camera buying tips - carleton university · 2014. 10. 6. · modes scene modes maximum aperture...
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Camera buying tips
C a m e r a B u y i n g
T i p s
introduCtion J T e r m i n o l o g y D e m y s T i f i e D J i m a g e s i z e — m e g a p i x e l s J z o o m c a p a b i l i T y J s T a r T i n g T h e p r o c e s s e s s J p o i n T & s h o o T v s d s l r s J W h e r e T o b u y c a m e r a s J c a m e r a e x T r a s
C a m e r a B u y i n g
T i p s
the informationK n o W l e D g e i s p o W e r
C a m e r a B u y i n g
T i p s
O r i e n t a t i O n s e n s O r
L i t h i u m - i o n
S t o r a g e t y p e S
V i d e o F o r m a t
ExposurE compEnsation
M e t e r i n g
F L a s h m o d e s
s c e n e m o d e s
maximum apErturE
s c r e e n s i z e
M a c r O
a u t o F o c u s
optical zoom
F o c a l l e n g t h
i m a g e F o r m a t
i m a g e s t a b i L i z a t i o n
WhitE balancE
i s o
procEssor
s e n s O r t y p e
s e n s o r s i z e
e f f e c t i v e p i x e l s
m a x r e s o L u t i o n
S e n S o r
body typE
terminology demystified
C a m e r a B u y i n g
T i p s
Body Type size of camera (ie, compact)max resoluTion largest image size in pixelseffeCTive pixels megapixel size of image
sensor Type usually cmos or ccDproCessor Technical information
iso Different “film” speed settingsWhiTe BalanCe Different presets
CusTom WhiTe BalanCe usually just yes or noimage sTaBilizaTion if the camera has is
unCompressed formaT The raw format, if applicableJpeg qualiTy levels usually fine and normal
foCal lengTh (equiv.) equivalence to a 35mm cameraopTiCal zoom The zoom factor (ie, 5x)
auTofoCus The different af methodsdigiTal zoom baD
maCro foCus range how close the camera can get and still focus
numBer of foCus poinTs Technical informationsCreen size on back of camera
sCreen doTs more is betterlive vieW usually yes or no
maximum aperTure usually a range of f-stopsminimum shuTTer speed good for low light
terminology demystifiedmaximum shuTTer speed stops the action
aperTure/shuTTer prioriTy usually yes or nomanual exposure mode usually yes or no
suBJeCT / sCene modes Variety of environments the camera can recognize
BuilT-in flash usually yes or noflash range How far the flash works, in metres
exTernal flash usually yes or noflash modes Variety of flash settings
ConTinuous drive usually yes (with fps) or no
meTering modes Variety of methods the camera can determine exposure
exposure CompensaTion how to modify the meteringWB BraCkeTing usually yes or no
video formaT Technical informationaudio Channels stereo or other
video resoluTions list of different video sizessTorage Types The type of cards used
BaTTery Type of batteries used, usually pack or cells
BaTTery desCripTion usually lithium-ion
BaTTery life (Cipa) how many shots the camera can take with a full charge (no flash)
dimensions size/weight of camera
C a m e r a B u y i n g
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megapixels
J s h o r T a n s W e r - n o J T h e p r o c e s s o r , s e n s o r s i z e a n D s e n s o r T y p e a l l p l a y a f a c T o r i n q u a l i T y o f i m a g e• m o r e p i x e l s o n a s m a l l e r s e n s o r i s n ’ T
a s g o o D a s o n a l a r g e r s e n s o r• c c D V e r s u s c m o s s e n s o r s - e a c h h a V e
T h e i r s T r e n g T h s J q u a l i T y o f T h e l e n s i s a b i g f a c T o r i n i m a g e q u a l i T y• D i s T o r T i o n , f r i n g i n g , c h r o m a T i c
a b e r a T i o n s a r e p r o D u c T s o f i n f e r i o r l e n s e s
i s b i g g e r r e a l l y b e T T e r ?
C a m e r a B u y i n g
T i p s
Zoom
J z o o m i s e x p r e s s e D i n 3 W a y s :• a c T u a l ( 3 m m - 2 7 m m )• 3 5 m m e q u i V a l e n T ( 2 4 m m - 1 2 0 m m )
• z o o m f a c T o r ( 5 x ) J a l W a y s l o o K a T T h e o p T i c a l z o o m f a c T o r
J D i g i T a l z o o m i s b a D
g e T T i n g f r o m h e r e T o T h e r e
C a m e r a B u y i n g
T i p s
the purChaseK n o W l e D g e i s p o W e r
C a m e r a B u y i n g
T i p s
Where to start
J W h o i s i T f o r• c a s u a l u s e r• h o b b i e s T• p r o s u m e r
J W h e n & W h e r e W i l l i T b e u s e D m o s T J T h e s i T u a T i o n f o r g e T T i n g i T• u p g r a D e a n o l D , l o s T o r b r o K e n
c a m e r a• f i r s T c a m e r a
J W h a T K i n D o f c a m e r a T o g e T• ( u l T r a ) c o m p a c T p o i n T a n D s h o o T ( p & s )• d s l r
i T a l l b e g i n s s o m e W h e r e
C a m e r a B u y i n g
T i p s
p&s vs. dslr
J p o i n T a n D s h o o T q u a l i T i e s• c o m p a c T• e a s y T o c a r r y• m o s T l y a u T o m a T i c s h o o T i n g• i n e x p e n s i V e
J D s l r q u a l i T i e s• r u g g e D b o D i e s• l o T s o f c r e a T i V e c o n T r o l• s u p p e r i o u r i m a g e q u a l i T y• s i g n i f i c a n T i n V e s T m e n T
i T ’ s a l l a b o u T T h e a c r o n y m s
C a m e r a B u y i n g
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Where to buy
C a m e r a B u y i n g
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What to WatCh for When buying
J s a l e s — e s p e c i a l l y D u r i n g T h e h o l i D a y s J e x T r a s• c a m e r a K i T s — s p a r e b a T T e r i e s , b a g ,
c l e a n i n g s u p p l i e s• m e m o r y c a r D s
J W a r r a n T e e s• m a n u f a c T u r e r W a r r a n T e e i s u s u a l l y
1 y e a r• D e a l e r c a n o f f e r l o n g e r o r m o r e
c o n V e n i e n T W a r r a n T e e s
C a m e r a B u y i n g
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odds & ends
J m e m o r y c a r D s• W a t c H f o r “ c l a s s ” — t H e H i g H e r t H e
n u m b e r , T h e f a s T e r i T W r i T e s D a T a J c a r D r e a D e r s• u s i n g T h e c a m e r a T o T r a n s f e r T h e
p h o T o s u s e s b a T T e r y p o W e r J e x T r a b a T T e r i e s J s T r a p s J c a m e r a b a g s J T r i p o D s
T h o s e l i T T l e e x T r a s s h o W y o u c a r e
C a m e r a B u y i n g
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other sourCes of info
J W o r D o f m o u T h J T h e i n T e r n e T• e x c e l l e n T s o u r c e o f r e V i e W s• w w w . d p r e v i e w . c o m
J s a l e s p e o p l e
a n h o u r j u s T i s n ’ T e n o u g h T i m e
the endc a m e r a b u y i n g T i p s