Digital camera versus 35mm camera is a big discussion among many avid photographers. The 35mm camera has been the camera used by photographers for years. Using 35mm film requires chemical processing in order to expose the photos taken. Digital cameras on the other hand do not require the use of film. At the same time, digital cameras don’t require any type of film to take a picture. 

Technological advances in photographic equipment have brought about the creation of sophisticated digital cameras. Digital cameras don’t require film so photos can easily be downloaded into a computer and printed later. The features of digital cameras have become so advanced and yet so simple to use that more and more people are opting to use them.

Digital photography simply requires the use of a computer and a colored printer to produce any shot taken. With digital photography, amateurs and even professional photographers can do it themselves. Unlike 35mm film photography where the users are particularly amateurs at the mercy of camera stores for the development of their photographs.

In most cases, users can even dictate the outcome of the pictures taken with a digital camera. Pictures can be printed on a variety of materials unlike 35mm film photography that require a lot of work just to be printed on anything other than the standard. However many conventional photographers attest to the durability of 35mm film photography as proven by history.

Although there are cases where digital photography has been used to salvage and restore 35mm film photographs. Pictures taken with a digital camera can easily be stored in a variety of formats from floppy discs to compact discs. Many traditionalists are concerned that the ever changing technology of digital cameras may soon make current formats obsolete.

Digital Photography for Amateurs and Professionals Alike

Digital photography has become quite popular because it is convenient and easy to use. A digital camera in the hands of an amateur photographer can produce some amazing shots that can outdo those taken by a professional with a conventional 35mm camera. Mainly because many of the digital cameras today include a number of features that only professional photographers using conventional cameras would know how to use.

At the same time, digital cameras can be used in various locations. Many digital cameras can even be used for underwater pictures which is a big improvement over shots taken with a traditional 35mm camera. Digital cameras can also be used to take wide shots like landscapes without sacrificing detail or color.

Choosing between Digital and 35mm

Photographers whose businesses rely on taking the right pictures require dependable equipment to help them create the imagery they need. However, many professionals are divided about the use of digital cameras over traditional 35mm cameras. Some prefer digital while others still prefer 35mm cameras.

Most photographers that capture major news or sporting events need equipment that will help them produce photos quickly and easily. Any delays will be costly. That is why, most news and sports photographers rely on digital cameras for prompt and straightforward results.

Next to these photographers, the advertising industry is another community that relies on digital photography. In most cases, shots taken for various ads using digital photography also rely on computer enhancements to add a few significant touches here and there. This is truly something that can’t be done with a traditional 35mm shot.

On the other hand, photographers who take various pictures concerning nature and animals rely on the traditional 35mm camera for results. For these purists, digital photography simply will not do. These photographers sacrifice speedy printing for quality that they believe only a 35mm camera can provide.

Despite the differences of both many photographers have actually combined both mediums to create the exact photo they want. In fact, most photographers own both types of cameras wherein either one serves as a backup to the other. 35mm cameras have become the backup to digital cameras.

Simply because digital cameras have become so simple that even a child can operate one. At the same time, digital cameras provide a wide assortment of features that would make any amateur photographer feel like a professional.

Digital cameras come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Different brands of digital cameras also offer users an array of features designed to make each and every shot fantastic. Despite the numerous features offered by digital cameras, manufacturers still manage to create products that are simple enough for a child to use.

Day by day digital cameras are becoming a well-known fixture in most homes across the globe. In fact, most of the people around the world own one and use it on a regular basis. Digital cameras have also been incorporated into a variety of technical gadgets that have been integrated into the lifestyle of people everywhere.

PDA devices as well as cellular phones are just some of the technological devices that have a digital camera feature. Despite being an add-on feature, the digital camera device installed in these gadgets fair relatively well compared to detached models.

As a matter of fact the memory used for digital cameras, detached models or otherwise, can easily be upgraded using memory cards. The added memory will certainly come in handy because most digital cameras can also be used to take video clips. 

There are numerous brands of digital cameras available on the market today. Mainstream electronic brands like Nikon, Kodak, Canon and Olympus are just some of the manufacturers of conventional 35mm cameras who have jumped on the bandwagon to create their own lines of digital cameras. Other famous brands that manufacture digital cameras include Panasonic, Casio and Sony.

Basic Features of Digital Cameras to Consider

Regardless of brand names, digital cameras have the same basic features that any consumer should know and consider before buying one. Even though digital cameras are generally a point and shoot device, certain features can often single out a particular brand or model. A good example of this is the term megapixel, which became known when digital cameras were introduced in the market.

Megapixels, which means millions of pixels, measure the quality and size of a digital camera. Pixels refer to the dots that make up a picture. Therefore a digital camera that has about a 5-megapixel resolution will produce better quality pictures compared to a 3-megapixel digital camera.

Moreover, photos taken with a digital camera that offers greater megapixels can be enlarged safely without sacrificing the quality of the picture. Average digital cameras with less than 3 megapixels often forfeit the clarity of the picture once it is enlarged. Unfortunately, there is a downside to using a digital camera with greater megapixels as they consume more of the camera’s memory.

