Sony Cyber-Shot DSCTX1 Digital Camera
Today people are switching over from film cameras to digital models. The obvious reasons are the ease with which objects are framed and shot, pictures are stored, recorded, and displayed. To top it all you can download at the comfort of your home and print the pictures.
However if you are buying one for the first time, there are chances that you will be literally lost reviewing the specifications and features offered by the numerous brands out there in the market. Do you go by mega pixels or do you go by manufacturers or by price range or by….well, there are many more classifications possible. The following guide is prepared with the intention to help you arrive at a practical model of your choice.
Various Features
Weight
This factor depends a lot on the usage of the digital camera. You want one to carry around in your pocket or purse, go for the light weight ones. No doubt they are convenient, but the have tiny buttons, controls and dials which may make the handling a little difficult. The bigger ones weigh more and have more features too.
Resolution
Cameras are categorized as mega pixels of resolution. It narrows down the range of cameras and helps you sort out beginners, intermediate and advanced groupings from these. The range is 0.1 mega pixel to 18 mega pixel and some even more. The key to choosing the right pixel camera depends on how close you wish to get to target.
2 mega pixels and less- you get reasonably sharp images and enough details for prints of 8x10s and smaller. Prints are not of very high quality but suitable enough to be posted on emails and web sites. These cameras are inexpensive.
2 to 6 mega pixels- As the resolution keeps increasing in this range, the picture quality keeps getting better. You get sharper images all at an escalated price.Eg Canon PowerShot S3, Fuji FinePix V10 etc.
6 mega pixels and more- More aren’t always good. Keep in mind higher mega pixels mean larger image sizes, expensive memory cards, and take more space of your computer’s hard drive.Eg. Canon PowerShot Pro1, Canon PowerShot S80 etc.
Zoom
Optical zoom lens- Image gets magnified by lens-3x, 4x, 10x and more, however keep in mind that very long zooms are prone to camera shake. Use a tripod to cover up for this problem. A 3x optical zoom means it can make a subject appear thrice as close. An optical zoom produces the best quality images. You can’t get too close to the object, but then a photo editing software can help you crop the image. It gives better result than using the digital zoom.
Digital zoom is a simulated optical zoom; it enlarges only the central portion of the image. The lens is not used in this case. The digital zooming effect is given by software inside. The result is most often a blurry and digitized picture. You can use both zooming effects in cameras that offer both these features.
Lens
A lousy lens can spoil all that extra resolution and image processing controls. So, before you buy one assess the final image on a computer based on these criteria:
check the lens for overall focus and sharpness, whether corners are as sharp as in the middle
check for flaring, i.e. colored circles and reflections when shooting towards light source
check if the lens offer attachments, you can add wide angle or telephoto attachments to extend the focal length range
whether manual or electronic zoom control, manual zoom offers more speed and flexibility
Memory
Unlike the film cameras the digital cameras store images in memory. Thus each time the memory is full, you can download them and the camera is ready to shoot again. Memory is of two main types: built-in and removable. Most low end cameras have the built-in memory. Removable memory cards have the advantage of upgrading the memory, particularly useful when you are taking lot of pictures in one trip.
Flash Types
It all started with photographers igniting a tray filled with gunpowder to illuminate a scene. Today digital cameras come with built in automatic flash unit combined with a sophisticated light measuring and exposure control system. They are so convenient and easy to use that we often fail to notice it.
Digital cameras are specified by a guide number which basically gives the flash power. Higher the guide number, greater the flash’s useful range. With changes in sensor speed and /or lens focal length, the guide number changes. So manufacturers instead specify the flash’s maximum range with the assumption that flashes is fully charged and the lens aperture is wide open.
Some of the common modes:
Auto mode is well known! Cameras with red eye reduction mode first fires a short burst to close the subject’s irises then the main flash and finally the picture is taken.
Fill flash modes to fill in shadows.
Flash off mode to capture the object in natural light.
Night scene mode exposes the foreground subject without underexposure of background. For maximum flash flexibility select a camera with an external hot shoe.
Some models come with just the external flash units.
Some varieties have both external and built-in flash units.
Some very compact digital Camera models come with no flash units.
Focus Type
Most digital cameras have a combination of different focus modes. In the automatic mode, when you press the shutter-release button half-way down, the focus is locked. It is also confirmed by a change of color of the focus indicator.
The Auto focus is achieved in different modes. The most common of them is the single area focus mode. The focus is on the central area of the image you find on the screen. In the spot focus mode, the focus is precisely on the center area of the screen. For shooting slow moving objects you can use the continuous auto focus mode. Be aware of the huge consumption of power in this mode.
Manual focus- This feature allows you to manually focus on the portion of a scene which may or may not be at the center of the screen. Select the area to be focused by using one of the several focus area indicators by toggling a cursor button to achieve close ups and macro shots. Some models have the focus rings for manual focus, turn it till the subject is in focus.
Fixed focus- This feature can be used to your advantage when there is pre-determined distance between the camera and the object.
