin is likely the most powerful piece of photo stitching software on the market when it comes to freeware.  It has less of a learning curve that Photoshop and gives photographers a great deal of control over their own photography, allowing them to easily stitching mosaics and panoramic pictures. While it is a very hands-on experience, it is not great for amateurs.

Best Photo Stitching Software: Autostitch

For amateur photographers or photographers who don’t want to spend a lot of time stitching panoramic photos, we highly recommend Autostitch. This is the only fully automated stitching program on the market, making it the best photo stitching software on the market in many photographers opinion.  It not only does a great job, also works on the IPhone, allowing anyone to experiment with panoramic pictures.  No matter which software you decide to use, we highly recommend trying Autostitch if you are an amateur photographer.

Looking for a holiday gift guide on the best cameras under $500?  If you are trying to find a camera for someone you love, you know how frustrating it can be to find a camera within your budget.  If you go to most stores like Best Buy or Amazon, you are likely overwhelmed by all the options that are available today.  If you know nothing about cameras, don’t worry, we can still help you find the best camera for someone you love, especially if you are looking for the best cameras under $500.

Best Holiday Gift Guide: Best Cameras Under $500

Has your husband or wife told Santa that they would like a new camera this Christmas season? While it would be easy to find a camera if you brought your favorite photographer with you, it is a bit difficult if you are want to keep it a surprise.  To help make things easier for our readers, we have created this holiday gift guide, helping you find the best cameras under $500.  You may even be surprised just how many features you can get on a camera for the money!

Best Cameras for Under $500

While all of us want to get our husband and wife the camera of their dreams, sometimes it just isn’t in our budget.  The best thing we can do is find a similar camera that has great features and is within our budget.  In our opinion, 2011 has been one of the best years for finding digital cameras, especially with all the great cameras that came out this year.  Our holiday gift guide consists of the best cameras under $500, allowing you to get a camera your favorite photographer is sure to love and get you major kudos this Christmas season.  Our favorite cameras that are currently on the market include:

• Panasonic GF3
• Panasonic G3
• Fuji F550 EXR
• Canon G12
• Nikon P7000

All of these cameras are amazing deals, making them the best cameras for under $500.  While you can find cheaper cameras on the market, very few of them have the amazing features of these cameras, allowing you to have a durable, light weight camera that is perfect for any photographer!

Best Holiday Gift Guide Tips

Since these cameras are going to be very popular this holiday season, we highly recommend purchasing them early.  There are rumors that some retailers may have deals on these cameras for Black Friday, making these cameras very desirable.  We have found that Amazon.com has the best prices on these cameras, allowing you to get a high quality camera for under $500, sometimes even with extra accessories that your loved one is sure to love this Christmas season!

Looking for a holiday gift guide for the best cameras under $200?  Nothing is more fun that watching someone you love open a gift you know they will love.  For most adults, nothing is more fun than opening a new digital camera.  If you are stumped on what to get your partner, a camera is perfect since it lets them take pictures of your children or other important things in their life.  The only problem with getting a camera, however, is that they can easily be out of a normal person’s budget, especially during this recession. Luckily, our holiday gift guide is filled with the best cameras under $200, most of which are under $150!

Best Holiday Gift Guide: Best Cameras Under $200

Struggling to find that perfect gift for your husband or wife without breaking your budget? What about that perfect gift for Mom and Dad? One gift that is sure to make someone smile this Christmas season is a new digital camera.  Many people assume that you can’t get a good digital camera for under $500, something that is not true. While they may not have as many bells and whistles, there are thousands of wonderful cameras on the market today that are under $200.

The trick, is finding the camera with the best features for the price.  While you can get just about everything with an expensive camera, cheaper cameras are made for specific purposes, being in many cases better for some photographers who focus on only taking a certain type of pictures.  For most families, however, you can get everything you need for taking great pictures of family for under $200, something that we are proud to prove with our holiday gift guide!

Best Cameras for Under $200

In our opinion, 2011 has been a great year for digital cameras. Not only has there been breakthroughs in technology, but many high end cameras have majorly gone down in price, allowing the average middle class photographer to have a high end camera.  In our holiday guide, we have focuses on only finding the best cameras for under $200, including older cameras that have had great price breaks.  The best cameras for under $200 include:

• Samsung SH100
• Nikon S3100
• Canon Powershot SX150
• Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ47
• Canon SX230

Best Holiday Gift Guide Tips for Cameras

To the surprise of many holiday shoppers, some of these cameras are already being planned to be on Black Friday lists this year.  Due to some of these cameras being under $100, you can expect to pay under $50 for some of these cameras during the holiday season, especially if you are willing to search for deals.   While looking, make sure to bring our holiday gift guide with you to make sure you get the best camera for the money!

