I want to buy a really really good digital camera…any ideas?

I want it to be really fast and take VERY high quality photos…does anyone know any that are really good?

Photography 101: Taking Sharper Photos

Yes, it’s possible to sharpen images digitally post-shoot, but it’s always best to get the sharpest shot up front, before your photo is even developed. It’s really quite easy to improve the sharpness of your daily shots – just consider these concepts!

1) Use a Tripod, if at all possible

Tripods are by far the best method of ensuring image sharpness right in the camera. The platform created by your tripod stabilizes the camera such that camera shake due to human interference is not an issue, regardless of the level of light available to you, and thus the length of your exposure.

2) Use a Proper Handholding Posture when a tripod is not practical

When tripods are not practical or if you don’t have access to one, you should assume the proper handholding posture to minimize camera shake:

Hold the camera with both hands such that your right hand has a finger on the shutter release button, and your left hand cradles the camera body (not the lens – it’s ok to rest your fingers against the lens, but be sure you don’t interfere with auto focus). Press your elbows tightly against your torso and raise the camera to eye level (for SLR) or so that you can see the LCD (digital P&S), but never hold the camera with extended arms as this increases shake. Stabilize your body against a solid object if you can – a wall or lamp post will do. Use the focus lock feature by depressing the shutter release button half way; once the focus is locked, take a deep breath, and depress the button fully to take your shot while exhaling.

3) Use Image Stabilization (IS) or Vibration Reduction (VR) Lenses

Some lenses for SLR cameras include built-in methods of reducing camera shake. If you have such a lens, make sure you enable IS or VR when shooting hand-held. This technology reduces the effects of camera motion on image sharpness by countering the slight lens movements that result in a blurry image. In general, these lenses allow you to hand-hold a camera at a full stop increase over non-IS or non-VR lenses. These lenses are much more expensive than regular lenses, but if you find yourself hand-holding most of your shots with blurry results, it might be worth the investment. See my article on lens characteristics for more informatio
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4) Increase your shutter speed

The faster your shutter speed, the less apparent camera shake will be. Obviously, if the shutter is left open for 4 seconds then the slightest movement will result in a soft image, even the movement of the shutter release button! Conversely, if the shutter speed is 1/2000th of a second then hardly any movement will result in image blur. As a guideline, at ISO 100, you should restrict your handheld shots to the reciprocal of your lens focal length. Here is a chart that illustrates this principle, along with the effect of image stabilization:

Lens Focal Length Min. Shutter Speed for Handheld Same Lens with IS
28 mm 1/30th second 1/15th second
50 mm 1/60th second 1/30th second
85 mm 1/125th second 1/60th second
100 mm 1/125th second 1/60th second
180 mm 1/250th second 1/125th second
400 mm 1/500th second 1/250th second

If you are stuck handholding your camera at shutter speeds that are slower than the reciprocal, then you should use flash or increase your ISO setting. The lower the ISO setting, the lower the noise, so it’s always best to stick with ISO 100; however, to reduce camera shake, it may be worth the trade-off to raise the ISO to 200, 400, or even higher.

5) Check your AF (auto-focus) sensors to confirm area of highest focus

When using auto-focus mode, most cameras confirm with tiny red lights which part of the image is in sharpest focus before taking the shot. Be sure your camera has the same subject in mind that you do, or else your main subject may not be emphasized the way you had imagined. If the sensor picking up the area of focused is not hitting the area you want, it’s best to set it manually. You can do this by disabling auto-focus, or by recomposing your scene such that the correct area is selected, depressing the shutter release button half way to keep the exposure locked, and returning to your original composition.

6) Use continuous shooting mode

By taking two or more shots of the same scene in rapid succession (by keeping the shutter release button depressed), you remove the effect that pressing the shutter release button can have on camera shake. In other words, your second shot (and any subsequent shots, until you release the button) will not experience any shake due to vibration of the shutter release since the first shot took the brunt of it.

