NBC WEEKEND TODAY: Digital Cameras

Recently, digital camera makers crossed an important threshold by releasing consumer priced 4-megapixel cameras. While the benchmark for recreating silver halide film prints at home is six million pixels, to the untrained eye, these new four million pixel wonders will go a long way in establishing digital cameras as a viable alternative to film.


Digital camera tips and tricks

High drain devices like digital cameras need better batteries. While they may cost more, the batteries deliver much longer life. Check out Energizer's E² batteries for maximum battery life. www.energizerphoto.com

Don’ t buy a bargain printer for making digital prints at home –you’ll spend all the money you save on ink replacement.

For preserving images choose specialty ink jet printer paper – the shelf life on inexpensive ink jet paper is less than five years.



Toshiba PDR-M81
Toshiba’s 4.2 megapixel PDR-M81 digital camera features a 6X Zoom, 1.5 TFT LCD with 2400 X 1600 resolution, and offers USB connection for fast, easy downloads. The movie mode lets you record up to three minutes of digital video with audio, and with its super-charged circuitry, there is less time between shots. The PDR-M81 also has a 5 mode flash system, and has 128MD image capacity with 32MB SmartMedia card (comes with 8MB SmartMedia card). Runs on 4AA batteries. $799.




Sony DSC-S85 CyberShot
Sony’s 4.1 megapixel DSC-S85 features a 3X Optical/6X Precision Digital Zoom, Carl Zeiss “Vario Sonnar” Lens, 1.5" LCD, Variable ISO (Auto, 100, 200, 400), High Speed Scan Auto Focus System, and Eye-level True Zoom Optical Viewfinder. Its ClipMotion feature allows users to take up to 10 pictures that the camera automatically combines to make a single animation file.

The DSC-S85 also allows for files to be saved in several ways: JPEG, TIFF, GIF and in two different MPEG options for motion video and sound - MPEG HQ (High Quality) and MPEG EX (Extended). MPEG EX captures 160x112 or 320x240 video continuously, up to the capacity of the Memory Stick media in use. Users can capture up to 90 minutes of continuous video utilizing a 128MB Memory Stick.

The InfoLithium Battery charge lasts up to 2.5 hours in shooting mode and up to 2,500 shots. Sony's AccuPower meter continuously displays the battery time remaining on the LCD screen. $800




Olympus CAMEDIA C-4040 Zoom
The 4.1 megapixel Olympus CAMEDIA C-4040 Zoom features a 3x Optical/7.5x Digital Zoom lens, 1.8-inch color TFT LCD monitor, and can deliver prints up to a whopping 16” x 20”. Its AutoConnect USB lets any computer with a USB port and current operating system instantly recognize the C-4040 Zoom and connect automatically.

The Optimum Image Enlargement Mode allows you to enlarge HQ/SHQ JPEG images up to 3200 x 2400 pixels. And its new Noise Reduction System helps minimize background noise so you get high-quality images even in low-light situations. Also features QuickTime movie mode with sound. Comes with 16MB SmartMedia card with panoramic function, USB cable, AV cable, two 3V lithium battery packs (CR-3V), remote control, Olympus Camedia Master 2.5 Utility Software, Adobe PhotoShop LE, instruction manual, QuickStart Guide, lens cap and strap. $999




Kyocera Finecam S3
The Finecam S3 is the word's smallest 3.34-megapixel digital camera – about the size of a credit card. The Kyocera Finecam S3 offers automatic and user selectable manual shooting and flash modes, including Macro, which allows photography 3.5" from the lens, Aperture Priority, Manual focusing, 4 Flash modes, 3 Color modes, and White Balance (Auto, Daylight, Tungsten, Cloudy, Fluorescent, or Pre-set). An additional 2X digital zoom allows for a maximum magnification of 152mm. Also includes a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery with AC Charger/Adapter. $699




Canon Card Photo Printer CP-10
The Canon CP-10 is a remarkably small printer which makes business card sized photos quickly and easily. It uses thermal transfer technology so there is no potentially messy ink cartridge to change, just a clean dry ribbon which slips into a slot in the side. The paper slips just as easily into the paper holder, which then goes into a slot in the end of the printer. Connect the AC power adapter and plug it in, connect it to the camera via the supplied cable and you are ready to make prints. There are no controls on the printer itself, just a status light to let you know that all is well. You control the printing process via a simple set of menus which show up on the camera’s LCD screen when the printer is connected. $400



Adobe Photoshop Elements
Anybody who prints photos at home should get a copy of Adobe's new Photoshop Elements digital photo optimizer software. It's the best $99 you can spend on getting the best looking photos at home. Elements lets you easily correct for red-eye, improper lighting, and even adds a professional fill-in flash effect to pictures to bring colors and backgrounds to life.

Questions about Digital Photography? Ask our expert, Bob Shell, in our Photography Forum!