My tips for buying a digital camera

General tips:

• NB. the following opinions are derived from published articles and not always from personal observation, so please regard them as such, I do not take any responsibility for your final choice! To see what I actually buy, go to My tools.
• there is no perfect camera, so you probably need more than one camera for different occasions and uses:
  • the super compact rugged, indestructible point and shoot to take with you all the time or at least on social events (eg. Olympus 7xx SW series).
  • a light, compact, high quality non-SLR with medium zoom and filter thread for travel and where silence is needed (eg. Canon G9).
  • a light, compact image stabilised dSLR with live preview for the more advanced photographer who wants to experiment, use long telephotos while bushwalking or just take great quality portrait or travel photos (eg. Olympus E510)
  • a robust, weather-sealed, medium-priced dSLR that will perform most jobs extremely well but still not be too heavy or big (eg. Olympus E3, Nikon D300 or Canon 40D)
  • a high end dSLR for action photography (eg. Canon 1DMIII or Nikon D3) 
  • a super high end dSLR for pros or enthusiasts who wish to create high quality large posters (eg. Canon 1DsMIII, Mamiya ZD, Hasselblad, etc)
• a camera is just a tool that enables you to use your creativity and experience to take photos, just like buying a grand piano will not make you a pianist, buying a camera does not mean you will always take great photos. The capabilities of the camera sets limits to what you can do with it, but at the end of the day, it is your understanding of the camera, principles of photography and your creativity and opportunities that will determine how good your photos are.
• nearly all cameras will allow good quality snap shots fairly easily (except the more expensive SLR's which are a bit more complicated to use, and the expensive SLRs can require quite a bit of knowledge and practice to use at all).
• don't get sucked in by lots of megapixels - the more megapixels crammed into a small sensor means worse image quality. 5-8mp is all most people need, and 10-12mp is reasonable in a dSLR.
• if you want to print 20" x 30" or larger and your subject matter requires much detail, then choose a camera with larger pixel size with the highest quality lenses possible, preferably designed for digital sensors - a 10 or 12mp camera carefully shot can produce 20"x 30" prints, but if it is a point and shoot camera the image detail will suffer and it will look impressionistic while if it is a dSLR it will look good, and possibly brilliant if it is a high end camera with a medium format sensor. 
• at the end of the day, if you don't bring the camera with you, no matter how good it is, you won't get a photo, so size does matter.
• if you want to do nice landscape photos, you MUST be able to put gradient filters on the lens (ie. the lens must have a filter thread) otherwise your skies will often be washed out and disappointing.
• if you want to do nice portraits with background blurred, then you need a dSLR with a nice lens for portraits which means in the 80-120mm effective focal length with a wide aperture such as f/1.8-2.8 
• some general points about camera selection:
  • you probably need more than one camera:
    • a compact point and shoot which you can take in your pocket everywhere without getting damaged.
      • preferably no more than 6-8mpixels:

        • ideally these small sensor cameras should not have more than 6mpixels as there is no gain in image quality at higher megapixels and indeed less image quality at the cost of bigger file sizes.

        • furthermore diffraction effects mean LESS image sharpness with apertures smaller than f/3.5

          • see 6mpixels.org

        • take the manufacturer's hype of high ISO performance with a grain of salt, these small sensors will have image noise at ISO levels higher than 200 or else the noise will be removed at the cost of image detail or resolution.

