Top Ten Digital Cameras

My Top 10 Digital Camera List

Nikon D70s DSLR
Canon Powershot S2 IS
Canon Rebel XT DSLR
Nikon D50 DSLR<
Nikon Coolpix S1
Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z750
Canon EOS 20D
Canon Powershot SD400 - IXUS 50
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20
Sony Cybershot DSC-T7

Making the Transition from Film to Digital

Making the Transition from Film to Digital
by Michael Reichmann
Making the transition from shooting film to shooting digital is an exciting journey, but without this roadmap you might find more detours than solutions. Author and photographer Michael Reichmann provides a guide to the new language of digital photography, and will help you identify the crucial differences of shooting with film.
PDF Download Link (1.5MB)

Black and white Digital Photography

Black and White Conversion Tutorial
by John Paul Caponigro
Are you looking for more detail in your digital B&W conversions? Or perhaps better contrast and tonal separation? Here’s an opportunity to learn how to get maximum flexibility out of your B&W conversions. Follow along step-by-step, as John Paul Caponigro shows you how the pros do it in this dynamic PDF tutorial.
PDF Download Link (2.5MB)

Black and White Conversion Action
This download is a Photoshop Action (.atn) that automates the sequence of steps outlined in the JP Caponigro tutorial above. It is not required to complete the tutorial. This Action is compatible with Adobe Photoshop CS and CS2. Action Download Link (10k)

Calibrating the Digital Darkroom Environment

Calibrating the Digital Darkroom Environment
by Karl Lang
If you want to create the most accurate prints possible in your digital darkroom, you’ll want to learn how to calibrate your work environment. Karl Lang steps you through the basics of how and why you need to manage your work environment as carefully as you do your studio lighting.
PDF Download Link (722k)

Digital Image Integrity

Digital Image Integrity
by George Reis
Photographs have been altered or “faked” ever since the very beginning of chemical photography. Learn how Photoshop CS is providing forensics experts and law enforcement specialists better tools for evaluating the authenticity of a photograph.
PDF Download Link (1.2MB)

Preparing Images for Delivery

Preparing Images for Delivery
by Jeff Schewe
What should photographers do to ensure that their images reproduce well in print? Jeff Schewe outlines how you can take some precautions and learn the lingo to communicate with your print service provider to get the print results you want.
PDF Dowload Link (7.1MB)

A Raw Workflow in the Real World

A Raw Workflow in the Real World: The March of the Yellow Penguins
by Jeff Schewe
Use Photoshop CS2 for raw image processing, and boost your productivity. Photographer Jeff Schewe shows you how he took his raw workflow to the test under extreme Arctic conditions.
PDF Download Link (11.2MB)

Canon Powershot S2 IS

The Canon PowerShot S2 IS is the successor to the Powershot S1 IS which was released last year. The S2 has a big 12x Optical Zoom lens (with image stabilizer), 5.0 megapixel image sensor and 30 frames per second video shooting (for up to 60 minutes and stereo sound). It shoots still images at up to 2.4 images per second at shutter speeds of up to 1/3,200 of a second.

CNET Reviews has a review of the Canon PowerShot S2 IS where they give it a 'very good' rating and write - 'The successor to the image-stabilized S1 IS has more than just a slightly expanded waistline. The Canon PowerShot S2 IS boasts an upgrade to a 5-megapixel sensor (from 3.2), a 12X zoom lens (up from 10X), and a 1.8-inch LCD (vs. 1.5 inches). A Digic II processor and a high-speed USB connection speed things up. Add a full complement of manual controls, as well as high-quality video with stereo sound, and the S2 IS is sure to find its way into the hands of photo enthusiasts who want to shoot long and print big.'

Kodak EasyShare One/6MP Review

The next generation of the award-winning EASYSHARE-ONE is the world’s first Wi-Fi consumer digital camera, and the only camera in the world from which people can e-mail pictures. The new KODAK EASYSHARE-ONE 6 MP digital camera combines the power of taking, sharing, organizing, and printing pictures into a single, highly innovative product. Its new WISPr (Wireless Internet Service Provider recommendation) protocol increases the number of hot spot locations to connect anytime, anywhere, wirelessly.

