Tutorial Two: Digital Camera use and applications
A new technology is rarely superior to an old one in every feature". Briefly discuss this statement in relation to digital camera technology. What would you consider to be some of the pluses and minuses digital camera technology holds in relation to more traditional film based cameras?
For the average user, new technology may not necessarily make it superior. It can just add to the confusion of how to get the best shot. More features usually equals greater expense, yet too many features are likely to be ignored for the user who just wants to point and shoot, as they used to do with the old cameras that required film. The basic components of a film camera have not changed much, yet with digital cameras, new features and technologies are being developed so quickly that often what you buy is often already outdated in some way even before you get it out of the shop.
Digital technology has in someway eliminated the excitement and anticipation of what the “snaps” may reveal once developed. The positive is that we can almost ensure that the final product will be what we want. We have the chance to view the image and delete it and take the shot again if we didn’t like it the first time. Maybe we end up posing many times more now.
Digital images can be stored in so many different ways. It opens up new and faster opportunities for images to be shared around the world. This however requires additional technology. Same people may still prefer the good old-fashioned photo album that they can pass around.
List some of the ways that digital images can be stored transferred and manipulated using other communication technology?
Digital images are stored in the memory card inside the camera, the capacities of which are variable. They can then be transferred to the hard-drive of the computer or onto cd or dvd. They can also be stored on USB sticks or devices such as ipods. Digital images can also be stored on the mobile phones and transferred via internet or email to mass storage sites on the internet like “flickr”. They can also be transferred onto blogs or social networking sites.
It is possible to manipulate the image-using image editing programmes. This allows one to reduce red eye, crop and even add or wipe out images.
Given the prevalence of image capturing devices, and thinking about the issues discussed in tutorial one, consider what sort of ethical issues may arise with their use?
Some image capturing devices are so small they could almost be used with out the subject knowing. Technology has enabled the capturing and production or posting of an image to be so quick and easy. Privacy issues may arise when someone has been photographed with out permission or consent sought. It can be seen as a violation of rights for an image that can identify someone, is posted without permission.
Briefly discuss some of the ways that digital images could, or are, being used in occupational therapy practice?
Digital cameras can be used to take photos of a client’s home or work environment to have a record of current set up and aid in the process of making changes or be added as evidence in reports for modifications.
Images and the video function can be used to record a client’s movement or action/activity to give them visual feed back on what is happening or to provide a baseline record to later compare to. It takes a recording that would perhaps be superior to plain observation and be a means for ensuring notes are accurate.
Provide a brief summary of the services offered by flickr.com
Flickr.com is a website that allow people to post and store there images. It is a way storing images and by doing so can give the option of freeing up space on your personal computer. Once registered, images can be posted and retrieved. Others can also view your images. This is a helpful way of sharing images without having to worry about sending large files through email. Flickr also enables images to be manipulated, enhanced, cropped etc.
Name one other photo storage website which offers a service similar to flickr.com?
Photobucket.com, snapfish.
Explain what the difference is between a digital and optical zoom.
Most digital cameras have both optical zoom and digital zoom. Optical zoom works just like a zoom lens on a regular film camera whereby the focal length changes the optics of the lens magnifies the size of image. Image quality stays high throughout the zoom range. Digital zoom on the other hand comes at the expense of the resolution as itThe lens changes focal length and magnification as it is zoomed. Digital zoom crops the image to a smaller size, and then enlarges the cropped portion to fill the frame again. The remaining pixels filling the same space give the appearance of zoom. This results in a loss in the quality and clarity of the image. It may therefore be better to choose a camera with higher optical zoom and higher mega pixels to ensure good quality resolution with high magnification.
Explain what is meant by the term mega pixel?
A pixel is a tiny square of colour that makes up part of the digital image. A mega pixel is made up of one million pixels. The higher the mega pixel count a camera has, the higher the resolution and the better quality especially if the image is enlarged. Some cameras have as high as 14 mega pixels (MP). For the amateur user, a 3 mega pixel camera will give good quality shots for standard sized prints.