      • an almost indestructible ultra-compact camera:
        • consider the Olympus 720SW which is 7 mpixels, 3x optical zoom, waterproof to 3m & shockproof to 1.5m drop
          • there are newer versions:
            • the 725SW which gives improved waterproofing
            • the 770SW which is waterproof even more to 10m
            • the 790SW which adds operation down to -10degC with waterproof to 3m and face detection AF but still does not have true image stabiliser.
            • the 795SW as for 790SW but waterproof to 10m for an extra $A100
            • the 850SW 8mp, 38-114mm, waterproof 3m, shockproof 1.5m, LED macro-illuminator, face-detection AF
            • the 1030SW 10mp, 28-102mm zoom, waterproof 10m, drop proof 2m, freeze proof, face-detection AF, manometer
            • http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/08012202olyswseries.asp 
          • I have to say, these are great cameras, the best pocket point and shoots for 2006/2007 in my book, you can shoot underwater in your swimming pool or in the surf without worrying about it, or just take it to the beach without having to worry about the sand and with the 790/850/1030 you can take them to the snow, and its built to last.
          • BUT as with any compact point and shoot, their lower image quality in comparison to a dSLR will limit enlargements.
      • an ultra compact camera which doubles as a multimedia player for music & videos:
        • BenQ DSC X800:
          • well, although this is not as indestructible as the Olympus SW series it might mean you don't need to carry an iPod and this model has an image stabiliser but its not waterproof or dustproof or drop proof.
      • if you want a compact camera with more zoom, consider:
        • Casio Exilim EX-V7 (2007) which is 7mpixels, 7x optical zoom, CCD shift IS, and movies to boot, but no where as robust as the Olympus. 
      • if you want a compact camera with higher image quality and fixed 28mm lens:
        • Sigma DP1:
          • 14mp via 3 layered Foveon dSLR size sensor using large 7.8micron pixels; 
          • f/4 fixed focal length lens giving 28mm coverage;
          • hotshoe; qVGA movie mode; RAW X3F mode; optional optical viewfinder; 
          • only 240g; 9pt AF with MF over-ride; SD card;
          • may suit travel landscape photographers who want to travel light but shoot high quality images but perhaps you cannot use the all-important filters which makes the camera much less useful - perhaps it may find a use in street photography although the lack of 3x zoom will be limiting for other uses.
          • http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/08013108sigmadp1.asp 
      • if you want something a bit bigger and more advanced but will still fit in a trouser or jacket pocket then you need an advanced non-dSLR digital:
        • Canon G9:
          • similar to the G7 but unfortunately Canon has increased resolution to a silly 12mp instead of sticking with a more sensible 8mp with larger photosites and less digital noise. 
          • but at least now you can save RAW files, it has IS and can use filters, all of which are important
          • movies at 15fps at VGA or SVGA resolution; 370g; 
          • annoyingly, the LCD stays lit all the time when on making discrete more difficult & wasting battery life.
          • despite its 12mp, I think it still maybe the camera to get in this genre.
          • http://theonlinephotographer.com/the_online_photographer/blog_index.html 
          • http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/G9-Japan.shtml 
        • Ricoh Caplio GX100:
          • unique 10mp camera with 24-72mm f/2.5-4.4 lens and removable LCD viewfinder - hmmm... I'm not sure how useful this is in reality or whether it is likely to be damaged, but it may interest some.
          • see http://1001noisycameras.blogspot.com/2007/06/is-ricoh-gx100-new-prosumer-messiah.html 
        • NOW WATCH THIS SPACE - THE FUTURE IS COMING:
          • There is a place for a quality digital camera that one can take with you everywhere but yet be able to be expanded with high quality lenses if needed.
          • We already have relatively small & light digital SLRs such as the Nikon D40 and the even smaller Olympus E420, but for the majority of the population, even these are too big to carry with you all the time, so many of us resort to Canon G9 or smaller point and shoots, but as good as these are they don't usually allow compatibility with your main dSLR or ability to extend them easily.
          • Olympus and Panasonic have announced in Aug 2008 that they are extending their Four Thirds system smaller to produce even smaller cameras and lenses - the Micro Four Thirds but which still uses the same size Four Thirds sensor as their almost waterproof semi-pro E3 camera.
          • see http://www.olympus-global.com:80/en/news/2008b/nr080805fourthirdse.cfm
          • Now the beauty of this is that not only can you potentially have an even smaller, lighter dSLR and lens to take with you everywhere, but you can put almost any lens ever made on it via an adapter (the main exceptions are Canon lenses), such as a normal Olympus or in manual focus, a Nikon, Carl Zeiss, Leica R, Minolta, Konica, or whatever, and have them all image stabilised and as it has no mirror, it will be almost silent and have movie mode and rapid burst modes.
          • And given the shorter flange distance, it wouldn't surprise me if you will be able to use Leica M lenses.
      • if you want an ultrazoom point and shoot for travel with CCD-shift image stabiliser then:
        • do you REALLY need an ultrazoom because the price you pay for it is increased lens size, even smaller sensor size (except the S100FS) and thus more image noise at high ISO and generally poorer overall image quality.
