Tutorial Two: Digital Camera use and applications

Pros and Cons of Digital Cameras

Pros:
Can print photos with a printer or take them to a photo booth.
Can transfer photos to other devices using the memory card or USB
Can pick and choose what photos you want to keep, delete others to make more room in the memory.
Instant feedback
A number of digital cameras can also video record

Cons:
Can be quite expensive
Complexity (not as straightforward as basic film camera)
Can create large computer files and fill computer memory
Battery life
In order to get the most out of digital cameras you need a home computer.

Computers, phones and ipods are the most common forms of communication technology that people store and share their digital images. Digital photo frames are also available with slide show settings of photos that are loaded on by USBs. People may store their photos on their camera, USB or most commonly on computer files which can be easily accessed to upload onto social networking sites.

There are ethical issues that arise with the use of digital cameras. The most common of these being people having their photos taken then the photos being put on sites without the person's permission. It is very easy for the images to get into the wrong hands and people can be publically humiliated or just not comfortable with their photos being shared. Some people in the images may not even be aware that they had their photo/video taken.

Digital images are being used more frequently in the occupational therapy practice as they make work more efficient and convenient. Housing modifications, before/after progress, instant feedback, teaching techniques and equipment information are all areas in which digital imagery is used in the OT setting.

Flickr.com is a social networking site that provides the user with "the best online photo management and sharing application in the world." Anyone can join and upload digital imagery for others to see from this free photo storage website. Photobucket is another site that claims to do the same thing as Flickr.com.

Optical Zoom:
" Optical zoom uses the optics (lens) of the camera to bring the subject closer."

Digital Zoom:
"What digital zoom does is enlarge a portion of the image, thus ’simulating’ optical zoom. In other words, the camera crops a portion of the image and then enlarges it back to size."

Optical Vs Digital Zoom. (2002-2010). Retrieved June 3, 2010, from http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=8895688124089096338

Digital and optical zoom are both options to consider when purchasing a digital camera. Optical zoom is preferred over digital as digital zoom often reduces the quality of the photo as it "enlarges".

Megapixels:
"The term "pixel" is actually short for "Picture Element." These small little dots are what make up the images. A million pixels make up a megapixel."
Pixel. (2005-2010). Retrieved June 3, 2010, from http://www.techterms.com/definition/pixel