The various combinations of the focus types are:
Auto focus and manual focus
Auto focus and fixed focus
Auto, manual and fixed focus
Camera Type
Standard Point and Shoot cameras- Point and shoot models are available with basic features to the ones with advanced controls and options and excellent macro capabilities. The flexibility with which these cameras can be used like in situations where it is hard to frame the subject or shooting at waist levels makes these models much sought after. It is a silent performer ideal for shooting in locations where a loud shutter clack is not appropriate.
SLR/Professional- More interesting features like interchangeable lenses, flashes, sophisticated controls and other accessories, these models are specifically designed for photographers and professionals. Eg. Nikon D40, Nikon D40x etc.
Compact- The features are moderate, yet small enough in size to slip it in to your pocket before you go for the party. These models are comparatively higher priced than the similarly featured standard sized cameras. Eg. Canon PowerShot SD800, Kodak EasyShare V550 etc.
Ultra compact- With technology improving at a fast rate the size of the cameras is getting smaller and smaller. Cameras of the size of credit cards, slightly thicker shoot amazing pictures. No compromise on features like LCD screens (as small as 2 inch), optical viewfinder, good resolution (some with even 7 mega pixels), and good battery life too. Eg. Casio Exilim EX-S500, Samsung NV3 etc.
Battery
There are two types: rechargeable ones and disposable ones. Since digital cameras consume power very fast, especially if you are using a LCD, it is best to invest in the rechargeable ones. Some digital cameras come with AC adapters, if yours doesn’t have one, purchase one separately.
Some batteries are:
NiMH batteries are the most sought after ones today. They are rechargeable, last long, and come in various compact designs and no memory problems.
Alkaline ones are not rechargeable and don’t last long.
Lithium ion batteries are small and recharge quickly.
NiCad batteries if not charged properly can have loss of memory.
AC adapters enable you to keep shooting long after your batteries are dead!
Price
Luckily you don’t have to spend huge amounts to own one.
Low range
Even a couple of hundred bucks can fetch you a very good camera with video capabilities and nice zoom. And they are not the sub-par models of yester years. Eg. Nikon COOLPIX S5,Canon PowerShot G7 etc.
Mid-range
A lot more features get added, more of mega pixels, and more powerful lenses are available in this range of cameras. Eg. Nikon D80, Nikon D200 etc.
High range
These ranges of cameras are mostly for professionals with superb image rendering capacity and produce excellent photos. Eg. Nikon D2Xs, Canon EOS-1D Mark III Body Only etc.
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April 3rd, 2010 at 4:01 pm
Which model is this? And does it work well in low light?
April 3rd, 2010 at 4:21 pm
my opinion is 12mp point and shoots should be 8mp so the little sensors they have dont generate as much noise
a
EDIT: for sharp images you need a sharp lens, so look at lens quality first, megapixels only matter if you wish to crop your images alot or do big prints.
dont get conned into more megapixels means better pictures….if the lens is soft you will just get more mega pixels of softness……
April 3rd, 2010 at 4:59 pm
So which is better p90 or the l100?
April 3rd, 2010 at 5:12 pm
Well, I don't know what brand of camera you have.
If you are absolutely sure it's not in the manual, how about you try Googling it… or go to the brand name website. If it doesn't say anything on their website or on Google, you can try calling a contact number (should be on the website) and just quickly ask them. They should be able to help you out.
April 4th, 2010 at 4:17 am
Is the p100 and improvement?
April 4th, 2010 at 8:22 am
i’ve had camera for a few weeks, i think its worth the money… play with it and use the setting and it takes good pictures the zoom is awesome.. i would recommend it to all
April 4th, 2010 at 11:53 am
This may sound obvious, but you should look for price, quality and function. Are you looking for a small compact camera, or is a larger, bulkier DSLR for you? Is a 3x zoom good enough for you, or do you need to the ability to change lenses?
In terms of quality, most camera manufacturers will advertise the number of pixels (megapixels) for a particular camera. This number gives the number of pixels ("dots" making up an images) of an image captured by the camera at its highest resolution. Of course, the higher the number, the better, especially if you are going to crop or create large prints of the image. However, this number does not tell the whole story, as the quality of the image is ultimately determined by the quality of the optics and the sensor itself. Focus, color, etc. all play a roll in picture quality. Because of this, I would tend to lean towards a known brand (Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Fuji, Sony, etc.) Note that the more pixels an image has, the more memory it will require to store that image. More on this below.
Function is the other factor. Is video capture important to you? Many compact point and shoot cameras have this feature. Note that, though this feature is convienent, I have found that the quality of the video pales compared to a dedicated camcorder. Need the ability to swap lenses? Then I would consider a DSLR. Though bulkier (and more expensive) than point and shoots, the quality of the images taken by DSLRs tend to be better.
