Camera features - Learn Howard Hillman's authoritative tips

travel photo mistake

#7
Not being conversant
with camera features

Click blue links for all top 10 travel photo mistakes

regarding your camera features

Megapixels

Many camera buyers put too much emphasis on the megapixel camera feature when judging a camera's worth. While megapixel count is important, so are a number of other camera features. These include:

Component quality
LCD screen size and quality
Scene modes
Shutter lag
Image stabilization
IS0 Speed
Aperture
Self timer

If a 5-meg camera outshines a 6-meg camera in the variables above, it's going to be the superior camera.

Component quality

Better lenses more accurately capture and better sensors more accurately digitize the image.

LCD size and quality

Some compacts have 3-inch LCD screens, like the one above. These larger-sized LCD screens are easier to view (but consume more battery power). LCD quality is another variable. Better LCD screens are clearer and are easier to see in the sunlight.

Scene modes

Some cameras have better, easy-to-use shooting modes (such as "nighttime"). These modes are highly useful for beginners. They are even beneficial to experienced photographers when they don't have time to adjust the setting for a particular scene or condition (such as market vendor in action). The camera will automatically adjust the settings for you.

Shutter lag

Some cameras have shorter shutter lags (minimum time between photos) than others. This could be important when, for example, you are photographing an impromptu sequence of pictures at an active party.

Image stabilizer

It reduces camera shake. Although most new SLRs have the image stabilizer camera feature, many compacts don't.

ISO speed

It measures an image sensor's sensitivity to light. The higher the number, the better for you because the more dimly lit your subject can be before you need to use a flash.

However, there's a trade-off. Higher ISOs create noise (graining) in a photo and decrease color reproduction accuracy.

Compact cameras typically have a 100 to 400 ISO range, though some go as high as 800. Some SLRs can go much higher.

Aperture

After the light travels through the lens, it passes through the aperture, an adjustable opening in front of the sensor. The size of the opening determines how much of the light will come through. The wider the aperture, the more light.

The aperture is calibrated in F-stops, which are marked on an adjustable ring on SLR cameras. The most common F-stops are F2.4, F4, F8, F12, F16 and F32. The lower the number, the wider the opening.

A low F-stop (wide opening) is beneficial if you're taking pictures in a dimly-lit setting without a flash. It's also good for capturing subjects in motion because with it, you can use a faster shutter speed.

Self-timer

It delays the shutter by several or more seconds. It's a terrific feature. It lets the photographer get in the picture.

If you have a tripod or other rest for your camera, you can use the self-timer mechanism to eliminate the camera shake created when you press the shutter button. Set it to its lowest setting, press the button, and move your finger away - and wait.

Other worthwhile features

Built-in microphone

Helps you remember easily forgotten details.

Continuous mode

Lets you take a quick-succession series of still photographs.

Video mode

Interesting to show at gatherings, but don't expect these low-resolution movies to come anywhere close in quality generated by a video camera.

Magnified preview

Useful for advance users who want to examine small details in their photos to see if they should retake the shot.

Wireless

With some cameras, you can upload pictures to your computer via infrared or WiFi transmission.