What’s in the Box?

A look at items that come with your camera

CD-ROMs

Flash Cards

Cables

Camera

Batteries

Case

Manuals

Batteries

There are three main types of battery used in Digital Cameras:

• One use AA/AAA batteries (e.g. Alkaline)

• Rechargeable (NiMH are the current preferred type)

• Camera specific rechargeable batteries (lithium-ion is the current preferred type)

Alkaline

• Everyday Alkaline batteries do not last long

• As camera use increases, cost rises exponentially

• Cannot be disposed of as normal household waste

Lithium AA

• Claimed to last longer than alkaline batteries

• Can cost £4.99 for only 2 batteries

• Again need to be disposed of responsibly

Rechargeable

• Re-usable, saving money in the long term

• Normally ‘last longer’ in a camera

• Higher miliAmp hours (mAh) is better

• Need to by ‘run-dry’ before recharging

• Greater mAh means greater battery capacity• Greater capacity means longer ‘life’ for the

camera

Image taken from Agros catalogue Autumn/Winter 2007 p1737

Camera specific

• Designed specifically to power the camera

• Lithium-ion can be ‘topped-up’ between use

• Should only be charged in the supplied charger

Manuals

• Manuals can range from 3 page documents to 150 page booklets

• Most ‘hard copy’ manuals only give basic instructions

(CD manuals will be of greater detail)

CD-ROMs

• Supplied CDs will contain drivers for a computer

• Basic imaging software may be supplied

• Manuals may be supplied in CD format

Flash cards

• Supplied flash cards may be the smallest available

• Used to store captured images

• Often supplement camera’s internal memory

• Need ‘looking after’

CablesThere will normally be two cables supplied with a camera

T.V. Cable USB Cable

TV cable (AV)

• Cables connect with AV sockets in a television/video player

• Yellow cable is for vision

• White cable is for sound (not always present)

USB cable

• Connects from the camera to a computer

• Also used with Pictbridge enabled printers; allows printing of photographs without computer use

Camera connections

• Some cameras have separate TV and computer connection points

• Other cameras use the same port’ for both types of connection

Camera case

• Most cases supplied with a camera will not offer great protection

• Many digital cameras do not come with a case, having to be bought as an optional extra

Using a Digital Camera

A Beginners Guide

Batteries and Flash card

Always make sure that the batteries and flash card are inserted correctly

FlashCard

A Basic Digital Camera

• Flash produces a burst of light to illuminate the subject

• Lens is used to focus the image onto the light sensitive device within the camera

Back of the Camera

• LCD screen shows what the lens is ‘seeing’• Zoom buttons control zoom amount• Review takes camera out of ‘capture’ mode• Bin deletes images when in review mode

Zoom Buttons

LCD ScreenReview Mode

Settings Wheel

‘Rubbish Bin’

Settings Wheel

• Drive/Self-timer sets the capture rate/timed exposure

• Flash sets the flash type selected• Focus sets the focus type desired• EV sets exposure compensation amount• ‘Ok’ confirms setting selection

Flash Setting

Focus setting

Exposure Compensation(EV) Setting

Drive/Self-timerSetting

Top of the Camera

• Power button turns the camera on and off• Mode Dial sets the chosen camera function• Shutter release button is pressed to ‘take’

pictures. Used to focus on most cameras

Power Button

Mode Dial

Shutter ReleaseButton

Mode Dial

Simple mode; used for‘point and click’ photography

Program mode; allows you to set basic camerafunctions

Portrait mode; camerachooses optimal settings portrait images

Landscape mode;camera chooses optimalsettings for landscape images

Action mode; camerachooses optimal settingsFor ‘action’ images

Night mode; camerachooses optimal settings for night-timeimages

Set-up mode; user canselect camera settings

Movie mode; used to capture moving images

Menu Screen

This is an example of some of the options available on a basic digital camera

Moving around menus is controlled by the settings wheeldirectional buttons. The ‘OK’ button confirms choices made

Screen ViewFlash Setting

Camera Function

Flash Card

Remaining Shots

Battery Indicator

Image Resolution

Exposure Value(EV) setting