In trying to determine which of the many models to choose for a digital camera, it is helpful to have standardized reviews regarding the product. While consumer reviews are helpful to some extent, they are often less than specific about the details of the product. Using one of the online digital camera ratings sites will provide details about the important features of a particular camera in a quantitative format along with explanations of why the feature was rated as it was.

For instance, the digital camera ratings for the Casio Point and Shoot model EX-V8. The design of the from the front, back, top, bottom and each side is considered separately with the camera scoring well on each aspect except the design of the camera bottom. The camera carries a warning that the battery can cause overheating, which is not a good sign. The other design flaw on the V8 is the location of the tripod socket to one side which means the camera mounted on the tripod is unstable and crooked. The positive features of the camera include its slim design and the large LCD monitor.

The next step for the defining digital camera ratings for the Exilim is the performance. Some of the standard tests are for color, resolution, noise both at manual and auto settings, white balance at auto and manual settings, dynamic range and speed of operation. The color performance was tested at varying light levels. The V8 didn’t rank so well on any of the performance tests although the white balance test was well within satisfactory range, particularly at the automatic setting.

The video performance tests show similar levels as the still pictures with added influence in some areas.

A description of the components that make up the camera, including the viewfinder (there is none), the flash, the LCD screen and the zoom lens shows the V8 in good light with the zoom lens definitely a positive feature. The 7x zoom is higher than most point and shoot cameras, that average around 3x. Another benefit is that the zoom lens is built into the slim case so there is less chance of dirt or sand getting into the zoom mechanism.

All in all, the EXilim Ex-V8 is a good choice for the money and shows up very well in digital camera ratings. It’s very portable and provides excellent pictures for mid-skill level photographers.

By: Laurie Lindsay

About the Author:

Make Real Estate Profits

For the majority of baby photography a tripod is essential.

Using a tripod and cable release will free you to concentrate on maintaining a rapport with the parents and child. This is particularly true when photographing young babies with their parents; you can free yourself to throw a ball to mum or some other antics to raise a smile.

You should realise the importance of having the parents present when photographing young babies (but not necessarily children!) The tripod and a cable release will allow you to detach yourself from the camera. This will enable you to sustain the rapport that you have already established with the sitters and continue to chat with them in a relaxed and informal manner.

It will also give you more opportunity to watch the baby in anticipation of the right moment to press the shutter.

It is difficult, (but still possible!) to do all of these things if you are crouched on the ground, camera in hand and one eye pressed against the viewfinder and the other closed. I’ve just said that a tripod is essential, and I believe it is.

However, there are times in baby photography when it’s necessary to move the camera very quickly to get a shot that you would miss if the camera was fixed to the tripod! I’ll clarify this for you.

My own thinking and practice is that with older babies (6-7 months and over) who can hold their head up and be ‘propped’ against the back of a couch looking out toward you or placed in a fixed point say on a soft toy, then a tripod is essential.

Where the baby is capable of crawling off, then the tripod may not be appropriate, however that said, I’d advise that you make it difficult if not impossible for the baby to crawl away from your chosen spot.

However with newborn babies you will need a different approach. For example you can shoot them in their parent’s arms, or in their parent’s hands. You can even stand over the top of them as they lie on the floor, shooting directly down on top of them.

In these cases I don’t use a tripod.

By: Bobby Jonnes

About the Author:

Best Christmas Toys

Bob Brown asked:




With all of the choices on the market, it can definitely be overwhelming choosing a digital camcorder. There are several things to consider when shopping. A lot of brands can now record in high definition, but, there are some limitations to having an HD camcorder, such as incompatible video editing software.

The amount of zoom should also be taken into account, but, not the digital zoom. The higher the digital zoom, the more the resolution is decreased, making for blurry, pixelated pictures.

The optical zoom, however, will actually let you zoom in on your subject without sacrificing the picture quality. The optical zoom and the digital zoom are often not differentiated clearly on the manufacturer’s information. Keeping this in mind, paying close attention to the specs, and not being ‘fooled’ by a high digital zoom number on the camera box, will help to make sure you wind up with clearer zoomed pictures and videos.

Another thing to consider is the size of the viewing, or LCD, screen. The LCD screen is both the viewfinder and the playback screen, so having a large one would be beneficial. The cost will go up as the size of the screen goes up, however. On the subject of size, the size of the camcorder itself, along with the weight, are important things to consider. Most electronics for sale today boast of their tiny size. This has not always proven to be a good thing. If the camera is too small for you to properly hold onto, or operate the different functions, then you will want to think about getting a larger one.

A very important feature of a digital camcorder is the microphone. If you can hear more of the activity around the person filming than the subject, then this is definitely a good thing. One way to help alleviate this issue is to make sure you get a camcorder with a front-mounted microphone, as opposed to a top-mounted microphone. Some camcorders even come with audio zoom for the microphone, that zooms the audio when the picture is zoomed.

There are lots of different features to check out when buying a camcorder, like what kind of battery is needed and how long it will last. Doing some research online and asking lots of questions at the store will help you make an informed decision.

Create a video blog…instantly.