7) Use moderate apertures

The rule here is that your lens does its best focusing when set to two stops smaller than its widest aperture. For example, if your lens’ widest aperture is f/2.8, then it will produce the sharpest images (not at f/4) at f/5.6. Even high quality lenses with aspheric and low-dispersion glass elements may not produce their sharpest images at their widest apertures.

By: Jennifer Clarkson

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Jennifer Clarkson is a Canadian Photographer living in Ottawa. For more information about sharpening images, or to browse other Photography Tips and articles, please visit her website at

I've been looking around already…Good digital camera for me? What I'm kinda looking for… *Please help?

I want something thats small, takes awesome pictures, has lots of settings, rechargeable batteries is a plus, and perhaps water proof? -I know theres some out there, I had a friend who had one that was digital and she could bring it in the pool with her.-
I'm not looking for a career in professional photography or anything thing, so I don't want to have to pay upwards of $500, but I still wanna get something that, when I do take pictures, they'll look good, without me having to go on a photo editor and edit them alot.
I wanna be able to take pictures that look like this

http://chemicalroxy.deviantart.com/art/glimmer-77935506
http://nesti191.deviantart.com/art/love-77936229
http://complejo.deviantart.com/art/Love-Story-41641152
http://kedralynn.deviantart.com/art/To-Love-a-Woman-26914345
http://saturdayx.deviantart.com/art/heartbreakerclothing-V-87565406
http://uncommondepth.deviantart.com/art/In-The-Valley-Of-Greed-77937442

Is it possible? Any suggestions? Please and thank you =]

What is a good site to get digital camera comparison reviews free?

With so many digital cameras out there, I don't know what to pick. How can I get a good unbiased rating of different cameras without paying for a subscription? I want to pay about $200 and I want as many megapixils as I can get plus a good zoom, some macro capacity as well as some wide angle and not too too heavy and that won't break down too easily, A good buy for my money. A lot to ask?

There are loads of reasons why the 5D Mk2 is the ideal choice if you’re planning on getting a Cannon SLR Digital Camera. The auto focus system is accurate and very fast when used on single-shot mode, the auto-exposure system is also very accurate and sets just the right camera settings. But before we gush on and on about how great a camera the Canon 5D Mk2 is, let’s first break down the camera’s basic features.

The 21-megapixel 5D Mk2 has a 3-inch LCD screen that is capable of displaying over 900,000 pixels of different colors. The LCD on this baby is probably on of the best ones you’ll ever find on a digital SLR camera. The Live View feature is also extremely helpful for critical focusing, however, you can only use it for a certain period of time because it drains the camera’s battery. Using the Live View for too long will also cause the CMOS circuitry to heat up, which in turn adds noise to the shots you take.

The Canon 5d Mk2 comes with an optional BG-E6 battery grip which makes it easier to hold the camera. The battery grip can simultaneously accommodate six AA alkaline or rechargeable batteries and two Canon lithium batteries. The 5d Mk2 is also capable of shooting video clips and short movies. However, user reviews say that the video mode doesn’t have customizable settings for ISO, iris, or shutter speed. The only setting you can tweak in video mode is the color temperature. Some users also complain that the LCD doesn’t display on-screen indicators to show the current camera settings.

There is, however, an exposure lock button which will fix the camera’s settings to whatever condition is displayed on the LCD at the exact time you press the lock button. So what you basically do is you pan the 5d Mk2 around the view and location, and when you find a good setting for brightness, color, and exposure, you press the exposure lock button. The downside is that the exposure lock is reset after every shot or scene, giving you inconsistent exposures if you have multiple takes.