        • for most people a zoom in the range of 24-120mm or 28-200mm will be adequate for the far majority of their photos whilst maintaining reasonable image quality, unfortunately, the most useful part of the zoom, the wide angle is often compromised with widest being 35mm as in the otherwise excellent Canon G9.
        • Nikon P80:
          • 10mp; 27-486mm 18x zoom; CCD-based IS; macro to 1cm; face-priority AF; 30 fps movies;
          • http://www.dpreview.com/news/0804/08041003nikonp80.asp 
        • Fuji S100FS:
          • 2/3" 11mp sensor; tiltable LCD; 28-400mm f/2.8-5.3 lens with optical IS; face recognition;
          • new film simulation bracketing & dynamic range bracketing modes;
          • 7fps at 3mp; 918g w/o batt;
          • very heavy but larger sensor than the Olympus SP or Canon G9, and hopefully a better image quality.
          • worth a look.  
          • see http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/08012410fujifS100FS.asp 
        • Fuji S2000HD:
          • 1/2.3" 10mp sensor; 28-414mm f/3.5-5.4 lens with CCD-shift IS;
          • 13.5fps at 3mp; face detection AF with red eye removal;
          • shutter speeds only 4sec-1/1000th; 
          • HD movies (1280x720x30fps); 
          • 60fps refresh EVF and LCD screen; 426g w/o batt; xD/SD; 1cm macro;
          • see http://www.dpreview.com/news/0808/08081201fujifilms2000hd.asp 
        • Olympus SP-560UZ:
          • similar to 550UZ (super-macro to 1cm, a 15fps burst mode albeit in 1.2mp. Longest shutter speed is only 0.5sec, and no ext. flash shoe but at least it has RAW mode unlike the Canon G7) 
          • but 8mp, 27-486mm f/2.8-4.5, 30fps VGA mode movie; face detection AF; 365g;
          • this is a better zoom range and megapixel count than the Canon G9 if you can live without a flash mount for external flash and you can put up with using xD cards, although the G9 may be nicer to use.
        • Olympus SP-570UZ:
          • as with 560-UZ but 10mp, 20x 26-520mm optical zoom with optional teleconverter to 884mm, 15fps burst mode; 1cm macro;
          • see http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/08012204olysp570uz.asp 
        • Sony H9 which is 8mp, 31-465mm f/2.7-4.5 15x zoom, focus to 50cm, 2.2fps, 9 AF points with face detection, 30sec - 1/4000th sec shutter, ISO 3200, IR nightshot mode, HDTV output but ? no RAW mode.
      • if you want rapid sequence action shots in a non-dSLR:
        • Casio EXILIM Pro EX-F1:
          • ground-breaking new camera for 2008 offering some incredible image capture speeds:
            • 60 frames at 6mp resolution at between 1-60fps
            • rapid flash sequences of up to 20 frames at 6mp at 1-7fps
            • high speed movie recording at HD 1920x1080 at 60fps or by reducing resolution, at 300, 600 or 1200fps + HDMI connections for TV.
          • image stabilised; 12x zoom 36-432mm eq. f/2.7-4.6 lens;
          • http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/08010601casiof1.asp 
          • interesting for some purposes but don't expect image quality, high ISO or AF performance of a dSLR.
        • Casio EXILIM EX-FH20:
          • introduced late 2008
          • 1-40fps up to 40 images at 7.1mp with pre-record mode & 5fps flash
          • 15-1000fps AND YouTube movie modes
          • 26-520mm focal length range F/2.8-4.5 with CCD-shift IS
          • http://www.dpreview.com/news/0809/08091601casio_fh20.asp 
    • a more sophisticated digital SLR camera:
      • to allow you to use filters, external flashes and have better lens resolution, low light functionality, more shallow depth of field so you can make your subject stand out, lower noise and aberrations. 
      • these cameras are more difficult to use than point and shoots and require a little effort to learn the basics of photography and how to get the best from the camera.
      • the larger sensor will usually give the best dynamic range and lowest noise, while the versatility of interchangeable lenses and generally faster speed of operation and far superior manual focus allow for potentially better photos that may be impossible to take with other cameras. In addition, the larger sensor size allows narrower depth of field & thus the ability to isolate a subject from the background better.
      • look for a dSLR with an image stabiliser, good lenses at an affordable price and a brand that is likely to be progressive.
        • a good camera for the advanced amateur or for travel is the Olympus E510. 
        • for those with a higher budget, look at either of these very good mid-range dSLRs:
          • Olympus E3, Nikon D300, or Canon 40D (unfortunately the latter two still do not have in-built image stabilisation and you must pay extra for lenses with this built in).
      • reasons to buy a digital SLR:
        • creativity and versatility:
          • use of different lenses, filters and ability to use available light at lower levels without a tripod makes for more versatility and thus opens up creative options.
          • you are the sort of person who is willing to go and take lots of photos, experimenting with different perspectives, exposures, filters, and focal lengths.
        • AF performance in low light or for moving subjects:
          • unlike point and shoots which use slow, poorly performing contrast detection AF, digital SLRs generally have faster, more reliable phase contrast AF which is often combined with faster AF motors in the lenses and improved ability to track moving targets.
        • less digital noise at high ISO
          • this is particularly important for action photography and available light photography of a moving target.
          • also important for astrophotography
        • ability to blur the background & foreground to make a subject stand out
          • this is a very handy feature of cameras with larger sensors and wide aperture telephoto lenses and can really make the difference in many photos including portraits.
