A direct connection is not recommended in the long run.

Most cameras can be connected to your computer using the USB port. Your camera should have a “Preview” button, a green triangle pointing right words or triangle in any color. When you put the camera in preview mode and then connect your camera to the computer with a USB Cable, you should see an extra drive or a camera Icon in “My Computer”. Also you should see the Autoplay dialog box like this. Note: It might be possible that your camera does not have to be put on preview mode. It might do the above directly without preview mode.

Once your computer shows the camera as a drive, you can copy paste the picture files just like you do between regular drives.

Warning: The above method of directly connecting a camera to your computer is not recommend for a couple of reasons. If you do this again and again a lot, you might damage the USB port on the camera. It is also possible that you might trip on the cable while the camera is connected and the result is obvious. Only use this method in case of emergency.

Option 2: Use A Card Reader

A card reader (or a multi-card reader) is a cheap device that connects to your computer using a USB port. You insert your camera card in the reader and you should see a new drive on “My Computer” window. Some desktops and laptops also have a built in card reader.

A generic card reader costs under $10

Other possible options: Eye-Fi SD card / Camera Dock

An Eye-Fi SD card is built using proprietary technology and automatically transfers your pictures to on your home wireless network (wi-fi). See more details here http://www.eye.fi/how-it-works/basics

Some cameras come with a dock.

Some cameras like the Kodak Easyshare come with a Camera dock with ability to directly upload pictures to not only your computer but Flickr, Facebook etc. Please consult your camera manual in case this guide does not provide sufficient information.

If you have recently taken a plunge into the DSLR world and want to get a new lens but not sure which one to choose continue reading. This is a generic guide to various types of lenses and how to choose based on the type of photography. It will take you one step closer towards the right lens for your brand of camera.

Most production consumer lenses are manufactured by Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax, Panasonic, Sigma, Tamron, Tokina and Zeiss.

Out of these, Sigma, Tamron, Tokina and Zeiss make lenses for different brands while the others only make for their own brands of cameras. One exception is Four Thirds and Micro Four Third formats which are compatible with any brand of the same format of camera.

Once you understand the basics behind choosing the right camera lens for your needs, you can make a short list of focal lengths and apertures and search for them for more research. In the near future we will be making a short list of the best lenses available in the market for each brand of cameras.

While choosing a lens there are 2 major factors to consider.

Focal Length

Focal length of a lens decides how far or how wide can your camera see. The lower the focal length the wider the picture visible to its sensor, the higher the number the further it sees.

Important Note: If you have a DSLR with APS-C sized sensor (23mm) then you need to multiple focal lengths by a factor of 1.6x when using a lens that was originally made for film or full frame (35mm) sensors. This is due to the fact that smaller sensors will cut a portion of the frame from the sides therefore resulting in a narrow field of view.

Here is an interesting article explaining this in full detail.
http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/tutorials/crop_sensor_cameras_and_lenses.html

Many manufacturers now make lenses that are designed for APS-C cameras only. In that case a multiplier of 1.6x is not applicable.

Modern lenses are broadly divided into two separate types. Primes and Zoom Lenses.

Prime Lens

A prime lens has a fixed focal length. It means that you cannot zoom in or out. However since there are fewer glass elements in the construction of the lens, the picture quality is usually much better than an equivalent zoom lens.You should choose a prime lens when you sharpness is of importance or for low light shooting and when you have room to move around to counter the lack of zoom. Prime lenses are generally more compact and lighter than zoom lenses of equal maximum aperture (more on aperture below).

Popular prime lenses come in below focal lengths:

Note: Not all manufacturers make these lenses listed below. It is possible that Prime lenses with some of these focal lengths are not available for your camera model.

Ultra Wide Angle Prime Lens:

• 8mm Fisheye: This is a ultra-wide angle focal length. Due to the extreme wide angle nature of the lens, the image is distorted in a round fashion.