The Canon 5d Mk2 shoots at 30 frames per second, and not 29.97. The 0.03 difference in fps means you have to use a program (like Apple Cinema Tools) to change the header of each file before you can edit your footage to the normal 29.97 fps, 1080i or 1080p timeline. But if you’re only shooting videos for high-quality release on the web, the 30 fps shouldn’t be a problem. All in all, the 5d Mk2 is a good choice for a Cannon SLR digital camera. But if you will use it mainly to shoot videos, you might want to rethink getting a model that operates on 29.97 fps instead.

Getting the perfect camera, is never an easy thing, especially with the way digital technology is constantly changing. Fortunately, there are plenty of helpful websites online, that can narrow down your search and help you find the camera with all the features important to you.

If you’ve been keeping up with my blog posts lately you’ll know I’ve come to adding a few news posts from around the web on this subject. I’ve got a couple more today that are new and updated, so let me know what you think of em…

Internalizing Simple Photography Camera Tips

A would-be photographer must master all skills involving photography camera tips. However, this must start by familiarizing the features of your digital camera. Look for one that is compatible with your needs. Do not just buy it because …

Handygirl | Dolce Pics – Digital Photography Tips

I didn’t have the camera handy and debated whether or not to go and grab it. It took a little self persuasion but I finally did bother to get it and I’m glad I did. Without photos or video, for that matter, I probably won’t be able to …

Internet Tips & Technology » Blog Archive » Canon PowerShot SD880 …

… makes taking group photos go with as much ease as possible Equipped with Motion Detection Technology and the most up-to-date DIGIC 4 image processor, this small and lightweight digital camera ensures quality photos with every shot… …

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Having an international cell phone with you while traveling abroad can make things much easier — you can be instantly contactable, either with the folks back home, or to deal with your trip plans and reservations as you travel.

However, if you research on the Internet it can be a little overwhelming with the different options available.

In truth you really only have 3 main options with international cell phones, and the major factor that will affect your decision is whether you want the easiest and most convenient option, or the option that has the cheapest call rates, because you can only have one or the other.

1. Check if you can use your own cell phone

If you have the right type of cell phone, you may be able to use it when you travel abroad. If you are unsure then your carrier should be able to tell you. The advantage of taking your own cell phone is that you will keep your own number so it will be easy for friends to call you. However, using your own cell phone can be more expensive due to roaming charges (the extra charge added for routing the call abroad).

Conclusion — potentially this offers the greatest convenience but be prepared that your calls will cost you more. The most likely outcome will be that your carrier does not offer an international service, or if they do, you do not own the right type of handset.

2. Rent an international cell phone

If you cannot use your own cell phone abroad then you can rent an international cell phone that will work, just for the period of your trip. The cost of the calls will vary, depending on what type of SIM card the rental phone uses. If it uses a global SIM card then your calls will be higher priced, but if you are traveling to a number of countries you will keep the same number. If it uses a local SIM card your calls will be cheaper, but you will need a different local SIM card for each country you plan to visit.

Conclusion — rental sounds like a good idea, but you can now buy your own second cell phone, just for traveling, for the same price as one or two weeks’ rental charges, so that might be a more cost efficient option for you.

3. Buy your own international cell phone

The cost to buy your own second cell phone, just for international travel, has now come within the reach of all travelers. As with renting an international cell phone, the cost of your calls will depend on what type of SIM card your phone uses. If you use a global SIM card, you will keep the same number in every country but your call charges will be a little higher. If you use local SIM cards you will get cheaper calls but have to buy a different one for each country you visit in the future — this can start to get expensive if you are a frequent traveler.

Conclusion — If you cannot use your own cell phone, buying a second one is generally more cost effective than renting every time. If you want a system that is easy to use then a global SIM card will be the best for you. If you bottom line is cheaper calls, and you are happy to put in a bit of effort to get them, then buy and phone and use local SIM cards (but don’t overlook the cost to buy each individual SIM card when you do your price analysis).

About The Author

Michael Furniss is the copywriter and newsletter editor for http://www.mobalrental.com, home of the $49 Mobal World Phone, where he writes about tips and advice on all aspects of travel, including international cell phones.