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The Difference Between Digicams and Film Cameras

The Difference Between Digicams And Film Cameras

Digital cameras – abbreviated as digicams – are the newest and most convenient method of taking photos today. While these cameras may seem daunting to people, especially members of the older generation, they are really quite easy to use. One big advantage of a digicam: you never run out of film. Let’s take a look at the differences between a digicam and a regular, old fashion film camera.

Powering your camera is the first thing to cover. Both digicams and film cameras use batteries to power them so that you can snap the photo you want. There is nothing more frustrating than your batteries dying. Most film cameras, however, use disposable batteries to power the flash. Digicams use the batteries to power the whole camera. Most models or both types of cameras use disposable AA-sized batteries, but some digicams also come with Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. These type of batteries last longer in your digicam than standard disposable one.

When you take pictures with a standard camera, you can snap them in a multitude of frame sizes and at different resolutions depending on how fast the shutter opens and closes. These are imprinted on film and needs to be developed by a professional. Digicams use a special chip to record the photos that you take and many of them offer you different options and features for your frame sizes and resolutions. Developing is a matter of downloading the pictures onto a computer and printing them, something that can be down at home.

In order to frame the picture you wish to take, you look through the optical viewfinder, line up the shot, and then snap the pictures. Digicam owners can line up their shots using the optical viewfinder or they can use the small LCD screen on the back of the camera to line up the shot. The LCD will show you exactly what the picture will look like before you take it, which saves many people’s heads from being cut off in the picture.

As mentioned earlier, in order to see the pictures taken with a traditional film camera, you need to have the film developed first. Then you pass around the glossy pictures and everyone gets the chance to see them. In order to have them developed and printed, however, you must take the film to a professional photo lab and wait as little as an hour or up to a week in order to get the photos. With a digicam you can immediately download the picture from your camera onto your computer, view and the print the ones you want without waiting and without having to pay someone to print them. With the many different photo papers available on the market today, you can save a lot of money printing your own digicam pictures as many times as you wish.You can find a great range of digicams as well as many other electronic gadgets at GadgetsAuction.com

About the Author

The author, Sue Webster, provides information for readers interested in purchasing a digicams or other related accessories.

Which Pentax DSLR Camera is the best for a long camping trip with liitle access to power sources?

I know the Pentax K-x and K2000 can take AA batteries which is good to not being able to get to a power source and the Pentax K20D and K-7 are weatherproof. I cant decide which one to get. Every year i have to get a new camera (normally small 200 $ ones) becasue they break. I need a durable camera which can be powered by somthing other than outlets, any ideas?

Hi kaelin21,

It sounds like you're interested in using AA batteries as with the K-x and K2000, and you're intersted in weathersealing, as with the K20D and K-7, and you don't see an option that gives you both in one camera, so you are trying to choose.

But there IS a Pentax DSLR that gives you both AA batteries and weathersealing -- the K200D (not to be confused with the K2000).

The K200D is discontinued, but easy to find used in excellent condition. It was roughtly contemporary with the K20D. The K200D didn't make a big splash because it was a consumer-grade weathersealed body at a time when Pentax, quite weirdly, did not offer any consumer-grade weathersealed lenses.

So the K200D was interesting for big spenders who just wanted a small weathersealed body and didn't mind buying expensive professional-grade weathersealed lenses for it. But for most mere mortals, it meant paying a little more, and having a slightly bigger and heavier camera, with no realistic prospect of getting a weathersealed lens for it.

Now, Pentax has two consumer-grade weathersealed lenses (18-55WR and 50-200WR). So it makes much more sense now to got a used K200D, and get a 18-55WR for it.

Here's a review of the K200D:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentaxk200d/

Here are the two consumer-grade weathersealed lenses:
18-55 WR:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/634598-USA/Pentax_21880_DA_18_55mm_f_3_5_5_6_AL.html

50-200 WR:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/634600-REG/Pentax_21870_SMC_Pentax_DA_50_200mm.html

Keh.com is a very reliable source for used cameras, and they have a K200D in excellent condition for $449:

http://www.keh.com/Product-Details/1/DP029991039670/DP02/FE.aspx

On eBay, the K200D body only has been going for around $350:

http://completed.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=pentax+K200D+-lens+-lenses+-18-55mm+-K20D&_sacat=31388&_trksid=p3286.m270.l1313&_sop=3&_dmpt=Digital_Cameras&LH_Complete=1&_odkw=pentax+K200D+-lens+-lenses+-18-55mm&_osacat=31388&bkBtn=1

If those K200D prices seem a bit high, it's probably due to high demand, because many people have exactly the same idea you have, and many others just want the smallest, lightest weathersealed body (that's STILL the K200D, though now the K-7 is not very much bigger and heavier). In both cases, those buyers are currently forced to look for a used K200D.

Most K200D owners have generally reported being very happy with it. You might want to search the DPReview.com archives:

http://search.dpreview.com/index.php?q=K200D&page=0&scope=Forums&forumid=1036&age=All&field=Name&results=Default&sort=Date&view=Default

Oh -- to preverve battery power on any DSLR including the K200D, you might want to turn off instant review, and only look at pictures when you really want to.

Good luck and have fun!

Greg

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