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Saturday, January 17, 2009
Eco Friendly Gadgets
If you are looking for reviews on eco friendly gadgets, you can find them at Eco Friendly Haven. With actual users feedback and reviews, you will have the right choice for the right product that is good for you and the environment.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Digital Photography Tips - 3 Solid Lighting Tips
By Steven Wagenheim
I've been taking photos since I was old enough to own my first Polaroid camera about 40 years ago. I remember how horrible the quality was. Well, we have come a long way since those days. Technology has taken the world of photography, especially digital photography, to a whole new level. However, as great as the technology is, nothing can make up for poor lighting, no matter how great the camera. I, and many others, have learned this the hard way. This article is going to give you a few solid tips on lighting that will help make your digital photography experience one that won't be one of frustration and disappointment.
The first thing you need to understand about lighting is where to place it, if you're using artificial lighting. Never place the lighting in back of the subject. This is going to result in terrible glare in your photos. You want the lighting to be in back of the photographer or off to the sides of the subject, slightly in front. The more lighting the better. A couple of 500 watt halogen lamps should be more than enough to do the trick.
You need to be careful of shadows. Too much lighting can produce too much shadow...not enough and your subject could end up in the dark. This is going to be a trial and error sort of thing. Unfortunately, with digital cameras, what you often see in the view finder is usually brighter than the finished product that you end up with. So you will have to take a couple of test photos to make sure the lighting is just the way you want it. The good thing about digital cameras is that there is no film to waste. Just delete your test shots after they are finished.
If you are using backdrops, try to choose one that is a light color. Black is definitely out of the question as it will absorb too much of the light. A plain white backdrop is best. These are not expensive. However, if you can't afford to purchase one, simply roll up some plain white material and scotch tape it to the wall behind the subject. It may seem tacky, but nobody is going to care or notice. The bottom line is that you want a photo that is clear and sharp.
These are just a few of the many things you can do when it comes to lighting and your digital photos. If you'd like a really great guide to digital photography, check out the review at my blog that you can find in my signature. It has hands down the best resource available, especially if you're not a professional photographer.
To YOUR Photographic Success,
Steven Wagenheim
Want to turn your digital photos into pure gold? Please check out the review of a great resource at my blog at http://digitalphotographytipsonline.blogspot.com/ where you'll find the answers to all your questions about digital photography that will turn you into a master of the lens in no time.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Wagenheim
I've been taking photos since I was old enough to own my first Polaroid camera about 40 years ago. I remember how horrible the quality was. Well, we have come a long way since those days. Technology has taken the world of photography, especially digital photography, to a whole new level. However, as great as the technology is, nothing can make up for poor lighting, no matter how great the camera. I, and many others, have learned this the hard way. This article is going to give you a few solid tips on lighting that will help make your digital photography experience one that won't be one of frustration and disappointment.
The first thing you need to understand about lighting is where to place it, if you're using artificial lighting. Never place the lighting in back of the subject. This is going to result in terrible glare in your photos. You want the lighting to be in back of the photographer or off to the sides of the subject, slightly in front. The more lighting the better. A couple of 500 watt halogen lamps should be more than enough to do the trick.
You need to be careful of shadows. Too much lighting can produce too much shadow...not enough and your subject could end up in the dark. This is going to be a trial and error sort of thing. Unfortunately, with digital cameras, what you often see in the view finder is usually brighter than the finished product that you end up with. So you will have to take a couple of test photos to make sure the lighting is just the way you want it. The good thing about digital cameras is that there is no film to waste. Just delete your test shots after they are finished.
If you are using backdrops, try to choose one that is a light color. Black is definitely out of the question as it will absorb too much of the light. A plain white backdrop is best. These are not expensive. However, if you can't afford to purchase one, simply roll up some plain white material and scotch tape it to the wall behind the subject. It may seem tacky, but nobody is going to care or notice. The bottom line is that you want a photo that is clear and sharp.
These are just a few of the many things you can do when it comes to lighting and your digital photos. If you'd like a really great guide to digital photography, check out the review at my blog that you can find in my signature. It has hands down the best resource available, especially if you're not a professional photographer.