The zoom function of a digital camera is another feature that most consumers should consider. There are generally two types of zoom features for many of the digital cameras on the market today. The optical zoom feature is common in devices without permanent lenses. The user can simply zoom and focus on the subject to be photographed.

A digital zoom feature is similar to using an editing software program for images. In most cases, a digital camera may offer both types of zoom features. Most digital camera users recommend concentrating on the optical zoom feature to validate the quality of the device.

What to Look for In a Digital Camera

A digital camera generally has an LCD screen. This wide screen replaces the small aperture in conventional cameras through which you look into before taking the shot. The LCD screen allows the photographer to view the picture while taking it to see how it would appear in reality.

Digital cameras have memory stick slots where memory sticks are inserted. Unfortunately, memory is another major consideration that many consumers often overlook. For the most part it is because digital cameras that require larger memory can be quite expensive.

On the whole, many of the digital cameras of today make use of rechargeable batteries. Consumers should check if the particular brand they wish to purchase comes with a charger. If not, then you need to purchase it separately.

Downloading pictures taken with the digital camera is another factor that need to be considered. In most cases, many digital cameras can easily be connected to a desktop computer using a USB port. Through this connection, a user may download the pictures taken with the camera into the computer’s hard drive for printing or editing.

The history of photography can be dated back to the 1800’s.  Photography got its name from the Greek words "photos" which means light and "graphein" meaning to draw. The first person to use this term was the scientist Sir John Herschel in the year 1839. Thus, photography means the method or process of registering images with the aid of light , related radiation, on a medium that is made of sensitive materials.

The first image

During one summer day in the year 1827, the Frenchman Joseph Nicephore Niepce was able to achieve the creation of the first image that was fixed by working on it for 8 hours. His compatriot, Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre on the other hand was able to lower exposure time to a period of less than 30 minutes as well as preventing the captured image from disappearing.

Daguerre and the daguerreotype

Daguerre was the first to invent the most practical process for developing pictures during their time. He was born to a place in close proximity to Paris, France. Before experimenting on photography, he was a professional painter of various scenes in operas. After many years of experimentation with light and its effects on images, Daguerre was able to develop a process to make pictures that were more efficient and effective. He sold the rights to the French government then wrote a book describing his invention. 

The pinhole camera

Ibn Al-Haytham, who lived in the middle ages, was a greatly known in the field of optics. The pinhole camera was invented by Al-Haytham with the resulting image viewed upside down. A European named Della Porta was able to re-invent the pinhole camera, this enabled him to publish information regarding the pinhole camera.

The flashbulb

An Austrian named Paul Vierkotter is credited to be the first person to invent the flashbulb. He used a wire coated with magnesium which was placed in a glass globe that was vacuum sealed. This was later replaced with an aluminum foil inside an enclosure filled with oxygen.  The flashbulb became commercially available in the year 1930. It was patented by a German national, Johannes Ostermeier. The flashbulbs were called "vacublitz". General Electric, a company engaging in suh ventures made their own version which was termed "Sashalite".

Instant photos

You can take instant pictures using a polaroid camera. This type of camera was created by Edwin Land. His work on photography enabled a new age in photography wherein pictures can be obtained instantly. The exposure time was no longer a factor.

These are some fast facts that wil help you understand more the history of photography. Having a clear idea of how photography started will help you with your passion for pictures. 

I’ve never been savvy about technology. I was always quite content to use those Kodak disposable cameras that you can buy pretty much anywhere and they take some really great photos. Apparently, my family thought that it was time that I came out of my shell and joined the rest of the modern world. When I first announced that my husband and I were expecting our first child, my parents decided that we needed to have a digital camera. They insisted that it would save us so much money and make things so much nicer for us.

My father told us how we can save the photos or delete them instead of paying to develop an entire roll of film for horrible photos. My mom said that a digital camera would give us much better quality photos and she expected her grandchild’s pictures to be spectacular. I tended to agree but hated to admit to it. Besides, didn’t a digital camera cost a lot of money?

For Christmas, one month after the conversation, I unwrapped the first present and found a digital camera. What a shock. My father told us that he was searching for a digital camera that would be perfect for us and came upon this top quality one. He insisted that it was not too expensive and would be very simple to learn how to use. I figured that figuring out a digital camera would be my husband’s job, not mine. However, after I started to experiment with it, I decided that joining modern civilization could be exciting after all.

I absolutely loved owning a digital camera. Before too long, I found that it was very simple to use and the photos were definitely a much better quality. My only complaint was that the batteries didn’t seem to stay charged for too long, but switching battery brands changed that immediately.

Having a digital camera has come in handy so many times since becoming a parent. I love that I don’t need to waste my money developing photos that I know her eyes ended up closing or she started to cry. I can simply delete the photos and start over. A digital camera has definitely caught some wonderful moments in my new family. I’ve found myself taking more photos now than I ever did before. I am also getting more creative with the photos that I am taking. At a year old, my daughter sees a digital camera, or any camera, and knows to smile. She’s become quite the little model for me.

A digital camera captures so many more colors and details than a disposable camera does. As much as I hated to admit it, my parents’ suggestions of owning a digital camera were some of the best suggestions they’ve ever made.