You are here: Home » Why Switch to a Digital Camera?

Why Switch to a Digital Camera?

The Better Question is “Why Not”? Today’s digital cameras solve some of the most frustrating problems of photo taking, which explains why they’ve managed to dominate the market in a few short years.

by Kathi O’Leary

Kathi OLeary2 150x150 Why Switch to a Digital Camera?

Kathi O'Leary Photographer

Even the most amateur photographers can achieve a “professional” look, provided they adapt to the specific features of digital.

Digital is Not Only More Fun, It Costs Less Too!

Before reviewing the technical advantages, let’s look at the financial incentives to switch to digital. With cheaper manufacturing costs, $250 will get you a point-and-shoot with fine workmanship and features that used to cost $500. As attractive as that initial investment is, an even bigger savings can be realized in the ongoing costs of taking photos.

For example, shooting ten rolls of 36-exposure film on vacation can add up to $200 once developing and printing are complete. After tossing poorly lit or out-of-focus photos, perhaps only 200 are worth saving, making the true cost about one dollar per image.

The Media Card Creates Digital Magic

Kathi OLeary Student Photo 300x225 Why Switch to a Digital Camera?

A digital photo taken by a young student in Kathi O'Leary's Workshop for Kids!

Media cards, each no bigger than a matchbook, have replaced a bulky stock of films. And once purchased, you use the media card over and over again. Other advantages include photo backup, photo e-mailing and the absence of cumbersome negatives.

With the revolutionary addition of viewing monitors, pre-visualization has become one of the most compelling reasons to go digital. Photographers have immediate “insight” into the quality of exposure and composition. Correcting your photography on-the-spot makes bringing home winning pictures more the norm than the exception.

Here are some professional tips I give my digital photography students:

1. Start by setting the sensitivity to 100 ISO which reduces the amount of grain.

2. Adjust for the most pixels possible, often called “best” or Large.

3. Pick the best quality so there is very little shrinking of the pixel information; it takes more space on your media card, but it’s worth it.

4. If you have an aperture setting, set it to the smallest number like f2.8 or f4.0. This lets in a lot of light, and makes backgrounds soft and out of focus, to add emphasis to your “in-focus” subject.

5. Use the no-flash setting. This saves battery (rechargeable ones are best) and gives a more realistic photo.

6. You must pre-focus by softly pressing the shutter half way down, while waiting for the focus and metering indicator to come on. Don’t let go of the shutter position!

Now you’re ready to take that perfect photo! Just gently, firmly push the shutter further down without jiggling the camera.

Do check the results in the monitor as you go. Voila! You should see a detailed, focused, well-lit photo.

If not, recompose, focus again and shoot as many as you like and adjust your angle and zoom lens while you’re at it. It doesn’t cost a thing to shoot and shoot until you get it right!

Kathi O’Leary has been capturing eye catching portraits of families and professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area for 14 years. She regularly teaches digital photography to individuals and groups and holds weeklong workshops for kids during school and summer breaks. To learn more please visit her website; KathiOLeary.com.