To YOUR Photographic Success,
Steven Wagenheim
Want to turn your digital photos into pure gold? Please check out the review of a great resource at my blog at http://digitalphotographytipsonline.blogspot.com/ where you'll find the answers to all your questions about digital photography that will turn you into a master of the lens in no time.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Wagenheim
Photographers - Do You HATE Those Pesky Shadows?
By Danny Eitreim
I get questions all the time from my photography students about shadows and how to get rid of them.
The bad news is; shadows are a constant problem for photographers. The
good news is, there are a number of simple "fixes".
First, what causes the shadow? Well, obviously it is caused by the light hitting your subject and not hitting the background behind them.
So, if you've got a problem with shadows falling on the background, one way to remove the shadow is to remove the background. Obviously, if there is nothing for the shadow to fall on, voilla! No shadow.
So, fix number one would be - eliminate the background.
If you are shooting outdoors, position your subject so that there is
nothing behind them! Easy enough.
If you are indoors, obviously you can't take down the walls, but you can move the subject further away from them! Shoot them closer to the middle of the room instead of right up against the wall and your shadow problems will disappear.
Another fix is; have a light hitting the background.
If you are using a "studio" lighting setup, once you get your subject lit the way you want them, add an additional light that strikes only the background and not the subject.
The additional bonus to this is that with the use of colored gels, cookies, and scrims - you can make this background light throw different colors, shapes and patterns onto the background. That way, you can make it into a design element not just a shadow removal system.
Think of light like a ball on a billiards table. It will hit the subject at a certain angle and reflect off at that same angle - like the billiards ball striking the cushion and bouncing off. The shadow on the other hand, is ALWAYS directly in line with the light. So, you can minimize the shadow problem by changing the angle of the lights so that the shadow falls into an area that won't show in the final photo.
You can do this outdoors by moving the subject until the light is hitting them from the direction you want. Indoors, with a studio setup, you can move around the lights to get the best angle. When shooting with only an on camera flash, you can bounce the light off the ceiling or a wall to change the angle the light is approaching the subject.
The harshness and intensity of a shadow is caused by the relative
strength and size of the light.
If you lower the intensity of the light, that will also lower the
intensity of the associated shadow. It will still be there, but you may be able to minimize its' distracting effect.
You can lower the intensity of the light by using less power, or by using the same amount of power - but moving the light further back.
You can change the size of the light - and make it bigger - with umbrellas, softboxes and scrims.
Think of an umbrella or softbox like a cloud moving between the sun and a subject. It diffuses the light making the entire cloud a light source rather than just the tiny little sun. Go outside and observe some shadows before and after being blocked by clouds. You should see a dramatic difference in the shadows.
There are entire books written about this subject and this message is by no means an exhaustive solution, but it should give you something to
consider.
Feel free to reprint or publish this article at will as long as it remains unchanged and intact. Including the author bio box.
Dan Eitreim has been a professional photographer in southern California for over 16 years. His data base exceeds 6000 past clients, and he says that selling YOUR photography is easy - if you know a couple tried and true marketing strategies. He's created a multimedia presentation that can teach ANYONE how to sell their own photography and generate freelance income in as little as two weeks. To learn more and enroll in a FREE photo marketing course, go to: http://www.PartTimePhotography.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Danny_Eitreim
I get questions all the time from my photography students about shadows and how to get rid of them.
The bad news is; shadows are a constant problem for photographers. The
good news is, there are a number of simple "fixes".
First, what causes the shadow? Well, obviously it is caused by the light hitting your subject and not hitting the background behind them.
So, if you've got a problem with shadows falling on the background, one way to remove the shadow is to remove the background. Obviously, if there is nothing for the shadow to fall on, voilla! No shadow.
So, fix number one would be - eliminate the background.
If you are shooting outdoors, position your subject so that there is
nothing behind them! Easy enough.
If you are indoors, obviously you can't take down the walls, but you can move the subject further away from them! Shoot them closer to the middle of the room instead of right up against the wall and your shadow problems will disappear.
Another fix is; have a light hitting the background.
