Cameras have been a part of our lives since 1685 when they were first invented. They have been used to record and store images and various changes have been made with technological advances. The original film cameras used photographic film as the recording surface onto which images were projected. Digital cameras were invented in 1975 and have become the most popular electronic devices today. Film cameras can hardly be found in the market as digital ones became cheaper and more affordable. The concept used is the same in both types of cameras. A lens is used to focus light passing through an opening so that it falls on a collecting device.
There are many pros to buying a digital camera for personal or professional use. The first and foremost reason is that you can see the captured image on a screen right after taking the photo. This allows you to decide whether to take another photo or not. Another important reason is that you can store hundreds of images on your camera just by using a small memory stick. It also allows you to delete insignificant images and free up some memory space. Most digital cameras even allow you to record videos, but these videos may not be of very high quality. That is why dedicated video cameras are used separately for those purposes.
Technology is advancing at a great pace these days and one likes to buy the latest camera with the newest features. Since there is a set of options, one must make up their minds and decide what they need before investing the money. Some of the features offered may not be necessary for you, while others may have been omitted from the device you were about to purchase. This is why; Knowing about the technical specifications of a camera can help you make a better purchase.
If you want a professional camera, you must first learn the basics and discover everything that is needed in professional photography. But if you need a camera for personal use only, you can opt for a compact one, without going into the verbose jargon. Even for a compact camera, you should be able to compare fundamental specs like the number of pixels. The number of pixels decides the resolution of the captured image and the higher the number of pixels, the higher the resolution. The standard count used these days is about 10 megapixels. However, a higher number of pixels does not always mean a better image, as too many pixels can create noise in the image.
Another important factor is the optical zoom that allows you to take a closer look at the object before capturing an image of it. There is a big difference between optical and digital zoom. In optical zoom, you can magnify your subject as the lenses extend with the help of an internal motor. The associated standard terms are “wide angle” and “telephoto” (magnification), often inscribed as ‘W’ and ‘T’ on the camera button. However, a digital zoom simply crops the image that has already been captured and enlarges it with the help of interpolation. In the interpolation process, extra pixels are added to make the cropped area larger, though it may not give you good results.
Aside from this, battery backup and the size of the digital display should also be considered. The compactness of the camera would also be important if you are buying a point and shoot camera.