Are you looking for a holiday gift guide for the best DSLR cameras? When many of us go looking for a digital camera, we want something that is not very complicated and will do a great job helping us take pictures. It doesn’t matter if you are planning on taking pictures of your children or landscapes, having the best DSLR camera that you can afford will help you have professional looking pictures that you will be proud to show off. If you are looking for a holiday gift that is sure to make someone smile, you recommend checking out our guide on the best DSLR cameras on the market.

Best Holiday Gift Guide: Best DSLR Cameras for 2011

Digital single lens reflect cameras or DSLR for short, are quickly becoming the most popular cameras sold throughout the world.  With Christmas just around the corner, families are struggling with what to get family members and friends this holiday season.  To make sure you get the best deals, it is good to start shopping as early as possible, especially if you want to get any of the cameras mentioned on this holiday gift guide.  While there are hundreds of different cameras on the market today, we believe that we have found the five best DSLR cameras currently on the market!

Best DSLR Cameras of 2011

With many of us already planning vacation time for Black Friday sales, it is important that we know exactly what you are shopping for this holiday season.  Over the past few years, the technology incorporated into DSLR cameras has come a long way, allowing even professional photographers the opportunity to enjoy the bet DSLR cameras on the market.  The big trick is making sure you know which cameras are worth the money, and which are overpriced.  For our holiday gift guide, we started researching months ago, allowing us to find the best DSLR cameras on the market.  As of the publication of this article, we found that the best DSLR cameras include:

• Nikon D3100
• Nikon D5100
• Nikon D7000
• Pentax K-5
• Canon 1100D

Holiday Camera Gift Guide Tips

If you are planning on buying a DSLR camera for someone special in your life, we highly recommend doing your research and finding out what type of pictures your loved one will be taking.  Not every camera is created equal, so make sure you do your research.  As well, there are dozens of other great cameras on the market.  Make sure you shop early and find the best camera you can buy within your budget. Christmas is not about seeing how much you can spend, but finding a gift that a special gift that any photographer is sure to love!

Looking for great digital cameras for kids? As many kids and teenagers are getting a little more independence, it is not too surprising that more adults are looking at buying their children digital cameras for Christmas or their birthday.  The problem with buying children digital cameras, however, is the fact that most kids are hard on cameras.  Since no parent wants to waste their money, it is important that you find digital cameras for kids that not only work great, but can survive being handles by children and teenagers.

Best Digital Cameras for Kids: Where to Begin

When you first start your search for finding digital cameras for kids, the first thing you need to do is determine a budget.  While you may want to buy your kids the best that money can buy, this usually isn’t a good idea when it comes to a first camera. Not only will this camera likely be dropped, but abused while children are first trying to learn how to use the camera.  Really, the first thing you need to determine is what features are necessary and how user friendly this is for someone who is first learning how to take pictures.

Best Digital Cameras for Kids: Cost

As a general rule of thumb, we recommend that parent not spend any more than $150 on digital cameras for kids.  This camera is going to see quite a bit of abuse, and the last thing you want is to waste money on a camera that may very well not last for three years. As well, many more expensive cameras have features that will be wasted on children who are just learning how to take pictures. For this reason, try getting inexpensive cameras that are well made, but only come with features that you believe your child will use.

It is important to realize that you should not be too cheap with a camera either.  Many cheaper cameras can make taking pictures a miserable experience, especially when it comes to digital cameras.  Unfortunately, some of these digital cameras are marketed for kids.  Try avoiding falling into these traps, especially if you want your child to take the gift seriously.

Best Digital Cameras for Kids: Cameras

We have found through personal experience a handful of cameras that we believe are excellent starter digital cameras for kids and teenagers. Since these cameras have enough features to keep kids happy, you can expect these cameras to last long enough for kids to learn how to properly take pictures and care for a digital camera.  When children are experience with these cameras, you can then buy a more expensive camera.  Some of our favorite digital cameras for kids include:

• Samsung SH100
• Nikon S3100
• Panasonic Lumix DMC – FZ47

Reading reviews on digital cameras is a very important first step to take before purchasing one for yourself.