If you are coming from the film world, you should be aware that digital cameras are notorious for relatively long lag times. Lag time is the time between the time you press the shutter release button to the time the photo is actually taken. This is due to technical reasons. Look for cameras with the smallest lag time. DSLRs tend to have very small lag time compared to point and shoots, though advances have been made in this area. Also, check for the cameras start-up time; the time it takes for the camera to get ready for the first shot when first turned on.
Since you will be travelling, I would get a decent sized memory card. Whatever camera you get would probably not be packaged with a card of sufficient size. I would recommend at least 1GB. All cameras take memory of a particular format (SD, Compact Flash, xD, Smart Media). The maximum memory available may be limited by the format of the memory. For example, the largest capacity for SD cards I've seen to date is 4GB, while Compact Flash may go up to 8GB and beyond. Though its been a while since I've seen one, I would avoid cameras using Smart Media, as the maximum memory limit is inherent in the camera.
The number of photos you can take with a card is determined by
the size of your memory card and the size of each image stored by the camera. Most cameras will give you a choice of storing images in raw, uncomressed format, or in compressed jpeg. Unless you are a professional photographer, you are probably going to use your camera in jpeg mode. On top of this, many cameras will allow you to control the compression/quality level. Of course, the higher the compression factor, the lower the quality of the image. For reference, on my Nikon D50 DSLR, a 6.1 megapixel image in normal quality takes up 1.5Mb, while an image on my 2.3 megapixel Fuji takes up .5Mb.
Battery life is important. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to find out the number of shots a camera can take on a single charge, though you may find ancedotal reports on certain models. Again, DSLRs tend to have longer battery life, as you don't use the LCD display to frame your picture. For reference, I can usually take about 50 shots on my point and shoot, vs. 500 shots on my DSLR, both with significant flash use. You may consider getting a spare battery.
To summarize my advice:
+ Right price range…
+ Point and Shoot or DSLR?
+ Stick to brand names in the industry (unless you had phenomenal experience with an unknown brand…)
+ High megapixels (and good optics) = higher resolution photos, but eats more memory
+Short lag time and startup time.
+Avoid cameras taking SmartMedia.
Good luck, and happy travelling!
April 4th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
You probably need to use high capacity NmH (Nickel Metal Hydride ) batteries. I have a Cannon Digital, and a set of Alkalinse is good for about 15 pictures. With the High Capacity NmH batteries, I get about 60.
April 4th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
nikon p90 or sony dsc-hx1? thx :)
April 4th, 2010 at 8:49 pm
There are film (some technophobes call them analog) and digital cameras.
There's nothing more or less "professional" about film or digital. It's just a personal (or financial) choice everyone has to make for themselves. I used film and love the pictures I got from it, but I believe my digital pictures are every bit as good.
Digital sensors reproduce pictures more like slide/transparency film than print/negative film. If you've never shot slides, it can be a more difficult adjustment for many.
The only type of picture that film is significantly better/different than digital is black & white. B&W film is made with silver chunks that give a unique look that is very difficult for digital to reproduce.
If you want the closest to film look, you'll need a D-SLR with a CMOS sensor (all the new Nikons, D5000 and above as well as Canon & most Sonys).
The biggest advantages for digital are 1) less wasted materials & chemicals and 2)easily switching light sensitivities (ISO) for bright & dark.
I use a Nikon D300 and love it.
April 5th, 2010 at 6:52 am
There's a youtube contest for one. Search
"COMMENT CONTEST"
April 5th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
cool
April 5th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
my suggestion
go to yahoo shopping
digital cameras
digital camera GUIDE
it will answer all your questions
April 5th, 2010 at 6:13 pm
Great video. I have this camera (for almost a month now). I love it. Great starter “professional wanna be” camera.
April 6th, 2010 at 5:53 am
is this camera good for low light pictures? Like for live shows?
April 6th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
i want to take pictures quickly so is there any way to disable the preview of a picture once you’ve taken it.
April 7th, 2010 at 1:02 am
almost all of them
polaroid camaras are great
April 7th, 2010 at 1:47 am
What is extreme low budget? It would have been really helpful if you could have told us how much you budgeted for equipment. Trying use a digital camera with video capability is going to give you very crappy and shaky video with even crappier sound. If you want the best audio possible with decent video (640 x 480) then I would recommend the Samson Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder for about $250.00. This little device has a professional level stereo microphone so you will capture great audio. If you are looking at something with HD capability then I would recommend the Sanyo Xacti VPC-TH1 for about $230.00. The Sanyo will give you more flexibility and better picture (720p) with decent sound. Trying to spend less $250.00 for equipment to record even a low budget film will result in totaly wasted video and sound. You also have to remember time is money and after spending all that time and effort shooting the film you end with really crappy video and sound…..well you do the math.
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June 9th, 2010 at 5:10 am
Just started listening to this… sounds great.
June 9th, 2010 at 5:11 am
Thanks friend. Good article. Thank you.
June 9th, 2010 at 6:43 am
Took me time to read all the comments, but I really enjoyed the article. It proved to be Very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commenters here! It’s always nice when you can not only be informed, but also entertained! I’m sure you had fun writing this article.