(Batteries) (Chargers) (Card readers) (Memory Cards) (Filters)

Batteries


The first thing a new digital camera owner quickly realizes is that those alkaline batteries included with their camera are next to worthless. With some alkaline batteries you may only got 20 or so shots before the batteries no longer have enough power to work the camera. When using a digital camera make sure you have enough batteries. Digital cameras use a lot of power, especially if you use the display a lot. Make sure you take spare batteries and recharge rechargeable batteries before going out. Also make sure you have enough memory cards to store your photos. If you use a card reader to read the files into your computer, check that you have put the card back in the camera before you got to take more pictures! Digital cameras are extremely high-drain devices. The batteries must power a large color LCD, a motorized zoom lens, an auto focus system and the multi-megapixel CCD imager.

There is no other answer ... use NiMH rechargeable batteries.

If your device accepts AA batteries, they can be replaced with NiMH rechargeable AA batteries.

Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteries can cope with the high power demands of modern digital equipment like digital cameras. They are also highly suitable for camcorders, portable MP3/CD/Mini-disc players, GPS systems, electronic musical instruments, servo-driven devices and all other power-hungry devices. By almost every measure the performance of NiMH rechargeable batteries exceeds that of throw-away Alkaline batteries, with the obvious benefit that they can be used again and again.

Alkaline batteries are simply unsuitable for high current-drain devices like digital cameras: in many cases the digital camera shuts down after only a few minutes. So called "Ultra" Alkaline batteries fair little better - their battery chemistry, capacity to supply large currents, internal resistance and rapid drop of voltage makes them unsuitable for digital cameras and other high current drain devices. Unlike Alkaline batteries, NiMH rechargeable batteries can maintain a steady voltage throughout their discharge cycle - enabling hundreds, rather than merely a handful, of photos to be taken. And then of course you can recharge them - up to a thousand times. Even if you take a couple of hundred shots a week, they could last for over 10 years!

Of course rechargeable batteries, like Nickel Cadmium (Ni-CAD) batteries, have been around for some time. But Ni-CADs suffer a "memory effect" and lose power after several recharges. They also have a limited energy capacity, and incorporate Cadmium - a highly toxic element.

NiMH rechargeable batteries have no "memory effect", which means they don't require any special treatment and can be topped up as required in their charger without eventually losing capacity. In addition they have up to twice the energy capacity of Ni-CADs, and don't incorporate toxic materials.

 If you would like to see which battery Manufacturer has the best batteries check out the link below for a very detailed analyzes and review.  Check out the very thorough and scientific Great Battery Shootout  review at Imaging-Resource. Your can buy GP, Kodak, Maha, Nexcell, Quest NiMH batteries & chargers from Thomas Distributing.
 

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Chargers

Having the right charger is at least as important as having the right batteries. Some chargers overcharge and can damage the batteries, while others drastically under-charge. TheC204F from Maha is one of the best.  This compact unit seems to strike an excellent balance between speed and completeness of charge, while avoiding "cooking" the cells as do some very high-speed chargers. The C-204F also comes with a cigarette lighter adapter cord for use on the road, and has a "conditioning" capability to help revive older cells. You can check on this model and the latest model from Maha the C401FS at  Thomas Distributing .

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NiMH Battery & Charger Sources

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Digital Film Memory Cards

Flash memory is used primarily for smaller computing devices such as handheld computers and digital cameras. A solid-state product (meaning it has no moving mechanical parts), flash memory maintains contents even when the device is shut off, much like a hard disk drive. But flash memory is more expensive than hard drives.

Just like 35mm cameras need traditional "roll film", digital cameras need "digital film" memory cards to store pictures. Digital film comes in a number of formats, some more durable than others. The most popular formats are CompactFlash, Ultra Compact Flash, SmartMedia, Memory Stick. When choosing a digital camera, you should consider the format of digital film that a camera uses. Some formats, such as CompactFlash, allow additional features to be built into the memory card. When choosing a memory card, buy what you think you'll need for a maximum day's shooting. And remember, more memory means more pictures so buy more than you think you need. In the end, you'll be happy you did. Most digital cameras include a starter memory card. Starter cards are usually low capacity memory cards that allow you to get started with your new camera right away, but ultimately become a source of frustration because of the limited number of images the camera is able to store. When you upgrade to a larger memory card, you can take more photos before you have to make decisions about which images to keep and which to delete.

