By Brian Johnsrud
Imagine attaching a television to your camera, so you can see pictures the second you take them, or plugging in a computer to the side of your camera so you can save your photos on a floppy disk instead of film, or even using a microphone to add an audio memo to each photo. Its a great idea, although not much for road trips. But now, many of the camera companies youve heard of have allowed you to do all of that within one camera, maybe even smaller than yours.
With the everlasting race to replace the old with the new, technology has now allowed us to take pictures one step further with the newest gadget: Digital cameras. Although digital cameras have been around for about a year, their popularity is on a steady increase with people of all ages.
Instead of spending approximately $3.50 for a roll of film, digital technology has replaced film with memory disks. About half the size of a playing card, each camera comes with a disk inside, which will hold approximately 30 pictures. The catch is, instead of sending it in to a photo lab, you simply save the pictures on your computer, and keep on going. Being able to use one disk forever saves you on buying multiple rolls of film, making it one of the top reasons people are going digital.
Everyone has taken a picture that hasnt came out right: The sun was too bright; everyone didnt fit in the picture; your finger was covering the lens. Being able to view the picture before and after you take it is the second biggest seller. On the back of each camera is a 2-inch color screen, much like on many camcorders. This miniature screen shows you what you are about to photograph and the pictures you have already taken, giving you the ability to automatically delete any unwanted pictures, allowing even the beginning amateurs the chance to take the pictures theyve been waiting for.
These and many other features: Audio recording, time lapse, black and white modes, and many others give photographers the advantage theyve been looking for. With easy controls, Kodak, Sony, and other popular photo companies have made digital photography as easy as point and shoot.
As with most technology, though, digital cameras still have a ways to go. Currently, digital cameras range anywhere between $400 to more than $1,000 in price, which is expected to decrease with time, as with most modern devises. Also, if you dont have a printer to print off your photos, online processing can be expensive. All in all, I think digital is here to stay, and hopefully a fun and exciting alternative for everyone.
