| A digital camera works basically the same way as a regular camera, and the features available on a digital camera are similar. That is, to take a picture with a digital camera, you point and shoot. Instead of film, however, the digital camera saves the image in its internal memory or on a special memory card. You can then copy the pictures from the camera's memory or the memory card to your computer for editing, printing, emailing, and so on. You can find a wide range of cameras. High-end cameras provide higher-quality pictures and have extra features, such as additional lenses, zoom features, and so on. With some cameras, you can even shoot and store a short video. note  | Digital cameras range in price from a couple hundred dollars all the way up to several hundred. You can find reviews of digital cameras in several computer publications and Web sites, including www.pcworld.com. Before shopping, read the reviews so that you know what key features you need and what the price range is for those features. |
The exact steps for using your particular camera vary depending on the model you have. Consult the documentation that came with the hardware to learn how to take pictures. Taking pictures isn't difficult, but you need to learn about the special features of your camera, including the following: Some cameras let you shoot pictures at different resolutions (quality or sharpness of the image). You usually select the resolution from the camera's menu system or with a dial on the camera. Quality affects not only how well the pictures look, but also how big the file is (how much memory is used to store the image). The higher the quality, the more memory it takes and the fewer pictures you can store at one time on your camera. Most cameras enable you to preview the picture immediately after you take it. Don't like it? Delete it, and reshoot the picture. This is one of the great benefits of a digital camera. You no longer waste film on "bad" pictures. Your camera will have some method for scrolling through the pictures stored in memory, as well as deleting any images you choose not to keep. Digital cameras don't use film. As mentioned, the images are stored in the camera's internal memory or on a memory card (called a SmartMedia or CompactFlash card). When the memory is full, you can download the pictures to your computer via a cable and then delete the images from the camera's memory. You can then take your next batch of pictures. Your camera most likely came with a cable used to attach the camera to your computer. Also, you usually receive a photo program for transferring, viewing, and even editing the pictures with the camera. Again, these vary from camera to camera. With Kodak cameras, for instance, you use the Kodak Picture Transfer software (see Figure 12.1). Figure 12.1. You can transfer pictures from your camera to your computer. 
note | Some newer cameras can save pictures to a floppy disk or CD directly. For instance, Sony's Mavica line offers these capabilities. |
tip  | If your camera did not come with a photo software transfer program, you can use Windows XP's Photo Wizard. See "Setting Up Your Digital Camera" later in this chapter for more information. |
You can print your pictures on a regular printer (from which the quality will be so-so) or on a special photo printer with special photo paper. Additionally, you can order prints online from printing services. Also, you can take your camera storage media (the memory card) to regular film service sites and have the prints developed. You learn more about this in the section "Printing Pictures" later in this chapter.
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