If you are using a "studio" lighting setup, once you get your subject lit the way you want them, add an additional light that strikes only the background and not the subject.
The additional bonus to this is that with the use of colored gels, cookies, and scrims - you can make this background light throw different colors, shapes and patterns onto the background. That way, you can make it into a design element not just a shadow removal system.
Think of light like a ball on a billiards table. It will hit the subject at a certain angle and reflect off at that same angle - like the billiards ball striking the cushion and bouncing off. The shadow on the other hand, is ALWAYS directly in line with the light. So, you can minimize the shadow problem by changing the angle of the lights so that the shadow falls into an area that won't show in the final photo.
You can do this outdoors by moving the subject until the light is hitting them from the direction you want. Indoors, with a studio setup, you can move around the lights to get the best angle. When shooting with only an on camera flash, you can bounce the light off the ceiling or a wall to change the angle the light is approaching the subject.
The harshness and intensity of a shadow is caused by the relative
strength and size of the light.
If you lower the intensity of the light, that will also lower the
intensity of the associated shadow. It will still be there, but you may be able to minimize its' distracting effect.
You can lower the intensity of the light by using less power, or by using the same amount of power - but moving the light further back.
You can change the size of the light - and make it bigger - with umbrellas, softboxes and scrims.
Think of an umbrella or softbox like a cloud moving between the sun and a subject. It diffuses the light making the entire cloud a light source rather than just the tiny little sun. Go outside and observe some shadows before and after being blocked by clouds. You should see a dramatic difference in the shadows.
There are entire books written about this subject and this message is by no means an exhaustive solution, but it should give you something to
consider.
Feel free to reprint or publish this article at will as long as it remains unchanged and intact. Including the author bio box.
Dan Eitreim has been a professional photographer in southern California for over 16 years. His data base exceeds 6000 past clients, and he says that selling YOUR photography is easy - if you know a couple tried and true marketing strategies. He's created a multimedia presentation that can teach ANYONE how to sell their own photography and generate freelance income in as little as two weeks. To learn more and enroll in a FREE photo marketing course, go to: http://www.PartTimePhotography.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Danny_Eitreim
Photoshop Tips That Will Really Help
By Peter Davidson
Can't get rid of that nasty shine that you get taking pictures? Well now you can, follow these easy steps: Let's start with a great, overlooked trick. After opening the image, open the same image again in a new window. In Photoshop, choose Window ->Arrange -> New Window. In Elements choose View->New Window. This allows you to view one window zoomed in for detail work and the other window at 100% so you can judge the effects.
Using the magnifying glass tool draw a box around the area of shine. Make the box big enough to also show a fair amount of un-shiny skin. Select the Clone tool. At the top of the page select Mode: Darken and use the slider to set Opacity at 50%.Using the Clone Tool, select an area of un-shiny skin by putting the circle over the area and holding down the Alt button while left-clicking the mouse. To best match skin tone try to select the area of skin closest to the shine. Quick tip, to easily resize the Clone Tool circle simply use the bracket keys, [and] - much easier than moving your cursor back and forth between the photo and the Size slider. Now simply click on the shiny area and watch the magic happen. You'll have to experiment a little for best effect, and for larger areas be sure to resample the un-shiny skin frequently. In the zoomed-in image the effect might look too obvious, so you'll need to keep an eye on the 100% image to track your progress. Notice the difference on the tip of the nose, the cheek, and above his eye.
Photo retouching is sometimes quite important to your photo. You can change your photo to black and white, take out some unwanted acne, fix a blurry line. Well, here are some instructions on how to sharpen your image. Start by opening your image Duplicate the background layer by pressing control+j. Press shift+control+u to desaturate the layer. Go to filter> others> high pass and give these values, Radius of 0.4 pixels. Press control+l to open levels. Finally, change this layer's mode from normal to overlay. If you find excessive sharpening then reduce the opacity of this layer. You now have more sharp image and it works on almost any image.