          • examples:
            • Olympus dSLR with a 50mm f/2 macro or the 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5
            • Canon or Nkon dSLR with 50mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.8, 135mm f/2.0L, 70-200mm f/2.8L
          • see portrait lens
        • long telephoto performance for wildlife, sports:
          • although you can get point and shoots with ultrazooms, results are likely to be disappointing as you miss out on the following features:
            • fast burst mode to capture action sequences (most dSLRs have at least 3 fps)
            • fast AF at the telephoto end (most point and shoots struggle with AF at telephoto end, especially in low light)
            • ability to use high ISO with minimal noise or wide apertures to allow faster shutter speeds to minimise camera shake or freeze the action.
          • examples:
            • Olympus E3 with 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD 
            • Canon or Nikon dSLR with 300mm f/4 IS L
            • see super tele
        • ultrawide angle or fisheye photography
          • examples:
            • Olympus E3 with 7-14mm lens
          • see super wide
        • image quality to enable good looking large prints
          • many factors contribute to image quality (see below)
          • dSLRs with their larger sensors have more dynamic range and lower noise at high ISO
          • generally better lenses are available for dSLRs and good quality lenses are often more important than the camera features in allowing a great quality photo, hence I tend to stick with Canon L prime lenses or Olympus ZD pro lenses. I am yet to be convinced of the quality of the lenses for Canon/Nikon cropped sensors - even a lowly 50mm f/1.8 lens might be better than these zooms - see here.
          • the larger sensor allows smaller apertures (eg. f/8) without losing resolution due to diffraction effects
        • viewfinder quality
        • ability to accurately manual focus
          • most point and shoots and even most dSLRs have poor manual focus facilities (look for live preview on the newer dSLRs).
          • not all situations are suitable for autofocus so manual focus can be important - eg. macro work.
      • reasons not to buy a digital SLR:
        • not willing to invest some time in learning how to best use them
          • there is a bit of a learning curve - be prepared not to use "AUTO" mode.
          • if you are not prepared to learn the basics about ISO, aperture, depth of field, focal length and shutter speed, then don't bother wasting your money on a dSLR - get someone else to take your great photos.
        • size or weight not suitable for your use
          • eg. social photography, unwanted attention, a camera you always carry with you.
        • you like doing self-portraits
          • this is hard with most dSLRs, except perhaps the Olympus E3 with its swivel live preview LCD
        • you really like using the live preview LCD for all photos
          • although the latest dSLRs have live preview, their use is no where as easy as point and shoots and most have AF issues and shutter lag issues (except Olympus E330 an Sony 350).
        • money - it can get to be an expensive hobby as there is always more you can buy!
          • if you are always going to worry your camera will be broken or stolen, then perhaps you may be better off with a cheaper camera that will stress you less.
          • this can also be an issue if traveling to places where theft or violence on the street is more likely if you are seen carrying what appears to be an expensive camera
        • shooting in quiet environments
          • all dSLRs are a bit noisy due to the mirror mechanism, so if you need silence as at classical music concerts and conferences, etc, then a non-dSLR may be the better choice.
        • you need a movie mode
          • no current dSLRs have a movie mode
  • once I narrowed the cameras down, I would then look at other features such as:
    • image quality (not just megapixels)
      • unfortunately this is the area that tends to get sacrificed for portability - professional photographers don't use large cameras just because they like large cameras, its because they give the best image quality for producing large enlargements.
      • but there is also the argument of better a photo than none at all - hence the reason for point and shoots.
      • image quality depends on:
        • resolution / image detail:
          • accuracy of focus
          • absence of camera shake (ie. use a tripod, image stabiliser or a fast shutter speed)
          • absence of motion blur (ie. sufficiently fast shutter speed for moving objects - hence often need a high ISO and wide aperture)
          • lens resolution
          •  sensor resolution (most modern sensors have reasonable sensor resolution in pixels/mm - many small ones have too much and the lens becomes the bottleneck)
        • adequate lens contrast:
          • lens flare will reduce image contrast and thus apparent resolution - a lens hood will help
        • dynamic range:
          • the greater the dynamic range of the sensor, the better the ability to get detail in both shadow and highlight regions which is particularly important for high contrast scenes such as weddings where bride wears white and groom wears black).
        • digital sensor noise:
          • digital noise is a big problem at higher ISO levels and is related to sensor size & its dynamic range
          • the more modern sensors and the bigger they are will generally result in lower noise.
          • you can remove noise by software but the trade-off is less image detail.
        • aberrations:
          • these tend to be a function of the lens but can be also due to the system as a whole (vignetting, moire, purple fringing)