How Many Pictures On A Card ? (Information Provided By Lexar Digital Film)

Approximate photos per card using "hi-res" JPEG mode
 
Card Size: 16MB 32MB 64MB 128MB 192MB 256MB 320MB 512MB
1 Megapixel Camera: 45 91 182 365 548 731 918 1462
2 Megapixel Camera: 17 35 71 142 213 284 355 568
3 Megapixel Camera: 13 26 53 106 160 213 266 426
4 Megapixel Camera: 8 16 32 64 96 128 160 256
5 Megapixel Camera: 6 12 25 51 76 102 128 204
6 Megapixel Camera: 5 10 20 40 60 80 100 160

The actual number of images per card will vary and depends on the camera model and complexity of the scene being photographed. Shooting in TIFF mode, the best quality mode in many high-end cameras, will reduce the number of images listed above significantly (approximately one-sixth).

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Card readers

No matter how much capacity your digital film memory card has, eventually you'll fill it up, and you'll want to do something with the pictures you've taken. The most widely used way to transfer pictures from a memory card involves tethering your digital camera to a computer with a serial or USB cable. However, this method can be slow, cumbersome, and a drain on your camera's precious batteries.
There is a better way but it requires a small investment in a peripheral device known as a card reader. Card readers are available for all digital film formats (CompactFlash, SmartMedia, etc.). They are typically small and don't take up much space on your desktop. The specific technique you use to transfer your images to your computer doesn't affect image quality. With digital images there is no degradation in the transfer, so it doesn't matter how you accomplish the task.

Using a separate card reader is highly recommended. New models on the market include units that read 6 different cards. Cards can be inserted simultaneously, and data or images copied back and forth amongst the different cards, or between the reader and the computer. The multi-card design makes it very practical to transfer photos, MP3 music files, or other information between different devices. It's the most convenient way to transfer images to a computer and you can transfer from one memory card while taking pictures with another. There is no camera downtime while transferring, and no drain of your camera's batteries. Just more time to shoot great pictures.

If you are buying your first card reader a USB 2 is your best choice. The promise of USB 2, faster data transfers between various devices and a computer, is starting to be realized. Most new computer systems are equipped with USB 2.0 and a number of new USB 2 compatible devices are arriving on the market. USB 2.0 provides much faster transfer rates for photos, and in view of the fact that the image files are getting bigger and bigger, that can only help.
 

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Filters:

There are many types and styles of filters, far too many to list here, and new ones are always being made. 

Basically, the UV Haze and Skylight filters cut down on the excess UV light that you can't see, but the film does.  The main added benefit of using these types of filters is to protect your front lens element from dust, grimes, wear and tear, etc.  It is much less costly to replace a worn or broken filter, than it is the front lens element of  your camera.

Filters for Black and White images will darken complimentary colors, and lighten colors that are close in hue to the filter's color.  Yellow, for example, will darken a blue sky and lighten the clouds.  Red will darken foliage, while green will lighten it.

Polarizing filters will help to cut down on glare if you're shooting though glass.  But outdoors in bright sunlight, they will add dramatic contrast to your photo.  They are mounted on a rotating ring, which you can rotate around until you block off some of the light you want to eliminate.  The conditions they work under best is when the sun is at a right angle to your subject.  They will darken the cyan in the sky, and help to bring out contrast in your image.  They come in two types, linear and circular.  The kind to get depends on your camera's light sensing elements for exposure.  Usually, in the newer cameras, you will need a circular type so as to not throw off the exposure of the scene.  

Color conversion and light balancing are used to correct for scenes that have a different color temperature of light than from the standard 5500º K for sunlight.  If your camera has an automatic white balance, you may not need one of those.  But, if you find your images are coming out with a color cast to them, such as a bit red when taking an image indoors without flash, or a bit green under fluorescent light, you'll need a filter to correct for this.

Special FX filters can enhance many images.  There are gradient styles that fade from one color to another, center spot styles that blur around a central spot in the image, while keeping that central spot in focus, ones that create multiple 'mirror' images of your subject, and many more are available.

If you want to learn more about filters and how to use all that's available, I suggest that  you visit your local photography store, and pick up a book on using filters, or some of the filter brochures.

Visit these place to see what's available and learn more about how to use filters:

 Filter Company Links

 Schneider Optics B+W Filter ,  Tiffen Filters ,  Heliopan ,  Hoya Filters ,  Lee Filters ,  Singh-Ray Filters .

 
 
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