Digital cameras have revolutionized the process for capturing priceless moments in our lives. Not only have they simplified the way we take pictures and how they are edited, but they have also made it possible for us to distribute photos in so many ways. A picture can be taken, transferred to a computer, touched up, and sent by email or posted to a web site in just a few minutes. Here are some great tips to get the most out of your digital camera:
1. Date and Time
This is the first configuration change you should make. When a picture is taken, the file it creates is given a date and time stamp based on this setting. The date and time stamp will always remain the same, even after transferring pictures to a computer. Having the wrong date and time on pictures will make it difficult in determining when a picture was taken.
2. Battery Charging
The battery may appear to be charged when you first turn on the camera straight out of the box. You should not use it until it is fully charged. On average, battery charge-up time is about 2 hours.
3. System Event Sounds
Disable camera system event sounds. This setting typically turns on/off the sounds made when navigating through camera menus and when a picture is taken. Turning it off will help improve battery life.
4. Power-Saving Option
Most cameras are equipped with a power-saving function. This setting will turn the camera off after a certain period of inactivity. Enable this setting and set it to the lowest parameter available. This will prevent the battery from draining completely in case you forget to turn off the camera.
5. Embedding Date
Turning this on will embed the date on pictures taken. Once a picture is taken, it cannot be removed. You really do not need this on. The embedded text ends up obstructing the content of the picture you are taking. If you want to add the date on pictures, you can do this with any photo editing software after transferring pictures to a computer. The software will allow you to place the date in a less obstructive area. Remember, when a picture is taken the file created has a date and time stamp so you know when it was taken.
6. Auto Mode
Using advanced or manual settings can produce the best results if you know what you are doing. If you are new to digital cameras, we recommend using Auto mode. This mode automatically adjusts shooting settings to match particular conditions.
7. Image Review
After a shot is taken, the picture will appear on the camera’s LCD screen. The default setting on most cameras is about 2 or 3 seconds. This may not be enough time to look at the picture taken or show others how it turned out. Increase this setting according to preference.
8. Picture Processing
Once you have reviewed a picture and you determined that it did not turn out to your liking, you should remove it from the camera. This will help conserve storage on the memory card. You never know when you are going to capture the perfect picture, so the last thing you want is to run of space and have a “Memory Card Full” error message come up.
9. Memory Card
Most digital cameras come with a standard 32MB memory card, which will limit how many pictures you can take. You should upgrade to a memory card with at least 512MB, or 1GB for better results. Depending on the camera, this should let you store a couple of hundred pictures or more. The bigger the capacity, the more pictures you can store in your camera.
10. Red Eye Reduction
This setting will reduce red eye on pictures. Red eye is caused by the flash. When a picture is taken, the retina in your eye bounces the light from the flash back into the camera lens.