          • the longer the zoom range on the lens, the more likely you will have aberrations along with decreased resolution & lens contrast.
      • you can always make an image less sharp, less detailed, or more contrasty in Photoshop, but you can't add in more detail, hence its usually best to capture as much detail as possible at the start.
      • for my preferred types of photography, I want great quality at wide apertures, and unfortunately, this means expensive lenses such as Canon L primes or Nikon/Olympus pro series lenses.
    • ability to focus:
      • most cameras are pretty good at handling exposure and colour balance but what can make a big difference in a photo is how accurate the focus is and did it focus on what you wanted it to - unfortunately, while modern auto-focus has come a long way, it is often fooled or unable to gain a focus and, apart from the Olympus E330, E410, E510, E3, Fuji S5 Pro, Canon 1DMIII / 40D, Nikon D3/D300 not many digital cameras have an accurate manual focus over-ride. 
      • the digital SLRs have much faster and more accurate AF systems that work much better in low light or for fast moving subjects than do point and shoots. The Olympus E3 has the fastest AF that works in low light levels.
    • usability in terms of rapid access to menu options, LCD screen visibility, instant start up, focus capability, image write time, external flash, battery life, etc.
    • size and weight - can I take it everywhere and maximise its use?
    • robust/weatherproof/dustproof - is it only plastic?; can I protect the lens with a UV filter?; will the CCD sensor need costly regular cleaning as with most digital SLRs? will dust get inside the lens where it cannot be cleaned? 
    • ability to take photos in RAW mode, preferably with jpeg at same time 
    • ability to attach a polarising (make sure the front lens element does not rotate as with the cheap Canon kit lenses) or ND filter (to allow longer exposures in daytime to capture moving water etc.)
    • medium term viability of manufacturer if considering a dSLR system:
      • HP have stopped marketing cameras to Asia (2004)
      • Kodak stopped marketing digital SLRs (2004) and low end point and shoots (2007)
      • Konica Minolta have stopped marketing digital cameras (2005) and bought out by Sony
      • Mamiya are selling their film & digital camera business to IT company Cosmos (2006) 
      • Pentax bought out by Hoya (2007)
    • special requirements such as: 
      • low light:
        • fast f/ratio lens, low noise at high ISO, good auto and manual focus, image stabiliser, can I see on LCD or viewfinder?
        • Canon 40D/5D/1DMIII, Nikon D3/D300, Olympus E3 (for its IS, fast AF and wide aperture lenses).
      • people photography:
        • ability to blur the background and avoid distortion of the face
          • portrait lens
        • face detection technology to AF on the face preferentially
          • a bit gimmicky and slow, maybe OK for beginners only.
          • not yet available on dSLRs except in certain live preview modes 
      • street photography:
        • quiet, compact, unobtrusive 
        • live LCD preview in flip up screen for waist level shots (eg. Olympus C8080, E330, E3, Sony H7/9)
      • action and wildlife photography:
        • fast AF, fast shot-to-shot times, fast telephoto
        • Canon 40D, Nikon D300, Olympus E3 
        • or if you are a pro sports photographer then you probably need the high end digitals
        • see super tele
      • infrared:
        • ability to add a IR filter; IR sensitivity, RAW mode, live LCD preview or rangefinder-type optical viewfinder (can use digital SLR but need to compose then put filter on as once on UNLESS it has wide aperture lens with Live Preview BOOST as with Olympus E510, E3)
        • see infra-red photography
      • astrophotography:
        • Bulb long exposures; low noise at high ISO, low dark frame noise (eg. Canon dslrs), ability to attach to telescope, preferably magnified live LCD preview to assist focusing (eg. modified Canon 40D)
        • avoid full frame sensors if not using a camera lens as most telescopes can't cope well with the larger image circle needed
        • see astrophoto
      • macrophotography:
        • magnified live LCD preview to assist focusing (Olympus E330, E510, E3, Canon 40D, Nikon D300)
        • closest focus or options for macro lenses
        • see macro
      • under-water photography:
        • UW housing availability, strobe flash, can you see the image underwater - LCD live preview very handy, etc (Olympus E330, E410)
      • panoramic landscapes:
        • is the tripod mount at centre of the optical axis to ensure accuracy in sequential images.
        • availability of high quality wide angle lenses especially designed for digital photography
        • see panorama
      • wedding photography:
        • fast lens eg. 70-200 f/2.8 and a fast wider angle eg. 24-85mm f/3.5
        • reasonably fast SLR with great low light AF capability
        • reasonably fast x-sync for fill-in flash in daylight (Olympus E3, Nikon D300)
        • great kits would be:
          • the Olympus E3 with 12-60mm f/2.8-3.5 (ie. 24-120mm) plus either 50mm f/2.0 macro or 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD (ie. 100-400mm)
          • Nikon D3 with Zoom-Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm f/2.8D ED IF and AF-S VR 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-E
          • Nikon D300 with DX Zoom-Nikkor AF-S 18-55mm VR (ie. 27-83mm) and AF-S VR 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-E
          • Canon 5D or 1DMIII with EF 28-70mm f/2.8L plus EF 70-200mm f/2.8L
    • you will always have a compromise, but in the end you have to decide on what you can compromise on. There is no perfect camera out there.

