Greetings, Joan et al.--
----- Original Message -----
From: Joan Rapier <[log in to unmask]>

> I am currently researching digital cameras.  What features
are critical
> in choosing the right camera?  What interface is best to
work w/ or do
> they all use the same interface (camera to computer)?

If I am not mistaken, digital cameras using memory 'cards'
all hook up to a serial port or a parallel port.

>Are certain
> mfgrs' cameras better than others for the money or is
price directly
> correlated to function regardless of mfgr?  What other
costs might be
> associated w/ the purchase of a digital camera (other than
the media)?

I would recommend searching digital cameras at the various
magazine sites, as well as the Computer Shopper web site.
Many specs and MSRP's are available.  Price does not always
correlate with performance, and a number of comparison tests
have already been done between different brands of cameras.
Canon (like its acetate counterpart) does seem to perform
very well and appears to be a good bargain for the money.
That said, however; for your stated purpose . . .

> The camera will be used in a real estate business - taking
pictures of
> properties to be uploaded onto a PC Compatible computer
and used either
> on a web page or to be e-mailed.

. . . I believe you may be best served by the Sony Mavica
series of cameras.  By definition--when you can fit 20
"fine" pictures or 40 "regular" pictures on one 1.44 MB
floppy disk--these are not 'high-resolution' images.  For
online real estate pictures, I believe these pictures would
be sufficiently high quality.  The accompanying software
(iPhoto Plus in my case) is adequate for minor tweaks (and,
indeed, the pictures will not sustain major tweaks, unless
the user is a skilled practitioner in the use of PhotoShop).

> Does one need a particular software package to be able to
use the
> camera's images - IOW, are the images proprietary format?
>

The camera takes pictures in .jpg format, and there are a
number of special effects built into the camera itself
(pastel, sepia, exposure timings for landscape, sports,
bright, hazy, etc.).

On a final note . . . I work in a middle school where many
of the teachers are computer and gadget phobic.  The cost
comparison between an easy-to-use camera that saves pictures
on a floppy and a more difficult to use (but better res
quality) device that requires intensive and probably
repeated training made the lower res Sony a better choice.
You may want to take that into consideration.

FWIW,

Paul A. Shippert               Library/Media Specialist
"   . . . and I'm hovering like a fly
   waiting for the windshield on the freeway."  Genesis
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