U3A - DigitalWhat’s new in the digital world©

Ric Matthews and Melanie Seibert HaynieJanuary 27, 2009

Overview

• Digital Photography

• Social Networks

• Consumer Electronics

Digital Photography- The Basics

• Lewis Carroll’s portmanteau

• Pixels - Picture (Pix) Elements

• Tiny Squares - the greater the number the more compact andclearer the image

• Similar to Pointillism art

Pixels

• 6.1 megapixel (MP)3,0008 x 2,000 pixel image

• 10 MP = 3,872 x 2, 592

• Advantage - clarity, colorreality

• Disadvantage - file size,Storage size, taxes computer

Basic Digital Camera• Similar features to a

film camera - lens, iris aperture, shutter

• Capture - no film, rather electronic devise like a semiconductor

• a 3 MP image higher res. than most computer monitors

Kinds of Digital Cameras

• Ultra-Compact

• Point and Shoot

• dSLR, controllable

Which one for me• What are you using it for? Optical

Zoom, SLR, ease of operation, resolution, response time

• Size, carrying ease, cost, feel, operation

• How will you view/share images?

• Storage capacity, type

• Accessories and compatibility with old

Storage

• Compact Flash

• Secure Digital

• Memory Stick

• Micro Drive

Taking Pictures

• Purpose (don’t cut off their heads)

• Rule of thirds

• Correct exposure

• no shake

Getting images OUT

• Card Reader

• Portable Storage

• USB Cord

• Wireless / Bluetooth

Which format to SAVE• BMP - bitmap, hi quality, huge file

• GIF - usually line drawings

• TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)- old school, not supported as much now

• JPEG - (Joint Photo Experts Group) usual standard for email, web

• RAW (unmanipulated) “digital negatives

Images beyond camera

• Scanners

• eMail

• Web

• CD

Photo Manipulation

• Most Camera come with some form

• ARCsoft

• (Mac) Aperture, iPhoto

• Photoshop

• Adobe Photoelements

Sharing your photos

• Dedicated Photo Printers

• All-in-one printers

• eMail

• sending for remote processing and pick-up

• CDs

• Photo websites

Photo Developing Websites

• A few examples

• http://www.ritzpix.com/net/OrderPrints/

• http://www.snapfish.com/

• http://www.costco.com/PhotoCenter/PhotoCenter.aspx

• http://photo.walgreens.com/store

Photo Sharing Websites

• A few examples of website sharing

• http://www.webshots.com/

• http://www.flickr.com/

• http://www.snapfish.com/

• Example from my site

Next Steps

• Practice

• Take classes from: continuing education, community colleges, photo stores, Apple

• Questions about still photography?

Simple Digital Video

• Analog can be converted

• Shooting digital

• CamerasFlip Mino

• Higher end

• Mini tape

• Hard Drive

Movie Making Software

• iMovie www.apple.com

• Windows MovieMaker www.microsoft.com

• Reviews of several http://video-editing-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

Social Networking

• www.facebook.com

• www.utube.com

• www.linkedin.com

• Second Life, Plaxio, Bebo

• Twitter

Other Cool Things

• Digital camera/binoculars

• Desktop video conferencing

• Leapfrog Fly Pen http://www.metacafe.com/watch/747998/fly_fusion_math_tech_pen/

• Large Back-up drives for your data at home or online

Other Consumer Electronics

• HD Screens – larger and larger

• 3-D for the home TV

• http://lastgadgetstanding.com/

• Questions?

• www.miracosta.edu/home/rmatthews