Kodak One 6MP features
• 6.1 effective Megapixels
• Schneider Kreuznach - 3x optical zoom (36 - 108 mm)
• 3.3x digital zoom
• f/2.8 - f4.7 (wide) / f/4.8 - f8.1 (tele)
• 3 inch LCD monitor - 230,000 pixels
• ISO 80, 100, 200, 400
• Secure Digital support, 256MN built-in memory
• NTSC/PAL video support
• Lithium Ion battery
• USB 2.0 Full Speed interface
• Optional SDIO Wi-Fi 802.11b
• Optional docking station
• Dimensions: 103.0 x 63.0 x 26.0 mm
• Weight: 224 grams.

Review By Letsgodigital

The same Kodak Wi-Fi card that provides the EasyShare-One camera with wireless capabilities can now be used with the recently introduced Kodak EasyShare Printer Dock Plus. In addition to printing real Kodak pictures in as little as 60 seconds without a computer, it can now transfer pictures from a docked camera or memory card to networked computers throughout a home. With the card, the Printer Dock Plus can also receive pictures for printing from Wi-Fi-enabled laptops, PDAs, and other devices without requiring them to be in the same room.

Read Full Review Here

Looking for the right Digital Camera?

Buying a digital camera is a great investment for many people, since it allows them to take as many photos as they want without ever having to buy film again. However, with so many of them on the market, it's tough to decide how to choose a digital camera. However, if you pay attention to a few key factors the decision gets much easier.

Perhaps the most important factor in deciding how to choose a digital camera is the camera's resolution. A camera's resolution, measured in megapixels, is probably the best reflection of how good the photos from the camera will be. If you're just taking photos to post on the web or send via email you don't need to worry about resolution quite so much, but if you plan on printing any of your photos you should get the highest resolution you can afford.

TOP TEN BEST SELLING PRODUCTS

1. Nikon Coolpix S9 Digital Camera
Special Offer Nikon Coolpix S9 Digital Camera - Exclusive Magenta Color
Was $249.99, Now $229.99, Less $20 Google Checkout Savings = Final Cost of $209.99 - Offer good trough 12/9/2006
Plus: Free $10 Gift Coupon
Plus: No Sales Tax
Plus: Free Ground Shipping
Plus: Free HP Printer Offer

Nikon Coolpix S9 Digital Camera - Exclusive Magenta Color
Was $249.99, Now $229.99, Less $20 Google Checkout Savings = Final Cost of $209.99 - Plus: Free $10 Gift Coupon - Plus: No Sales Tax - Plus: Free Ground Shipping - Plus: Free HP Printer Offer



2. Nikon D80 Digital SLR
Nikon D80 Digital SLR Deals at WolfCamera.com Use Google Check Out, Save an additional $20


3. Canon ZR 500 DV Digital Camcorder
ZR500 Mini-DV Digital Camcorder - Exclusive Video Advantage - $100 Value Free + Secret Instant Savings - Use Google Check Out, Save an additional $20 v


4. Canon, Epson, HP Photo Printers
Special Offer: Canon PIXMA iP6000D Photo Printer
Free + Earn $20 on the Printer, after Rebates with the purchase of any 4MP+ Digital Camera Purchase
+ No Sales Tax & Free Ground Shipping
Price: $99.99
Mail-in Rebate #1: $50.00 (Canon Printer Mail In Rebate - expires 12/31)
Mail-in Rebate #1: $50.00 (Bonus 4MP Digital Camera Purchase Rebate - expires 12/31)
$20 Off Google Checkout Offer
Final cost: Consumer makes $20.01 on the Printer!

Canon PIXMA iP6000D Photo Printer
Free + Earn $20 on the Printer, after Rebates with the purchase of any 4MP+ Digital Camera Purchase
+ No Sales Tax & Free Ground Shipping + $20 Off Google Checkout

5. Canon Rebel XTi Digital SLR
Rebel XTi Digital SLR Camera w/EF-S 18-55mm II Lens, Black - Regularly $899.99- $100 Instant Savings + Use Google Check Out, Save an additional $20 - 1-Week Onl


6. Nikon D40 Digital SLR
D40 DSLR Camera w/18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens - New From Nikon - In Stock Available Now!


7. Canon Powershot A530 Digital Camera
PowerShot A530 Digital Camera - Free Digital Camera Accessory Kit - 1-Week Only Digital Sale! Use Google Check Out and pay only $129.99


8. Sony Digital SLR A100 Alpha
DSLR-A100 K (alpha) Digital Camera W/18-70MM F/3.5-5.6 Lens - New low Price! + $50 Instant Rebate at Checkout - 1-Week Only Digital Sale!



