Digital Camera Accessories - Cover The Bases

By: Idan Lavi

There is no denying the fact that digital cameras haven taken the world by storm in the last decade. As technology continues to develop and pictures taken on them prove incredible, the amount of digital camera accessories to make your photos even better is really on the rise. Where only a few extras used to be available, digital camera enthusiasts are finding a whole host of choices these day. Some of these accessories are essentials, while others just make digital photography more convenient.

Must Haves

Extra Memory

With digital cameras offering such ease in shooting, those who want to take high-quality pictures find themselves tearing through memory cards rather quickly. These digital camera accessories are generally pretty affordable and are more than easy to carry. Typically the size of postage stamp or just slightly larger, extra memory cards can be used by anyone from the professional shooter to the amateur on vacation.

Spare Batteries

It might be hard to consider these as an accessory, but the fact is many who own these cameras do. While most digital camera batteries can last a long time, when they run out in the middle of a vacation or a particularly fun shoot, it can be really irritating. Having a spare set can really come in handy. It`s best to consider rechargeable spares to save on replacement costs down the road.

Weatherproof Camera Bag

When it comes to digital camera accessories, this one is a must have for anyone that intends to take their camera outside, ever. Providing protection from bad weather and drops alike, these accessories aren`t very expensive either and they can help store those extra batteries and memory cards, too.

Love To Haves

Lighting mechanisms

This particular class of digital camera accessory might almost fit into the must have list. While most digital cameras take very good pictures, there onboard flashes tend to leave a lot to be desired. There are all kind of lighting mechanisms that are available that can remedy this. Some are designed to work with specific cameras and others are standalones that can assist in any photography setting. These are great for anyone who wants to take spectacular shots to consider.

Tripods

When it comes to digital camera accessories, this is one any serious shooter might want to consider. These help take away the shake that`s involved in some settings and can really help create spectacular images.

Extra Lenses

Not all cameras will accept these digital camera accessories, but those that do can really benefit from zoom lenses. Providing a way to really turn a digital into an all-purpose camera, lenses should be considered by those who can use them.

When it comes to digital camera accessories, the options are becoming amazing. The above is just a small list of those available. While not everyone will need many digital camera accessories to take the pictures they want, it`s nice to know options are out there

Photography 101: Memory Cards for Digital Cameras

By: Jennifer Clarkson

What is a Memory Card?
A memory card is a storage device commonly used by digital cameras to write digital photos. It is a mechanism to store your photos, and later transfer them to computer for processing and printing. Essentially, a memory card is to a digital camera what a hard drive is to a computer. That means that the size of your memory card directly affects how many digital photos you can store, and the speed of your memory card directly affects the how fast your digital camera can read and write photos!

The Need for Speed
As digital cameras evolve to store higher quality images, image size increases, and it becomes more important to find a memory card that is fast enough to write these images before you want to take another shot. Compact Flash (CF) and Secure Digital (SD) formats are two types of memory cards that are improving their speeds dramatically to keep up with high megapixel counts in newer digital cameras. Not only does a faster memory card allow you to take a second shot sooner, but it also results in quicker download to your computer. The larger your memory card's storage limit, the more important transfer speed becomes. Otherwise, a 2 GB memory card might require an hour of transfer time!

Memory card speeds are measured based on a standard where 1x equals the transfer of 150 KB per second. That means that a 10x memory card transfers data at a rate of 1.5 MB per second and a 133x memory card transfers data at a rate of almost 20 MB per second. These numbers usually indicate the best possible rate when the card is used with a digital camera that has a super fast recording capability. Certainly not every digital camera is coded in such a way as to take advantage of these peak transfer rates, so you may wish to research very fast cards before purchasing. For example, Lexar has a line of 133x memory cards, but the super fast rates required digital cameras to be designed specifically with their card's technology in mind - in this case, they provided a list of cameras that would result in fast rates, but my camera wasn't on the list.

There are two types of speeds you should be aware of, each of which is measured relative to 1x:

1. Write speed - the time it takes your digital camera to save an image to the memory card
   
2. Read speed - the time it takes your digital camera to open an image on the memory card
   

Care of Memory Cards
Here are some TIPS from the professionals on how to keep your memory card functioning correctly for years to come:

1. Reformat your memory cards periodically to remove residue files system information and help optimize data access and storage. Try formatting after you transfer your files, or before a major shoot. Remember, when you reformat your memory card, you will lose all images stored on it, so be sure your transferred copies are good.
   
2. Never remove a memory card from your digital camera or card reader until the processing is complete - there should be a blinking light to indicate that transfer is in progress. Cards can be damaged if you remove it during image transfer.
   
3. Replace or recharge batteries when the low battery light comes on so that your digital camera does not run out of power while writing your last shot to the memory card. You could corrupt an image or your card during an important or memorable trip otherwise.
   
4. Never expose your memory card to excessive heat or moisture.

Upgrading your Memory Card Firmware
The firmware on your memory card is its operating system (OS), and occasionally needs to be updated. Your memory card's manufacturer will most likely make an update available for download from the internet, directly to your digital camera or card reader.

But before you upgrade, be aware that the latest version of the firmware may affect the promise of speed. One article I read suggested that the Lexar 133x WA CF card had better performance after a firmware upgrade, although that only coincided with a firmware upgrade on the digital camera it was being tested against. So it may be worth your while to compare your current firmware version against the latest offered by your manufacturer and see if the changes in functionality or performance are important to you. Be sure you look for disclaimers or notes about side-effects. You will not likely be notified in person when memory card firmware upgrades are made available to consumers.


Author: Jennifer Clarkson is a Canadian Photographer living in Ottawa. To browse her Photo Galleries and read more of her Photography Tips, please visit her website at Jennifer Clarkson Photography

Article source: Articlecat.com