Every company and manufacturer claims to have the best product available on the market. Naturally, this can’t be true. So, it is up to you to do the proper research to find out which digital camera works best for you.

There are many websites that offer comprehensive reviews on digital cameras. Some of them claim to be unbiased, but are really employed by manufacturers looking to generate buzz about their new products.

It is important to find reviews on digital cameras that are genuine. One trick is to look for websites that offer more than just 5 star reviews of the product you are researching.

Not every digital camera is suited towards everyone’s needs. Therefore, on camera review sites that are truly unbiased, there are bound to be some unsavory reviews. This is a pretty good indicator that the review was authentically written by a consumer.

Don’t be scared if you see negative comments about a digital camera you are looking at. These may not actually concern you at all, but rather a photographer who is looking for something that particular camera doesn’t have to offer.

If you simply don’t know where to start, here is a list of three camera review sites that offer genuinely helpful reviews on digital cameras. Take a look at some of the reviews on these sites and you will better know what to look for on your own.

The Best Camera Review Sites

Besides thedigitalcameraexperts.com, here are some of our favorite camera review websites:

• Digital Camera Review
• DPReview.com

These sites are about as comprehensive as they come with regards to reviews on digital cameras.

Not only do they have reviews of cameras (not to mention a large listing of lenses), but they also have updated news and previews of upcoming products from all the major digital camera retailers. These reviews on digital cameras are sharp, concise, easy to read, and full of great information.

• CNET Reviews
• Reviews.CNET.com/Digital-Cameras

This is one of the best camera review sites because of its easy navigability. You can search for cameras by specific price range, by brand name, by resolution and other features, or by rating. No matter which other camera review sites you use, be sure to see what CNET has to say as well.

• Amazon
• Amazon.com

This one may seem like an obvious choice for having the best reviews on digital cameras, but it’s obvious for a reason. While it has been known to have corporate infiltrators looking to spruce up their products with overly fond reviews on digital cameras, the genuine reviews it has to offer are unbeatable.

Consumers love to write reviews on Amazon and what they have to say is generally helpful. Take the really enthusiastic reviews with a grain of salt, but make sure you check Amazon out before you buy a new camera.

Decide For Yourself: A List of Other Digital Camera Review Websites

Of course there are hundreds upon hundreds of websites that specialize in reviews on digital cameras. Here’s a list of several more than you should check out for yourself:

• DigitalCamera-HQ.com
• Imaging-Resource.com
• DigitalCameraReview.com
• DCResource.com
• BHPhotoVideo.com

Return from Reviews on Digital Cameras to Digital Camera Buying Guide

Return from Camera Review Sites to Best Digital Cameras: Reviews and Ratings

It never seems to be clear what exactly you should be looking for in a digital camera. There are point and shoots, advanced point and shoots, super-zooms, crossover cameras, Digital SLRs, spy-cams, camcorders that take pictures, disposable digital cameras, and more. Once you pick a type of camera, what do you look for? Megapixels, optical zoom, digital zoom, ISO performance, flash sync… It can be confusing. Hopefully I can help clear some of this terminology up and help you find what kind of camera works best for you. Read it through or skim, a lot of information is included.

Let’s start with describing the different types of digital cameras:

Point and Shoot (P&S):

These are the small thin cameras you see all the time. Often they have a big LCD on the back, come in a few colors, and fit in your pocket.

Why are they great?

They are inexpensive, fit in your pocket, and many take fairly nice pictures. P&S cameras also often can do some things that other digital cameras can’t, like taking video or being used as a webcam. If casual photographs is all you do, a P&S may be more than enough and even provide as a nice casual webcam or camcorder as well.

What are their drawbacks?

They tend to be limited all-round. Point and Shoots often lack manual controls, optical zoom, and a visual-viewfinder. Point and Shoots tend to also take pictures slower and the quality usually isn’t as good as more expensive alternatives, especially in low light or when using high ISO settings. This is typically because of the small sensor size.

Advanced Point and Shoots (Adv P&S) / Super-Zooms (SZ):

These days Advanced Point and Shoots and Super-Zooms are usually describing the same cameras. Advanced Point and Shoots give additional controls such as shutter speed, aperture priority, manual focus, white balance, and so on. Super-Zooms are Point and Shoots that have are capable of substantial optical zoom. Many cameras now are both Advanced Point and Shoots and Super-Zooms. One example is the Canon SX110 IS an another is the Fugi Finepix S1000SD. An example of an Advanced Point and Shoot that isn’t a Super-Zoom is the Canon G10 which is designed for quality and control at a small form factor, and while it has more of an optical zoom than most point and shoots (5x), it is not as have as much zoom as most Super-Zooms (10x-25x).