9. 1 Gb Memory Cards –
Special Offer: BigPrint 1 GB Secure Disk Memory Card
$10.00 after Rebates and Google Checkout Offer

Details on this deal:

Retail Price is: $60.00
- $10.00 Instant Rebate
- $20 Google Checkout ($20 Off $50)
- $20 Mail-in Rebate (expires 12/9)
= $10.00 Final Product Cost

Valid only on purchases made between 12/2/06 and 12/9/06. Rebate form must be postmarked by 1/15/07. Limit 1 rebate per household. See website for complete details.

1 GB Secure Disk Memory Card - $50 Total Savings*(click for details) FINAL COST $10



10. Digital Picture Frames
Special Offer: PhotoShare 7 Portable Digital Photo Frame - Three Day Sale Regular Price $119.99 Use Google Check Out and Save an Additional $20 Instantly

PhotoShare 7 Portable Digital Photo Frame - Three Day Sale Regular Price $119.99 Use Google Check Out and Save an Additional $20 Instantly!

Picking the Right Digital Camera at abc7.com

Ric Romero tell how to pick a digital camera ' "Some people come in and that's all they want to know about. And you can't talk them out of it," Friedland said.

'Consumer Reports' recently tested nearly 70 digital cameras and says the emphasis on megapixels is part of the game manufacturers play to get people to buy more expensive cameras.

'Consumer Reports' says many people just share photos online or make small prints. Tests show for that you don't need a high megapixel camera. 'Consumer Reports' compared photos from a 10 megapixel SLR with a five megapixel point and shoot camera. They found very little difference between the pictures.

So for small prints and sharing photos online, 'Consumer Reports' says the five megapixel Canon PowerShot A530 is a very good choice, it costs about $180.

But if you're giving a camera to someone who's interested in cropping photos and blowing them up to 8 X 10 size, that's when higher megapixels can pay off. More megapixels allow you to get more sharpness and resolution.

So to be able to make big prints, 'Consumer Reports' recommends a ten megapixel SLR from Nikon, the D200, which it costs $1,700.

'Consumer Reports' says if you're looking for a subcompact camera that will fit in a purse or pocket, consider the Casio EXILIM Zoom EX-Z750 with seven megapixels for $300.'

Read full story 'Picking the Right Digital Camera'

Canon Rebel XT

Canon Rebel XT (Canon EOS 350D) is an 8.0 Megapixel (APS-C CMOS sensor) DSLR with a 3 frames per second shooting rate (14 frame bursts) that Canon believes will take over from where previous Rebel releases have left off. It has the same DIGIC II image processor of found in the high end professional 'D-series' of DSLRs.

Steves Digicams reviews the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT / EOS 350D and writes - 'The Digital Rebel XT's 12 exposure modes are easily selected by a turn of the top-mounted Mode dial. These exposure modes cover virtually all the shooting conditions you'll ever encounter and are: Full Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Night Portrait, Flash Off, Program AE, Shutter speed-priority AE, Aperture-priority AE, Manual and Auto Depth-of-Field AE. The camera's ISO sensitivty range is 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600, Canon raised the Auto ISO setting to include ISO 400 in order to help improve image quality, reduce camera shake and brighten the scene behind the subject when taking a flash photo.'

Nikon D70s

Nikon today have announced the Nikon D70s DSLR - an upgrade of the previously released D70 model. The D70s features a larger 2 inch LCD monitor, newly re-designed menus, better auto focus, wider flash coverage and a longer lasting battery. It will reatail at $1200 with an 18-70mm lens or $900 as a body only package. Expect to see it in stores early May 2005.

Byte Sector has a review of the Nikon D70s DSLR and writes - 'Overall, I had a really great time working with the Nikon D70s. The camera is incredibly versatile and has more advanced features than most other DSLR cameras in its price range. Granted, the fact that it only has a 6MP CCD is a major limiting factor when you consider that the Canon Digital Rebel XT has an 8MP sensor, has similar if just slightly less advanced features, takes pictures almost as well, and is about $300 CAD cheaper. Even the Olympus E300 offers an 8MP CCD as well as two lenses for the same price as the Rebel XT.'

