The FinePix S1800 runs on 4 AA size batteries, atypical for cameras in this class which normally run on 2 AA batteries, but necessary to charge the cameras powerful pop up flash. Batteries and memory cards are found at the base of the pal grip. Fuji generously ships the FinePix S1800 with 4 AA size batteries to get you started.

The S1800 camera is not available in a range of colors, and comes in standard black with a leathery palm rest. As you would expect of any digital camera, the S1800 can store all your photos and video recordings directly to a range of supported SD memory cards or onto 23MB of internal memory; you will have to buy the memory card separately however as the FinePix does not ship with one.

The FinePix has a large high contrast 3.0 inch LCD display that sports an electronic view finder. External interfacing to view photos in you gallery or recorded videos can be done using the supplied cables to link to any device with AV input or to a PC with via high speed USB. Being able to record high definition video at 720p, an HDMI port would have been quite useful to quickly stream to your HDTV. Unfortunately it is not included on this model; you can consider the S2500 instead or the HDTV kit which gives you this functionality.

Camera Lens

The Fujifilm FinePix S1800 is capable of 12 mega pixel photo shots, and supports automatic focus for multiple focus objects in your photo scene and tracked auto focus for objects in your photo scene that are in movement. The camera’s optical wide-angle zoom reaches a maximum of 18x producing very high resolution photos right through focal range in telephoto or wide angle.

The Fujifilm FinePix S1800 has a large lens reach with a very effective anti shake image stabilization technology that improves shots blurred by camera movement. The high speed shutter allows the S1800 to take up 20 still pictures sequentially though image quality degrades somewhat in this configuration. For video shoots, the Fujifilm FinePix S1800 can record at high definition with mono sound or you can set it to VGA maximum resolution.

Picture Quality

The Fujifilm FinePix S1800 produces photos in detail with up to a maximum resolution of 4000×3000 pixels. Added post shot photo features such as noise reduction, sharpening, chromatic aberrations work well to improve image quality. Pictures taken with the FinePix S1800 will ordinarily occupy about 5.5 MB of storage space if taken at maximum photo quality. File quality setting adds a level of two compression types available which can reduce photo size up to 2.82 MB but still retain a high level of detail in the photo.

The Fujifilm FinePix S1800 sports a flash with 4 settings including slow synchro. Automatic red-eye reduction for photos distorted by ambient light or night for night shots is a welcome feature. An added mode, panorama mode, allows you to take panoramic photos easily with the S1800 handling the processing behind the scenes.

Battery Life and Added Features

The Fujifilm FinePix S1800’s four AA size batteries included, will give you roughly 300 shots. Lithium batteries will definitely give you more value at roughly 700 shots before replacing, depending on the settings you have enabled on the camera and how often you use the LCD to view your photo and video gallery.

The latest installment of the software is the zoom browser EX version, which supports conversation between unprocessed digital images in RAW format and the popular JPG format. Converted images can be adjusted; for instance if you have photos in JPG you can quickly correct photos of subjects with red eye, allow zoom browser to adjust the photo(s) for you automatically, change the color balance / sharpness /color saturation, trim the photo(s) ready for print, insert text into your photo (s) or select the image to be edited with an external image editor from within zoom browser.

From within Zoom browser EX it is possible to create panoramas from several photos with Photo stitch (which comes included on the zoom browser EX installation disc) and create a photo album on the fly. Being an album organizer, you can also rate photos that you have stored on your computer. This is particularly useful if you intend to prioritize albums according to sentimental value. Zoom Browser EX has a dedicated option that allows you to connect directly to either a canon camera or a canon EOS camera, and take advantage of the full list of features of your digital camera; effectively giving you full control of you camera from your computer.

Zoom browser works by showing you thumbnails of all the photos stored not only on your computer but your camera as well; you can see all your images in the main browser window which loads up as soon as you open the application. This makes it easy to browse through hundred of images simultaneously.

Zoom browser neatly divides general functions into a zoom browser EX task; a task may be to download photos from your digital camera, send an image stored on your computer or camera as an email attachment, plug in a canon EOS camera or print a stored image. All these tasks are grouped into categories in large button panes that are easy to navigate from the main zoom browser window.

Zoom browser allows you to view stored images in 3 modes; these modes are zoom mode, scroll mode and preview mode on Windows PCs and the Macintosh variant of the software has Preview, List and Time tunnel modes. In the PC version, with zoom mode you can view thumb nails of the images contained in folders and subfolder, along with images at the root of your computers drive or camera memory. These images are then placed adjacent to each other in grids and selecting any single or multiple images enables the zoom function which can be increased up to a maximum ratio of 20 to 1.

