Zoom in on Digital Cameras

Here’s how to find the best digital camera for your classroom.

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Fabulous classroom projects and colorful visual records are easy to achieve with a digital camera, but finding the right camera can be a challenge! The key to making the right choice is figuring out which features you want and need in a classroom camera. Here are a few terms you'll need to know.
 
Resolution
A digital photograph is made up of thousands of pixels (little squares); the more pixels per inch, the better quality the photograph. If you are planning to print 8" x 10" photos, look for a camera with a resolution of 3 or more megapixels (MP); for 5" x 7" prints and posting on the Web, 2+ MP will do just fine.
 
Viewfinder
This is where you look when taking the picture. Most digital cameras come with a convenient screen on the back, which you use to frame the shot. However, these screens are hard to see when outside. For the best photos, look for a camera model that includes both a regular, hold-your-eye-up-to-it viewfinder and this type of LCD screen.
 
Optical Zoom
Most of the mid-priced digital cameras include a specification such as “3x/4x” when referring to the lens. The first figure refers to the optical zoom; the second number to the digital zoom. The optical zoom is very similar to a traditional camera, where the optic parts in the lens are actually moving closer to or farther from the sensor that stores the image.
 
Digital Zoom
The digital zoom is created by a process that makes the pixels larger; hence you feel closer to the subject. Some lower-end cameras come only with a digital zoom as a money-saving option, but the photographs are not as sharp. For the best quality, choose a camera that includes optical zoom.
 
Storage Card
Most models use Compact Flash (CF) or Secure Digital (SD/MMC) cards to store data, and Sony uses a proprietary card called a Memory Stick (MS). These come in capacities from 4mb to 256mb, and can hold hundreds of photos. All digital cameras can download to the computer, so the card's format isn't overly important.

Picture These Sites
More great advice for buying and using a digital camera in your classroom.
CNET
This guide to the latest and best in electronics includes a database of reviews, editor's picks, and a buyers' chatroom.
www.cnet.com
Going Digital in the Classroom
Step-by-step guidelines and teacher tips for using digital photos. www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/sbeck/digital/goingdigital.htm
Longfellow School
Digital camera ideas, advice, and buying information from teachers. www.brunswick.k12.me.us/lon/lonlinks/digicam/home.html
 

Kathy Schrock (www.kathyschrock.net) is the administrator for technology for Nauset Public Schools in Orleans, MA. This article was originally published in the November/December 2003 issue of Instructor

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LESSON PLAN	What Is the Problem? Exploring Conflict in "On the Sidewalk Bleeding" Students will be introduced to, and will analyze, various conflict types found in literature.
UNIT PLAN	The New and Improved "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" Introduces a lesson unit enaging students in sharing about themselves, their families, and their summer vacations through a mock museum exhibit.
ONLINE ACTIVITY	Zoom in on True Bugs Watch and learn about classifying insects and learn what it means to be a True Bug with a real entomologist. Includes a teacher's guide.