TPC10-2 Digital Imaging - Digital Cameras

Higher resolution cameras produce better quality images than lower resolution cameras but are more expensive to buy. 640 x 480 resolution is good enough for general school purposes and can be downloaded quickly. Although it is now possible to have images professionally printed on photographic paper, the quality of the printed image is limited by the quality of the printer and paper you use.
Camera power supply can be a huge hidden cost. It is important to check whether the camera uses rechargeable batteries, and can be connected to mains power supply. It is worthwhile remembering that switching the camera on and off uses power, so keep the camera on if you are taking a number of pictures.
Cameras will have an optical viewfinder and/or a LCD monitor. The optical viewfinder is like the viewfinder in a traditional camera. The LCD monitor allows you to view, change, delete and save images stored in the camera. It uses a lot of power, so remember to switch it off when possible, if you need to save battery power.
Accessing images can be a tricky one. It is possible to download images from the camera onto the computer via a serial cable or USB port. This can be time consuming! USB is 30 times faster than the serial cable. In some cases the USB uses power from the computer, which will save your battery life as downloading can use a lot of power. Floppy discs can be inserted in some cameras, such as the Sony Mavica and this is a really useful way of accessing images particularly if the camera is shared amongst classes. Each class can insert their own floppy when they use the camera, eject it when they've finished and pass the camera on!! The images can be instantly accessed on any computer, no need to have specialist software, the camera, wires etc. This also means the camera can be used somewhere else while you access your pictures. Other cameras contain a removable memory card that fit into a memory card adapter. The adapter looks like a floppy disc, is inserted in the a:\drive and is as easy to use as a normal floppy disc.
Does the price include accessories? If accessories are not included in your package, you don't necessarily have to buy the manufacturers' accessories, e.g. for certain Sony cameras there are a number of accessories made by competitors that are of equally good quality but don't carry the premium that Sony products do.

Quick List

Type of lenses included
Amount of zoom
Resolution
How camera stores photos
How you transfer photos
Weight
Feel of the camera
Type of accessories available
Battery life
Software included
Can you view photos on TV (if desired)

http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/CINTRO.HTM - COMPAROMETER - allows you to compare photo quality

http://pcphotoreview.com/dc/reviews/compare.htm - allows you to compare 5 cameras at once

http://graphicdesign.about.com/arts/graphicdesign/library/weekly/aa120398.htm - good article on choosing a camera

http://cameras.about.com/gadgets/cameras/library/weekly/aa072400a.htm - good article with basics

http://www2.activebuyersguide.com/abg/nav/StartPageHandler.cfm?PID=331902%2D2113955965AAA18F6FDC566AE0BFFEE1&CatID=2&option=Basics+First&RefID=12 - has basics and a decision guide to help you

http://www5.zdnet.com/products/content/pcmg/1703/268566.html - compares images taken by different cameras

http://www.zdnet.com/zdhelp/stories/sc/camera/0,12031,2622552,00.html - finding the right camera

4. File Types and Sizes

The 4 basics - http://www.sphoto.com/homedd/13.html
Memory costs of Images - http://www.scantips.com/basics1d.html
Arithmetic of Image Sizes - http://www.shortcourses.com/how/resolution/images.htm
Which File Type to Use? - http://www.scantips.com/basics09.html
JPEG File Myths - http://graphicssoft.about.com/library/weekly/aa0104jpegmyths.htm

5. Software

Basic image editing software - http://www.sphoto.com/homedd/14.html
A Beginner's Tour - http://graphicssoft.about.com/library/weekly/aa051799.htm
A list of free software - http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/freephotoswpc/index.htm
A list of cheap software - http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/digitalphotoswgen/index.htm
Photo management software -http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/imagemgmtfreepc/index.htm
http://arttech.about.com/hobbies/arttech/blfreebies_graphics.htm?terms=digital+imaging+projects - some free programs and images to work with
*** http://hotfiles.zdnet.com/cgi-bin/texis/swlib/hotfiles/search.html - download free photo software
http://graphicssoft.about.com/compute/graphicssoft/cs/photofunswpc - more photo software links
http://www.photolinks.net/cgibin/webc.cgi/ResultsPage2.html?CATEGORY=Photo%20Software - more photo software links