Scroll mode may be familiar with windows uses as it functions much like windows explorer and allows you to navigate to folders that contain any of your images.

Preview mode is perhaps the most useful of all the 3 modes as it gives the user of the application the most information about a photo image taken by a camera. Double clicking (for windows users) any image displayed in preview mode expands the image and gives you details such as the brightness histogram, file size, date photo was taken, data type, and image resolution. In addition you can get shooting information from the picture such as the camera model used to take the photo, shutter speed, whether flash was used and color space.

Canon’s Zoom browser is handy for the mid-level enthusiast armed with a digital camera, but chances are that professional photographers will stick to more advanced 3rd party applications such as Photoshop.

There is nothing wrong with alkaline battery powered digital cameras, but the major downside to them when compared to rechargeable batteries is that they are relatively expensive in the long run; this is mostly due to the fact that powerful newer cameras have features that consume enormous amounts of power; the most notorious of which are the flash system and the LCD display. Many would argue that you could just as well buy Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) rechargeable batteries, but the downside to this is they will likely not last as long as a rechargeable battery built by the manufacturer of your digital camera, and they usually take several hours to completely recharge.

As a guideline to purchasing a rechargeable digital camera that uses the manufacturer’s propriety battery with the recharge dongle, look at the maximum battery life between charges when in full use. The features of your digital camera will determine (to some extent) how long your battery life will last; so it helps to know what features drain the most power from your digital camera and what to expect. First and foremost, the most notorious power hungry feature is the digital LCD screen found on just about every digital camera these days.

Several digital camera models come with LCD screens that can be closed and switched off entirely without making the digital camera dysfunctional; this capability alone will give you extra hours with your digital camera. For the amateur photographer this might be a nuisance at best but the trick is to buy a digital camera that will auto focus for you through the viewfinder without having to use the LCD to pick/confirm your photo target; these cameras however tend to cost slightly more than your entry level digital camera. Luckily, all – and I use that term loosely to mean cameras made by the major manufacturers (Canon, Kodak, Nikon, Olympus, Fuji, and Sony) digital cameras automatically turn off the LCD screen after a few minutes of inactivity or have the option to reduce the backlight of the LCD when used in well lit conditions.

Next as a general rule of thumb, you will want to look at the maximum optical zoom; the higher the optical zoom of the digital camera, the larger and more powerful the motors that control the zoom lenses have to be. If you create lots of still zoomed photographs like I do then you should know that this cuts into battery life as well. Most serious out door photographers such as bird watchers usually require tremendous optical zoom from their digital cameras. In such instances a standard digital camera will be inappropriate as not only is the optical zoom of the camera insufficient, it is electronically controlled; it would be better to use a digital camera with snap on optical zoom lenses which can be controlled manually by turning either clockwise or anti clockwise to increase or decrease the optical zoom of the camera. As these are not controlled by electronic motors powered by the digital cameras battery pack, you will be able to extend the life of the batteries of your digital camera.

Features

Out of box (and after noticing the polished black and silver finishing typical of canon printers), the MP830 is easy to setup on an apple Mac or windows PC after a quick glance at the easy setup instructions on the sheet that shipped with the printer. If you intend to print a lot of colored print jobs say for example photos on inkjet glossy photo paper, the MP830 can get the job done. It has a rated maximum resolution of up to 9600 x 2400 dpi in color thanks to Canon’s FINE (Full-Photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering) technology; more than enough to produce detailed 24 bit true color prints. This however depends on your individual installation driver settings and the software you’re using for the task. In monochrome, the PIXMA MP830 will print up to a maximum resolution of 600 dpi.

The PIXMA MP830 includes a ‘Pictbridge’ port and a multimedia card slot as an added feature, which allows you to print photos directly from compatible cameras, camcorders and memory cards on the fly. It accepts Sony’s Memory stick pro duo cards, Smart media and Micro Drive cards. To help you with that, you can use the MP830’s 6.3cm color LCD screen to browse through your memory card, camera or camcorder for the files you would like to print without having to access your computer. Other features include push button scanning and copying with up to 400 percent zoom, scan-to-PDF, as well as photo editing and color correction included in the bundled software.

