Gadget Metro

Did you know that over 75% of the students turn up with the camera the salesman suggested.

Guess what? They soon find out that it’s the wrong one for them. This can be a very expensive mistake. So the big questions are what is the right one for me and how do I know which is best for me.

One of the first things that you want to know about the camera that the salesman is trying to sell you is as follows

1) How long does the camera take to turn on and be ready to take the shot? In the consumer market this can range between 1 to 5 seconds most being towards the 3 seconds mark.

2) How long does the camera take to focus on the subject? (Not to take the picture) most cameras take between 1 to 3 seconds most at around the 1-second mark.

3) How long does the camera take to actually take the photo after you have pushed the shutter button completely? Again, most cameras take between 1to 3 seconds this is called shutter lag time.

Now you can see to take a photo can take up to 5 seconds just to turn on and up to another 3 seconds to focus in and the up to another 3 seconds just to actually take the photo.

In a cheaper camera, but not necessarily cheaper it can be up to 9 seconds to take a photo from the camera turned off. You may say “yes but I will leave my camera on” ok that’s fine, but you may still have a lag time of up to 3 seconds just to take a photo. Just imagine how annoying it will be now that you have purchased your new digital camera costing you around $400 - $500 to find that you just can’t catch your child blowing out the candles because your new camera at the critical time of blowing the candles out took 1 second to focus and a further 2 seconds to take the photo. What was the result? A child sitting in front of a cake with black smoldering candles.

Can you set the white balance on your camera? Just what is the white balance?

About 60% of digital cameras don’t have this adjustment, you must buy one that can be set manually, not just one that has an “auto white balance” as they are not as good as they advertise.

Does your camera have different exposure modes?

Exposure modes are simply where does the camera take a light reading? The cheaper cameras just do an all over reading which can be very limiting to say the least. A good camera will have a “spot”, “centre weighted” and “matrix” metering system, which allows you to take great photos in any light situation.

When buying a digital camera, buy it for the fact that it’s a camera not a video camera as well. One student showed me all the features her camera had and that’s why it was more expensive – the only thing that it didn’t do well was take still pictures!

You can get so much out of your new digital camera! you just have to put some time in for learning how to use it properly and how to take better pictures – remember no one will ever want to look at a poor quality photo twice!

If you want to take really great pictures that will be in your family for years put in a little effort with your new digital camera.

We all have those special moments in life that we want to remember forever, but the truth is that memories are often better preserved on video so that we may recall the particulars of any given event. This is why camcorders are such an important part of every special occasion and have been for many years. As time has progressed, the construction of camcorders has changed greatly. What was once a large and bulky piece of equipment later went to a compact VHS-compatible system, which has now transformed into the sleek and lightweight design of today’s digital camcorders.

During your next electronics shopping trip, take a moment to explore the features found on modern digital camcorders. Whether your shopping consists of a local electronic store or a virtual shop, take a look at a handful of reasons to consider choosing a digital camcorder:

1) Digital camcorders have the ability to record audio and video, but also are capable of capturing still life images just as a digital camera would. Not only can you film all of those once-in-a-lifetime moments, but you can also snap a few still images of knick knacks and list them for sale on eBay.

2) Digital camcorders offer a much greater audio and video quality when compared to the older models, which recorded video in analog format and often resulted in a grainy texture.

3) One of the most important features of a digital camcorder is the fact that they can be connected to either a television or a computer. Previous camcorders were compatible with VHS only, which was effective, but technology now requires that compatibility be geared toward additional equipment.

4) Because they are compatible with computers, digital camcorders are widely used by amateur film gurus and/or anyone who wants to enjoy the convenience of being able to easily edit and enhance their videos through the use of specialty computer software.

5) Digital camcorders are compact and lightweight, which makes them ideal for travel. In addition, they are easy to manage during recording.

As is the case with any major purchase, cost is often a leading factor in the decision of which product to choose. When it comes to digital camcorders, the price will be determined by the built-in features and capabilities of the unit. A basic digital camcorder can be purchased for several hundred dollars and the price will rise according to the aforementioned factors.

With the purchase of any new electronic equipment, the manufacturer will offer a warranty. Always be sure to retain the original sales receipt, packaging and warranty information relating to your digital camcorder incase there is a problem that needs repair anytime during the coverage period.

In the world of 35mm-format digital SLRs, one could argue that Canon has the line of products that trumps all of them. The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III is another sure-fire hit from the company that would only strengthen the case of those who champion this thinking. It only makes the competition even more distant with their latest improvements.

The Mark III, after all, could have set the benchmark with an astounding 21.1 megapixel count. Such SLR is unheard of and Canon just set the bar too high this time. The 3 inch LCD screen is another welcome inprovement. The scroll wheel houses the Set button that makes this shooter even more handy to use. While this camera may be a tad too heavy for soem, it is a piece of camera masterpiece that offsets those concerns.

Another thing heavy though is the price tag. After all, this series was never known to be for those looking for a cheap fix. However, the great performance as well as the innovative megapixel count is worth it.

Canon, EOS-1Ds Mark III

[image from: infoborder.com]