Why are they great?

Manual controls allow the photographer to manipulate the camera to do exactly what they want. Superzooms allow a high degree of Zooming without loss in quality. All of these features in a small camera that is cheaper than an SLR.

What are their drawbacks?

Adv P&S and SZ cameras are more expensive and tend to be a little bigger than most P&S cameras. While P&S cameras can be found from $20 to $250, Adv P&S and SZ cameras range from $200 to $500. Despite manual controls and great zoom, these cameras still typically don’t compare quality-wise to entry-level SLRs (more about this later.) Both of these cameras also tend to have more shutterlag than an SLR.

Crossover Cameras:

Crossover cameras could probably be grouped with Super-Zooms and Advanced P&S cameras as they typically have the advantages of both. Crossovers tend to have larger SLR-like bodies however and deliver more of an SLR-like experience. Unlike SLRs, Crossover cameras’ lens can not be changed.

Why are they great?

They deliver an SLR-like experience allowing more control and better picture quality than many P&S cameras and tend to have great zoom. Crossovers are good for people who like the control of an SLR and the zoom of a Super-Zoom (or long lens) but don’t want to spend the money on an SLR and a longer lens.

What are their drawbacks?

They are usually the most expensive on the spectrum of P&S cameras. They also lack the upgradability of SLRs. Crossovers are also not very compact and may not be ideal for someone who wants a small camera.

Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR):

DSLRs are the largest and most advanced class of digital cameras. DLSRs allow full control, have larger digital sensors, and are upgradable. DSLRs are distinctive in that they have removable lenses that can be replaced with another that best suits the situation. DSLRs also usually allow better flashes, light sensors, an remotes to be attached.

Why are they great?

If you want the most control, best quality, and no shutter lag, no other class of cameras beats the DSLRs.

What are their drawbacks?

DSLRs are expensive, ranging from around $450 to thousands of dollars. DLSRs are also larger than other kinds of digital cameras. If a consumer wants a long zoom or high megapixel count, then they would be spending much more on a DSLR solution than a Adv P&S/Super-Zoom or Crossover one.

Spy-Cams:

I wasn’t sure if these were worth mentioning or not. By “Spy-Cam” I more mean the small key-chain cameras. They are small and limited. I wouldn’t use them as a camera I wanted to take serious pictures with, but they have their advantages.

Why are they great?

Spy cams are small. Very small. That’s their number one advantage. You can keep them on your key chain and use them whenever you like. Many spycams can also be used as webcams, which is worth noting. If you want a cheap webcam and the quality isn’t particularly important, pick up a $10 spycam from your local drugstore

What are their drawbacks?

Because of their cheap nature and small size they severely lack in quality, resolution, and storage space. Many of these cheap cameras come with cheap software and can’t be interfaced with other programs. In my experience, many don’t work well (or not at all) with Mac or Linux computers.

Camcorders:

Camcorders aren’t digital still cameras per-se, but I know many people consider these when also considering a camera since many camcorders can take still pictures.

Why are they great?

Two in one!

What are the drawbacks?

Plenty. They have limited resolution, little or no control over how the picture is taken, and usually mediocre picture quality. Still pictures on camcorders tend to be an afterthought or nice extra, but don’t make good digital cameras. A $100 P&S cameras are better for stills.

Disposable Digital Cameras:

I’m not sure how much these have caught on, but they seem to be slowing growing in popularity. Typically disposable digitalis are two megapixels. They’re more expensive than film disposable cameras, but have a few advantages.

Why are they great?

You can review and erase previous pictures. This is especially nice if your disposable camera has a screen. If it doesn’t usually there is an “undo” button. With the rising prices in film lately I imagine these will continue to get cheaper as well.

What are their drawbacks?

They’re one time use only (unless you hack it). It’d be great if you could keep your 2mp disposable you bought for cheap, but that’s not the case. disposable also have no control over the settings and many usually only let you look at the previous picture taken. Disposables aren’t replacements for P&S, but are fun to use and play around with. They’re also nice if you forget to bring your camera on vacation.

So which one is best for me?

It really depends on your needs and what you are looking for.

