Digital Cameras: Getting the Perfect Picture
By Al Doyle
Falling prices, higher-quality cameras, and educators' increased comfort with technology have ignited a digital photography revolution in schools. Here, the latest tools for joining the ranks of the clickerati.
Unlike their pre-digital parents and teachers, today's kids have known for quite some time that 35-millimeter film is definitely "old school." It's easy to see why they find digital cameras appealing: no more dropping off rolls of film at the local photo shop, fewer wasted shots, and perhaps most important, instant feedback-snap a picture and view the image almost immediately.
In my classroom, students use digital cameras in a variety of ways. One exercise we do is take photographs of objects such as leaves, trees, and birds, then upload the images to a computer where kids label the parts using graphics software. Digital cameras make it particularly easy to chart these objects as they change over time.
For example, my students document plant growth by taking a series of photographs once a week for four weeks; then, after uploading the images to the computer and comparing them, they generate a growth chart. In a recent architecture project, students took advantage of the cameras' digital capabilities to superimpose photos of themselves standing next to famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the pyramids at Giza. Needless to say, kids loved this new twist on virtual field trips.
According to Daniel Grotta, president of Digital Benchmarks, an independent digital camera testing firm, educators can expect the recent trend of falling camera prices accompanied by higher image quality (also known as resolution) to continue. Currently, prices range from $200 for "good enough" resolution to about $600 for megapixel models that include more advanced features such as manual focus and interchangeable lenses. "How good is 'good enough' depends on the user's purpose, budget, and level of sophistication," says Grotta. With those caveats in mind, read on for a collection of resources to help you determine which camera matches your classroom needs and budget.
Camera Considerations
Several factors will influence your decision as to what type of camera is best suited for your classroom or school setting. Here are some key questions to ask before you buy.
In which medium will the photographs be displayed? If the majority of your images are going to be viewed on a computer screen (on the Web or in a PowerPoint presentation, for example), a low-resolution (640 pixels x 480 pixels) camera is fine. For desktop publishing enterprises such as the school newspaper or yearbook, however, you'll want a higher-resolution (3-4 megapixels) model.
Where will the camera spend the most time? Make sure your camera has features that support your specific photography goals. For shooting fast-paced action on the playing field, for example, several digital cameras offer high-speed capture-the ability to take several images in rapid succession. If you plan to snap photos of school plays, other factors such as manual aperture control to compensate for low lighting will be important. If you take a lot of field trips, battery life is an issue to consider-keep in mind that the newer NiMH (nickel metal hydride) batteries last longer than alkaline batteries.
What are the image storage capabilities of the camera? The latest digital cameras store images to an inserted Memory Stick, SmartMedia, or CompactFlash card and easily connect via USB cable to computers for downloading images directly to the hard drive. If you don't have USB-enabled computers at your school, you can purchase card readers that will allow you to insert the memory card into a floppy disk drive.
Several teachers I talked to prefer the Sony Mavica line because users can save images directly to a floppy disk. This is particularly convenient in schools, where one student can save his or her photos on a disk, pass the camera to another student, and then get to work right away manipulating images on the computer. What's more, some of the latest Mavicas offer the additional option to save images to CD-Rs (CD-recordable), which are inexpensive and can hold many more images (up to 650MB of data) than any other storage medium that's currently available.
Should the camera have optical zoom, digital zoom, or both? Optical zoom is a true indicator of how much you will be able to use the camera's lens to zoom in on a subject. Digital zoom uses software interpolation to achieve a close-up image and is generally inferior in quality to optical zoom capabilities. Most digital cameras offer 3X optical zoom. Several models offer up to 10X optical zoom, allowing close-up images to be taken from very far away.
Al Doyle is Director of Instructional Technology at The Town School in New York City.
Company Information
Canon, (800) 201-2434
Casio, (800) 962-2746
Kodak, (800) 235-6325
Nikon, (800) 645-6687
Olympus, (888) 553-4448
Sony, (800) 222-7669
Resources for Learning More
Need to do more research? Following are just some of the many excellent digital photography sites on the Web.
Find the Right Digital Camera
http://reviews.cnet.com/Digital_cameras/2001-6501_7-0.html?tag=img.dc
Featured here are CNET's top camera picks organized according to resolution, price range, and use. Also included are key considerations before you buy a digital camera.
Digital Camera Reviews and News
http://www.dpreview.com/
Here you'll find a complete buyer's guide to digital cameras, as well as discussion forums and how-to photography articles.
Digital Photography for Beginners
http://www.digitalphotobasics.com/
This site features several excellent links for getting started, including "Digital Photography Skills" and "Digital Camera Buying Tips."
This tool lets you compare digital camera images side by side so you can see the capabilities of different models in actual shooting situations.
Say Cheese: The Digit al Photography Site
http://www.lexar.com/dp/
Take a peek at the Tips and Tricks section for photography techniques easily explained.
ShortCourses
http://www.shortcourses.com/
This site provides a series of mini-courses on a variety of photography-related topics, including "everything you wanted to know about digital photography but were afraid to ask."
K-12 Photography Links
The following sites take on the topic of using digital cameras in a classroom setting:
Digital Photography and the K-12 Educator
http://www.fcae.nova.edu/~burmeist/FETC99.html
Although dated, this site features a "classroom application" area that is an excellent compendium of curricular uses of digital photography.