Gradient maps can help your coloring on Photo manipulations a lot. They can be used to help blend things in and to make the colors in things the same. So you should have the same picture from the section Textures open. Okay now looking at you textures picture. You might think. My textures don't really blend in well with my face. So I am going to show you how to blend those in better using gradient maps. So I want you to decide what you want your face to look like (mainly color wise). So to make my textures blend in more I start off by going to Image> Adjustments> Gradient Map. Since I want a green picture I am going to pick a green/yellow gradient map. Then I am going to set it on soft light. After I put the opacity down a bit. Then I added a black and white gradient map. I did this because I wanted to make the picture a bit darker. I left the black and white gradient map on normal and set it on around 50% opacity. It will get rid of a bit of the color but thats what the green and yellow gradient maps were for (they were to add color so it didnt look really bland when we added the black and white one). Here is my picture after adding gradient maps.
Open the JavaScript Reference Guide and click the ArtLayer bookmark to the left in Adobe Reader, now you can first se all properties available for ordinary layers and after that is all the methods available for it. Hello world, Now it's time to try your wings by creating and running your first script for Photoshop. As always the first program you create in a new programming language should always output the Hello world sentence. To install a script you simply copy it to Photoshop's scripts folder which in windows is located in: c:Program FilesAdobePhotoshop CS2PresetsScripts Before you can use it from Photoshop you have to quit Photoshop and restart it. Once you have done this the script is available under File > Scripts
From the murky depths of the deepest forests to the frosty desolation of the Siberian wilderness, camouflage is invaluable for breaking up the human silhouette, allowing stealthy approaches towards your prey. It is, however, also deceptively simple to make in Photoshop using only a couple of filters and a basic sense of style. Create a blank document of any size with a single active layer (this can be filled with anything you desire). Using the colour swatches, select #D0C577 as the foreground colour, and #BAAD4A as the background colour. Then choose Edit > Fill from the main menu and fill the background layer with the new BG colour. Now create that camouflage by selecting Filter > Artistic > Sponge, and running it with the following settings: Brush Size - 8; Definition - 25; Smoothness - 15; Repeat the filter a second time with exactly the same settings to bring out highlights. To smooth out the result, go to Filter > Noise > Median and enter a value of 3. And that's it! See, I said it was easy! Of course, at this point you can brighten things up a little with the Image > Adjust > Brightness / Contrast tools, and/or add a little cloth texture with Filter > Texture > Texturizer, but I'll leave that up to you... Of course, these colours wont work for every environment, so feel free to play around a little. Take a look below to see a few quick colour variations. Have fun experimenting.
As with many applications, working in Photoshop can be made far easier and more efficient by using keyboard shortcuts.Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + N New layer Ctrl/Cmd + J Duplicate current layer. Here are a few useful shortcuts: Ctrl/Cmd + [ Move layer downwards Ctrl/Cmd + ] Move layer upwards Ctrl/Cmd + E Merge linked layers Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + E Merge visible layers Ctrl/Cmd + A Select all Ctrl/Cmd + D Deselect Ctrl/Cmd + L Levels Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + L Auto levels Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + Alt + L Auto contrast Ctrl/Cmd + M Curves Ctrl/Cmd + I Invert colours Ctrl/Cmd + Z Undo Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + Z Step back in history Ctrl/Cmd + F Apply last used filter Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + X Liquify tool Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + Shift + X Pattern tool
A way to make a whole pallette from the three colors is not extremely difficult. Open a new canvas, does not really matter the size, but keep it no smaller than 468x60. Click on the gradiant tool on the left tool bar. Go into the Gradient Editor, by clicking on the colored gradient on the top toolbar. Place the darkest of the three colors on one side, the lightest on the other, and the midtone in the middle. Keep the opacity at 100%. Press Ok, then click-drag a horizontal line across the canvas. You can use the eyedrop tool to take the color from this canvas and color the skin of your project. Now that we have a pallete of color, we have to understand the effects of lighting on skin. It's a very simple concept, but understanding it is necessart to shading skin. As any matter, the brighter the light, the lighter the highlight and the darker the shadow. The dimmer the light, the difference between the light and the shadow decreases. The shadow cast by it is also affected by the light and darkness. The color of light affects it in the same way. If the light is green, it will have a green tint to the skin. If it is a small light, such as a lamp, a smaller portion of the skin will be that color, instead of affecting the whole skin. As stated before, most matter is affected the same way as this.
