How to buy digital photographic equipment
Digital cameras appear from the early 90s to today, but just ten years time, but the
camera made the equivalent of 150 years of traditional technical achievements,
it is most of the traditional film format cameras, the main change in its photographic
mode, and in the digital technology, based on organically blend with the multimedia
systems, digital cameras and other digital products, the development prospects are
very bright. However, the more improved digital camera technology, digital
cameras to the performance of the more high-end development, and in many ways, the direction of getting closer to the
traditional camera. Currently, from the lowest to high-end digital cameras have several levels of performance and price vary greatly,
giving the majority of film brought friends, especially for beginners to buy a digital
Recently, some friends asked how the option to purchase digital
Photography equipment, in these photographers inside, white-collar workers have started his photography, which have as hobbies like
photography, Ms. Internet, there are retired people, there are still elementary
school child. See their interest in photography activities and thirst for knowledge
of photography, not help the front of the computer, and explore how to choose
friends who buy a digital photographic equipment.
First, the classification of digital camera
1, the household consumption level digital camera
These camera's image sensor (the CCD chip) is generally around 500 million
pixels, and only a single function of the program exposure (aperture priority mode
with some models, etc.), with fixed or less than 3 times optical zoom lens. Like a
traditional camera in the "fool machine."
For people who buy these cameras is a basic no photographic knowledge or
little knowledge of photography and who want to take pictures in the daily life of
people pictured. Usually commemorative photos taken for use. Digital cameras
generally only program of such exposure, which aperture size, shutter speed or
sensitivity level of size, are from the camera's central processing unit (computer)
determined that these digital cameras can not be used for photography. It is
characterized by almost no hand function, photoreceptor small size pixels lower,
the price is lower. With this type of digital machine technology, varieties and
models will be less and less.
Figure 1 Digital Camera Olympus μ800
2, the end consumer digital cameras
Roughly 500-800 million pixels, has a wealth of automatic functions, the aperture priority (A)
Shutter Priority (S), and Program AE (P) such as shooting mode, 3 to 5 times
optical zoom lens, but the lens focal length is usually electric regulation, is not easy
to effectively control the focal length, you can use a larger memory card, a
greater amount of video memory, excellent image quality, and can capture video
image quality in general.
Their main features are: the pixels with a higher exposure functions have more
choices, and its main products are the Nikon P5000, the Sony T100, T20, W80,
Canon A630, Samsung S850, Olympus u1000 and so on. Current prices are generally
around 3,500 yuan in 2000.
Figure 2 Nikon P4 (VR) digital camera with optical image stabilization feature
3, high-end consumer digital cameras
Compared to high-end consumer digital enthusiasts as a senior vice machine suitable for use on the
current model point of view, generally more than 800 million pixels, a lot of reaching
millions of pixels, the sensor size is generally in 8.8X6.6mm, such larger digital
machines, manually adjust the lens focal length is generally in the shooting mode
with a quasi-professional level, with the program, aperture priority, shutter priority and manual
such as: Sony R1, Panasonic FZ50, Canon G7, Samsung PRO815, Fuji S9600 and
Figure 3 Sony DSC-R1 digital camera is a high-end consumer digital machine
Interpretation of digital SLR cameras should be single-lens reflex digital camera, digital camera image sensors such area of generally higher, and some sensor size digital SLR cameras has reached
24cmX36cm, which reached 135 and traditional film cameras as the light-sensitive size, these digital cameras can also be divided into three parts:
A, entry-level SLR digital camera
Representatives of these cameras such as Canon EOS400D, 350D, Nikon D40X,
D40, Olympus 410, Samsung GX-10, etc., they have the basic features of SLR cameras, such as the interchangeable
lens, reflex viewfinder, multiple metering modes , a variety of exposure modes. But
these cameras are often relatively thin body, over a lower piece rate, body dust
and water resistance is poor, smaller photoreceptors. Wants to engage in this type
of camera is suitable for beginners in photography, there are many senior
enthusiasts to use it, manufacturers are generally sold with a lens kit, this set of
functions to meet the basic photography.
B, quasi-professional digital SLR cameras
Representatives of these cameras such as Canon EOS5D, Nikon D200, etc.,
such a digital camera is currently not a lot of room for optional, but the
characteristics of these cameras is quite obvious. They have a professional
camera features such as dust and water features, more solid and durable body,
had reached the middle of the film speed, normally 5 per second continuous
shooting about such relatively large size of the camera's sensor, and tolerance is
greater than the normal digital camera. Comparison of these cameras for advanced
enthusiasts and professionals.
Figure 4 quasi-professional Nikon D200 SLR Digital Camera
C, professional digital SLR cameras
Such cameras with professional photographers most of the functionality required,
models such as the Canon EOS-1D MarkII, Nikon D2Xs, and Fujifilm S5 Pro and so on.