6. Online Options (not reviewed, just listed for you explore)

Kodak Playground allows you to alter images - http://playground.kodak.com/cgi-bin/filterFactory/asCgi.pl?app=home
Kodak photonet online allows you to store images - http://kodak.photonet.com
Publish photos online - http://www.zdnet.com/products/stories/reviews/0,4161,2688481,00.html
PhotoFun an online photo sharing site - http://www.photofun.com/IM/picshare.cfm
Yahoo's online albums - http://photos.yahoo.com
http://www.ephotoshare.net - an example of a web site that allows you to share photos over the web
http://www.photofun.com - another photo album sharing site
http://www.photoloft.com/default_new.asp?s=plft - hey another photo share site J
http://www.photopoint.com/signup.html - OK, one more photo sharing site

7. Let's Do It! - Taking a Picture

The Digital Imaging Revolution: Legal Implications and Possible Solutions - http://www.umassd.edu/Public/People/KAmaral/Thesis/digitalimaging.html
Getting student/parent permission - http://www.siec.k12.in.us/~west/online/copy2.htm
Example of Permission slip - http://www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow1/jan99/permission.htm, http://www.kent.wednet.edu/KSD/KR/Technology/TECHCOM/release3.html and http://www.siec.k12.in.us/~west/online/graphics/PUBLISH.JPG
Permission example - http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/webpub/studentpermission.htm and http://aaps.k12.mi.us/~clague/permission.htm
Using the Sony Mavica - http://scnc.perry.k12.mi.us/Mavica.html
Sony Mavica tutorial - http://ed.uwyo.edu/labpage/digcam.html
Using the Quicktake camera - http://www.memphis-schools.k12.tn.us/admin/tlapages/qt_150.htm

Taking a Photo and Inserting It In Another Program

Use one of the cameras provided to take an image.
Connect the camera to the computer and download the image to the computer using the software provided by the camera manufacture.
Save the image to a floppy disk. Make sure the image saves as a .jpg or .gif file (you can usually change this when you choose the Save As command from the camera program).
Take the disk with your image back to the computer. Open Word (an icon should be on the desktop).
Click on the Insert Menu and point to the Picture option. Click on From File.
Navigate to the A: floppy drive. Find your file and left double click. You should now see your image.
You can resize the photo the same way you would resize clipart. Right-click on the picture and choose Format Picture for more options (including the option of wrapping text around a picture).

Taking a Photo or Scanned Image and Editing It

http://graphicssoft.about.com/compute/graphicssoft/library/weekly/aa000516a.htm

http://graphicssoft.about.com/library/extra/blps_prep.htm?terms=digital+camera+resolution

http://graphicssoft.about.com/library/extra/blpsp_prep.htm?terms=digital+camera+resolution

http://graphicssoft.about.com/library/extra/blcpp_prep.htm?terms=digital+camera+resolution

http://www.tech4learning.com/imageblender/index.html

This varies greatly depending on the software you use. A couple of programs you can use include

- the software that comes with the camera/scanner

- the MS Paint program that comes with the computer (usually found in the Start Menu in the Accessories Menu Within the Programs Menu).

- A graphic editor like Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop.

- specialized programs found on the Internet under the categories of graphic software (type graphic software into a search engine, include freeware or shareware for cheap alternatives).

While each program is different, editing features are usually found on toolbars or in the Format, Edit, Image and Enhance Menus of the program (not all programs have all of these menus). Look for these keywords in the help function or the menus - Crop (allows you to cut parts of the photo out), Filters (will change the image such as cleaning up rough edges or making it appear "brighter").