Did you like this article? Curious about learning photoshop fast? Well now you can get a free report, what are you waiting for?
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Davidson
Can't get rid of that nasty shine that you get taking pictures? Well now you can, follow these easy steps: Let's start with a great, overlooked trick. After opening the image, open the same image again in a new window. In Photoshop, choose Window ->Arrange -> New Window. In Elements choose View->New Window. This allows you to view one window zoomed in for detail work and the other window at 100% so you can judge the effects.
Using the magnifying glass tool draw a box around the area of shine. Make the box big enough to also show a fair amount of un-shiny skin. Select the Clone tool. At the top of the page select Mode: Darken and use the slider to set Opacity at 50%.Using the Clone Tool, select an area of un-shiny skin by putting the circle over the area and holding down the Alt button while left-clicking the mouse. To best match skin tone try to select the area of skin closest to the shine. Quick tip, to easily resize the Clone Tool circle simply use the bracket keys, [and] - much easier than moving your cursor back and forth between the photo and the Size slider. Now simply click on the shiny area and watch the magic happen. You'll have to experiment a little for best effect, and for larger areas be sure to resample the un-shiny skin frequently. In the zoomed-in image the effect might look too obvious, so you'll need to keep an eye on the 100% image to track your progress. Notice the difference on the tip of the nose, the cheek, and above his eye.
Photo retouching is sometimes quite important to your photo. You can change your photo to black and white, take out some unwanted acne, fix a blurry line. Well, here are some instructions on how to sharpen your image. Start by opening your image Duplicate the background layer by pressing control+j. Press shift+control+u to desaturate the layer. Go to filter> others> high pass and give these values, Radius of 0.4 pixels. Press control+l to open levels. Finally, change this layer's mode from normal to overlay. If you find excessive sharpening then reduce the opacity of this layer. You now have more sharp image and it works on almost any image.
Gradient maps can help your coloring on Photo manipulations a lot. They can be used to help blend things in and to make the colors in things the same. So you should have the same picture from the section Textures open. Okay now looking at you textures picture. You might think. My textures don't really blend in well with my face. So I am going to show you how to blend those in better using gradient maps. So I want you to decide what you want your face to look like (mainly color wise). So to make my textures blend in more I start off by going to Image> Adjustments> Gradient Map. Since I want a green picture I am going to pick a green/yellow gradient map. Then I am going to set it on soft light. After I put the opacity down a bit. Then I added a black and white gradient map. I did this because I wanted to make the picture a bit darker. I left the black and white gradient map on normal and set it on around 50% opacity. It will get rid of a bit of the color but thats what the green and yellow gradient maps were for (they were to add color so it didnt look really bland when we added the black and white one). Here is my picture after adding gradient maps.
Open the JavaScript Reference Guide and click the ArtLayer bookmark to the left in Adobe Reader, now you can first se all properties available for ordinary layers and after that is all the methods available for it. Hello world, Now it's time to try your wings by creating and running your first script for Photoshop. As always the first program you create in a new programming language should always output the Hello world sentence. To install a script you simply copy it to Photoshop's scripts folder which in windows is located in: c:Program FilesAdobePhotoshop CS2PresetsScripts Before you can use it from Photoshop you have to quit Photoshop and restart it. Once you have done this the script is available under File > Scripts
From the murky depths of the deepest forests to the frosty desolation of the Siberian wilderness, camouflage is invaluable for breaking up the human silhouette, allowing stealthy approaches towards your prey. It is, however, also deceptively simple to make in Photoshop using only a couple of filters and a basic sense of style. Create a blank document of any size with a single active layer (this can be filled with anything you desire). Using the colour swatches, select #D0C577 as the foreground colour, and #BAAD4A as the background colour. Then choose Edit > Fill from the main menu and fill the background layer with the new BG colour. Now create that camouflage by selecting Filter > Artistic > Sponge, and running it with the following settings: Brush Size - 8; Definition - 25; Smoothness - 15; Repeat the filter a second time with exactly the same settings to bring out highlights. To smooth out the result, go to Filter > Noise > Median and enter a value of 3. And that's it! See, I said it was easy! Of course, at this point you can brighten things up a little with the Image > Adjust > Brightness / Contrast tools, and/or add a little cloth texture with Filter > Texture > Texturizer, but I'll leave that up to you... Of course, these colours wont work for every environment, so feel free to play around a little. Take a look below to see a few quick colour variations. Have fun experimenting.