• 14mm, 15mm, 20mm: These do not have the fisheye effect but might have slight distortion. All these lenses are great for capturing landscapes or real estate pictures or simply capturing the scene with a dramatic effect.

Wide Angle Prime Lens:

Some samples of a 24mm Lens.
• 24mm, 28mm, 30mm: On a full frame (35mm) DSLR these will still be considered as wide angle lenses. If same lenses are used on APS-C cameras, then they are not.

Standard Prime Lens:

Some samples from a 85mm Lens.
• 35mm, 50mm, 85mm: These are great for taking portraits and “normal” shots. These normally come in with the biggest apertures,sometimes up-to f/1.4,which is extremely useful for night time or low light portraits or a blurry background (bokeh) effect.

Telephoto Prime Lens:

Some samples from a 135mm Lens.
• 100mm, 135mm, 200mm: Ideal for taking portraits from a distance, also for sports or wildlife if not too far and if there is room to move. These lenses also have a large aperture of around f/2.8 therefore great for low light photography.

Super Telephoto Prime Lens:

Some samples from a 300mm Lens.
• 300mm, 500mm, 600mm or more: When you really want to get close to the subject without being too close, these are the lenses that will help. Due to their large physical size, these are the biggest, heaviest and the most expensive of all lenses. Usually used by professional sports and wildlife photographers.

 
Zoom Lens

Zoom lenses are more popular than primes because they have a variable focal length therefore can be used in a variety of situations. However due to a larger number of glass elements image quality often suffers in zoom lenses specially if the zoom range is greater. Other side effects of a larger zoom range in a lens include bigger size or smaller apertures or higher costs. Choosing a proper lens is therefore maintaining a balance between zoom range, maximum aperture, image quality and cost.

Here are popular focal length ranges in zoom lenses (might not be available on all brand names)

Ultra Wide Angle Zoom:

Some samples of a Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens.
• 10-20mm, 10-22mm, 11-18mm, 16-35mm, 17-35mm: Great for landscape photography. These run upwards of $600 and also have large construction and need a large filter.

Wide Angle Zoom:

Some samples from a Wide Angle Zoom Lens.
• 17-50, 20-35mm, 18-55mm (these are not too wide on APS-C Sensors) Great for landscape and portraits

Some samples from a Standard Zoom Lens.
• 28-80mm, 35-70mm, 28-75mm, 28-105mm, 28-135mm : Great for portraits and general purpose photography. These are usually the cheapest zooms due to their low aperture and low build quality.

Telephoto and Super Telephoto Zoom:

Some samples from a Telephoto Zoom Lens.
• 70-200mm, 70-300mm, 100-300mm and more: These are generally used for sports, wildlife, astronomy etc. where a longer reach is required.

 
Aperture

Maximum Aperture in a lens is another major factor to consider while choosing a lens. So what exactly is an aperture of a lens? It is the opening in the lens through which the light goes through. This is normally controlled via a number of shutter blades in a lens. The blades move in and out when the camera sends a signal to the lens and the aperture gets bigger or slower.

Here is a great article on aperture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aperture

The bigger the aperture, more the light reaching the sensor therefore making it possible to take pictures in low light conditions. If the lens has a smaller maximum aperture, then less light will be available therefore you will need to compensate it with keeping a slower shutter speed. This in turn might require you to use a tripod to reduce blur or use a Flash or use a higher ISO sensitivity setting.

Now a days DSLRs can make use of very high sensitivity and give very clean pictures up-to say 1600 ISO, therefore allowing a photographer to use lenses with smaller apertures.

Typically in a commercially available lens Maximum apertures range from F/1.8 to F/5.6. You can stop down to F22 on all these lenses. The lower the number the larger the aperture (opening) is. Therefore while choosing a lens it is important to pay attention to the aperture number on the model number.

For e.g. a Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 Lens has a maximum aperture for F/1.8 which makes it great for taking portraits in low light (indoors or at night).

A Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8 Lens has an aperture for F/2.8 which is smaller than a F/1.8 but still good enough for low light.