Trying ImageBlender (a simple picture editor)

http://www.tech4learning.com/pdfs/recipeib.pdf - handout

Trying Photoshop (a more complex picture editor)

Take the disk with your image and make sure it is in the A: floppy drive.
Open Photoshop (found by going to the Start Menu - Program Menu - Adobe Menu - Photoshop).
From the File Menu choose Open.
Navigate to your file and open it.
Click on the Image Menu and choose Image Size - make the image smaller (this will sometimes cause the resolution to be reduced, but it will make the image file size more convenient, especially good for email, web pages and general movement of file).
Try some of the filters from the Filter Menu - you can always Undo from the Edit Menu or use the Revert to Saved Image option found in the File Menu
To crop and change other things, you usually have to select the area to be changed. The Selection toolbox is found on the toolbar (upper left corner, there are also more specific selection tools located under that tool on the toolbar). Click on the tool and then drag the mouse part of your image. Choose Crop from the Image Menu to see what happens. Revert back to the saved image
You can open more than one picture at a time. To put part of one photo into another, open both photos. Use the selection tool to draw a box around the area to be moved to the second picture. Choose Copy from the Edit Menu. Switch to the second picture and choose Paste from the Edit Menu. You can use the mouse to move the pasted area to the proper place. Make sure you put it in the right place before doing anything else, you usually can not move the pasted image after you do something else.

8. Finding More Information

***http://webs.kodak.com/US/en/digital/dlc/plus/index.shtml - kodak main page, lots of digital imagine fun and info
http://webs.kodak.com/US/en/digital/dlc/book1/index.shtml
***http://graphicssoft.about.com/compute/graphicssoft/cs/photoprojects
http://www.tutorialfind.com/tutorials/computerhardware/digitalcameras - list of tutorials
http://www.shortcourses.com/mustsee/mustsee.htm
http://graphicssoft.about.com/compute/graphicssoft/cs/framesedges
http://www.mccannas.com/book/chapter4/ptile4.htm - turn an object into a web background
http://graphicssoft.about.com/compute/graphicssoft/cs/photofunswpc/index.htm?terms=digital+imaging+projects - use a software program to enhance/alter a digital image
*** http://www.adobeactiveshare.com/cgi-bin/download.cgi?step=2 - good free photo print program
***http://www.hp.com/printing_ideas/index.html - HP's Printsville - lots of ideas and activities mainly K-8 (but neat things for secondary too J
http://desktoppub.about.com/compute/desktoppub/library/weekly/aa981229.htm - good intro and list of things to do
http://graphicdesign.about.com/arts/graphicdesign/msubduse.htm - good site
***http://playground.kodak.com/cgi-bin/filterFactory/asCgi.pl?app=home&laf=playground - Kodak Picture Playground
http://arttech.about.com/hobbies/arttech/blfreebies_graphics.htm?terms=digital+imaging+projects - some free programs and images to work with
http://desktoppub.about.com/library/weekly/aa031097.htm - Good list of resources

9. Using the Digital Camera in the Classroom

http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~ucfcasio/qvuses.htm - 1001 camera ideas
http://www.brunswick.k12.me.us/lon/lonlinks/digicam/teacher/home.html - Teachers sharing ideas
http://hca.ltsn.ac.uk/ict/bp4.php - manipulating images for the teacher
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/digital/dlc/plus/chapter5/index.shtml - Kodak's digital center for teachers
http://www.4teachers.org/techalong/anderson/index.shtml - Using digital cameras for classroom projects
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/digital/dlc/book1/chapter7 - PowerPoint and digital images
http://www.hardin.k12.ky.us/res_tech/TEC/digitalcamera/primary.htm - Using the digital camera in the primary classroom
http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/WCE/archives/heese6.htm - Using the digital camera with younger students
graphicssoft.about.com/cs/photoprojects/index.htm - list of photo projects and gifts
graphicssoft.about.com/library/weekly/aa000516a.htm - preparing your photo for the web
http://www.ejcreations.net/Tutorials/SnowGlobe - use Photoshop to create a photo snowglobe
http://www.wilsonvhs.wlwv.k12.or.us/projects.htm - Classroom activities
http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/childdev/snappyscannerideas.htm - some basic ideas
www.emtech.net/CEESA00/digital_camera_course_reader.htm
http://www.4j.lane.edu/~ketterer/digital
http://www.sikeston.k12.mo.us/mgilmer/dig_cam

last modified March 26, 2002