Think Camera has posted their review of the Nikon D70s where they write - 'This camera meets the needs of many. The digital vari-programs will suit those who still prefer a method of photography closer to point and shoot; on top of which, if you don't want to get your hands dirty with exposure, there's always Program mode. This sparks up bracketing and other ways to optimise image quality. Professionals and anoraks will revel in the plethora of options (only some of which I have covered). However, both beginners and advanced users will benefit from this camera's main strengths - build quality, great design and great image processing.'

Nikon D40 Review at Ken Rockwell

Ken Rockwell posts his review of the Nikon D40 where he recommends - "I'm suggesting the D40 to my friends who just want great pictures of family, kids and friends. The D40 is for normal people who just want great pictures, not photographers who want fancy cameras. The D40 is the smallest and lightest Nikon DSLR ever. Photographers may use this for a backup, but the lack of immediate access to the critical adjustments photographers make for each shot could drive active photographers up a wall. "

Read more reviews of the Nikon D40

HP R967 Review at Megapixel

Megapixel reviews the HP R967 and writes - 'The image quality the 10-megapixel CCD yields varies greatly with the compression used. The R967 provides 4-JPEG compression levels, each identified by a number of stars. The highest image quality is obtained with the compression, but it is only accessible as a custom option of the image quality settings. At this level, images reveal no compression artefacts, and retain a good overall sharpness. However, as soon as the compression is increased, a commensurate loss of details can be observed.'

Read more about the HP R967

Olympus Mju Stylus 740 Review at DigiCam Review

Digicam Review has reviewed the Olympus Mju Stylus 740 where they give it a rating of 'above average' and write - "The Olympus Stylus / Mju 740 has a lot going for it, particularly the 5x optical zoom lens and ultra compact weather proof body. The camera would be especially suited to someone who wants to take their camera with them in all weathers. The solid build of this camera is likely to make it last well, and makes it good value for money. Image quality was generally good, although slightly under-saturated for some people's tastes, and images can be slightly soft. Noise was quite well controlled although worse indoors. The camera is very easy to use and there are a lot of features built in to help get better results, such as the digital image stabilisation and numerous scene modes."

Read more about the Olympus Mju Stylus 740

Red Eye Reduction with Photoshop CS2

Planetphotoshop.com has posted a tutorial on Red eye Reduction 'There are almost as many ways to minimize red eye using Photoshop as there are people using Photoshop. Ask a group of photographers which is the best way to minimize red eye and sparks are sure to fly!

Red eye is the condition that occurs when a camera's flash reflects off the back of a person's eye. Most common in portraits and group photos, it's generally a problem when the subject is looking directly at the camera. While most cameras have a "red eye reduction" feature (which uses a pre-flash to shrink the subjects irises before taking the photo), it's not always practical to use that feature.

In this figure, you see a comparison of five red eye reduction techniques. From the top¬ compare: the original, the Red Eye tool (Photoshop CS2 only), the Color Replacement tool, the Brush tool (using black, the Multiply blending mode, and 6¬0% opacity), the Sponge tool, and the Selective Color command.'

Read Full tutorial Here

Point and Shoot Digital Camera Gift Ideas

Over at Digital Photography School today They have posted 45 Digital Camera and Photography Gift Ideas for those looking for inspiration for their Christmas lists.

The lists are based upon what readers of the site have been buying recently on Amazon. Here is the point and shoot digital camera category:

Point and Shoot Cameras

1. Canon PowerShot SD630
2. Canon PowerShot SD600
3. Canon PowerShot SD800 IS
4. Fujifilm FinePix F30
5. Sony Cybershot DSC-h2
6. Nikon Coolpix S7c
7. Canon PowerShot A530
8. Canon PowerShot A540
9. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ4
10. Sony Cybershot DSCR1

Shutter Speed Tutorial

Trusted Reviews has posted a tutorial on Shutter speed and writes - 'Any movement in the frame during the exposure will be captured in the picture, resulting in motion blur. Anti-shake systems can do nothing to correct this; the only solution is to use a shutter speed fast enough to effectively freeze the action, which is why some camera manufacturers, most notably Fujifilm, have concentrated on producing CCD sensors with better high ISO performance, since this allows you to use faster shutter speeds in low light conditions.

With a fast enough shutter speed you can freeze even very fast-moving objects, as this sequence of photos will show. They were taken using a Nikon D200 SLR through the plane window on a flight to France, at shutter speeds of 1/125th, 1/250th, 1/500th, 1/1000th and 1/2000th of a second.....'

Read more at Digital Camera Tutorial: Shutter speed