Once you go above F/2.8 it becomes difficult to take pictures in low light unless you have a tripod or use a Flash or use a high ISO sensitivity.

Aperture also controls the depth of field in a picture. A large aperture of say f/2.8 will give a shallow depth of field. Which means more of the picture in front and in back of the subject in focus will be blurred out. If you need the capability to blur the background of a subject and only keep the subject in focus, you need a lens with a large aperture of F/2.8 or larger.

For landscapes a smaller aperture is needed for more depth of field. Normally one would use a aperture of F/16 or F/22

How to Interpret a Lens’s Capability Based On It’s Name?

Lenses are named based on their focal length and its Maximum Aperture.

For e.g. a Canon EF 85mm F/1.8 lens has a focal length of 85mm and a max Aperture of F/1.8

Since it’s name only has one focal length and only 1 aperture value it means that it is a Prime lens (no zoom) with a fixed maximum aperture.

Now lets take another lens for an example

Canon17-40mm F/4 Lens: Notice that this lens has 2 values for focal length. 17mm and 50mm, which means that this lens can zoom from 17mm to 40mm therefore going from Ultra Wide angle (on 35mm sensor) to a standard focal length. Therefore you can use it for both landscapes and portraits. Notice it also has only 1 maximum aperture of F/4 which is not so great for low light photography.

Finally lets take this lens

Canon 15-85mm F/3.5-F5.6 IS lens: This lens has an zoom range of 15mm to 85mm which is again great for landscapes and portraits. However, it also has a variable maximum aperture. At 15mm it will have a max aperture of F/3.5 and as you zoom towards 85mm the aperture will come down to F/5.6 (smaller aperture at 85mm) which will result in loss of light at 85mm. This also means that as you zoom in and out the camera will have to re evaluate the exposure settings. The “IS” in the name stands for Image stabilization which means that the lens can compensate for some blur caused by shaky hands. Only up-to a small extent though. Some manufacturers use OS (Optical Stabilization) or VR (Vibration Reduction) or VC (Vibration Compensation) and so on. It is the same concept.

Other Factors To Consider…

• Build quality: If a lens is going to be used outdoors a lot then build quality is important. Some high end lenses have a weather sealing (Canon L Series) keeping water and dust out of the lens.
• Auto and Manual Focus: Most modern lenses come with both auto and manual focus. However some of them have a switch for manual focus while some high end lenses allow full time manual focus, which means that you can change the focus manually which still on autofocus setting.
• Front Filter size: The larger the filter size the more expensive it is.
• Rotating front element: If you want to attach a ND Graduating / Polarizing filter to the front, and if the front rotates while focusing, these filters wont give you the results you want.
• Focus Speed and Noise: Lowe end lenses have slower focusing and may not be fully silent. Slow speeds are not good for sports and wildlife where speed is important. Noise is not good while taking pictures of bugs or capturing video etc..

Specialty Lenses

Certain types of photography require specialty lenses. The 3 main types of specialty lenses are

Fisheye Lens:

These are great for capturing a very wide area in a single frame. It also gives a dramatic effect to the subject.

Macro Lens:

Macro lenses allow you to get real close to the subject such as bugs, jewelry or coins etc..

Macro lenses usually have a magnification of 1:1 (actual size) or 1:2 or even 1:4. Macro lenses usually have large aperture of F/2.8 and are also great for portraits as they produce a sharp image. Also dedicated macro lenses have fixed focal lengths.

Typical macro focal lengths include

• 50mm, 60mm : Great for product photos, coins, jewels and small lifeless objects.
• 90mm, 100mm, 105m: Great for flowers, bugs etc. where getting close to wont affect the ability to take pictures.
• 135mm, 180mm, 200mm: Great for taking macro shots of bugs etc. from a much larger distance.

Tilt Shift Lens OR Perspective Control Lens:

These lenses are usually used to eliminate the convergence of parallel lines while shooting tall buildings. They can also be used for landscapes and portraits.