As with many applications, working in Photoshop can be made far easier and more efficient by using keyboard shortcuts.Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + N New layer Ctrl/Cmd + J Duplicate current layer. Here are a few useful shortcuts: Ctrl/Cmd + [ Move layer downwards Ctrl/Cmd + ] Move layer upwards Ctrl/Cmd + E Merge linked layers Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + E Merge visible layers Ctrl/Cmd + A Select all Ctrl/Cmd + D Deselect Ctrl/Cmd + L Levels Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + L Auto levels Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + Alt + L Auto contrast Ctrl/Cmd + M Curves Ctrl/Cmd + I Invert colours Ctrl/Cmd + Z Undo Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + Z Step back in history Ctrl/Cmd + F Apply last used filter Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + X Liquify tool Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + Shift + X Pattern tool
A way to make a whole pallette from the three colors is not extremely difficult. Open a new canvas, does not really matter the size, but keep it no smaller than 468x60. Click on the gradiant tool on the left tool bar. Go into the Gradient Editor, by clicking on the colored gradient on the top toolbar. Place the darkest of the three colors on one side, the lightest on the other, and the midtone in the middle. Keep the opacity at 100%. Press Ok, then click-drag a horizontal line across the canvas. You can use the eyedrop tool to take the color from this canvas and color the skin of your project. Now that we have a pallete of color, we have to understand the effects of lighting on skin. It's a very simple concept, but understanding it is necessart to shading skin. As any matter, the brighter the light, the lighter the highlight and the darker the shadow. The dimmer the light, the difference between the light and the shadow decreases. The shadow cast by it is also affected by the light and darkness. The color of light affects it in the same way. If the light is green, it will have a green tint to the skin. If it is a small light, such as a lamp, a smaller portion of the skin will be that color, instead of affecting the whole skin. As stated before, most matter is affected the same way as this.
Did you like this article? Curious about learning photoshop fast? Well now you can get a free report, what are you waiting for?
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Davidson
Never Buy A Kodak EasyShare M753 Digital Camera
By Chris Campbell
Is it really possible, to get more than you pay for? We all like to believe that, as we're walking out the store with our brand new purchase still shrink wrapped neatly tucked under our arm. But, how long until the shrink wrap is cracked, and buyers remorse starts to settle in. In the case of the Kodak EasyShare M753 Digital Camera, it may not take too long. But, whose fault is that? The consumers, or Kodaks?
I've bought EasyShare cameras in the past, and they all seem to experience the same problem with the mode selection wheel. It never seems to stay put. Every time you slip the M753 into a case (not included by the way) you have to make sure you didn't accidentally turn it own. Otherwise, that's a sure fire way to churn thru batteries. Even using the camera, you'll find it annoying to have to check the mode wheel, to make sure it hasn't slipped. There nothing worse than thinking your taking a still picture, when the EasyShare is actually in movie mode.
Kodak made a strange decision with the EasyShare M753 when it comes to the battery. It comes with a rechargeable battery, which some people will like, but others will hate. The only way to charge it out of the box, is to plug the M753 into your computers USB port. For those with no computer, this could be an awkward proposition. You can get a separate wall battery charger, but that of course is extra. Even if you do have a computer, this may not be the best camera for an extended trip. Unless you plan on dragging your desktop computer (aka: camera battery charger) with you. The exclusion of a battery meter doesn't really help much either.
While camera manufacturers seem thrilled to throw lots of megapixels into a camera, they really cheap out with internal memory. The M753 only has enough for a few pictures. Be sure to budget for an additional memory card, as a 7MP camera can fill up a small memory card pretty quick.
While I know, that less than $100 is not much for a camera these days, Kodak could have made the case a little stronger. An extra few millimeters of plastic can't cost that much can it? Or failing that, how about bundling the M753 with a protective carrying case. One that won't mess with the power switch would be nice.
