Digital Camera FAQ
This FAQ does not attempt a comprehensive coverage of the realm of digital photography. That would take a book. We have attempted to answer the most common questions dealing with digital cameras in a print publication environment.
Is it really possible to print good quality photos from a digital camera?
Yes, it is. The first generation of consumer-level digital cameras left a bad taste in the mouth of printers everywhere. Happily enough, things have changed.
The original "desktop published" moniker was cause for much sniggering, but look who's sniggering now. Early, primitive computers and dot matrix printers have given way to Postscript-based workflows and Computer-to-Plate systems. A similar revolution has taken place in digital photography.
Now, photographic giants like Nikon are turning out digital cameras that use standard Nikon lenses, with the expected results. Kodak, Canon, Minolta, Fuji all make digital cameras worth a look.
Are the photos good? We will take a look at some samples later.
What are "megapixels", and why do I care?
The element (often, but not always a CCD, or Charge Coupled Device) is the "electric eye" that "sees" the image. It is analogous to film in a conventional camera. The more pixels in the CCD, the more resolution the camera can capture. There is more to photo quality than the number of pixels (5 million bad pixels are still bad), but in general, more is better.
Why is there such a wide range of prices?
For the same reason there is a wide range of prices for conventional cameras. Quality varies tremendously.
Cheap: At the low end are el cheapo consumer devices meant for snapshots. They are not very good even at this, but will capture images suitable for emailing. Those happy with "instamatic" cameras, users of "Advantix" format film cameras are likely to end up with one of these.
Good: In the lower middle range are higher level consumer cameras. They are designed for amateurs needing a higher level of quality image, for inkjet printing, for example. Fuji, Minolta, Nikon, Canon all make cameras in this range. The Nikon Coolshot line is nice, and makes a good light travel camera for even a higher end user. Lenses are usually not interchangeable, but offer an optical zoom. The top end Nikon Coolshot has ED glass, a nice feature.
Serious Amateur: A newer trend is a class of camera taking its styling and features from the big boys. A true "35mm" body form factor, and accepting real lenses from film cameras, these cameras offer true functionality. The Canon EOS Rebel is a good example in this range.
Prosumer: This class is lower-end professional and top-end consumer. Cameras in this class offer all the features you would expect to find on an expensive film camera. They are often sold as a body only, giving owners with a collection of lenses the ablility to get just the digital body. These cameras are usually made from alloy castings, while the lower class cameras tend to use more plastic. The Nikon D100 is a fine example in this range.
Pro: This is the "anything goes" catagory of ultra expensive photog toys. Flag ship models from all the higher end manufacturers are to be found here, Contax, Nikon, Canon, and others. This is also the territory of $15,000 digital backs for medium format cameras.
So, what range of camera will make printable images? At what Cost?
That depends on what kind of printing environment your pictures will see, and on your quality expectations. What kind of film camera satisfies your needs now?
The upper end of the Good camera range will work for many print applications. Expect to spend between $700 and $1000 for a camera good enough for lower-end print work. Do your enlargement in the camera when shooting, and learn to use fill flash.
Serious Amateur cameras are good for general print work. The Canon EOS comes in at just over $1000, with the standard lens. This is a phenomenal price that has the industry reeling at present.
Prosumer and Pro cameras are of course good for print work. A digital back on a Mamiya RB or RZ is great for studio work. If a film die-hard has a bone to pick with that statement, try shooting 100 products on location, and deliver final images the same day.
Expect to pay from $2000 (depending on lens selections) for a Prosumer camera, and the sky's the limit on high-end pro equipment.
Sample Images
Lets take a look at a few images from a Nikon D100, a prosumer camera. Images are downsampled and compressed hard, so not every detail shows. Enlarged sections, and the text, will attempt to convey anything lacking in these web images.
Here is an image of a moving plane. The shot was hand-held, and is reasonably sharp, as the enlarged detail shows.
This shot was also hand held, with a 200mm lens! You can see from the inset image, this is actually greatly enlarged and cropped. The image is not quite of printable quality at this level of magnification, but that has more to do with not having a tripod available at the time of exposure.
This Greek Spinach and Leek pie was shot with mixed natural and flourescent lighting. Shooting in RAW mode enables white balance changes after exposure, greatly simplifying the shoot. Custom white balance can also be set in-camera by exposing a white card.
Be sure to check back often for our upcoming review of both the Nikon D100 and the Canon EOS Rebel.