If you only casually take pictures and aren’t concerned about adjusting settings for quality, Point and Shoots should be more than good enough. Many cheap Point and Shoots also even allow you to adjust the ISO, Shutter Speed, and Aperture! Many P&S and Av P&S cameras also can record video. Some also can interface with computers as a webcam.

If you want a bit more quality or zoom, then an Advanced Point and Shoot, SuperZoom, or Crossover would probably be best for you. There is a large range of these types of cameras starting from around $200 so you can find the best balance between your budget and your needs. Don’t feel that because it’s $200 it won’t be a great camera. I bought a Canon SX110 IS and was very impressed with it. The SX110 starts around $215 to $250. There are many good cameras around this range from Canon, Nikon, and Fuji.

If you plan on getting serious or what the most control, expandability, and quality then an SLR is the way to go. Keep in mind that SLRs may be a considerable investment down the road, especially if you plan on buying accessories and lenses. You can get an entry-level SLR from around $450 to $900 (or cheaper refurbished) and build up over time. If you do get an SLR you can save money in the future by saving old lenses and accessories and only replacing the camera body.

So now that I have an idea of what kind of camera I want, what should I look for when shopping?

There are many things to consider when choosing between cameras and depending on what kind of camera you’re looking for, some of these things may differ in importance. When looking at the features of cameras I will continue to refer to the Point and Shoot as P&S. I will refer the Advanced Point and Shoots, SuperZooms, and Crossovers as just Adv. P&S, and Digital Single Lens Reflex cameras as DSLR.

Megapixels:

Important right? Yeah, but it’s not as big of a deal as many people think. Megapixels do two things for you. They allow you to create larger prints and they allow you to crop in more. If you are printing out a picture that’s just 5 x 7 inches, a 6mp camera is going to do just as good of a job as a 12 megapixel camera as long as the camera takes good in-focus pictures. Likewise, for this reason, a good 3 mega-pixel camera can great 5 x 7″ pictures! Megapixels only start to factor into quality when the ppi (pixels per inch) starts to go under 300ppi. Therefore, since a 12mp camera has more pixels, the image it takes can be blown up larger without going under 300ppi than a 6mp or 3mp camera. A picture at 500 x 700 inches taken with either three of these cameras would be under 300ppi, but you could see more detail in the 12mp camera then the 6mp and even less than the 3pm. On a computer screen (Which is 72ppi typically) or on sub-poster print sizes, the difference isn’t a factor. This changes however if you crop photos. If you crop out pieces of the photograph that takes away pixels, essentially making your photograph have “less megapixels” and therefore can not be blown up to as large of a size.

Is it ever better to have less Megapixels?

In some cases it might actually be better. The digital sensor is the small square that captures light in the back of your camera and produces an image. In a way, it does what film does in film cameras. The more megapixels, the more tightly packed the receptors are on the sensor. While more receptors mean more megapixels, it also means there is more of a chance for noise. Noise are the specs/dots that appear in photographs (will be covered more later on.) This means at higher ISO settings (which will also be covered more later on), more noise appears because the receptors are picking up ambient charges for each other. In simpler terms, if you have a cheaper camera (or even in some cases, some SLRs) you will probably get more noise at higher ISO settings if your camera has a high megapixel count.

The thing to take away is that just because a camera has a really high number of megapixels doesn’t mean its going to take super pictures, and just because it has less megapixels doesn’t mean its going to take worse pictures.

When is it important to me?

P&S: Megapixels probably mean the least on P&S cameras! Most people don’t plan on making big blow-ups of their pictures and a 4-6mp is usually more than enough.

Adv P&S: These cameras are not SLRs they tend to have smaller sensors and cheaper equipment. Performance varies greatly on these cameras and unless you plan on making big prints, the megapixel count is probably one of the less important features to look at when comparing these cameras.

DSLR: The necessary Megapixel count on SLR varies greatly depending on what you’re doing. If you want to make large prints (especially professional), lots of megapixels are necessary to preserve detail. Many publications require at least 300dpi. If you are looking at an entry-level SLR or large prints aren’t important, then 6mp is probably enough for most people. One of Nikon’s most popular DSLRs, the D40, is about 6.1mp.

ISO and Noise:

I put these together because they tend to go hand-in-hand. ISO comes from the digital equivalent of film speed. In digital cameras, this is the speed that the sensor records the light hitting it. Higher ISO means that the camera can record the picture faster and the shutter speed and aperture don’t have to compensate. The problem with high ISO settings is that the more sensitive receptors on the sensor pick up ambient electricity causing noise. Because of this, when picking digital cameras finding one that takes good pictures at higher ISO settings can be important, especially if you take pictures in the dark.

