Digital Cameras

"A new technology is rarely superior to an old one in every feature"

Digital cameras can be brought in a variety of different shapes, forms and sizes. This means they can be transported around easily as well as be used for a variety of different purposes at work, with friend's or in the home.

Digital cameras can be used to take short video clips as well as digital images. Other benefits to the new modernized digital camera are they have a large pixel rates which means the image is clear and sharp and, images can be developed quickly or transferred onto another technological device such as a computer and many images or video recordings can taken at once as a digital cameras are now able to store a number of different pictures or video images at one time.

The disadvantages of digital cameras compared with traditional film based cameras are a breakdown in the computer system can cause a loss of digital images or video material which can not often be retrieved successfully. The quality of images stored on equipment such as CD's deteriorates as this equipment only lasts for a certain period of time. Finally images captured on digital technology are often forgotten as images are likely to be transferred to another technological device such as a computer to be stored. This means the digital image or video recording is not looked at by others causing the sense of meaning behind the material to be lost.

Digital images can be stored and transferred and manipulated through the use of other technological devices such as video cameras and computer. Video cameras capture moving digital images which be used to tell stories or to record special events. Video cameras have a range of different settings like zoom and color changes. This can change the perception of the image for the audience member who is viewing the images. Computers are device where digital images are transferred to, to be stored and manipulated. Images may be changed from there original state by having features changed using different computer programs. For example cropping a image, changing the angle of an image adjusting the images color and light scheme.

Ethical Issues regarding the use of digital technology are similar to those discussed in tutorial one. Images may be published without the permission of the person who took the image or the person that was in the photo. Other problems a person not being aware of the risk and responsibility storing and exposing digital images on a variety of different technological devices. For example copy writing of digital images and creating an easy access route to digital images for others.

Digital cameras are a useful tool for both staff and clients in Occupational Therapy practice. clients or staff within the service may use digital images to record events and communicate with friends and family. For example to make a story board of whats been happening within a setting. A Occupational Therapist may also choose to use digital imagery to record information that they need to make reference to again at a later stage during there practice. For example to take photos of hazards at a clients home when carrying out a Home Assessment.

Flicker is a website which can be used to upload digital images to the internet. Once a log in is created each member has the ability to upload photos, personalise there photos by creating a photo band and to find friends who also use the website.

Click on the link to go straight to the Flicker website

http://www.flickr.com/

Photo bucket is a website that is similar to flicker. Photo bucket allows people to upload photos and create slide shows using still or digital images.

Click on this link to create a log in and use the photo bucket website

http://photobucket.com/

Whats is the difference between a digital and optical zoom?

Digital zoom.

This crops the image to a smaller size then enlarges the cropped proportion to fill the frame agian.

Optimal zoom.

This works just like a zoom lens on a film camera. The lens changes focal length and magnification as it is zoomed. The image retains it quality as the zoom range is increased.

Megapixel

A megapixel is one million pixels ( picture elements). In is a term used when working with digital cameras to give an indication of the cameras resolution capacity.

Click on this link to read find more information about megapixel and digital imagery technology.

http://http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-megapixel.htm