By Al Doyle
Falling prices, higher-quality cameras, and educators' increased comfort with technology have ignited a digital photography revolution in schools. Here, the latest tools for joining the ranks of the clickerati.
Unlike their pre-digital parents and teachers, today's kids have known for quite some time that 35-millimeter film is definitely "old school." It's easy to see why they find digital cameras appealing: no more dropping off rolls of film at the local photo shop, fewer wasted shots, and perhaps most important, instant feedback-snap a picture and view the image almost immediately.
In my classroom, students use digital cameras in a variety of ways. One exercise we do is take photographs of objects such as leaves, trees, and birds, then upload the images to a computer where kids label the parts using graphics software. Digital cameras make it particularly easy to chart these objects as they change over time.
For example, my students document plant growth by taking a series of photographs once a week for four weeks; then, after uploading the images to the computer and comparing them, they generate a growth chart. In a recent architecture project, students took advantage of the cameras' digital capabilities to superimpose photos of themselves standing next to famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the pyramids at Giza. Needless to say, kids loved this new twist on virtual field trips.
According to Daniel Grotta, president of Digital Benchmarks, an independent digital camera testing firm, educators can expect the recent trend of falling camera prices accompanied by higher image quality (also known as resolution) to continue. Currently, prices range from $200 for "good enough" resolution to about $600 for megapixel models that include more advanced features such as manual focus and interchangeable lenses. "How good is 'good enough' depends on the user's purpose, budget, and level of sophistication," says Grotta. With those caveats in mind, read on for a collection of resources to help you determine which camera matches your classroom needs and budget.
Camera Considerations
Several factors will influence your decision as to what type of camera is best suited for your classroom or school setting. Here are some key questions to ask before you buy.
In which medium will the photographs be displayed? If the majority of your images are going to be viewed on a computer screen (on the Web or in a PowerPoint presentation, for example), a low-resolution (640 pixels x 480 pixels) camera is fine. For desktop publishing enterprises such as the school newspaper or yearbook, however, you'll want a higher-resolution (3-4 megapixels) model.
Where will the camera spend the most time? Make sure your camera has features that support your specific photography goals. For shooting fast-paced action on the playing field, for example, several digital cameras offer high-speed capture-the ability to take several images in rapid succession. If you plan to snap photos of school plays, other factors such as manual aperture control to compensate for low lighting will be important. If you take a lot of field trips, battery life is an issue to consider-keep in mind that the newer NiMH (nickel metal hydride) batteries last longer than alkaline batteries.
What are the image storage capabilities of the camera? The latest digital cameras store images to an inserted Memory Stick, SmartMedia, or CompactFlash card and easily connect via USB cable to computers for downloading images directly to the hard drive. If you don't have USB-enabled computers at your school, you can purchase card readers that will allow you to insert the memory card into a floppy disk drive.
Several teachers I talked to prefer the Sony Mavica line because users can save images directly to a floppy disk. This is particularly convenient in schools, where one student can save his or her photos on a disk, pass the camera to another student, and then get to work right away manipulating images on the computer. What's more, some of the latest Mavicas offer the additional option to save images to CD-Rs (CD-recordable), which are inexpensive and can hold many more images (up to 650MB of data) than any other storage medium that's currently available.
Should the camera have optical zoom, digital zoom, or both? Optical zoom is a true indicator of how much you will be able to use the camera's lens to zoom in on a subject. Digital zoom uses software interpolation to achieve a close-up image and is generally inferior in quality to optical zoom capabilities. Most digital cameras offer 3X optical zoom. Several models offer up to 10X optical zoom, allowing close-up images to be taken from very far away.
Al Doyle is Director of Instructional Technology at The Town School in New York City.
Company Information
Canon, (800) 201-2434
Casio, (800) 962-2746
Kodak, (800) 235-6325
Nikon, (800) 645-6687
Olympus, (888) 553-4448
Sony, (800) 222-7669
Resources for Learning More
Need to do more research? Following are just some of the many excellent digital photography sites on the Web.
Find the Right Digital Camera
http://reviews.cnet.com/Digital_cameras/2001-6501_7-0.html?tag=img.dc
Featured here are CNET's top camera picks organized according to resolution, price range, and use. Also included are key considerations before you buy a digital camera.
Digital Camera Reviews and News
http://www.dpreview.com/
Here you'll find a complete buyer's guide to digital cameras, as well as discussion forums and how-to photography articles.
Digital Photography for Beginners
http://www.digitalphotobasics.com/
This site features several excellent links for getting started, including "Digital Photography Skills" and "Digital Camera Buying Tips."
This tool lets you compare digital camera images side by side so you can see the capabilities of different models in actual shooting situations.
Say Cheese: The Digit al Photography Site
http://www.lexar.com/dp/
Take a peek at the Tips and Tricks section for photography techniques easily explained.
ShortCourses
http://www.shortcourses.com/
This site provides a series of mini-courses on a variety of photography-related topics, including "everything you wanted to know about digital photography but were afraid to ask."
K-12 Photography Links
The following sites take on the topic of using digital cameras in a classroom setting:
Digital Photography and the K-12 Educator
http://www.fcae.nova.edu/~burmeist/FETC99.html
Although dated, this site features a "classroom application" area that is an excellent compendium of curricular uses of digital photography.
posted by Al Doyle at
6:13 AM
|
0 comments
