Digital Camera Guide, page 2, continued from previous page
Guide to Digital Cameras
This article is excerpted from Real World Digital Photography, by Deke McClelland and Katrin Eismann
To help you decide on the best camera, we've broken digital cameras down into five categories. Each camera type is classified according to cost, quality, and ease-of-use, as well as the kind of photography it's best suited for. The table below gives you a cheat sheet of the categories.
Entry-level: Basic digital cameras with few features and limited image quality.
Deluxe point-and-shoot: These cameras offer more controls and produce better images than the entry-level ones do.
Professional lite: Features, quality, and ease-of-use make these cameras ideal for many different jobs, ranging from graphic and Web design to insurance and real estate documentation to producing in-house catalogs.
Professional: The Ferraris of digital cameras, producing images that meet or exceed the quality of film.
Gadget: Toy cameras, and cameras that are built into computers.
Each digital camera category has its advantages, disadvantages, and appropriate uses. You will learn that you don't always need the most expensive digital camera to do the best job. For example, using a professional-quality camera to take pictures at the company picnic would be like taking the Concorde to go across town--a waste of technology and money.
This handy camera chart compares Camera Type, Image Quality, Features, Price, and uses.
Who Is Using Entry-Level Digital Cameras?
The snapshot taker, graphic designer, insurance claims adjuster, and educator whose image-quality expectations aren't too high can use these cameras to take pictures for in-house reports and Web presentations. Many entry-level digital cameras, such as the Agfa ePhoto 307, Apple QuickTake 150 or 200, Canon PowerShot 350, Kodak DC-40 and DC-50, and Olympus D-220L may no longer be available for sale, but if you have one you can still use it--if you keep your pictures simple.
Are you a graphic or Web designer? Even though the image quality is very low, you can still use an entry-level camera to take pictures of products, people, or locations "For Position Only" in a page layout. After the client has approved the concept, you can hire a professional photographer to compose, light, and photograph the subject to your specifications.
Did you have an accident? Work with an entry-level camera to document your insurance claims reports. These cameras provide more then enough image quality to prove that there is a dent in the right rear bumper of a car. Professional insurance adjusters use entry-level digital cameras to take pictures of automobile and property damage claims on a daily basis.
Do you have a point to make? Teachers work with entry-level cameras to document class projects and add excitement to their classes. The relative low cost of these cameras reduces some of the anxiety of letting an excited student handle them. Some cameras, such as the Sony Mavica MVC-FD71, store the photos on an ordinary floppy disk so the students can easily take their pictures home to show their parents.
Why Wouldn't You Buy Entry-Level?
After the novelty of these cameras wears off, and the reality of the lower image quality sets in, many people put these cameras in the "to be forgotten" drawer right beside that broken Walkman. If this might be you--if you think you need to show more detail, or you want better color and overall picture quality--you can avoid disappointment and frustration by spending a little more money and buying a deluxe point-and-shoot digital camera.
Next: Is a Deluxe Point-and-Shoot Right for You?
If you would like to list your favorite, just let us know.