With the popularity boom of digital photography, and digital cameras, more and more people are getting serious about it this art and the technology that goes along with it. People are looking to get their first digital cameras, and in order to bring about excellence, as far as the photos themselves go, you simply can’t go wrong with an SLR digital camera.

This is the type of camera that most professionals and extremely enthusiastic photographers use since it creates superior photos, and gives the photographer complete control over the images that he or she produces.

It’s been said over and over that the most crucial element of any camera whatsoever is the lens. Basically the digital camera, just like the regular film camera, is only as good as the lens is.

In fact this is the main reason that most people decide to buy an SLR digital camera - is because of the notion that they can interchange the lenses in order to be more creative and versatile with their photography. Actually, this is the one variable of the digital SLR or D-SLR (Digital SLR) camera purchase that you have to be weary of. Many cameras on the market are labeled as D-SLR, yet some of them actually have a fixed lens. This drastically limits the photographer and therefore you must be cautious before the purchase, and know what you’re actually getting.

Now perhaps if you’re not as avid a photographer as some might be, but still want to take higher quality photographs, then a D-SLR might be the way to go. This actually may be exactly the camera for you…but if you’re becoming serious about your digital photography and your wants and needs dictate, then you should get the D-SLR that allows for the lens to be interchangeable.

It’s very important that you look at the available selection of lenses prior to purchasing your digital camera. Make sure that the variety of choice is substantial enough, and includes the type of lenses that you’re looking for.

That leads nicely into the next point. Before you purchase any digital camera it’s important that you know what you’re looking to use it for, and how much power and resolution you’ll need etc. It’s important that you assess this before you start looking around for your camera because it will decrease a lot of the confusion and it will help you to get exactly what you want.

The size of the prints that you’ll be creating falls directly into this part of the decision. The size of quality prints that you’re able to create depends on the number of megapixels that your camera has. So for instance — if you’re looking to create large prints of 8 X 10 or more then it’s probably to your benefit to get an SLR digital camera with no less than 8 megapixels.

This is all pretty much determined by the size of the image sensor. The image sensor ultimately is in direct correlation to how many pixels a camera has…and the count size of those pixels. Basically the larger the pixel count the better your camera gathers light giving you an enhanced low light performance with high ISO. The image sensor is also responsible for giving you a wider dynamic range.

Also important is the fact that the size of the image sensor makes a significant difference in how wide an angle of view your lens provides.

Here’s how it works.

A smaller sensor will see a smaller segment of the image produced by the lens. If you’ve got a D-SLR camera with a full-frame image sensor, this means that you’re getting the same size as a full 35mm film frame (36×24mm). Essentially, many digital photographers look to get as close to this as possible in order to have photos that are comparable to the ones that they’ve been able to achieve with their original film 35mm camera.

There are also other things to consider such as the LCD screen and its size, plus how many extra features that the camera has (if you want extra features). If you’re more of a beginner with the SLR’s and you like the idea of a little automation and extra help from your camera, then it’s good to know that some entry-level and mid-range D-SLRs come equipped with subject modes. These will automatically set the camera for shooting subjects like close-ups, portraits, landscapes, action and many more. It’s important to know that the more top line and professional level D-SLR’s don’t have this. This is why it’s also a good idea to honestly establish your expertise level with digital photography

In a nutshell, if you stick to the major brands then you really can’t go wrong, because nearly all of them have very high quality SLR cameras that will give you what you want and then some. So now you don’t have to worry about how to choose the right SLR digital camera anymore. Now it’s time to go and get one.

In the growing world of digital photography new cameras with various high-tech features and settings appear on the market every day. For lovers of fast, easy photography it’s a virtual paradise — if you can manage to sift through the many choices and find a digital camera that’s right for you.

Most people with even a mild interest in digital photography are aware that SLR cameras are the cream of the crop. Digital SLR is a shortened version of the term digital single lens reflex, which means utilization of a mirror positioned behind the cameras lens to direct light toward the viewfinder as you’re composing a photo. When the shutter is released, the mirror moves out of the way allowing light from the lens to travel to the sensor and black out the viewfinder for a moment. The viewfinder employs a prism that turns the image around and bounces it onto the screen where it can be seen by the photographer.