When is it important to me?

P&S: Unfortunately P&S in general have poor performance at higher ISOs. If possible try out different P&S cameras in dark situations and test and see how the pictures turn out. If possible find which cameras can give a noise-free picture at a higher ISO.

Adv P&S: Adv P&S camera’s ISO performance is better than most P&S cameras, but many will have lots of noticeable noise at ISO 800 and higher. If you are looking at these cameras, ISO performance is something important to look for.

SLR: Most SLRs perform better than any other cameras. How high an SLR can shoot with little or no Noise depends on the SLR and how much you spent on it. An entry-level SLR such as the Nikon D40 or Nikon D60 should perform well at 1600 ISO however while most all point and shoot and advanced point and shoot cameras would perform poorly (if at all).

Shutter Lag:

Shutter Lag is important and is often overlooked. This is the time from the user pressing the shutter release and the time the camera takes the picture. When digital cameras came out, a drawback for a long time was the time it took a picture. The user would press the shutter release button and a second or two later the camera would fire. It’s also important to note that sometimes it takes time for the lens to focus, so shutter lag is the time after the lens is focused and the user presses the shutter release to the time the camera fires.

When is it important to me?

P&S: Shutter lag is the worst on P&S cameras. If at all possible take a few pictures with the cameras you are considering. Nothing is worse than a slow camera resulting in you missing those important action shots.

Adv P&S: Shutter lag isn’t as bad on most Adv P&S, but the same advice applies.

DSLR: Having no shutter lag (or seemingly none) is one of the major benefits of a DSLR, therefore be sure that you don’t end up with a DSLR with any shutter lag.

Lens, Focal Length, and Zoom:

The lens is probably the most important part of a camera. A good lens that can properly focus on subjects is the key to quality. The lens focusing speed is also important. The larger the lens, the more light can enter into the camera. Different focal lengths are measured in millimeters. The focal length affects the optical zoom on the camera.

Optical versus Digital Zoom:

Important! When looking at zoom, always look for optical zoom! Digital zoom doesn’t matter! Most simply put, when you use optical zoom you keep full quality and when you use digital zoom your camera is essentially just ‘looking closer’ at the picture. If you were on your computer, you could achieve “digital zoom” by cropping your picture then blowing it back up to its original size.

When is it important to me?

P&S: Many P&S cameras will have optical zoom, but not all do. Always look for optical zoom on P&S cameras.

Adv P&S: Any P&S can zoom in 15x with digital zoom, but what makes a SuperZoom a SuperZoom is it’s long optical zoom. This is what to pay attention to. Many Adv P&S also support under 10mm! Many support 6mm. This means it is easy to take fantastic Macro (close up) shots, which in my option are one of the best features of many Adv P&S cameras.

DSLR: With the SLR you can exchange for the best lens for the situation. This is the advantage of SLRs. Most SLR kits come with 18mm-55mm lens, which is essentially 3x optical zoom.

Image Stabilization / Vibration Technology (IS/VR):

This is called different things by different manufactures, but the technology exists to help reduce vibration when taking pictures at slow shutter speeds to avoid blur from camera shake.

When is it important to me?

P&S: If you can get it on a point and shoot, get it. P&S often have to take pictures at slower shutter speeds so this will greatly help reduce blurry pictures in lower-light situations.

Adv. P&S: Similar to the P&S, IS/VR helps a lot in low-light situations. Since these cameras may have to use slower shutter speeds to compensate for using slower ISO settings or the lens, IS/VR is very useful.

DSLR: IS/VR is generally useful on DSLRs as well. It may not be as necessary on some lenses such as 18-55mm ones, but longer telephoto lenses such as 55-200mm ones almost require it without a tripod or excellent light.

Others:

That’s pretty much it. Those are the major things you should look for in shopping for a camera. Bellow I’ll list a few more things that are nice knowing when considering a camera:

Batteries:

Batteries usually come with the option of AAs or proprietary rechargeable. AAs are nice since you can find them anywhere and you can buy high-capacity 2500mAh rechargeable. Proprietary rechargeable batteries often last longer, but are more expensive if you want spares. Most DSLRs come with the manufacture’s proprietary rechargeable batteries.

