digital cameras and webcams technology advancement group (tag) doug baleshta – may 10, 2004

Digital Camera’s Digital Camera’s and WebCamsand WebCams

Technology Advancement Group Technology Advancement Group (TAG)(TAG)

Doug Baleshta – May 10, 2004Doug Baleshta – May 10, 2004

Sign of the TimesSign of the Times

A Short Course on Using Digital A Short Course on Using Digital Cameras and Web CamsCameras and Web Cams

• Introduction

• What is a digital photograph

• Checklist

• Types of Cameras

• Image Sensors

• Image Storage

• Image Compression

Cont’dCont’d• Automatic Flash• Lenses• Automatic Settings• Batteries• Other Features

- Panorama- Movie Mode

• Webcams- resolution- ethernet- wireless

IntroductionIntroduction

• Camera’s on display today

• What brands

• What features

• Memory

• Price

What is a digital Photograph?What is a digital Photograph?

• Depends who you talk to!?• Conversion of light intensity and colours into

Digital bits• Pixel – series of dots on the screen (picture

element)• RGB – $250,000 question on who wants to be a

millionaire• Bit Maps• Additive Colour process

ColourColour• Using three primary colours through an additive

process• Varying intensity and combining gives us

millions of colours

PixelsPixels

• What do they look like?

PixelsPixels• Think of it as Jelly Beans (this picture)

What is… Cont’dWhat is… Cont’d

• Screen Resolution

• Digital Camera Resolution

• T.V. Resolution

• Printer/Scanner Resolution

Screen ResolutionScreen Resolution• 800 x 600 pixels and variations

• Optical vs Digital resolution

ResolutionResolution

Element Resolution Total Pixels

Color TV (NTSC) 320 x 525 168,000

Human eye 11,000 x 11,000 120 million

35-mm slide  

The "Economist" magazine says it has 20 million or more. CMOS Imaging News says 5 to 10 million depending on the film. Another source says about 80 million pixels. Robert Caspe at SoundVision states that color negative film has 1000 pixels per inch while color positive film has 2000 pixels per inch.

ResolutionResolution• Same Image, different size

ResolutionResolution

• Stylus 300:• Adjustable Resolutions2048 x 1536 SHQ, JPEG

2048 x 1536 HQ, JPEG1600 x 1200 SQ1, JPEG1280 x 960 SQ2, JPEG1024 x 768 SQ2, JPEG640 x 480 SQ2, JPEG320 x 240 @ 15fps QuickTime Motion JPEG160 x 120 @ 15fps QuickTime Motion JPEG

Size Isn’t EverythingSize Isn’t Everything

• Despite your Spam

• An 1800 x 1200 pixel image is approx an 8x10

• A 640 x 480 is close to a 5 x 4 picture

• Why use a 2400 x 1800 image when it won’t even fit on the computer screen?

Printer/Scanner ResolutionPrinter/Scanner Resolution

• Printer and scanner resolutions are usually specified by the number of dots per inch (dpi) that they print or scan. (Generally pixels per inch refer to the image and display screen and dots per inch refer to the printer and printed image.

• For comparison purposes, monitors use an average of 72 ppi to display text and images, ink-jet printers range up to 1700 dpi or so, and commercial typesetting machines range between 1,000 and 2,400 dpi.

ChecklistChecklist

• Will you be shooting indoors? This will determine the quality of the flash you need

• Will you be photographing static scenes such as home interiors, or action shots such as sports? This will determine the best viewfinder and lens.

• In the Weather? You may need something robust.

Checklist Cont’dChecklist Cont’d

• Will you be photographing wide angle scenes such as landscapes and home interiors, telephoto scenes such as portraits, or close-ups such as stamps and coins?

• This will determine the focal length of the lens you need and whether you need a zoom lens, auxiliary lenses, or macro mode.

Checklist Cont’dChecklist Cont’d• Are you a casual user, or a serious amateur

or professional photographer? This will help you determine how many manual controls you'll want on the camera.

• Will you print the photos as snapshots, enlargements, or embed them in word documents? Or will you publish the images on a Web page, e-mail them to others, or include them in a presentation? This will determine the best resolution for your situation.

