Snapping up digital

Digital technology is clearly ruling the roost today and the options available are mind-boggling

There was a time, not long ago, when almost all cameras had film in them to help people capture that quintessential photo opportunity.

Now, increasingly, almost all cameras are digital with film nearly phased out in the process of taking pictures. Either digital cameras are built into other gadgets such as mobile phones and PDAs, or they're stand-alone cameras in different sizes and capacities.

And thanks to the advent of digital technology, almost anyone can afford to have a camera that lets the user save pictures of events, places and people he/she wants to preserve forever.

While taking photos and saving them on a mobile phone, on a CD, or in your computer memory is commonplace today, the high quality SLR (single-lens reflex) cameras used by professional photographers took a little more time to go digital.

Camera manufacturers offer digital cameras of a range starting from simple web cameras to high-resolution still and video cameras.

Canon, one of the leading brands for all kinds of cameras, has developed some unique features such as the Digic Image Processor and the Pictbridge that enhances performance, as well as improves overall image quality. The camera giant now offers a comprehensive range of digital SLR cameras. The EOS 10D from Canon is a high performance digital SLR. It offers the exceptional build quality, image definition and functionality of a high-end analogue EOS SLR, with the benefits of digital photography. EOS-1Ds Mark II is the Digital SLR that delivers the hair-splitting, super-fine detail of 50MB files. It has all the features and disaster-proof build quality expected from a professional EOS body. The EOS 20D is the semi-professional digital SLR to deliver all the speed, precision and flexibility synonymous with high-end film SLR cameras ‹ plus a whole lot more.

Genius offers cameras that are ideal for newcomers to digital photography, as well as veterans who can take great pictures thanks to the good image quality of Genius cameras. Genius G-Shot D211 is a 2 mega-pixel optical resolution camera with 4x digital zoom, TFT display, red-eye reduction, 16 MB built-in memory, USB port, and several other convenient features. The Genius G-Shot P533 has the increased memory of 32 MB that can be upgraded up to 512 MB and better display and colour capabilities that make pictures taken with it vivid and satisfying.

The features, performance and styling of the Olympus E-1 make it a camera that professionals find irresistible. Its body is made from a light and tough magnesium alloy. Combined with an anti-condensation construction that includes the lens and a durable shutter that can stand up to 150,000 snaps, the E-1 delivers mobility and reliability. The high-capacity built-in memory allows up to 12 photos shot at 3 frames per second to be taken. High-speed data transfer metering and exposure control, configuration of a wide variety of parameters, including white balance, saturation, sharpness, and contrast, overall excellence in ease of operation are the delight of professional photographers.

Digital camcorders

Your son's first football match; your daughter's first ballet performance, and many other such memorable milestones in their lives, can be preserved as they unfold, for eternity, if your camcorder's handy!

Digital camcorders make taking videos easier than ever before. They are usually lighter in weight than the earlier cassette types and provide hours of video fun albeit with adequate battery power. Some camera providers also provide extra battery units.

Sharp VL-Z1S is a compact and lightweight digital view cam featuring free-angle swivel grip and 2.5" LCD monitor. The clip-in battery fits snugly inside the camera's body. It has 800k CCD pixels, 500x digital zoom (10x optical zoom), black and white viewfinder, i.link(tm) digital terminal and monaural sound microphone. Sharp VL-Z3S has similar features as the VL-Z1S but can also be connected to a PC. It has DV-IN function that lets you retransfer edited video from your PC to tape and SD Card/Multimedia Card slot for digital still camera function.

With 3x 1/3" 800k progressive scan CCDs and full manual control over all image settings, Canon's XL2 camcorder represents the last word in flexible, broadcast quality mini DV. Unique DIGIC DV dual processing galvanises the renowned Canon digital video with impressive digital still capacity. The MVX35i celebrates warm, natural video, high clarity photos and design purity. The MVX10i offers superb functionality combined with superior technology. It shoots movies and stills and can also be used as a webcam. The MVX30i effortlessly combines proven digital video technology with impressive digital still capability in a single superbly styled digital camcorder. And the 2.2 Mega-pixel MVX20i delivers high definition video with commanding stills capability.

The impressive line-up of JVC digital camcorders include compact series Mini DV camcorders such as the GRD33US, GRD72US and the GRD93US, which are packed with features to capture great video and stills with good image quality. Form and function blend perfectly together in JVC's GR-D230 ultra compact Mini DV camcorder. The Celebrity Series Mini DV camcorders GRDX77US and GRDX97US from JVC are high performance, high-resolution cameras even professionals can use.

The GR-DZ7U from JVC offers 1/3.6-inch 2.12 mega-pixel CCD for superb image quality, F1.8 spherical super bright lens, separate video and digital still processing, 10x optical zoom, clear LCD 2.5" high-resolution monitor, to reduce glare and reflections from the LCD screen and 3-D noise reduction to eliminate up to 30 per cent of noise in low light situations.

Panasonic that offers 'Ideas for Life' has a full range of digital still cameras and camcorders. The Lumix range of Panasonic digital still cameras is making waves around the world and the vivid colours of 3CCD digital camcorders are finding many takers.

Webcams range from the simple ones we attach to our PC at home to watch our loved ones when we chat on the Internet, to Net Servers that allow video-conferencing and broadcast functions. Webcams from renowned manufacturers facilitate ceiling suspension and provide outstanding performance for videoconferencing, webcasting and security monitoring via all networks.

Genius Videocam NB300 is a webcam that's small and easy to set up. It has a 400 Mhz Pentium processor, 64 MB memory, 25 MB free hard disk space, USB port and is compatible with operating systems starting from Windows 98.