SLR’s allow the photographer better and tighter control over the images that are produced in ways that a point and shoot digital camera cannot. With an SLR one is able to control shutter speed, utilize a wide variety of different lenses, enjoy an overall faster performance, and have access to great flexibility. Read the rest of this entry »

Beach has natural beauty, color and interesting light, thats very interesting places for any photographers. There are some tips to improve your photo quality.
1. Look for focal points
A friend of mine once told me that they don’t bother taking their camera to the beach because all beach shots look the same. i thought that that was a pretty sad thing to say because when I go to the beach I see it as a place brimming with photographic opportunities if you have the ability to look beyond the cliche shots. For example while many people take shots looking out to sea I find it interesting to go to the water’s edge and then turn completely around and see what’s in your frame from that angle. One common problem with landscape beach photographs is that while they might capture a beautiful scene they actually have no point of interest and can as a result be rather empty and boring. When taking a shot look for a point of interest or focal point that will give those looking at your photo a place for their eye to rest. Perhaps it’s a pattern in the sand, a set of footprints, the crashing of waves over a rock, a life saver’s tower etc. Also look for the little things that tell the story of going to the beach like shoes at the waters edge, sand castles, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion etc. Sometimes these can make wonderful little feature shots to break up your vacation album.

2. Watch the Horizon
One of the most common problems in beach photography where there are wide open spaces with a long and often unbroken horizon is sloping horizons. Work hard at keeping your horizon square to the framing of your shot (more on this here). Also consider placing your horizon off centre as centered horizons can leave a photo looking chopped in half.

3. Timing is important
The start and end of days can present the best opportunities for shooting at the beach. For starters there will be less people there at that time of day but also you’ll find that with the sun shining on an angle that you often get more interesting effects of shadows and colors - particularly in the evening when the light becomes quite warm and golden. Read the rest of this entry »

There are two types of digital camera, SLR and Compact Camera, this is the differences…

Compact Camera: The simple camera we have all used, small and portable. It has a lens through which the image is projected onto the film, and a second simple eyepiece lens through which the user composes the image, seeing APPROXIMATELY the image that will form on the lens.

SLR=Single Lens Reflex: these cameras have a single lens (that is interchangeable) and, by means of a mirror behind the lens, and a prism above the mirror and in front of the eyepiece, project the image directly from the lens to the eye of the user to compose their image as they wish.

The SLR Camera has many features, such as: most use 35mm film: cheap, versatile, widely available, easily processed, and enough quality for A3 prints; as much quality as most need. Read the rest of this entry »

ECU - Extreme Closeup
The extreme close up is used to reveal very small details in the scene. It might be used to reveal horror in a subject (extreme close up of the subject’s mouth as she/he screams). It might also be used in a mystery to show some detail that the detective picks up on or to show some small clue.

CU - Close Up
The close up shot is used to reveal detail. If you are shooting just the head and shoulders of a subject this is a close up.

Head and Shoulders
The head and shoulders shot is used in news broadcasts. If you think about the television news you will realize that this shot reveals enough detail to see the subject’s lips move and the expression on her/his face. Read the rest of this entry »

Nowadays, it’s not enough that there are many different types of memory options for your camera such as CompactFlash, SmartMedia, and Memory Sticks. Now, memory comes in different speeds. Some memory may claim to be 4x, 8x, 16x, or more.

It seems that faster memory cards may result in increased digital camera performance because photos should be written to and read/from memory quicker. However, realize that your digital camera must support the faster read/write mode of your memory card in order to take advantage of the speed increase. If your camera only supports 8x, then spending the extra money to get a 16x card may be worthless, unless you plan on soon purchasing a camera that supports the extra speed. Read the rest of this entry »

Now that you have a good understanding of what the shutter speed is and how to control your camera’s shutter speed, you need some guidelines on what shutter speed is needed in different situations. The following list will give you some idea of where to begin in selecting a shutter speed for specific situations. The speeds listed are the needed speeds to freeze the action under normal conditions. If you want to blur the action, decrease the shutter speed. To adjust for a very fast situation, increase the shutter speed.

* Football - 1/400
* Baseball/Softball/Hockey - 1/350
* Kids Running - 1/350
* People Jumping - 1/250
* Golf Balls - 1/3200 Read the rest of this entry »