Buying the Best Digital Camera for Your Needs

Choosing the best digital camera can be a daunting task with the wide number of choices available in today’s market place. There are lots and lots of things that you need to keep in mind while going to choose a camera for yourself. The best digital camera for your friend might not be the best option for you.


So, the first question that you need to answer is that for what purpose you are planning to buy a digital camera. Is it to take photos of your family while on vacation or are you planning to become a photographer? This will help you to narrow down your choices to a limited few. So lets take a look at the options that we have :

A camera for emailing photos, taking family photos etc. : Most people use a digital camera for taking personal photos and then emailing them to family and friends. For this purpose, a simple and relatively cheap camera costing $100 to $200 and having a 2 mega pixel range is sufficient.

A camera for photographing images for online auctions : With more and more business taking place through the Internet, you might also need a camera to take photos of your antique furniture which you would like to sell. So, you need a camera which can take pictures at an extremely close range, say within 12 inches of the object. Thus, a camera consisting of 3-4 mega pixel is suitable for such purposes. The prices of these cameras are falling nowadays since they fall into mid-segment, i.e. they are neither hi-fi nor low end. So if you go and do a little bit of research, it is most likely that you will hit a good bargain.



A camera for images of top quality for web pages, desktop publishing etc : Now, if you need a camera for taking pictures for desktop publishing or web site development, then you need one with a 4-5 mega pixel range. These cameras normally have lots of additional features which you can use to enhance your images. Even though they are quite costly, they provide the best options with respect to resolution, features, and creativity. They also allow you create prints up to 8x10 inches in size with very good quality.

Besides the above points, you also need to consider other issues such as the ergonomics of the camera. How does it feel when you hold it in your hand ? Are you comfortable with its size and weight ? Is it practical to carry it throughout the day ? Is its shape user friendly or does it look like a gizmo out of Star Wars ?

If you emphasize on a light-weight and small camera, then you must also keep in mind the fact that you will compromising on the battery life. Most small cameras do not have powerful batteries since larger the battery, more the power. Also, small cameras have very small flash lights – so the amount of flash generated by these pea-sized flashes will be considerably less than a bigger camera.

Hence, it is very important that you know exactly what you need your camera for in order to ensure that you are truly buying the best digital camera for yourself.

New Pentax Digtal SLR Camera - K10D debuts

PENTAX ANNOUNCES K10D DIGITAL SLR WITH TEN MEGAPIXELS, SHAKE REDUCTION AND WEATHER-RESISTANT BODY


GOLDEN, CO. PENTAX Imaging Company announced today the PENTAX K10D digital SLR camera with 10.2 effective megapixels and a host of advanced technologies including a PENTAX-developed Shake Reduction (SR) system and a weather- resistant body.


Designed to deliver high-quality digital images and responsive operation for advanced photo enthusiasts, the K10D features an array of PENTAX innovations in image capture and camera functionality.


The most significant features in the K10D include:


· A PENTAX-developed Shake Reduction (SR) system that effectively offers a 2.5 to 4 stop advantage for sharp, blur-free images even under difficult shooting conditions, such as macro and telephoto photography or low light settings without a flash. The SR mechanism is designed to minimize camera shake by oscillating the CCD image sensor vertically and horizontally at high speed using magnetic force, while adjusting the speed of oscillation in proportion to the amount of camera shake detected by built-in sensors. As a result, the system does not require special anti-shake lenses and can be used with more than 24 million PENTAX lenses produced since 1964.*


· A newly-developed Pentax Real IMage Engine (PRIME) designed exclusively for PENTAX digital SLR cameras to produce well-balanced, true-to-life images. In order to meet the performance requirement in handling 10 megapixel data, PENTAX also incorporated a new high performance 22 bit A/D converter to quickly transfer images with accurate color tones and richer gradation from the CCD to the imaging engine.


· A new Dust Removal (DR) system incorporating PENTAX-original Special Protect (SP) coating to help keep the CCD surface dust-free, and a shift mechanism to shake dust off the CCD.


· A dependable dust-proof, weather-resistant body construction featuring 72 seals throughout the camera to allow photographers to continue shooting even in dusty or rainy environments.


*Lenses compatible with this mechanism are the PENTAX K-, KA-, KAF- and KAF2-mount lenses; screw-mount lenses (with an adapter); and 645- and 67-system lenses (with an adapter). Some functions may not be applicable with certain lenses.


“Advanced photographers will not find another 10 megapixel digital SLR that offers features such as a weather-resistant body, shake reduction, and great ergonomics, at any price, ” said Ned Bunnell, director of marketing, PENTAX Imaging Company. “With the K10D introduction, PENTAX is now able to offer digital SLRs for two important users - the first time SLR customer who can buy the K100D and now the K10D for the more advanced users.”