In terms of image quality, don't set your expectations too high here. For less than $100, you don't really get much here. If your planning on only shooting outside on nice sunny days with plenty of natural light, you should be ok. Of course if you already have a phone camera, you'll probably get just as good pictures using that instead of an EasyShare M753.
Not the nicest review I know, but it's hard to say anything glowing about cameras in this category. I guess if you go through a lot of disposable cameras, the EasyShare M753 may be a better choice. Other than that, I'd scrounge another hundred bucks or so, and get a whole lot more camera. For another two hundred, you can actually get into some really amazing cameras. I'd start saving your pennies now.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Campbell
Is it really possible, to get more than you pay for? We all like to believe that, as we're walking out the store with our brand new purchase still shrink wrapped neatly tucked under our arm. But, how long until the shrink wrap is cracked, and buyers remorse starts to settle in. In the case of the Kodak EasyShare M753 Digital Camera, it may not take too long. But, whose fault is that? The consumers, or Kodaks?
I've bought EasyShare cameras in the past, and they all seem to experience the same problem with the mode selection wheel. It never seems to stay put. Every time you slip the M753 into a case (not included by the way) you have to make sure you didn't accidentally turn it own. Otherwise, that's a sure fire way to churn thru batteries. Even using the camera, you'll find it annoying to have to check the mode wheel, to make sure it hasn't slipped. There nothing worse than thinking your taking a still picture, when the EasyShare is actually in movie mode.
Kodak made a strange decision with the EasyShare M753 when it comes to the battery. It comes with a rechargeable battery, which some people will like, but others will hate. The only way to charge it out of the box, is to plug the M753 into your computers USB port. For those with no computer, this could be an awkward proposition. You can get a separate wall battery charger, but that of course is extra. Even if you do have a computer, this may not be the best camera for an extended trip. Unless you plan on dragging your desktop computer (aka: camera battery charger) with you. The exclusion of a battery meter doesn't really help much either.
While camera manufacturers seem thrilled to throw lots of megapixels into a camera, they really cheap out with internal memory. The M753 only has enough for a few pictures. Be sure to budget for an additional memory card, as a 7MP camera can fill up a small memory card pretty quick.
While I know, that less than $100 is not much for a camera these days, Kodak could have made the case a little stronger. An extra few millimeters of plastic can't cost that much can it? Or failing that, how about bundling the M753 with a protective carrying case. One that won't mess with the power switch would be nice.
In terms of image quality, don't set your expectations too high here. For less than $100, you don't really get much here. If your planning on only shooting outside on nice sunny days with plenty of natural light, you should be ok. Of course if you already have a phone camera, you'll probably get just as good pictures using that instead of an EasyShare M753.
Not the nicest review I know, but it's hard to say anything glowing about cameras in this category. I guess if you go through a lot of disposable cameras, the EasyShare M753 may be a better choice. Other than that, I'd scrounge another hundred bucks or so, and get a whole lot more camera. For another two hundred, you can actually get into some really amazing cameras. I'd start saving your pennies now.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Campbell
Never Buy A Sony Cybershot DSCW200 Digital Camera
By Chris Campbell
Is it possible for arguably the biggest electronic gadget manufacturer on the planet to produce a respectable digital camera for under $250? I'm talking about Sony here, and the camera in question is the Sony Cybershot DSCW200 Digital Camera. The DSCW200 is an ultra compact digital, but is priced on the high side of that ultra compact category. Is it a worthy contender, or just a poser?
Let's start off with the most important consideration of any camera... image quality. Not so respectable with the DSC-W200. Sony opted to go with 12 mega pixels in this ultra compact. Somewhat akin, to trying to squeeze an elephant into the passenger seat of your Mini Austin. Damn hard to do, and even if your successful, where are you going to drive with an elephant? Marketing hype aside, 12MP is complete overkill for an ultra compact camera. The majority of pictures from an ultra compact camera are going to be viewed on the LCD, or uploaded to MySpace and FaceBook pages. Nobody is looking to blow these up, frame them, and then hang them over the fireplace. 5 or 6 Megapixels would have been fine. Probably better, as image noise would have been reduced.