Checklist Cont’dChecklist Cont’d

• What imaging software do you need?

• What comes with the camera?

• Do you need more or less?

• Photoshop may be overkill

Types of CamerasTypes of Cameras

• Regardless of how digital cameras look, the market for them is roughly divided into three tiers with blurry lines separating cameras based mainly by image resolution, features, and of course, price.

• At the low end are the fully automatic point and shoot cameras with resolutions of 3 to 4 million pixels or so and prices below $500.

Types of Cameras cont’dTypes of Cameras cont’d• At the next level are those having 4 to 5

million pixels in their image sensors. Costing less than $1000 these cameras also give you lots of creative control.

• $1000 - $2000 for amateur and professional photographers. These cameras have 6-12 million pixels and many are based on 35mm designs and interchangeable lenses. These cameras have the highest resolution, most features, and highest prices.

Camera’s – Digital MovieCamera’s – Digital Movie

• With the latest digital video cameras, you don't have to digitize frames because they are captured in a digital format. - But

• Some digital still cameras are capable of capturing short video sequences and some digital video cameras can also capture still images.

• Resolution is higher with digital cameras

Camera’s Cont’dCamera’s Cont’d- Cell Phones, - Cell Phones,

WatchesWatches

SensorsSensors

• Two flavours, CCD (Charge Couple Device -) and CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor)

This photo shows the pixels on an image sensor greatly enlarged. Courtesy of IBM.

Sensors cont’dSensors cont’d

• The Canon EOS 10D is a high-end digital SLR from a major manufacturer that uses a CMOS image sensor. The Canon EOS 1Ds, used by professionals, also uses a CMOS sensor and has 11.1 million pixels. Courtesy of Canon.

Image StorageImage Storage• Fixed – limited size, limited amount of pictures• Removable – lots of flavours:

- some are specific to your camera – Olympus xD – allows panoramic pictures- Compact Flash - CompactFlash cards and slots that are 3.3 mm thick are called CompactFlash (abbreviated CF) or CompactFlash Type I (CF-I). - CompactFlash cards and slots that are 5mm thick are called CompactFlash Type II (CF-II). 

Image Storage cont’dImage Storage cont’d

• Sony memory sticks - shaped something like a stick of gum, are currently used mainly in Sony products.

Image Storage Cont’dImage Storage Cont’d

• So how many pictures can I store?

• Well, that depends…

• Image format (JPEG, TIFF), Image Size (1800x1200 or 640x480) and Flash Card size. (Ex - Olympus 128meg’s – 160 full size jpeg images).

Image StorageImage Storage

• Stylus 300• Number of Storable PhotosWith 16MB xD-

Picture Card:SHQ, HQ: 2048 x 1536: 6, 20 shotsSQ1: 1600 x 1200: 24 shotsSQ2: 1280 x 960: 38 shotsSQ2: 1024 x 768: 58 shotsSQ2: 640 x 480: 99 shotsHQ Movie: 320 x 240 15 fps: 16 sec. max per movieSQ Movie: 160 x 120 15 fps: 40 sec. max per movie

Image Storage EtcImage Storage Etc

• HP integrates their printers with their cameras – flash memory, infrared, docking station.

Image CompressionImage Compression

• Lossless vs Lossy• Lossless compression uncompresses an image

so its quality matches the original source—nothing is lost.

• For this reason, lossless compression is used mainly where detail is extremely important, as it is when planning to make large prints. Lossless compression is offered by some digital cameras in the form of TIFF and RAW file formats

Image Compression cont’dImage Compression cont’d

• Lossy compression. • Because lossless compression isn’t practical in

many cases, all popular digital cameras offer a lossy compression.

• This process degrades images to some degree and the more they're compressed, the more degraded they become. In many situations, such as posting images on the Web or making small to medium sized prints, the image degradation isn't obvious.

Image Compression cont’dImage Compression cont’d

• Jpeg – Variable Compression – dramatic reduction in file size

FlashFlash

• Flash Range?

