JiscMail Logo
Email discussion lists for the UK Education and Research communities

Help for ARCHIVES-NRA Archives


ARCHIVES-NRA Archives

ARCHIVES-NRA Archives


ARCHIVES-NRA@JISCMAIL.AC.UK


View:

Message:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Topic:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Author:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

Font:

Proportional Font

LISTSERV Archives

LISTSERV Archives

ARCHIVES-NRA Home

ARCHIVES-NRA Home

ARCHIVES-NRA  2001

ARCHIVES-NRA 2001

Options

Subscribe or Unsubscribe

Subscribe or Unsubscribe

Log In

Log In

Get Password

Get Password

Subject:

Re: digital cameras <fwd>

From:

Ed I Bremner <[log in to unmask]>

Reply-To:

[log in to unmask]

Date:

Fri, 6 Jul 2001 10:59:16 +0100

Content-Type:

Text/Plain

Parts/Attachments:

Parts/Attachments

Text/Plain (159 lines)

Siobhan,

There is quite a large range of digital cameras that can be
classified as "hand-held" from small consumer compacts priced under
200GBP to professional cameras produced by Nikon, Canon, Kodak etc
with a price tag in excess of 10,000GBP.

I am afraid that the deliverable quality spans an equally large
range.  This makes it hard to give any kind of useful advice without
knowing a little more of what you want to do with the camera and how
you intend to use the images .

If the images are for your Web site, and will only be delivered at a
size that fits within the standard recommended browser dimensions
(800pix x 600pix) then many of the cheaper consumer compacts will
provide enough quality (although maybe not the versatility) for the job.

However you also say that you hope there will be sufficient resolution
to allow visitors  to read texts.......My experience is that unless the
size of original is small (say under A5-A6) then there will not be
enough information recorded within a 800x600 pixel image to give
useful and practical reading.  This need not be a problem, but does
mean that you will need to deliver images that are larger than the
browser can show on one screen without panning image.

There are also issues with delivering images of these sizes over the
internet.  Even after compression they can be still be slow to load
over a modem connection.  Of course if you can restrict yourself to  a
smaller colour palette this can help.

I am afraid none of this has helped you with your choice of camera!
And as you say the market is full of cameras with very similar
specifications that make it hard to make a choice.

Some of these aspects might help you:

The main detractor to image quality is the amount of JPEG compression
that is put onto image within the camera.  If you want good quality
then choose a camera that can provide the ability to save with low,
very low, or no compression.  Be aware that this can be very slow
(45-60 s refresh time between each shot).

JPEG compression can be particularly noticeable with images with large
amounts of similar tone (Paper background for instance) and fine detail
(type for instance)

All the hand-held digital cameras use a capture technology that is
based upon a CCD using a colour matrix.  These work very well with
normal and general picture types but again they are stretched by sharp
edges of high contrast (black print on white background) leaving small
erroneously coloured artifacts.

The most annoying problem with many of these cameras is the lag between
pushing the shutter button and the camera taking the shot.

All these cameras are very power hungry......buy a camera that takes
normal AA type cells rather than expensive dedicated batteries.  Even
better if it will allow an external power-source.

If you are using camera within a structured set up (stand, backdrop,
controlled lighting etc) and I hope you are.....then you need to choose
a  camera which allows you to work in as manual a way as possible.  All
automatic functions are very clever......but they will inevitably lead
to differences in camera settings and differing visual appearances.
Nothing looks less professional than having a range of images all of
which appear to be shot with different lighting and background etc.

A 1000GBP hand-held camera will easily be outperformed by a 200GBP
flatbed when scanning an A4 flat artwork.  However the camera should
give you an increased flexibility and of course enable you to capture 3D
and delicate works with ease.  It should also hopefully give you a
faster workflow.  My Experience is that a 10,000GBP digital camera,
when properly set up, will provide quality equal to the 10,000 scanner
with much increased flexibility and productivity.

Possible choices of Camera?

At under 1000GBP (Consumer digi-compacts)

Nikon 995 is a popular choice, we use one at TASI
Olympus 3020, 3030, 3040 are all useful and I have seen the 3040
successfully used for a similar use to yours
There is a new Minolta range of cameras which are arriving shortly,
which sound like they will be very useful

Over 1000GBP (Semi-Pro hand-helds)

Olympus E10 - receiving very good feedback
Nikon D1  -  becoming the digital workhorse for the lower end Pro-Photog
Fuji S1  -  bit cheaper that D1   still a useful bit of kit
Canon D30  -  uses CMOS tech

I hope these thoughts are of some help to you and others on the
Archives-NRA list.

If you would like any more advice, please do not hesitate to call TASI
at:

[log in to unmask]

cheers


eib



 On Thu, 5 Jul 2001 17:05:19
+0100 Siobhan Convery <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> We are investigating purchasing a hand held digital camera,
> principally to capture images for our web site. We are hoping they
> will be of sufficient resolution to allow visitors to read texts and
not
> just look at the document as an illustration.
>
> I have just managed to get my head round the jargon involved and
> drawn up a specification but there appear to be so many cameras
> offering the same functions. Before taking the financial plunge, I
> would welcome hearing from offices that have had good and bad
> experiences with digicams and image capturing, or that feel they
> would strongly recommend a particular brand/model.
>
> Apologies if this question has done the rounds before, however, I
> am a relatively new list member.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Siobhan Convery
>
> _______________________________
> Siobhan Convery
> Archivist
>
> Aberdeen City Archives
> Legal & Corporate Services Department
> Aberdeen City Council
> Town House
> Broad Street
> Aberdeen AB10 1AQ
>
> tel 01224 522513
> fax 01224 638556
>
> Visit Aberdeen City Council's Web-site at
http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk
>
> This message is not intended to have contractual effect.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ed I Bremner, TASI Senior Technical Research Officer
TASI - Technical Advisory Service for Images
Free help, advice and guidance for the
Further and Higher Education sector
http://www.tasi.ac.uk/
A JISC Service
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Top of Message | Previous Page | Permalink

JiscMail Tools


RSS Feeds and Sharing


Advanced Options


Archives

March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998


JiscMail is a Jisc service.

View our service policies at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/ and Jisc's privacy policy at https://www.jisc.ac.uk/website/privacy-notice

For help and support help@jisc.ac.uk

Secured by F-Secure Anti-Virus CataList Email List Search Powered by the LISTSERV Email List Manager