Column:

Tech Talk

Is film dead? It’s a question I get all the time. Film is not dead, but major camera companies like Nikon and Canon announced early last year that they no longer will be manufacturing new film models except for the few high-end ones used by professionals. Film will be available for the foreseeable future, but it primarily will be limited to single-use, disposable cameras and expensive cameras used by fine art and commercial photographers.

More than likely, you fall in the large “in-between” category so it’s time to get over your fear of technology and find out what you need to know to make the best digital camera choice for your needs.

Digital cameras have several advantages over film. First, you don’t have to process an entire roll of film and pay for out-of-focus and poorly exposed pictures. Second, depending on the memory space the camera has and the quality of the images it can produce, you can take up to 500 pictures and immediately see which ones turned out and which ones didn’t. Delete the ones that aren’t good and in seconds you’ll have space to shoot more. There also are better zoom lenses available for digital cameras, and you can shoot moving images (it’s like having a camcorder that fits in your shirt or pants pocket).

Memory Card. This chip, which is about the size of a postage stamp, determines how many photos you’ll be able to take. Many options are on the market. For instance, a $60 SD card has enough memory to store 350 images. When you’re done shooting, download the images into your computer. You can then delete the pictures on the card and it’ll be ready for you to use again and again. Memory cards are virtually indestructible; they can be used repeatedly without loss of picture quality.

Pixels. Pixel, which stands for picture element, is a sensor that converts the light that we see into a digital signal that computers can store. The computer converts that digital information back to analog (the images we see on our computer screen) or transforms the data into prints.

The size of the print you want will determine how many pixels or megapixels (mp) your camera should produce. Since most of us usually print a four-by-six-inch print, we really only need about two mp. With changes in technology happening so rapidly, however, the average camera today is six mp, which would easily make an eight-by-ten-inch or larger print.

Manufacturers continue to increase cameras’ megapixels because the ill-informed public is asking for more. It’s sort of like buying a 500-horsepower car when you only drive 25 miles per hour. Don’t buy more mp than you need because technology is putting better and cheaper digital cameras on the market every year.

LCD screens. These also are getting larger, which makes viewing images easier. Remember, though, that bigger screens consume more battery power. One drawback of the current LCD technology is that it’s very difficult to see images in bright and low light. Using an optical viewfinder (it’s like looking through the lens of a telescope) will be very helpful in those conditions.

Batteries. The $15 rechargeable lithium ion has the longest life, providing enough power for you to shoot 150 pictures—about seven times more than four $4 AA alkaline batteries, which usually enable you to take only 25 pictures. The rechargeable $10 Nimh AA battery lasts about three times longer than AAs.

Lenses. Most digital cameras come with a 3x optical zoom, but you can buy models with optical zooms going up to 12x. The numbers indicate the zoom len’s capabilities, from the widest to closest angle of viewing. Typically, a 3x zoom refers to a 38 mm to 105 mm lens, which produces an image a little wider than your peripheral vision to twice as close as what you see with your naked eye.

The longer the zoom lens, the harder it will be for you to hold the camera steady. To help you achieve this, many manufacturers are using image stabilizers. It’s best to buy a model with an anti-shake chip, which stabilizes an image mechanically, as opposed to a digital stabilizer, which uses the camera’s software to stabilize an image. To avoid the blurring that occurs when the camera moves, the anti-shake chip freezes the image before it’s recorded. A digital stabilizer requires the camera’s computer to guess what the best image should be and try to “fix” it.

Would you like the ability to change lenses? Digital single-lens reflex cameras are just as easy to use as compact point-and-shoot cameras. Advantages include the ability to change lenses and to produce better quality images because of higher shutter speeds and shorter shutter lag time—the seconds it takes for the camera to respond after you press the shutter release. This enables you to capture quick movements; for example, if you’d like to photograph your children or grandchildren playing sports, the digital single-lens reflex camera is a good option.

Prices. Prices of digital cameras have dropped dramatically over the years. In the early 1990s, a 1.2 mp camera sold for $650. Today, you can buy a six mp camera for less than $300. Memory cards used to cost $1 per megabyte. You now can buy a gigabyte (1,024 megabytes) for less than $60. Just as you get more for your money with computers every year, camera manufacturers continue to offer improved products at cheaper prices. Although you can buy digital cameras online and at many electronics and department stores, a shop that specializes in cameras will likely have a wider assortment of merchandise and a knowledgeable staff that can answer all of your questions.

Hal Ing is a professional photographer who manages the Ritz Camera store at Ala Moana Center. His interest in photography spans nearly 40 years. You can reach him at 943-6391.

back to top

© Copyright Generations Hawaii. Designed by Trade Publishing