What are the specific advantages and imaging capabilities of digital cameras?
Handheld digital camcorders and digital cameras are the devices most people associate with "digital video". These digital video devices are intended to be used on the go.
Digital cameras are primarily intended for capturing still images at low to high resolution for download to a computer, but many also offer the ability to take a short series of sequential images, providing a form of time-lapse video. The standard recording mediums for digital cameras are memory cards or sticks, rather than film or tape, allowing them to be smaller than digital camcorders and of equivalent size to analog cameras.
| Compared to other digital video |
- Digital camcorders:
The physical size is smaller. Computer connectivity is standard. Image resolution is much higher.
- Computer-based cameras:
Image resolution is much higher. Camera can operate away from the computer. |
| Convenience |
- Single-hand operation:
Because of the digital construction and the small size of the storage mediums, digital cameras are small enough to be held in one hand and are usually designed so that most of the buttons can be accessed by the hand holding the camera, allowing single-hand operation.
- Burst or Time-lapse Mode:
The camera can take several pictures in quick sequence, creating a "time-lapse" or video effect. The number of pictures depends on the camera.
- Dual-mode (Handheld and Camera-based):
Some handheld digital cameras can also function as a computer-based camera, allowing them to be used for video conferencing or as webcams.
- Built-in viewscreen for live images and playback:
Many cameras also include a viewscreen, which allows you to see both what is being filmed and playback of what was filmed previously. |
| Connections |
- Digital cameras generally use a memory card or stick to record pictures, allowing the digital cameras to be smaller than digital camcorders.
- With digital cameras, the basic operation is generally the same as with an analog camera -- point and click. Additional buttons allow you to access advanced digital features and settings.
- Digital cameras can be connected to a computer to download the images for editing, e-mailing, etc. The cables required are usually provided with the camera.
- Not all digital cameras are designed to connect to a television for viewing. However, you can use a device such as the TV Card Reader to display the images that have been saved to a digital camera's memory card.
|
|
|