Performance

Aside from graphics and resolutions, speed in all the areas I mentioned earlier, is important as well. The PIXMA MP830 can churn out a maximum of 24 pages per minute in color, and 30 pages per minute in black and white; way above the acceptable minimum of 17 color pages per minute and for a small office/home office this will definitely do; though practically, its closer to about 3 pages per minute for full graphics on A4 size photo paper and 8 pages per minute for text on A4 paper. It also has a 35 page automatic duplexer with an automatic document feeder, used not only for printing but for scanning, faxing and copying double sided documents as well.

The MP830 can send a fax at a rated speed of 3 pages per second if connecting to a super G3 fax modem on the other end of the phone line. It comes with 100 coded speed dials and 8 one touch speed dials to store your frequent fax numbers.

The MP830’s scanner is a flat bed type, and has a maximum effective scanning width of 29.7 x 21 cm (A4). It has a maximum external bit depth set at 48 bits at a rated resolution of 2400 x 4800 dpi (optical) and up to 19200 x 19200 dpi (digital); this ensures that all the documents and photos you scan on the device will be in true color.

Unfortunately, the MP830 does not support Ethernet networking options or WiFi and may be a little bulky which may be an inconvenience in a small office setting, but it is a solid performer for its class.

Features

Out of box, Canon’s MP510 comes bundled with all the photo editing software you will need to start off; such as photo studio 5.5 by Arcsoft, OmniPage Scanscoft 4 for the Mp510’s scanner and installation drivers that you will need for both Mac and PC; users who run Ubuntu and other Linux flavors can download the Linux drivers from canons website though they have been known to fail occasionally; in any event you could use 3rd party printer drivers such as Gutenprint print drivers.

The Canon MP510’s network capabilities are limited to IrDA (infra-red) which is compatible with some mobile phones. It does not have an Ethernet port or WiFi, though Bluetooth capabilities can be added to the MP510 by buying the optional Bluetooth adapter. Strangely, a printer cable is not included (?) so you may have to buy a USB printer cable off the shelves of a reputable store; they usually sell for just below 10 dollars.

Like most of canons PIXMA all in one printers, the MP510 can copy and scale up to 400 percent from 25 percent; the printer allows you to make a maximum of 99 copies in one go of any one document, and the Dual Gamut Processing technology ensures your copies will look exactly like the originals. Having no built in duplexer makes the MP510 unsuitable for batch copying and scanning jobs though.

Push button scanning allows you to scan your documents on the Canon MP510 without having to use your computer; the MP510 allows you to scan a document to PDF, scan and email or scan and save to your computer. The scanner is compatible with any software that implements the TWAIN protocol and it supports OCR for editing text of scanned documents through the OmniPage software.

Printing from portable memory cards is easy through the ‘Pictbridge’ port. Plug any compatible memory card (Sony pro duo cards, SanDisk, MMC are supported), select all the pictures and documents you would like to print and let the MP510 do the rest. You will have to make these selections through the MP510’s 1.9 inch LCD panel (.6 inches smaller than the MP500’s LCD). Photo printing quality is decent at a rated maximum of 4800 x 1200 dpi; with available tweaks such a face brightener and photo optimizer that corrects the coloring.

Performance

The PIXMA MP510 can print up to a rated maximum of 25 pages per minute if an automatic document feeder is used and 6 pages per minute standard in monochrome. Colored text, graphics and photo prints (4×6 inches) are printed at a respectable 1.26 pages per minute maximum. Colored and monochrome scans are completed at roughly 5 pages per minute. Color reproduction in the scan from the MP510 is fantastic with images looking detailed and sharp. Two paper trays was a convenient addition which makes it easier to switch between paper sizes while in print or scan mode.

Features

Out of box Canon’s PIXMA IP4000 comes bundled with the entire photo editing software you will need to get started; such as Easy Photoprint which you can use for photo adjustments for instance red eye correction or for borderless printing, Photo Record – allows you to create album sheets by combining photos, and web page printing software ‘Easy Web print’ for printing WebPages without cut off edges. The quick start guide will take you through the installations of drivers and the included software for both Mac and PC; the print driver allows you to adjust the paper type, print quality and color intensity among other things.

A neat addition to the IP4000 are the preset profile driver settings which can be selected based on what kind of print job you wish to complete. Other driver settings are included for effects on photo prints, duplex printing (with its in built duplexer), borderless printing, and printer alignment. Users who run Ubuntu and other Linux flavors can download the Linux drivers from canons website though they have been known to fail occasionally; in any event you could use 3rd party printer drivers such as Gutenprint print drivers.

Canon’s IP4000 has a USB 1.1 port and a parallel cable port. A printer cable is not included so you may have to buy one off the shelves from a reputable store; USB printer cables usually sell for just below 10 dollars.