More digital photography tips:

• use high capacity batteries - either NiMH or lithium as cost is ~6c/cycle compared to $4/cycle with alkaline AA's
• buy larger capacity flash memory cards (eg. 2Gb-8Gb) and avoid expensive or near-obsolete formats such as MMC, SmartMedia or Sony and remember that while CF & SD cards can be used as "large floppy discs" for any data, xD can only be used for pics. For digital SLRs, buy fast cards such as Sandisk Extreme III CF for faster RAW mode or Jpeg burst shooting.
• buy a USB 2.0 multiformat flash memory reader to make it easier to transfer images to computers 
• don't bother using digital zoom as you may as well just zoom in on the computer after the pic has been taken
• use the shutter's half-position to ensure appropriate auto-focus has been achieved (or better still use a dedicated AF button if available as it is on most dSLRs)
• remember basic photography rules - exposure, focus, composition, avoid camera shake blurring photos by using tripod or flash, perspective, polarising or infrared filters for dramatic skies, etc
• adjust ISO speed rating to suit the lighting or desired result (eg. 400 in dim light or for action photos, 100 for portraits, etc for lowest noise)
• adjust white balance if accuracy of colour is important, do a custom WB or shoot in RAW mode.
• most cameras will have some purple fringing when including very bright objects in the image such as the sun, consider stopping the lens down or avoid the object.
• store image originals safely & ensure you do not accidentally edit the originals - even rotating jpegs can degrade the image as jpegs use lossy compression algorithms (lossless jpeg rotation is possible using IrfanView)
• always edit a COPY of the original image
• if a picture is going to be important to you, consider taking it in lossless mode such as RAW rather than as JPEG although this will take up lots more room on the memory card - you can always convert to jpeg on a computer later.

