CHOOSING A DIGITAL CAMERA
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Resolution | Memory | Optics | Where to Buy

Digital cameras are revolutionizing photography.  At Bird Films, we feel it is our job to help bring you forward in your transition from traditional 35mm to the exciting dynamic world of digital photography. 

The main difference between a digital camera and a 35mm camera is that a digital camera doesn't use film.  Instead of film, light-sensing devices, such as a CCD or CMOS chip, capture your images made up of pixels or picture elements just like in your TV and converts them into a digital file (e.g.. JPEG, TIFF, RAW, etc.).  These files can then be stored on a memory card or other digital storage device.  Digital pictures are easily transferred to your home computer where you can print, email or even post pictures on the web.

This technology has enabled the consumer to readily print their photos at home on a photo printer.  Needless to say, printing at home is not always the best route to take as most home photo printers are expensive in terms of cost/print, and lacking in image quality.  In this fast paced, busy world of ours, we believe printing is something our customers should let us worry about.  We recognize that most people simply do not have the time to print their own photos at home and that is why we are in the process of providing as many options to print for our customers as possible.   

At Bird Films, you will not only encounter great customer service and attention, but also the comfort and quiet of home when you sit down at one of our many in-store photo kiosks.  We actively invite our customers to come in to our store, sit down at a kiosk and order their photos themselves.  If they want assistance, we are there to help.  If they prefer to drop off their memory card, CD or other memory device to have us print their photos for them, no problem.  To further accommodate our customers, we have an online print service to enable the transfer of print orders from your home computer to our store via the internet.  The customer can either pick up the prints in-store or have them mailed directly to their home.  The name of our online photo service is FOTO DEPOT.  It is very simple to use and costs nothing to join.  Once you try it, you will find it's many benefits.  On FOTO DEPOT, you can order standard prints and enlargements as well as PHOTO BOOKS, GREETING CARDS, PHOTO MUGS, PHOTO CALENDARS, and much much more.  The beauty of our online service is you can place your order anytime from your home or office computer.  Give it a try by simply clicking on the FOTO DEPOT icon on our home page.

With digital cameras you can take as many pictures as you want, store them on your computer, and only print the ones you want - when you want them.  And you can play with your pictures after you take them - clear up blemishes, change the lighting, sharpen up images, remove red-eye and so on.

RESOLUTION

There are a few key features to look for when shopping for a digital camera.  The first thing to look for is resolution.  Resolution refers to the clarity of the picture and is captured in pixels.  Generally speaking, the more pixels the camera has, the higher the resolution and the more detailed the photo.  How many pixels you need depends on how you plan on using your images.

If you plan on using your digital camera for computer based picture sharing (i.e.. images through email or web based sharing) then you don't need as many pixels.  The computer screen won't show a big difference between a moderate resolution sized image and a high resolution one.  A good approximation of the maximum resolution a screen will display, web based graphics generally use 72 dots per inch (dpi).  

MEMORY

Be sure to find out about the camera's memory capacity and expandability.  Memory capacity will determine how many pictures you can store on your camera before you have to download them to a computer, CD or have them printed.

Most digital cameras don't have as much memory as you would like meaning that you will fill up the memory and need to download, delete, or have the images printed before you can take more shots.  More memory capacity means more pictures, or the ability to take pictures at higher quality resolution. Higher resolution shots will take up more memory space than lower resolution pictures.

Adding a memory card expands the memory capacity so you can take more pictures before needing to download.  Most digital cameras are expandable, but check to be 100% sure!  The capacity of memory cards varies considerably from 2GB all the way up to 32GB, so you have plenty of choices available.  Make sure you know which type of memory card your digital camera takes.  There are many types currently on the market with the most common being; SD, SDHC,  memory stick, xD, and compact flash.

OPTICS

A digital camera's optics, or lens, is the key to high quality pictures.  Millions of pixels will not help you produce beautiful photos if the picture is taken through an inadequate lens.  The following points are important when referring to a camera's optics: fixed focal length (no zoom), variable focal lengths (optical zoom), digital zoom, and aperture.

When a camera has a fixed focal length lens, it means that there is no zoom or movement to the lens just like a disposable camera.  With this type of lens, if you want your subject closer, you will need to move closer to your subject.  The lens is less flexible than a zoom but may be less expensive.

Digital cameras have two different types of zoom options.  The first option is the traditional optical zoom.  Optical zoom is the same as a zoom lens on a traditional camera, where the image appears closer in the frame when you zoom in on the subject.  When you zoom in and out, the glass actually moves inside the lens, magnifying or reducing the size of your subject.  The second option is digital zoom.  In this case, the lens doesn't move at all.  The camera's software makes the original image larger - no different than when you are enlarging and cropping an image on your computer.  The difference between the two types of zoom is evident in the final image.  The optical zoom image will seem sharper than the digital zoom, because digital zoom "interpolates" the pixels to enlarge the image, thereby causing the image to appear more "pixelated"
Many digital cameras offer a combination of both optical and digital zoom. 

WHERE SHOULD I BUY

Digital cameras can be purchased almost anywhere these days and prices are very competitive.  It is, however, our opinion that the best place to purchase a digital camera and associated accessories is from a photo specialty shop (such as Bird Films) because you receive superior knowledge, information, and service that you rarely do from big box merchandisers.  Cost is not the only factor to consider when purchasing a digital camera.  An important fact to remember is that photo specialty is renown for its follow up service and attention after the sale.  Bird Films service is always personal and we specialize in helping you before and AFTER your purchase! ...  and remember, Bird Films will match ANY competitors current advertised price - just bring the ads in!

"TRUST THE PEOPLE KODAK TRUSTS".... Bird Films since 1928!