Professional digital cameras main features are:. With more than 2 / 3 inches or
larger in the large-size CCD CMOS image sensor, and some even reached the
full-size (36mm × 24mm) area. The body of these cameras are relatively robust,
dustproof and waterproof, the shutter life-expectancy of more than thousands of times even up to two hundred thousand
times per second continuous shooting for generally have more than five, some
more than eight, the Canon EOS- 1D Mark III camera's maximum burst speed of ten per second. These cameras
for professional photographers and advanced photography enthusiasts to use,
such as sports reporter, advertising practitioners and studio photographers.
Second, several key indicators of a digital camera
1, the image sensor digital camera CCD or CMOS key components, also known
as "image sensor", which acts as the traditional camera film. Larger the CCD,
the better the light gathering, the more information recorded the screen, the
greater tolerance image, image color and detail the more abundant, so picture
perfect pretty. The size of the image sensor size and the number of pixels a definite
link, but not all. For example, the entry-level digital SLR Nikon D40, which is only 6.1 million pixels can be the size of CCD is
23.7 × 15.6mm; and although the Nikon COOLPIX L5 Digital Camera with 7.2 million
pixels, but the CCD size is only 5.38 × 4.39mm (1/2.5 inches), two CCD size
difference of almost 10 times. Can say for sure, D40 sold for the image quality
of the screen to Bini Kang L5 shoot much better
So buy a digital camera, can not blindly pursue high resolution, but also
optimistic about its image sensor (CCD or CMOS) on the size!
2, the general features, including focus mode, metering mode and shooting
mode, focus mode to see if there is a continuous main focus, and metering
mode is mainly to see if there is no spot metering, spot metering is very
important for the photography, the point metering, the camera viewfinder
screen area can be equivalent to 3% of the central part of the metering,
so that photographers will be in a complex case of light on the subject to
make the correct exposure. As for the shooting mode, shooting mode, mainly
to see all four major failure, including the A-aperture priority, S-shutter priority,
P-program exposure, M-manual exposure. Focus on the impact of photography friends to see if there is
no special manual exposure.
3, new features for the consumer-grade digital cameras, should pay attention to the optical image stabilization
technology, which enables photographers to shoot low light conditions a clear
picture, Canon's optical image stabilization symbol is IS, and Nikon for the VR.
Other functions such as splicing, a large area high-resolution LCD screen, super close-up (in fact, macro capability, the Canon G7's close-up distance has reached 1cm) and so on.
1, no creative interest in photography, there is no enthusiasm for holding the
camera, just to take commemorative photos, such as family outings, travel
pictures, etc., in which case the size of washing photos about 5 inches in
general, is not very high demands on quality , do not care about the grade
of the camera, do not want to buy more money spent on the camera's friends,
you can purchase the Family Class 1 camera consumer digital cameras.
2, has some interest in photography, but the desire to create is not very
high, and interest in digital technology and digital cameras, are interested in
the computer image on the image quality requirements are relatively high
compared to pursue the same time, the Friends of the camera grade video
can be purchased the first Category 2 or Category 3 is the end consumer
or high-end consumer digital camera. The two cameras with higher picture quality
can meet the requirements, you can also engage in some simple macro creation,
such as shooting, highlighting the main virtual background and so on.
3, although the beginners, but has a strong interest in photography and
would like into the photography art galleries, the impact of this level, including
the Friends of the age of ten and seven-year-old child around the age of the elderly. I encountered a small photography
enthusiast, he was only years old, was in third grade, every time I met the
writer to learn the basic knowledge and techniques of photography, although
young, but full of passion and love photography. Friends of the purchase of
this type of film to focus on creation of digital camera features such as
camera's manual shooting mode, spot metering, manual zoom lens, lens of
the grade and quality. So this kind of film should buy high-end consumer friendly digital camera or entry-level SLR digital camera.
4, senior photography enthusiasts can purchase a conditional quasi-professional SLR digital machine, you can use the general conditions of entry-level digital SLR class, of course, very good condition can also be used to
purchase specialized machines. Friends of the shadow of such general
photography as their main hobby, and their photographs to all the festivals
and photography competitions, and some published in newspapers and magazines,
and some may also be published book, such video camera, especially the Friends
of lens are higher, and they generally use SLR camera, but can be high-end consumer camera as his slave or backup machine.
5, professional photographers, such as photographers, professional
photographers, studio photographers, advertising photographers and other
general uses professional medium format digital camera or other more traditional
or digital camera, no further explanation.
In short, the current very rapid development of digital cameras, the majority of
the Friends of the purchase of digital video camera, to find their own photography
starting point, select the camera on demand, must not blind pursuit of the camera
quality, so as not to waste money. The impact of the camera are not familiar with
the Friends, in the purchase of their own creation tool, should be more familiar with
digital cameras who ask for advice, so that you can buy a desirable machine. In
addition, the camera, after all, is only a tool to determine the level of photography
or the photographer a major factor, so that only an open mind to the old
photographic novice photographer learn more Gao Chuangzuo practice, and more
books to absorb nutrients from the photography, and fully use their own
photographic equipment to capture the high artistic level, the masses recognized,
the development trend of the times and with the shocking photographs. May all
walks of photography enthusiasts, more enthusiastically picked up the camera,
the motherland's great rivers and mountains shoot it!
This article first published by the papasnappa