Here is more on Tilt Shift Lenses http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perspective_control_lens

To summarize :

Type: There are 4 basic different types of digital camera available in the market today, each one with their on pros and cons.

Point and Shoot: These are the smallest and often the cheapest of Cameras. They have all the basic features like a zoom lens, image stabilization, large LCD screen, face detection, HD video recording and a cheap price range. On the down side image quality of these cameras is not the best, specially in indoor or low light conditions. Also these cameras cannot be used in a variety of conditions like Sports etc. due to it''s shutter lag and slower aperture. They might also lack manual controls and even a view finder. These cameras are great for casual / family / party snapshots and travel pictures. But don''t expect too much out of the smaller / cheaper point and shoots.

SLR Like: These are slightly larger than the above. They usually have a very long range up-to 36x Zoom. They also have a lower shutter lag, better manual controls, better image quality, RAW image support, swivel LCD screens. The size maybe larger than point and shoots but they are still smaller than SLR cameras and also much cheaper. These cameras are best used for enthusiast photography for e.g. taking photo shots, macro pictures of bugs, flowers etc., kids sports pictures or distant objects. The image quality is still not the best among all digital cameras. Also since the lens is attached you cannot change it later.

Interchangeable Lens Cameras: They are a new breed of cameras. They do not have a mirror as in DSLRs (explained below) but still have a larger APS-C sensor (23mm) and the lens can be changed. This allows for excellent image quality at the same time keeping the camera size low. They are best if you want great image quality, versatility in a smaller package.

Digital SLRs: Before SLRs were invented, cameras relied on Twin Lenses, one for composing and the other for taking the image.  SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex which relies on only one lens to capture the image as well as show the image while composing the picture. This is accomplished using a mirror that comes between the lens and a sensor. When the picture is being composed the light goes through the lens and reflected by the mirror through a series of prisms and the subject can be seen through the viewfinder. When the shutter button is pressed, the mirror is lifted up quickly and the image is captured on the sensor through the same lens. Since the lens can be changed, DSLRs are the most versatile of all cameras. Also the sensor is much larger than point and shoot cameras up-to 35mm in size which creates the best images of all the cameras. Due to the complex nature of the camera and lens system, they are also the most expensive of all.

Image Quality: If image quality is of prime importance then you should go for a Digital SLR Camera or a Interchangeable lens camera. A smaller and low end point and shoot is almost useless in low light / indoor scenes.

Megapixel: Even the cheapest digital cameras now come with 14 or 15 megapixels. That is plenty of resolution for almost any situation. Therefore Megapixel should not be stressed too much while choosing a camera.

Optical Zoom: Optical Zoom allows you to get close to the subject. Most point and shoots come with 3x optical zoom. Some compact digital cameras now have up-to 16x zoom. However if you need to zoom more, they you will need a SLR Like camera which have up-to 36x zoom.

One of the simplest ways to take care of your camera is by keeping it in a case. This will protect it from getting scratches and cosmetics dings or dents. You can buy a camera case at just about any electronic store. They also sell pretty cheap ones at drugstores. If you’re thinking, “I don’t have the money to buy a camera case” you can use a (clean) athletic sock. They tend to be pretty thick and will keep your camera from getting nicked. I know it sounds silly but it honestly works!

Another way to keep your camera in top condition is to clean the optical viewfinder/lens (see picture below). You can do this very easily by picking up a lens cleaning kit at the drugstore. They usually cost around 5 dollars. This may be the most essential key to getting great photos! Think of it like the eye of your camera. If something irritates or scratches your eye it affects your vision. If your lens/ optical viewfinder is dirty or scratched it will affect you pictures. Follow the instructions on the kit and viola, clean lens and better photographs!

A lot of people understand that taking care of the outside of a camera is important. However, the inside components are just as vital! It is very important to keep your battery clean. If it gets crusty then it will not hold a charge very long or be able to give power to the camera. You can use an ear swab to gently brush any crusty bits off of it. Be very careful not to scratch the metallic coating on the contact point.