Memory Cards:

Most cameras use either SD, Memory Stick, or Compact Flash. SD is common in P&S cameras as well as Nikons. If you do get a camera that uses SD be sure it supports SDHC so you can use the larger capacities and faster speed cards. Memory Stick is used on Sony Cameras. Compact Flash is mostly used on some of Canon’s DSLRs.

Screen / Viewfinder:

This is mostly subjective. If you like it, then it’ll probably work for you. Some cameras have higher quality screens than other which may be important for some if you want to review detail on your camera. If you are buying a DSLR, not all DSLRs support a live display of the lens on the screen. With most DSLRs you’ll have to take the picture through the viewfinder and use the screen to review the picture.

Shooting Modes:

Many cameras, especially P&S cameras come with shooting modes. These modes are predefined settings and white balances for different situations (such as macro, outside, sports, etc.) These usually aren’t used by experienced photographers, but can be useful for beginners.

Manual / Aperture Priority / Shutter Speed / Program Mode Priority:

If you have been doing photography a lot, you probably know what these stand for. If you think you might want to do manual settings on your camera in the future, look for these.

Manual: Full Manual Control
Aperture Priority: Set the Aperture, everything else is automatic
Shutter Speed Priority: Set the Shutter Speed, everything else is automatic
Programmed Automatic: Adjust automatic settings

Frames Per Second:

The number of frames per second a camera can take in continuous shot mode (if available). 2.5 to 3.5fps is often typical of Adv P&S and DSLRs.

Video Recording:

Many cameras now support video recording. Video recording on cameras isn’t spectacular in general, but it’s a nice feature. Most DSLRs don’t support video recording with the exception of some newer ones such as the Nikon D5000.

Conclusion:

Now that you’ve learned a bit about cameras, you should be well-informed when you go out there to buy a camera. I hope this overview has been informative and useful.

by Ryan Karolak

Choosing a digital camera is a hard decision and can be costly, so choosing one that will work best for you will save you money and give you a camera that you will be happy with for years.

The first things you should know about zoom is that on today’s digital cameras you have both digital zoom and optical zoom. Optical zoom physically extends the lens to make the subject appear closer. The optical zoom also moves the lens between wide angle and telephoto.

Digital zoom does not move the lens or any parts of the camera. Digital zoom will continue zooming in as far as it can on the object you are trying to take a picture of. Keep in mind that when you use the digital zoom feature on your digital camera you may end up with what is called ‘camera shake’. This occurs when the slightest movements of the camera cause the picture to be blurry.

You can try holding your camera close to your body, lean on a steady object, or set the camera up on a tripod or other stable surface. This will help you to take a steady picture at the digital zoom depth you want. The optical zoom feature is most like the 35mm camera that you probably used for years.

Digital cameras can be confusing as they each have a different amount of both optical and digital zoom. What does it all mean and how are you supposed to choose? There are no real rules to how much zoom you need. The greatest determination as to how much zoom your digital camera will have will be your pocketbook. For most people they want to take pictures of family, children and vacation spots. A camera that has a decent amount of both digital and optical zoom is going to work just fine. In this situation you could probably buy a digital camera with lesser zoom power, somewhere in the range of 2x’s or 3x’s zoom is plenty.

If you need more detail in a photo just be sure to get up closer then use your zoom from there.  On the other hand if you want to take photos that are scenery shots, outdoors, or if you are interested in architectural elements (such as a cityscape), then you will want a digital camera with a zoom of at least 5x zoom capabilities.

If you are interested in taking pictures of wildlife you will want a zoom of at least 7x to make sure that you can stand at a safe distance and not scare the animals.

If you follow these suggestions you should be able to find a digital camera that will fit your lifestyle and desires.

by S. Ann

Digital cameras are ubiquitous. These days everyone has one. Companies have flooded the market with hundreds of models and choosing one among this deluge of models can be tricky. This guide will help you choose a digital camera and not repent your decision later.

First, decide on the purpose of the camera. Ask yourself the questions – “What do I mostly shoot?” and “How big prints will I take, if any?”

Decide on the zoom – Zoom in on how much optical zoom you’d want based on what you often shoot – if holiday photos and party snaps are all that you take, be content with a camera offering 3x to 4x of optical zoom. If you are interested in shooting wildlife or you’d want to shoot far off objects, then go for a digital camera with 10x or more optical zoom. Note: Do not account for digital zoom, it can be accomplished using most photo editing software.

