Choosing a Camera

What is the Best Camera?

• Landscape with large prints: view camera
• Wildflowers: SLR w/macro lens
• Wildlife: SLR w/long telephoto
• Portraits, fashion: Film or digital SLR
• Sports, news: Digital SLR
• Children: point & shoot film or digital
• Hiking, biking: compact digital
• E-mail, Internet: digital

Types of Film Cameras

• Disposable 35 mm
• Point & shoot 35 mm, APS
• 35 mm rangefinder
• 35 mm SLR
• 120 twin-lens reflex
• Medium-format SLR
• View camera

Film vs. Digital: Film Advantages

• Lowest cost for entry level
• Simplest to use at entry level
• Film has highest resolution
• Point & shoot 35 mm film = ~8 megapixels
• Color slide 35 mm = 11-20 megapixels
• 4”X5” sheet film =~500 megapixels
• Film has widest dynamic range (shadows to highlights)
• Film has widest color range
• Film cameras can use little or no power
• Short startup, low shutter lag, fast cycle
• Processed film media never goes obsolete (can always be "read")
  
• No computer required
• Can use scanner to digitize
• Slide projector much cheaper, better image than digital projectors
  

Types of Digital Cameras

• Fixed focus, fixed lens: cellphone, keychain, inexpensive, toy cameras.
  
• Auto-focus, fixed lens compact
  
• Auto-focus, zoom lens compact, most popular type
  
• Bridge camera: larger than compact, super-zoom, non-interchangeable lens
  
• Digital SLR = Single Lens Reflex. You see image through the main lens, usually through a flip-up mirror
• Optical Viewfinder Camera: You see image through a separate lens from the main lens
• LCD: large liquid-crystal image display on the back of the camera
• Electronic viewfinder: look through a viewfinder at a miniature LCD display
  

Compact vs. SLR

• SLR’s have interchangeable lenses, compacts usually don't
• SLR’s can use filters, compacts usually can't, bridge cameras may
  
• SLR’s have better focus, depth of field control
• SLR’s have greater exposure control
• SLR's have no parallax compared to optical viewfinders
  
• SLR’s tend to have higher resolution
• SLR's have larger sensors, for better low-light sensitivity with less noise
  
• SLR’s are the first choice of pros and serious amateurs
  
• Compact cameras are smaller, lighter, cheaper, quieter, easier to use, good enough for most amateurs

Film vs. Digital: Digital Advantages

• Fastest to get pictures (except for Polaroids)
• Cost per shot is much cheaper (almost free), media re-usable
• Minimal processing costs (unless order prints)
• Easiest to process at home
• No chemicals required
  
• Media much smaller and lighter, camera can be smaller
• Quieter operation, can be totally silent
• Can easily adjust color balance, sensitivity
• Cannot accidentally ruin pictures by exposing media to light or airport X-rays
  
• Instant shot review
• Can delete shots
• Easiest to E-mail or publish on Internet
• Can copy with no degradation
• No fading of original source over time
• Easiest to manipulate pictures
• Many cameras can record videos, audio
• Can be built into other devices, e.g. cellphones, PDAs

Digital Camera Considerations

• Cost
• Sensor size, type, pixel resolution
• SLR vs. viewfinder vs. LCD only
• Size, weight, ruggedness
  
• Lens
• Fixed, interchangeable
• Zoom/fixed focal length, range
• Aperture range
• Quality (sharpness, aberration, distortion, vignetting)
• Filter mount capability
  
• Memory type, capacity, cost
• Battery life, type, weight, cost
• Startup, lag, cycle times
• Focusing method, speed
• Image stabilization type
• Scene settings
• Feature recognition (e.g. faces)
  
• Display size, resolution
• Flash range
• Flash, accessory shoe
• Red-eye prevention, correction
  
• Tripod mount
  
• Video, sound recording
• Flexibility (control over exposure)
• Printer support
• Wi-fi support
• Geotagging capability: determining picture location from wi-fi or GPS location information.
  
• Direct TV/HDTV display capability
  

Professional SLR Camera Characteristics

• Rugged, reliable
• Fast turn-on, short shutter lag & shot-to-shot time
• Fast auto-focus
• High resolution
• High shot capacity (large memory, high battery capacity)
• Very high lens quality
  
• Versatile, total control over exposure options
• Expandable, many accessories
• Tradeoffs: very expensive, big, heavy, complicated

How Many Megapixels?

• Internet, E-mail: < 1MP
• 1024 X 768 video display: 0.8 MP
• 4”X6” prints: 1 MP
• 1400 X 1050 video display: 1.5 MP
• 1600 X 1200 video display: 1.9 MP
• 5”X7” prints @ 300 DPI: 3 MP
• 8”X10” prints @ 300 DPI: 8 MP
• 9"X13" prints @ 300 DPI: 10 MP
  
• 11”X16” prints @ 300 DPI: 16 MP