The part of your camera that takes the most abuse is the memory card slot! People constantly take their memory cards out of their cameras to upload photos. The only issue with this is sometimes when people try to put the memory cards back in they put them in wrong or they try to force it. Most memory card slots are spring loaded. If you just push down a bit it will fit in perfectly. I actually ruined one of my first cameras this way. Trust me, it happens!

If your camera has any sort of dust, dirt, or grime on the inside (the battery or memory card compartment), fear not! The easiest and most inexpensive ways to clean it out is to buy compressed air in a can. They typically come with a tiny nozzle you can use to clean out small spaces. Use short bursts of air to blast the particles out of your camera.

DSLR Sensor Cleaning

Lastly, if you continually see blotches or dots on your photos and they appear in all the same positions you might want to try cleaning your DSLR (Digital Single-lens Reflex) camera. I will caution that this is a bit more complex then the other quick tips in this article. However, if you have a steady hand and want to do a bit more of a ‘in depth’ cleaning of your camera I’d say go for it! It really does make a difference!

First you will need a lens cleaning kit mentioned above. The kit should come with a little air bulb that has a brush attached to the top. Just take the brush off (you don’t need it). I would not suggest using the pressurized air canisters for cleaning this part of your camera. They are pretty strong and this is a more ‘sensitive’ area of your device.

Before you can start cleaning your sensor you have to go into your cameras settings raise the mirror so you will have access to the sensor. Turn on your camera and go into your settings menu find the ‘manual cleaning’ or ‘lock up mirror’ function. (Depending on what sort of camera you own the menus will look different and have different names for their functions). Once you have selected one of these functions the mirror should flip up and lock into place. Holding the camera up facedown remove the lens and use the air bulb to loosen and dislodge any dust particles clinging to the sensor.

After you have done this turn your camera right side up (lens facing you) and examine the sensor. Are there still dust particles on it? If so use a sensor cleaning brush to pick up the rest of those pesky particles. ! You can find sensor-cleaning brushes at most electronic stores. If you are lucky your lens cleaning kit may have even come with one. Insert the brush into the chamber and gently sweep it across the lens. Be very careful not to touch the border of the sensor. There are oils on it and if any of that oil gets onto your brush it will get on the senor and make everything look smeary! Now you are ready to test and see if your pictures come of speck free!

Place the lens back on your camera. In most cases turning your camera off and then back on again will turn off the “lock up mirror’ or ‘manual cleaning function’. Now you are ready to take a picture! It is best to take a picture of something light and plain; if you have an empty wall that works best. If not you can also take a picture of Xerox (printer) paper. After you have taken the picture zoom in to different parts and see if those dust sots are still there. No? Congratulations your sensor is clean! If the answer was ‘yes’ and you still see dust particles you can repeat the process or take it to a camera store or local electronic specialist to see if they can help you out.

These are just ways to take basic care of your camera. If you have major problems with your camera you should take it to the store you bought it from or consult the factory that produced it. All new cameras come with a help number you can call. If you bought your camera used you can look the make model up online and find the help number that way. Now that your camera is clean and ready to go, get out there, get creative and have fun!

Sony Cybershot DSC-TX9 Digital Camera (Ultra Slim)

Canon PowerShot 300 HS Digital Camera (Ultra Slim)

Panasonic DMC-ZS8 Digital Camera (Compact Zoom)

Canon PowerShot S95 Digital Camera (Compact)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 Digital Camera (Compact)

Canon PowerShot SX210 IS Digital Camera (Compact)

Nikon Coolpix P7000 Digital Camera (Compact)

Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera (Compact)

Panasonic DMC-FZ40 Digital Camera (SLR Like)

Olympus SP-800UZ Digital Camera (SLR Like)

If you are going to do a lot of photography in a variety of situations then the answer gets a little bit complicated. In this case a lot of factors come into picture. Please note that Olympus, Pentax and Panasonic also make Digital SLR Cameras but I am only comparing the big boys Canon, Nikon and Sony here as they are the most popular in the US market.