Along with the body, PENTAX announced a D-BG2 battery grip for exclusive use with the PENTAX K10D. This battery grip can be used in combination with the camera's rechargeable lithium-ion batteries to double the camera's battery life. With a vertical shutter-release button, preview lever, two control dials, AE-lock button and green button, the new battery grip makes vertical-position shooting simple and effortless. It also features the same dust-proof, weather-resistant construction as the K10D camera body.


PENTAX also announced the smc PENTAX-DA 70mm F2.4 Limited lens, designed for exclusive use with PENTAX digital SLR cameras and featuring an ultra-thin pancake design and uni-focal, medium-telephoto optics. With a medium-telephoto perspective, this new lens is ideal for many applications including portraiture and landscape. The high-performance optics ensure outstanding image quality, and provide distinctive visual expression. Materials used for this lens are selected for optimum holding comfort and operability, and the new lens is designed to be extremely thin and lightweight, for go-anywhere portability for casual, day-to-day snapshot photography.


The K10D body will ship by November 2006 for US $899.95, and as a kit with the DA 18-55mm lens for US $999.95. The D-BG2 Battery Grip will ship at the same time for less than US $190.00. The PENTAX DA 70mm lens will ship in October 2006 for less than US $600.00

Source: Pentax

Japanese Digital Camera Growth Slow in 2007

Growth in digital camera shipments by Japanese makers in 2007 is expected to slow to 7.5 percent from a year earlier, when lower prices and a wider variety of models with interchangeable lenses spurred growth to 22 percent.


Global shipments by makers such as Canon Inc. and Sony Corp. are estimated to rise to 84.9 million units in calendar 2007 from 79.0 million units last year, according to figures released by the Camera and Imaging Products Association.

Demand will continue to lose speed as shipment growth is expected to slow to 4.3 percent in 2008, and 2.5 percent the following year, the association said.

The Tokyo-based industry group also forecast shipments of digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) models, geared for professionals and hobbyists, will continue to show double-digit growth in 2007, but their growth too will slow compared to 2006.

This year, shipments of DSLRs are forecast to increase 13.9 percent to 5.99 million units, lagging behind a 38.9 percent jump in 2006 to 5.26 million units.

Canon and Nikon Corp. are the dominant leaders in the market for DSLRs, while newcomers such as Sony and Matsushita Electric Industrial are also trying to expand in this segment as DSLRs are more profitable than compact devices.

Shipments of compact models, which have faced fierce price competition, is forecast to increase 7 percent to 78.9 million units this year, lower than the 20.9 percent jump in 2006 led by demand in emerging markets and the United States.

Other major Japanese digital camera makers include Olympus Corp., Fujifilm Holdings Corp. and Pentax Corp., which compete against global rivals such as Eastman Kodak and Samsung Electronics Co.

Digital Camera Growth Better Than Expected in 2007

Consumer appetite for digital cameras so far this year has grown twice as fast as expected, as buyers replace older models at cheaper prices, according to research firm IDC.


Moreover, many are upgrading to more powerful cameras, IDC said on Tuesday in its report “Updated Worldwide Digital Camera Forecast.”

Global digital camera shipments are expected to grow by about 15 percent this year, IDC said, double its previous forecast of 7.5 percent, reversing a trend of declining growth seen over the past four years.

IDC analyst Chris Chute said cameras are becoming a kind of fashion item, a trend made popular by tiny mobile phones and Apple Inc’s iPod digital music player.

Similarly, the digital camera has become a personal, low priced item, whose sales are now more driven by impulse than utility, especially in the United States, Japan and Europe, Chute said.

“This year was the first that we had a lot of color cameras, a lot of them under $200,” Chute said, noting the trend toward more choices than just black or silver gadgets. “I think that is resonating with consumers.”

At the same time, the report showed that the average number of cameras in each camera-owning home has remained flat from 2006 at 1.4. IDC said that suggests consumers are replacing their cameras at a faster rate than expected.

Chute also noted that single-lens-reflex (SLR) cameras, favored by professionals and photography enthusiasts, will be more of a driver of the total market than previously thought as prices decline.

Average prices for all digital cameras, ranging from entry level point-and-shoots to SLRs, are expected to slip about 13 percent this year to $307 from $352 in 2006.

Chute added that demand for digital cameras, primarily those made by market leaders, Canon Inc, Sony Corp and Eastman Kodak, should remain strong for the critical holiday shopping season.

IDC said it boosted its growth outlook through 2011, with total units shipped seen at 138 million, up from an earlier expectation of 123 million. Prices are expected to decline to about $250 on average, Chute said.