Optical zoom and megapixels:

• for adequate versatility, the basic optical zoom lens should ideally be at least 3x optical and zoom range should ideally start at 28mm although most start at 35mm (in 35mm camera equivalence terms).
• digital zoom results in increasingly poor quality and is generally not useful
• image scale in arcsecs/pixel = 206 * (pixel size in microns) / (effective 35mm equivalent maximum focal length in mm)
• field of view in arcseconds = number of pixels horizontally / image scale
• optical magnification = 35mm equivalent focal length / 50mm
• FOV horizontal in degrees = 41.2deg / optical magnification
  • this is based on a 35mm camera with 50mm lens having a FOV of 41.2deg x 27.6deg
  • thus for 105mm = 19.6deg, 140mm = 14.7deg; 196mm = 10.5deg;

Choosing a backup film camera that works without batteries:

• medium format twin lens reflex camera:
  • uses 120 film and thus is big, bulky and heavy but relatively quiet as no mirror to move.
  • see TLRs
• medium format SLR:
  • uses 120 film and thus is big, bulky, heavy and noisy - usually need to mount on a tripod for best results
  • unlike the TLR, have inter-changeable film backs so can carry spares loaded with different film for different circumstances.
  • unfortunately, the cheaper, discontinued Bronica series do need batteries
  • see medium format
• 35mm SLR:
  • Olympus OM-1N 
    • out of production but readily available on Ebay but usually light meter not work
    • most will need servicing to have perished rubber light seals renewed.
  • Nikon FM - still being made
    • All metal, excellent metal focal plane shutter, uses most Nikon lenses, an electronic meter that is first rate and trouble free and that isn't linked electronically to the exposure system.
• 35mm rangefinder:
  • Leica CL:
    • It's tricky to load the CL, but once you do, you will realize that it has one of the best film pressure plates ever invented.
    • The CL is compact but should be treated with respect. Try to get the soft leather case that came with it or have one made by a craftsman. 
    • The CL isn't merely a backup camera. It is a prime camera, though its small size is misleading.
    • It has a brilliant viewfinder with compensating frames for 40 and 90mm lenses.
    • Make sure you get the CL with its native 40mm Summicron. Minolta made most of the CLs for Leica Wetzlar during the 1980s. Don't confuse the Leica CL with Minolta's look alike, the CLE. The CLE is battery dependent and is no longer repaired by Minolta. And parts are hard to come by. 
  • Olympus RC:
    • shutter priority camera is fully operable without batteries. The shutter works at all speeds up to 1/500ths of a second without batteries and you can set the fstops manually. Plus you get manual rangefinder focusing, and a fast, sharp 43mm coated lens with a lot of depth of field.
    • But pop in a battery and there is even more:
      • 1. Automatic exposure with shutter priority metering, 
      • 2. The best non-TTL flash system available; you indicate the flash guide number and the camera automatically sets the correct aperture as you focus.
    • see http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~yue/misc/rangfndr.html
• 35mm compact:
  • Rollei 35 with HFT lens - metal
  • Minox 35GSE - plastic, very quiet, small but unfortunately is battery dependent.
  • Olympus XA -  but unfortunately is battery dependent.

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