Welcome ToDC_101:

Digital Camera Basics, Buying, and Use in the

ClassroomOnline Module

Session 1

Presented by:Gwyneth Jones

Library Media/Technology Specialist

Following the links in this Slideshow, you will learn what digital photography is and how this dynamic new medium has taken photography to an exciting new level. You’ll see the evolution of the digital camera, quality, capacity, and price. How digital photography works, the basics, and what the heck a pixel is and why it is important. You will also explore how to find the right photography online, and the fair use/copyright issues surrounding their use in the classroom.

Session 1 – Pixel, Pixel, What the Heck is a Pixel?

The Evolution of the Digital Camera:

Click on Photo for more info

CameraCamera

Year Introduced

1995 1996 1998 20052005 20092009

Pixels 307,000 pixels

•1.3 mega pixels

•2.0 mega pixels

5.1 5.1 mega pixels

7.2 mega7.2 mega

pixelspixels

Price: $1200 •$1000 •$850 $350!$350! $99$99

The Conclusion? Cameras have gotten better AND cheaper!

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

The Basics:

Digital cameras have been around (affordably) since 1997.

From the first Apple Quick Time cameras that were powered with AA batteries, had only so-

so quality, and could only hold 8 high resolution pictures to the super hi def 6+pixel

cameras that now can take thousands of quality images on one memory stick and can

last hours using a lithium battery. We’ve come a long way, baby!

The Basics:

Today, the digital camera it has revolutionized how we use and adapt

images in the classroom and the school environment. Before digital cameras, we had to use expensive and poor quality

Polaroid pictures for that "instant gratification" of having a picture right away. Now we can take a picture, see it, show it, and print it almost as fast as that Polaroid

took to develop!

The Basics:Advantages of Digital Photography

“Digital photography will open up a whole new world to you. It takes photography to the next level of fun, creativity, and excitement. For example, you can: Take 100’s of pictures without paying a penny for film.No more buying, and carrying around, rolls of delicate film. Do you remember keeping film in the refrigerator so it would stay "fresh"?

The Basics:Advantages of Digital Photography, cont.

…From now on there’s no film, period. With a digital camera you can carry around the equivalent of more than 50 of rolls of film on a reusable chip roughly the size of large postage stamp.”To read more about the benefits of digital photography go to:

The Basics:About Digital CamerasDigital 101“If you aren’t up for learning a whole new technological interface, digital cameras function very much like your standard film camera. Just pick one, pay for it and start taking great pictures! Well almost. First you have to decide which camera to purchase. If you think desktop computers are changing rapidly, digital cameras are changing at warp speed.”

The Basics:About Digital Cameras“Every few months camera manufacturers dump their old technology and bring out new and improved models. If you were to try to keep up with the changes happening in the industry it could be a full time job. At last count there were over 15 major manufacturers, all vying to produce the latest and greatest camera.”To read more about how digital photography works go to:

The Basics:Pixel, Pixel, what the heck is a Pixel?And why is it important?

“The number of pixels per inch that are in a given picture determines how sharp the resultant picture is perceived. But after a certain point, it does not matter how many pixels make up a 5" x 6" picture because the human eye can’t tell the difference.”

The Basics:Pixel, Pixel, what the heck is a Pixel?And why is it important?“So what more pixels really get you is the ability to produce a bigger picture. More pixels equal bigger prints, period. All the rest is talk. Here are photographic quality prints you can expect from different CCDs:”

The Basics:Pixel, Pixel, What the Heck is a Pixel?

So what does this mean? If you want a great image larger than 8X10 then you will need to get a digital camera with 4+megapixels, otherwise a 3 megapixel is fine!After all, how often will you need a 5 megapixel image of 18”X20” or larger?

The Basics:Pixel Wonderland Example

1.3 megapixel from 1999 3.2 megapixel from 2005

As seen through a kitchen renovation digital diary

Can you see the difference?

The Basics:

1.3 megapixel from 1999 3.2 megapixel from 2005

As seen through a kitchen renovation digital diary

Enlarged portion from the previous two pictures -

On the left is what we call a pixelated image.

Pixel -What’s the Diff? Example

The Basics:

So, you want to learn more about the digital camera? •Digital Photo Myths Dispelled: Megapixels, Web accelerators, batteries, memory cards, and more. An excellent and easy to read article by the digi guru himself, PC World’s Dave Johnson

•Here is a great article of everything you wanted to know and more about digital photography by the nature photog himself, Bob Atkins

•Do you like quick answers to common questions? If so, check out: Digital Camera FAQ-great info by fellow MAC aficionado, Jeff Keller

The Digital Camera - A beginner's guide

Copyright Issues:

Obviously, if you use an image you took with your camera, you have full rights to use it in any way you wish in the classroom. But if you want to use images found on websites or image galleries, you need to get permission or follow copyright and fair use policies. To learn more, check out: The Educator's Guide to Copyright and Fair UseA handy PDF chart you can download, print, and keep is at the end of the article.

Using Digital Images in the Classroom

Take 5 pictures of 5 subjects that have particular meaning to you. It could be your: plasma TV, favourite book, pet, kids, significant other, motorcycle, car, a special place, anything that resonates as to who you are, what is meaningful to you, or what you like. Email these 5 images as an attachment to the DC_101 Conference with a short paragraph introducing yourself to the class by next Monday. Don’t have access to a camera? Go to the Next slide.

Homework:A Digital Discovery of Self

If you don’t have a digital camera right now, look on

Or

Collect 8-10 pictures and create a folder of these images on your HD - Email 5 as an attachment to the DC_101 Conference with a short paragraph introducing yourself to the class and why these images are significant.

Homework:A Digital Discovery of Self

Questions? Concerns? Feel free to Email me at gwyneth_jones@hcpss.org