• Existing lens collection: Do you have an existing film or an older Digital SLR camera and one or more lenses? If so you can very likely use those lenses if you get a same brand Digital SLR camera. Old Canon EF lenses will still work on newer Canon SLR cameras and same goes for Nikon Lenses except in some cases. See this chart for details. Similarly old Minolta AF lenses will work on newer Sony Alpha SLR cameras.
• Lens and accessories available for a brand: At the time of writing this article, there are around 180 lenses available for Canon EOS cameras. For Nikon there are approximately 176 and for Sony only 108. This is no surprise since Canon and Nikon are producing Cameras and Lenses for many decades now. Sony jumped into this game late around 2006 when they bought Minolta another big name optical producer but failing in the digital arena.
• Materials used in the body: Another important factor to consider is the materials that are used and whether the camera has weather sealing or not. Most lower end DSLRs are made of plastics - tough plastics - but plastics none the less. The Canon EOS XXD series (e.g. EOS 50D) and Nikon DXX series is made of magnesium alloy. This gives some ruggedness to cameras which gives it a long life when used in outdoor conditions. At the time of writing this, only a full frame Sony Alpha A900 and A850 series has a magnesium alloy body. The higher end Canon XD (for e.g. 1D MK IV etc) and Nikon D3 etc have rubber sealing which makes them water resistant (not water proof).
• Frames Per Second (FPS) and buffer: Some cameras like the Canon 7D, Nikon D300s, Sony A55 can give anywhere from 7FPS to 10FPS continuous shooting. This feature is great for taking sports / action / kids pictures.
• Full Frame Sensor: Most lower end DSLRs have a 23mm APS-C (Film SLRs have a 35mm) sensor which means that a portion of the image will be cut off. Therefore a APS-C sensor is not ideal for Landscape pictures. A much wider lens is required to get the same wide angle effect as a full frame camera. Canon, Nikon and Sony all have full frame models namely Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 1DS Mark III, Nikon D3X, Nikon D700, Sony Alpha A850 and Sony Alpha A900. Due to a larger sensor and other added features, the price will also be high on these models.
• HD Video: Full HD (1080p) video is quickly becoming a standard feature now a days. Among all the different consumer models, the Sony SLT-A55 cameras shine in video capture as its translucent camera allows continuous auto-focus.  Many video professionals are using cameras like the Canon 5D Mark II for video production.
• Other features: Other essential and fancy features to look for in a DSLRs are:
  • Optical Viewfinder (OVF) vs Electronic Viewfinder (EVF): This is a matter of taste. OVF show the actual picture of the subject where as EVFs project a electronic image of the actual subject along with settings information. Most people like OVF as the picture is clear however nowadays EVFs have  improved in resolution and provide more information while composing a picture. It might effect battery life negatively though. A viewfinder in a low end consumer camera is much smaller than say a fully professional version.

    

  • Live View LCD: If you have never used a DSLR before then you will be surprised to know that you cannot normally use the LCD to compose the picture. However recently many Digital SLRs provide a full live view LCD. Many cameras also have a articulating (rotating) LCD Screen. For e.g. Sony A55, Canon D60, Nikon D5100 have rotating LCDs. A Live View LCD will eat more battery power and this is something to be considered while buying a camera.
  • Anti-Shake System: A built in anti-shake (image stabilizer) is great to have specially when taking low light or telephoto zoom pictures. It might save a blurry picture. A body that has built-in stabilizer will save you money from buying separate lenses with stabilizer. At the time of writing this, only Sony, Olympus and Panasonic series of SLRs have built in image stabilization.
  • Dust Cleaning System: Some DSLRs also have a dust cleaning mechanism that will remote dust particles from the sensor which otherwise can be a pain to remove manually. If you change lenses quite a lot outside then dust on the sensor might accumulate more often than otherwise.