• Flash Working RangeWide: 8" – 8.5' (.2 m – 2.5 m), Tele: 8" – 6.0' (.2 m – 1.8 m) (Olympus Stylus 300)

• Red-Eye Reduction

• Automatic Mode

Flash cont’dFlash cont’d

• Fill mode – flashes even in bright conditions

LensesLenses

• Focal Length – as used on 35 mm cameras (50 mm’s are usual, 35 mm are wide angle, 65 mm are telephoto)

Lenses cont’dLenses cont’d

• Olympus Stylus 300 - Lens Olympus aspherical glass 3x zoom lens 5.8 – 17.4mm (35 – 105mm equivalent in 35mm photography), 5 lenses in 3 groups

• Interchangeable with 35mm? – depends…

• Optical Zoom is superior to Digital Zoom

• Glass is better than plastic

Lenses - ApertureLenses - Aperture

• The larger the Aperture, the less light required

• The Stylus has an aperture range of F3.1W/F5.2 T

• F1.8 would let more light in, can be used in darker conditions

Automatic SettingsAutomatic Settings

• It take the digital camera some time to calculate focus, colour balance, shutter speed, F settings

• Remember this when taking the picture

• Moveable focus

Automatic Setting Cont’dAutomatic Setting Cont’d

• Different lighting gives different results

• Incandescent – gives warm tones

Automatic Settings – cont’dAutomatic Settings – cont’d

• Fluorescent washes out colours

Automatic SettingsAutomatic Settings

• Underwater pictures rapidly loose the Reds and Yellows the deeper you go - the longer wave length light gets absorbed (warm colours).

• Require additional lighting to fill in. Filters can also work (Red for example).

BatteriesBatteries

• Lithium Ion – Best, most expensive, fast charging, no memory – last 2-3 years

• NiMh – Nickel Metal Hydride – good value, 400 charges

• NiCad – not usual for digital cameras

• Sizes – proprietary or available off the shelf?

Batteries - ratingBatteries - rating

Batteries are rated by voltage and milliamp hours (mAH). Most AA-sized NiMH batteries are rated up to 2100 mAH. A 2100 mAH battery can deliver 2,100 milliamps (mA) for one hour (H). Generally speaking, the higher the rating, the more pictures you can take.

Batteries cont’dBatteries cont’d

• Storage – cool dry place when not in use

• Travelling – get them charged first – you may have to demonstrate your equipment at security

• Europe/Asia – 220 Volt – need a converter/inverter?

Other FeaturesOther Features

• Panorama Mode – ability to link pictures together to create a seamless image:Up to 10 frames stitchable with CAMEDIA Master software when using Olympus brand xD-Picture Card

• Sequence - 1 frames per second, more than 4 frames in HQ mode.

Other Features cont’dOther Features cont’d

• For 16 mb card. HQ Movie: 320 x 240 15 fps: 16 sec. max per movieSQ Movie: 160 x 120 15 fps: 40 sec. max per movie – Stylus 300 – no sound however.

• Flash Variation – Timed, red eye, night-time, low light

Other Features cont’dOther Features cont’d

• Viewing – RCA video out?

• USB file transfer

• Date/Time stamp

• Image Preview – use power, use viewfinder if possible

WebCamsWebCams

• Cheap- $50

• USB – Universal Serial Bus

• Sometimes include a microphone

• Lower Resolution

• Good for video conferencing

• Resolution – typically 380 lines, smaller than regular TV

Web CamsWeb Cams

• Ethernet/wireless WebCAM- connect to the internet- allows remote control through the internet- can automatically take a picture when detecting movement

• IR WebCams – no light conditions.

Whew!!!Whew!!!

• A little knowledge is dangerous

• Callling all Carbon Units - Go forth and use your technology

CreditsCredits

• http://www.shortcourses.com/index.htm

• http://www.olympus.com

• Technology Advancement Group – Natasha Scott, Martin Voelkening

ResourcesResources

• http://www.dpreview.com/ - Website that reviews digital cameras

• www.gimp.org – open source imaging software

• http://www.imaging-resource.com/ - imaging resources website

• greenbatteries.com. Battery information

Thanks!Thanks!