Cameras for Christmas ~ 2008

Finding a camera under the tree, or in your stocking, is a gift that keeps on giving. Whether you are new to photography, or buying for a fledgling photographer, there's a camera on this year's list that will satisfy your requirements with breaking your budget.

As might be expected feature sets for consumer models continue to improve, and yet Pixel Madness marches on nearly unabated. I'll get into that qualification after telling you why it's become one of the biggest problems in digital imaging.

Digital cameras actually employ analog devices to measure the light source. CCD stands for Charged Coupled Device and it acts as a capacitor for photons, using their energy to produce a scaled voltage.

The problem with all of these devices is that as they heat up they emit to a lesser or greater degree an interference signal similar to the distortion in audio quality when you are listening to an AM radio station as it's signal fades out. This inference causes noise in images, and displays as blotches which are usually color cast. Combine this with optical distortion and you either print small or expend a lot of effort trying to correct the aberrations and maintain relevant detail.

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How to Select a Camera

There's really no substitute for actually holding a camera to get the feel of it and it's controls. You can compare specifications, and even read the reviews, but unless it fits your hands you'll never feel comfortable using it. If you're really planning to buy a camera then you may as well buy a memory card and take it with you when you go shopping. The bottom line is image quality and even snapping some shots in the store can give you a basis for comparison.

While I don't do a hands on evaluation, I do read the reviews before recommending a camera. In my articles I list one or more websites for each camera. There may be dozens who offer a "review" though in practice they simply rewrite the press release from the manufacturer. What I look for is sample photos taken by the reviewer, and some form of objective testing as well as comparison to other cameras in its class.

Here's hoping that you find a camera that suits you, and you and yours enjoy the holiday season.

Field Repair ~ The Other GOOP

Everyone has a favorite chair and when I'm camping out nothing beats my fold up recliner. Unfortunately, this summer the webbing began splitting and pulling away from the frame. So I dug into my gear and pulled out my favorite fix all - a silicon based adhesive called Goop.

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My First Video

The Missouri River Cultural Conservancy will soon release their first DVD featuring various artists who perform on the River and other venues in mid Missouri. Mike Cooper and many others are involved in the project, and the previews promise a rich experience.

Pippa Letsky and Gainor & Friends

Somebody Robbed the Glendale Train

Dave & Dyno ~ Cooper's Landing

Hillary Scott ~ Cooper's Landing

Shoot the Messenger!

I'll be running tips on how to keep the bad guys out, and your machine running clean. This part of the series is called Stuff You Don't Need, and I'm sure closing the door on a Trojan that uses Windows Messenger to bounce a pop up ad onto your screen would be an annoyance to you. So let's lock and load. The execution should only take a few minutes. To the Firing Line.

Online Learning

Philip Greenspun writes a concise book that is available on Photo.net, complete with comments by the community. With plenty of examples, this is a professional's guide for, as it is titled, Making Photographs. You'll also find links on selecting a camera, lenses, and accessory equipment as well. A Good Read and lots of artistic photos.