Decide on the megapixels – The bigger prints you need, the more megapixels you need. If you intend to view your photos only in your computer or take only smaller prints, you’d not need more than 4 megapixels. Go in for more megapixels only if you are keen on taking bigger prints. Another reason why you’d want more megapixels is when you intend to shoot objects that don’t fill the frame – like that distant aircraft or wildlife. More megapixels will help you crop your photograph better.

Look for other requirements – See if you have any other specific requirements and make sure your camera caters to those. For examples, landscape photographers want a wider angle lens. People who mostly want use flash might want to look for the flash guide number. Slightly advanced photographers may want to look for cameras that offer manual modes. Sports or action photographers would like their cameras to have extremely fast shutter speed capabilities.

Image stabilization – A new feature that is making its way into newer camera models. Make sure you buy a camera with IS (also known as VR, OS etc.). Enabling IS prevents you from having those blurred shaky photographs in low light.<p>Compatibility – Check for compatibility with your operating system, computer. If you are buying a second camera, it makes terrible sense for you to invest in one that can take the memory cards of the other. Same is the case even with the batteries.

Money – Fix a budget for your camera and spend only 75-80% of it! Yes, keep the remaining money aside to get yourself extra memory cards, rechargeable batteries and other accessories. Digital cameras are ubiquitous.

So there you have it. Keep these criteria in mind when you are choosing which digital camera to buy and you’ll be happy with the results. Just be patient and do your research and you’ll narrow down the options to something that will be the perfect fit and aligned with your budget. Good luck!

by Matt

Have you ever gazed at an extraordinary photograph and wonder to yourself, “How did they do that?” Professionals know how to use all aspects of their camera and they know that sometimes, a photo needs a little help to become more interesting. Sometimes, this requires a special lens.

There are a variety of lens attachments available. These different lenses each have different properties and each is used to achieve a different result. A photograph isn’t always just about the subject, sometimes it’s about perspective.

These lenses will not go with any camera. You must have a camera that allows for interchanging lenses. These are generally more expensive, but if photography has become about more than just about capturing family moments to you, these cameras may be a good investment.

Zoom Lens

Zoom lenses are very commonly used and some automatic cameras come with them. These lenses allow a photographer to get closer to a far away subject without physically moving. The zoom will crop out the scenery as it moves in on a subject. These are useful for reaching subjects on a stage or remote location or to capture animals in wildlife that you normally could not just walk up to.

Wide Angle Lens

Wide angle lenses, in general, will give you more room in your photograph. In other words, you will be able to fit more of the scene in front of you into your photograph. These are great for landscape shots or photos meant to show a large area, such as a town or city block.

These are useful if you wish to photograph a single subject, whether it is a person or an item, close up without losing the detail of their surroundings. An example of this would be taking a shot of your child swinging the bat at home plate. The photo will be more interesting if you use this type of lens to capture the entire baseball field in the background. You can be close to your child for the shot without sacrificing the large background you want to include.

When using a wide angle, watch out for distortion. You will definitely want to experiment with this lens before you figure out exactly what you can use it for. If you get too close to your subject parts of your subject may become distorted.

Telephoto Lens

This type of lens allows you to stand back from your subject yet get them close within a shot. Don’t confuse this type with a zoom lens. A telephoto lens will capture the subject up close while allowing for a more precise shot, but will produce a different picture than you would get by using zoom.

These are great for shots in which you want to isolate your subject while leaving the background distant and out of focus. This type of lens can be extremely useful if you want to emphasize a quality of an item or to capture a tighter shot.

Macro Lens

Macro lenses allow a photographer to take very detailed and extremely close up shots of an item. They may be used to get a crystal clear shot of an item, such as a nail or a paperclip, that an ordinary lens would have trouble capturing clearly.

Fisheye Lens

Most photos you may see taken with a fisheye lens tend to have a comical appearance about them. Faces or scenes can be distorted into a rather silly appearance. These photos are mostly for novelty sake but you can take a more serious photo using the fish eye.

A great example of this is shooting an interior where you want to capture the feeling of the entire room. This lens allows you to shoot the room while including both the ceiling and the floor. You may really have to experiment with this lens to use it properly but it can be a useful photographic tool.

Wrap Up

These lenses are each useful in photography to capture different moods and styles. If you know little to nothing about each lens, visit a qualified camera shop and ask someone to help you pick out the best lens for your needs. The change in perspective each of these lenses offer may be just what you are looking for in your quest to take more interesting pictures.