For this price, I had bigger expectations from the DSC-W200 LCD. Unfortunately, it looks like Sony cheaped out here. 115,000 pixels for a 2.5 inch LCD is not great. It actually pretty grainy, and quite hard to view off angle, or in bright sunlight. As a basis for comparison, the top Canon cameras in this category sport 3 inch LCD screens with 230,000 pixel resolution. At least Sony did provide an optical viewfinder. Not a great one, but a viewfinder none the less.
While this next quibble is minor I agree, I simply have to bring it up. The USB cable provided by Sony for the DSC-W200 is proprietary. I really hate being forced into buying a product that is produced by only one company. I like choice. Sony has a nasty habit of pushing proprietary technology going back to Beta Video, the Memory Stick, and now with the whole Blu-Ray fiasco. Not to say those weren't good/better technologies, I just like choice.
But wait, that's not all. Sony made enough slip ups with the CyberShot DSC-W200, to make even the most ardent Sony lover cast a flirtatious eye towards other suitors. Here's a few more reasons:
- the zoom lens doesn't have enough zoom
- excessive megapixels has driven price too high
- time for flash to recharge is unacceptable
- big handed users will find camera controls difficult
- face detection is only available in auto mode
- face detection works inconsistently
- zoom feature won't work when shooting videos
So, there you have it. The bottom line here is, take a look at some other ultra-compact cameras before buying a CyberShot DSC-W200. There's plenty to choose from, and your more likely to save money and get a better camera in the long run.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Campbell
Is it possible for arguably the biggest electronic gadget manufacturer on the planet to produce a respectable digital camera for under $250? I'm talking about Sony here, and the camera in question is the Sony Cybershot DSCW200 Digital Camera. The DSCW200 is an ultra compact digital, but is priced on the high side of that ultra compact category. Is it a worthy contender, or just a poser?
Let's start off with the most important consideration of any camera... image quality. Not so respectable with the DSC-W200. Sony opted to go with 12 mega pixels in this ultra compact. Somewhat akin, to trying to squeeze an elephant into the passenger seat of your Mini Austin. Damn hard to do, and even if your successful, where are you going to drive with an elephant? Marketing hype aside, 12MP is complete overkill for an ultra compact camera. The majority of pictures from an ultra compact camera are going to be viewed on the LCD, or uploaded to MySpace and FaceBook pages. Nobody is looking to blow these up, frame them, and then hang them over the fireplace. 5 or 6 Megapixels would have been fine. Probably better, as image noise would have been reduced.
For this price, I had bigger expectations from the DSC-W200 LCD. Unfortunately, it looks like Sony cheaped out here. 115,000 pixels for a 2.5 inch LCD is not great. It actually pretty grainy, and quite hard to view off angle, or in bright sunlight. As a basis for comparison, the top Canon cameras in this category sport 3 inch LCD screens with 230,000 pixel resolution. At least Sony did provide an optical viewfinder. Not a great one, but a viewfinder none the less.
While this next quibble is minor I agree, I simply have to bring it up. The USB cable provided by Sony for the DSC-W200 is proprietary. I really hate being forced into buying a product that is produced by only one company. I like choice. Sony has a nasty habit of pushing proprietary technology going back to Beta Video, the Memory Stick, and now with the whole Blu-Ray fiasco. Not to say those weren't good/better technologies, I just like choice.
But wait, that's not all. Sony made enough slip ups with the CyberShot DSC-W200, to make even the most ardent Sony lover cast a flirtatious eye towards other suitors. Here's a few more reasons:
- the zoom lens doesn't have enough zoom
- excessive megapixels has driven price too high
- time for flash to recharge is unacceptable
- big handed users will find camera controls difficult
- face detection is only available in auto mode
- face detection works inconsistently
- zoom feature won't work when shooting videos
So, there you have it. The bottom line here is, take a look at some other ultra-compact cameras before buying a CyberShot DSC-W200. There's plenty to choose from, and your more likely to save money and get a better camera in the long run.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Campbell
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