Photo printing quality is decent at a rated maximum of 4800 x 1200 dpi, sufficient for average photo quality prints outs. Printing from a portable canon camera and other supported cameras is easy through the ‘Pictbridge’ port, though you won’t be able to plug in memory cards and print directly to the IP4000 without having to access your computer.

Performance

The PIXMA IP4000 can print up to a rated maximum of 25 pages per minute in monochrome though in practical tests that figure was closer to 6.5 pages per minute in monochrome; 17 pages per minute for colored text and graphics which is respectable. A standard 8×10 inches photo take roughly 1.5 minutes which is pretty impressive considering many models struggle to break the 2 minute mark. A borderless 4×6 inches photo takes the IP4000 roughly 35 seconds to complete. Having a dye based cartridge means you lose out on crisp prints for text based documents, with print outs seeming slightly blurred; this isn’t very noticeable even in the IP4000’s photo prints, however for the discerning eye this might be a serious downside.

Overall the IP4000 makes for an okay entry level printer, and is very well affordable; BUT, if you are looking above average photo print quality you may want to invest in a different PIXMA model.

Canon has long been a recognized company providing high quality products for photography and printing. Their equipment are stylish and extremely productive. Helping you to stay a step ahead of the industry. If you are a photography enthusiast, then canon digital cameras are a good choice.

The Canon Elph series started out way back in 1996. Using the advance photo technology, they offered good photography till 2002. However today, they are no longer produced although Canon offers the Elph digital series.

What are the main features of a canon digital Elph? Well, I took a look at one of their models, the PowerShot s100. Its stylish and ultra-compact body is built of stainless steel. Weighing just 190 grams, it is not a heavy weight and won’t tire you carrying it around. It offers excellent power management through its lithium batteries.

With the digital signal processor, you will be sure to receive the best picture processing unit. The memory buffer inside allows you to store images until they can be transferred to a compact flash card, which you can take away with you. Although more advance models even allow you to view your pictures wirelessly and print them with one button. Although this unit does not allow that, it still permits you to see a quick slide show of all your images.

PowerShot S100 also includes a 2x optical zoom lens that covers from 35mm (wide angle) to 70mm (telephoto), in terms of 35mm film. The F2.8-4.0 aperture is amazing for such a compact, high quality lens.

So is it for me? Well, that is up to your requirements. Today, there are so many models competing that it may be hard to decide. The canon brand however offers you a reliable option if you want good value for money. As the Elph name is 10 years old, you can expect them to have learnt from their mistakes and give you a good choice.

What you should keep in mind. Please decide on a feature set that you will require for your device. Then, go to a local store where you can test and run the unit. The best option while buying a photographic unit is to test it properly. If you buy online then make sure that you have ample time to test and return the device if it does not work.

All in all, the canon digital Elph can be a good choice for those who are starting out into photography. Although they have models for advance users, the competing models seem to offer better features. As I said earlier, the canon brand and Elph’s existence for 10 years however may recommend it to some people.

Why should you choose digital photography over the traditional method? Here are just a few advantages. For consumers who were tired of paying film costs, there is good news. Digital camera’s allows you to review and print only those pictures that you are satisfied with. This reduces costs. You can now show those latest vacation trip photos to family and friends through a television set through the easy to operate AV out port in your unit. Finally, backup and store thousand’s of photos on cd roms and DVD’s and label them so that they can be viewed and printed later. If you are a professional photographer, then it’s even better as the digital camera reduces your workflow by delegating tasks to a fast personal computer system.

The PowerShot series of cameras from Canon offer you the ultimate in digital photography. Slim, portable, wireless and rich features make these a good choice for anyone interested in some good quality photos. The new PowerShot cameras offer what is known as Pro Sumer features by which is meant that consumers as well as professionals will get their requirements fulfilled by one unit.

When we take a look at a PowerShot A85 these are just some of the features we get. The 13 shooting modes with 6 ‘special scene’ presets like beach, fireworks, underwater, foliage, snow, and indoors, give a great quality photo experience.

The purpose built DIGIC processor integrates all image processing algorithms onto a single chip to deliver fast processing and write times, minimal shutter lag, optimal image definition and consistently clean and natural color reproduction. An excellent photo assistant helps you set lighting and other features for the best possible photography.

This model includes 3 minutes of movie recording with full sounds and color. Giving you VGA for 30 seconds.

