Knowing basic information about digital cameras and their features will not only result in better images, but it will cause you to appreciate the digital technology that so many people take for granted.

Digital cameras have many different features available.  Some of them are essential features, and others are so obscure that you might not even know how they work!  By gaining a better understanding of your digital camera, and learning about the digital camera’s different features, you will be better able to use your camera and achieve higher quality images.

A Digital Camera’s Resolution

Do you throw around words like “resolution” and “mega pixel” without knowing what the words actually mean?  Learning about your digital camera’s resolution will help you to make a decision if you ever choose to purchase a digital camera, and it will result in better pictures overall.

A digital camera’s resolution has to do with the sharpness of the photo.  You can obtain higher quality photos with higher resolution.  How is resolution measured?  In mega pixels, of course!

There is a popular misconception that more mega pixels lead to better pictures. This is not the case. If you’re a casual shooter who won’t be printing pictures larger than 8×10″ or doing extensive computer editing, then a camera with 5- or 6-megapixel resolution will be sufficient.

Mega pixels are composed of light-sensing “specks.”  One million of these “specks” is equivalent to one mega pixel.  The more mega pixels a digital camera has, the higher resolution it has.  Thus, a 3.0 mega pixel digital camera produces higher-quality images than a 1.0 mega pixel camera does.

Zoom is more important than you think

You can also take better pictures by learning about your digital camera’s zoom features.  There are two different types of zooms in a digital camera: optical zoom and digital zoom.

Whether you’re shooting distant wildlife or close-up portraits, you can never have too much zoom. The majority of digital cameras have 3-, or 4x optical zoom, but you will never regret choosing a model with more telephoto power.

Optical zoom refers to the ability of the digital camera’s lens to zoom in, so as to magnify a certain object, while in the process of taking the picture.  Using the optical zoom does not lessen the quality or resolution of the image.

On the other hand, digital zoom will result in images of lesser quality.  A camera’s digital zoom has to do with the photographer’s ability to use the camera’s digital software to zoom in and out of the image, allowing them to crop an image before the photo is even taken.

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Basic Digital Camera Features