A good many of my friends and family members still haven't waded into the arena of digital photography, and I have been wondering if this isn't because there's still an aura of mystery about the process. Or, questions still linger in their minds, such as..
- Do I need this?
- How much should I spend?
- What equipment should I get?
- How do I get the photos into my computer?
Allow me to offer some advice...
DO YOU NEED IT?
The way I see it, digital photography is the kingpin in photography these days. A digital camera (and its processes) is in the long run cheaper, more convenient, and more flexible than a traditional film camera for just about anything you as a consumer are likely to do, including:
- Getting prints made
- Making scrapbooks -(printed or online)
- Sharing photos online or via e-mail
- Documenting your house or possessions
- Documenting your kids, vacations, etc.
I still do keep a couple of film cameras around the house, but they are rarely, if ever used.
HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU SPEND?
Here's a suggestion if you're still on the fence: SPEND AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE. And that's because you can get a great digital camera for about $100 these days. I did recently - I wanted a 2nd digital camera to supplement my Canon Digital Rebel XT, so I went to Amazon and purchased the least expensive Canon PowerShot I could find (I ended up getting the PowerShot 460 - for about $100).
I have been amazed at the quality of the photos it takes without my having to do anything. I heartily recommend this small, simple camera as a starter camera for anyone starting out in digital photography. And it doesn't feel like too big a dent in the pocketbook.
WHAT EQUIPMENT TO GET
OK, so put the PowerShot 460 on your shopping list and then you'll also need the following items:
- A larger memory card (Most cameras come with tiny cards. Get a 1GB card, instead.)
- A memory card reader to read the contents of your memory card into your computer. A brand I have been happy with is SanDisk - readily available in any electronics store. Using a card reader is, I find, much easier than hooking the computer up to your camera with a little cable every time you want to import photos to your computer.
- Some kind of digital photo software to organize your photos (Macs come with iPhoto, so you're all set if you have a Mac. An alternative for Windows user is a free application called Picasa, available from Google.)
- (optional) A photo printer (with corresponding paper & ink cartridges). I say optional because some folks may not have room for it, or may wish to send their photos out to a printer. I highly recommend the new, high-definition Epson Stylus Photo R380, which produces the best home prints I've seen is also only about $100. Linda likes Epson's PictureMate 200 series. (see her post: Print Photos Like a Pro).
GETTING PHOTOS INTO YOUR COMPUTER
Simply put, your memory card reader acts as a little transfer station. When you're done taking photos, remove the memory card from your camera, and pop the card in the card reader, and the photo software (iPhoto or Picasa) will sense the presence of the images on the disk, and then walk you through the process of "importing" your photos to the computer (more about Getting Started with Picasa).
Every software package has its own user interface metaphor for how to organize photos. Generally you group photos into albums or folders; the latest version of iPhoto also uses an "event" metaphor, which is helpful especially if you take a lot of "friends and family" kind of photos (Donna's Birthday Party, Johnson Family Reunion, Baby's First Walk - that kind of thing).
That's it in a nutshell. Digital photography should be fun, not a chore. My advice: keep it simple.
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