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How do digital cameras differ from film? If you're used to shooting with a film camera, you'll notice some differences when you switch to a digital model. Here's a quick summary.
1. Camera's power source
Digital: Uses proprietary Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, although some lower-end models still rely on the commonly available AA-sized cells for power.
2. Recording pictures
Digital: Uses a fixed, light-sensitive, silicon chip that comes in two varieties: CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). This chip determines the frame size and light sensitivity of the camera. You can simulate the effects of using different types of film via settings within the camera. Of the two, the CCD sensor is more commonly used in digital cameras. The CMOS sensor is typically found in a dSLR camera.
3. Framing shots
Digital: Uses an optical viewfinder as well as an LCD screen to view the scene. Many camera vendors today substitute the optical viewfinder with an electronic viewfinder (EVF), much like the ones used on camcorders. Photographers who are used to optical viewfinders don't always like EVFs. The EVF shows you the same view that the lens sees, but are often hard to focus and poorer in quality. So try before you buy.
4. Storing images
Digital: Stores images as digital files on either reusable, removable flash memory cards which come in various capacities, or the camera's internal memory (if available). The file format can also impact on the size of the image, and hence on storage space.
You can read more about different image file formats here.
5. Displaying pictures
Digital: Displays images on the LCD. In addition, many cameras allow you to connect to a TV or an external display for viewing. Alternatively, you can download the images to a PDA, notebook, video-capable music player or mobile phone for playback. You can additionally upload the pictures to an online photo album site (sometimes even wirelessly if the camera comes with Wi-Fi) to share with the geographically remote.
6. Printing photos
Digital: You can download image files to your computer for printing on your inkjet printer. Or, if you have both a PictBridge-compatible camera and printer, you can make prints without a computer. Another option is getting normal prints from an online printing service or a local photofinisher that accepts digital files.
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