Samsung News Geek

Wi-Fi is the word in cameras this Christmas. Thanks to the need to compete with camera phones you have the choice of Wi-Fi capable cameras. Now you can email your photos via Wi-Fi . Each manufacturer's cameras work a little differently, so you'll want to follow the directions for set up. Some are rather automatic and some need to be recognized by a Wi-Fi network.

Thorin Klosowski has a good guide to how these cameras work:
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cameras-photography/digital/wifi-cameras1.htm

2011 puerdycat. All Rights Reserved.

I tried out the Motorola-w408g, and look at the great photo I got with a $30 camera! With a minimum service, I can take and process all the photos I have time for and still have time to talk. Get a "mini card" for the phone. It comes with an adapter for about $10 ( November 2011). You have the option of sending your photos by email or using the mini card. I prefer emailing, but having the card installed allows some options.

The photo-phone is pretty simple. Here's the online manual for the W408g : http://www.net10.com/Common/Both/Digital_Assets/14765.pdf.

The advantage of this camera? It's a great place to start. It's simple and inexpensive, and it allows you to get a detailed photo sent immediately to your computer. This gives you a starting place. You can start asking yourself, what else do I need?

Now let's look at cameras. The "Lumix" cameras are attractive and they're coming down in price; they're an example of the mid-range camera. You do more than point-and-shoot but they still are more automatic than a DSLR. Here's a look at one. Take a look at a Panasonic LUMIX DMC FP5
You can also CHECK out cameras at CNET and see CNET Camera Reviews

It's good to know the basics about how a camera, any camera, operates.

APERTURE:
Your camera takes pictures through this opening. Adjusting the size of the opening changes the amount of light that comes into the camera.

SHUTTER SPEED:
The shutter speed determines how long light is allowed to come into the camera, so speed (also) determines how much light comes into the camera.

ISO:
A film-speed-rating tells you how sensitive the film is to light. Of course this doesn't apply to digital.

EVEN IF YOU NEVER ADJUST A LIGHT SETTING YOURSELF
it is good to know what your "automatic" camera does for you. It's not that hard to do yourself, and you might want to do it!

When you use an SLR [or a DSLR] you are going to be adjusting the LIGHT yourself. Have you noticed a moveable ring around the lens? That adjusts the APERTURE, the f stop, i.e. f/8. Now, a rotating knob on top of an SLR/DSLR camera adjusts SHUTTER SPEED, i.e. 1/1000 th of a second is a possible setting.

How about some basics?
image

Adjusting the size of the aperture, or opening, changes the amount of light that comes into the camera.

See the ring marked 16, 11, 8, 5.6 and on down? These are f stops f/16, f/11, f/8 and so forth.

To adjust the light entering the camera you can turn the moveable ring around the lens.

read more about aperture and f stops

The shutter speed determines
how long light is allowed
to come into the camera,
so speed (also) determines
how much light comes into the camera.

A rotating knob/dial on top of an SLR/DSLR camera adjusts SHUTTER SPEED,
1/1000 th of a second is a possible setting, a very short exposure for bright light conditions.
60 or 30, very long exposures, are for very low light conditions and you can't bump the camera or your photo will blur.

read more about shutter-speed

1) SIMPLE -- the camera does it all for you.

2) IN BETWEEN --You make some decisions.

3) DSLR -- You control the camera.

thougthful kitty

1) SIMPLE
Point-and-shoot
Low cost, easy to use, pocket-size.

2) IN BETWEEN
"Advanced," "hybrid," and names such as "Lumix" do some of the work of the DSLR and you have options. The cameras have "modes" that allow manual exposure mode for example. Some hybrids allow lens changes.

3) DSLR
The DSLR, digital single-lens-reflex camera uses a mirror to reflect the image to you. You see what the camera sees. Some people consider this indispensable. YOU CONTROL everything the camera does. You can change lenses on the DSLR.

In a nutshell, the DSLR brings professional photographers into the digital age.

MEGAPIXALS are about picture detail.
5-8 megapixels work great for 11 x 14 photo enlargements. It might be a surprise, but at a point, quality DIMINISHES with more megapixels.

ZOOM LENS
For a shot of the yard, 3x zoom.
For the Harbor, use 8x, maybe 12x.

EASY TO USE?
Consider size and weight. If you don't bring it you don't get pictures.

IMAGE STABILIZATION
For low-light, inside.

RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES or CHARGER
Either you carry and pay for batteries OR you keep the camera charged.
Check which your camera uses! (maybe both, but maybe not).
Check the supplier's "specifications" while you're looking at that camera.

PLUG ADAPTER for travel in other countries.

GETTING YOUR PHOTOS TO THE COMPUTER
--MEMORY CARDS-- (CF and SD) go from your camera to your computer, and they're cheap enough to have extras.
For example, the "Best Buy" site hyperlinks their cameras & gives you which memory cards work with cameras or phones.

--CORD-- You can connect your camera to the computer's USB port.

RAW, JPEG and TIFF are image-saving formats.

INSTANT PREVIEW
Your LCD Screen shows pictures you've shot.

LIGHT SENSITIVITY
No more film changes for light conditions.

COLOR SENSITIVITY
Digital cameras match color to existing light.
You don't have to make camera adjustments
like we did before digital.

Kitty's got it