Bytes for beginners

NEA Today, Sep 1998

I want to purchase a digi. tal camera for my school. Have any shopping tips for me?

First off, forget the film-digital cameras don't use it. Instead, they capture images electronically. You download your photo files from the camera to your computer, where you can manipulate them, drop them into desktop publishing programs, or upload them to a Web site.

Digital camera features are changing so fast it's difficult-if not impossible-to make a perfect buying decision. You'll no doubt find that Farace's laws of computing apply: "The camera you bought six months ago was just replaced with a new model that has better resolution, more features, and lower cost!"

Good buys: Don't despairthere are some safe bets out there.

Assuming that you're not interested in the high, high end-where the price tag starts at about $4,000you should check out the Olympus D-340L or the new D-600L. These cameras, which cost $700 to $1,000, get top marks in computer magazines. Picture quality is high and surpasses requirements for publishing images on the Web.

For under $500, you can find a variety of models available from manufacturers like Epson and Kodak. Epson's PhotoPC 550 is a good buy for about $300.

Bells and whistles: If you'll be shooting mostly in low light, look for a model with a flash.

Buying a digital camera is only half the equation-you also should consider getting a Zip drive to store your photos. Even with the ability to capture images at low resolution, file size is typically half a megabyte per image-a real space eater on your computer's hard drive. Expect to spend up to $150 for a Zip drive and another $150 for Zip disks.

For more tips, check out Buyers Guide to Digital Cameras on the Web at www.hyperzine.com/scripts/ hzget.cgi?1 301.

Have ideas, comments, or questions about technology? You can E-mail webeditorddear.nea.org or write to Dear Webeditor, NEA Center for Education Technology, 1201 16th St., N. W, Washington, DC 20036. Check out www.nea.org/cet for more questions from beginners and answers from the experts.