The PowerShot A85 features Canon’s Print/Share button for single step printing and file sharing. When the camera is connected via USB cable to any PictBridge or Direct Print compatible photo printer or Windows PC, a blue light on the Print/Share button comes on to indicate successful connection. Pushing the button when lit instigates a print of the currently displayed image. If the printer is not setup, then the images are automatically transferred to the computer for later viewing and printing pleasure.

How are they different from the Elph series? Well, the PowerShot models offer much more than the Elph. The shooting modes, wireless connectivity and compact flash drives accommodating up to a gb of photos are just a few. Accessories and options make the PowerShot far better than the normal Elph. The Pro Sumer means that a consumer can easily learn and rise to the next level!

The canon PowerShot is an excellent option for professionals as well as consumers. For tricky conditions or good, you get the best with canon technology. The PowerShot A85 I have mentioned above just gives a few features in comparison to the latest PowerShot camera’s available in the market.

How does a battery charger work? By connecting a constant DC power source to the battery being charged, the unit increases the voltage and power supply in your battery.

I must mention here that any sort of charger can not be applied to digital camera batteries. These items ship with an intelligent charger that first charges the voltage to a certain level and then regulates the power supply through trickle supply hence preventing battery destruction. So do not use a charger for your digital camera unless it is certified by your manufacturer and it meets the battery requirements.

It is important to select good manufacturer for your charger. Without proper warranty, it might be unsafe to buy the charger. Always inspect the charger and if it suits your model. It might not be right to get carried away with the fancy features of the charger by doing which you will sacrifice quality and reliability with the batteries of your digital camera.

It is usually better if you purchase your charger locally. Then you can take your model and check if the specification of the battery charging unit suits the equipment’s requirements.

If you decide to purchase your charger online, then get a quick specs update from your camera company web site. Then make a search on CNET, which is an excellent resource with reviews and good information. Key-Battery is another great battery and charger information site. Only after you have checked and rechecked, buy and use the charger with the batteries of your digital camera.

How can one protect and care for the battery charger? Make sure that the wire connecting the charger to the wall socket is not twisted. Put your device to charge in a safe corner where people will not trip over it disrupting the flow of current and loosening the plug, which might destroy the battery.

The Charger of the battery for the digital camera is crucial for the success of a photographer. Think of your condition when the battery gives out in the middle of a beautiful scene. It is frustrating and irritating. Take care of your charger and it will take care of your needs.

There are two kinds of printers used for digital cameras. They are the dye sublimation printer and ink jet printer.

A dye sublimation printer employs a printing process that uses heat to transfer dye to a medium such as a plastic card, printer or poster paper. This process is known as sublimation. Sublimation is when a solid directly transforms into gas without the liquid stage in between. The printing process involves laying one color at a time using a ribbon that has color panels. Most dye-sublimation printers use CMYO colors which differ from the more recognized

CMYK colors in that the black dye is dispensed with in favor of a clear overcoating. This overcoating, (which has numerous names depending on the manufacturer), is effectively a thin laminate which protects the print from discoloration from UV light and the air while also rendering the print water resistant. These units are excellent for photographs and do a very good job printing them. It is hard to recognize the difference between a normal photo from a film and a print from a dye sub print.

On the other hand, ink jet printers have a completely different way of working. These machines spray very small and precise amounts of ink onto the media. They consist of nozzles that produce very small ink bubbles that turn into tiny droplets of ink. The dots formed are the size of tiny pixels. Ink-jet printers can print high quality text and graphics. They are also almost silent in operation. They are cheaper than laser printers, but are expensive to run, as their cartridges need to be frequently replaced.

Some of the best quality models are produced by Canon and HP.

I took a look at two printers one from Canon (dye sub printer) and the other one from HP (Ink jet model) to gain an over view of the choices that consumers, professionals and enthusiasts can expect from a good printing unit.

The Canon CP-300 is a complete printing system in an extremely compact machine. Portability is the key thing with this printer. With rechargeable batteries, this one can be carried. The machine is pict bridge compatible. Just plug in your camera with an USB cable and the machine will print out your photos at resolutions up to 300×300 dpi.

The HP photo smart is an Inject printer. IT can print high quality photographs. If your Camera supports wireless through blue tooth technology, then this machine is right for you. This model also has support for reading compact flash cards and provides 4 slots allowing you to print directly from the cards you use in your camera. An excellent choice if you don’t want portability.

A good photo printer is very important with your digital camera. The two go hand in hand and if a wise choice is made at the beginning, then a lot of problems are avoided later on. For a photo enthusiast, a printer is a must and he or she can not buy a camera alone with out a machine to show off the latest tricks with the magical picture producing digicam.