Memory cards are the lifeline of digital cameras, so it’s imperative to prolong their life as much as you can. Below are some things you can do to accomplish just that. Read on!

Avoid Deleting Images One at a Time

The more you reduce the number of erase cycles, the longer your memory card will live to store your pictures. In other words, it’s better to erase all of your images at one time after uploading them to your computer, instead of deleting them one at a time. Similarly, the fewer times you add or remove data to your card, the better off it will be. Deleting images from your card while the card is still in your camera can actually prolong its life quite a bit.

Safely Remove Hardware

When your camera is hooked up to your computer, make sure you use the Safely Remove Hardware option in your system tray to remove the card, card cialis offer reader or camera. If you don’t do this, you could not only damage the card, but also lose the data stored on it.

Remove Images Before the Card Gets Full

Some cards can behave in peculiar ways. If you fully load the cards with images, you'll increase the likelihood of the card malfunctioning. Therefore, it’s best to regularly remove the images from your cards and store them on your computer or burn them to a CD, rather than waiting until they are full.

Reformat Cards at Regular Intervals

Since memory cards don’t have a defragging system like you have on your computer, the best way to keep them in optimum condition is to reformat them once every few days. This will wipe out any data, images, file names, etc. on the card and it will set it up fresh for your camera. Now, how many times you need to do this depends on your usage patterns. If you use your camera frequently, you should reformat it at least once a week. If you use it infrequently, once a month should do. Ideally, it’s advisable to reformat your cards every time you download all of your images onto your computer. One more thing: formatting the card in your camera, rather than someone else’s, helps, especially if the other camera is of a different make than yours. In cases when you do reformat your cards on another camera, make sure you reformat it again on your camera after you have all of the images saved on your computer.

Power Off Before Removing the Card

For those of you who read your camera's user manual, this tip isn’t new. But, to those who don't, please note that it’s best to switch off your camera before removing the memory card to either replace it with another one or to use it on a card reader to download the images. Either way, it’s best to do this when the voltage fluctuation is kept at bay.

Update When Needed

Manufacturers are always fine tuning camera software and fixing several bugs along the way. Therefore, it’s important to keep tabs on those updates to keep your camera up to date with any fixes for errors or problems that are identified with a camera. Some of these can relate to the camera’s interaction with the memory card.

Keep Your Batteries in Optimum Condition

If your batteries die on you, that could result in card errors. This usually happens when an image is not fully written to a card. The best way to avoid this problem is to keep an eye on the battery power and either recharge them or change them over for a fresh set before they completely run down.

Don’t Switch Off Too Soon After the Shoot

When you're taking pictures at a constant clip (this is particularly true when using the "burst" or "continuous shooting" mode), make sure you don’t switch off your camera too soon after the shoot, because you could lose your images and even find yourself with a system error. Cameras need time to write all of the data you’ve taken to the memory card. If you’ve taken numerous images very quickly, your camera will be buffering those images and that requires some time. Some high-end cameras continue to buffer even after they are switched off, but that's not the case for every camera.

Store Cards Properly

This goes without saying, but some people do abuse their cards by not storing them properly. If you are not using your cards for a long period of time, it’s best to store them in a plastic casing to give that extra layer of protection. Also, make sure you keep them away from liquids and extreme temperatures. And yes, don’t drop, bend or puncture them. It’s best not to expose them to electromagnetic currents as well.

Here's to a long and prosperous life for your memory cards!

Sunsets and sunrises. They're two plain words, but in photography, they assume huge significance when you realize it’s not such an easy thing to capture them on your memory chip. They usually turn out to be too over exposed or too under exposed. Or, even worse, the timing can be all wrong. Well, here are a few tips you can follow that can help you take stunning sunset and sunrise photos. After all, no good travel photo album is complete without them. Here we go!

Plan For It

Most times, we take pictures by default. The sunset just happened to be there and you just aimed your camera and took the picture. But, this is where we go wrong most of the time. It’s important to think ahead. Not that sunrise and sunset shots can’t be taken spontaneously, but the best ones come from a little planning. First of all, scope out the places that might be good for sunsets a day or two before your shoot. Look for interesting places where you might not only be able to see the sun track all the way down, but where there will be opportunities for shots that include foreground elements and silhouettes.

It's also good to find out when the sun will set or rise and get there at least half an hour beforehand. The real magic usually happens around that time. Keep an eye on the weather as well. There are a variety of different types of sunsets that produce a range of different types of lights and patterns in the sky. Don’t just go for clear days for these shots. I mean, while they can produce some wonderful colors, it’s usually the times when there are clouds around that the real action happens. Also, be aware of days when there is dust or smoke in the air, as they can produce amazing results too!

Try Different Angles

Shoot at a variety of focal lengths. Wide angles can create sweeping landscape shots, but if you want the sun itself to be the feature of the shot, you’ll want to be able to zoom right in. Keep in mind that the sun is just half a degree across, so when you shoot with a wide lens, it will only be taking up a reasonably small part of the photo. If you want it to be a feature of your shot, you’ll need to zoom in on it, using anything from a 200mm lens upwards. That will increase your need for a tripod as well.

Use Silhouettes

As with all photos, sunsets need a point of interest and one of the best ways to add one to a picture is to try to incorporate some sort of silhouette into the shot. This could be something large, such as a mountain range, something that is part of the environment, like a palm tree, a pier or it could even be a person. The great thing about silhouettes is they add mood and context to a sunset or sunrise shot.

Keep Your Subject Off Center

Remember the rule of thirds when photographing sunrises and sunsets. While you can always break the rule, it’s often a good idea to place elements, such as the horizon, sun, silhouettes, etc. off center.

Carry the Right Equipment

When you are out shooting sunrises and sunsets, carry extra batteries and lenses that will give you a range of focal lengths. And not to mention, a tripod. If you’re shooting at longer shutter speeds and with longer focal lengths, a tripod or some other way of ensuring your camera is completely still is essential.

Use Manual Focus

Sometimes when shooting in extreme lighting conditions, some cameras can have trouble focusing. If this is the case with your camera, consider switching to a manual focus to ensure you get nice, crisp shots.

Wait For Your Shot

Whenever you're on your shoot, look around you. This will not only make you more observant, but you will see things you hadn’t noticed earlier. The wonderful thing about sunsets is they not only create wonderful colors in the sky right in front of you, but they can also cast a beautiful golden light that is wonderful for other types of photography. As the sunset progresses, keep an eye on other opportunities for shots around you (not just in front of you). You may find a great opportunity for a portrait, landscape shot, macro shot, etc. You just never know!

Don’t Give Up

A cialis news sunset or sunrise constantly changes over time and can produce great colors well after the sun goes down or appears, so keep shooting at different exposures and focal lengths until you’re sure it’s all over.

Have fun capturing the sun!

There’s just something about Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras. They are much better than the point-and-shoot compact varieties, particularly when it concerns indoor shooting or where there isn’t much light. It's no wonder they happen to be the fastest growing segment of the digital camera market today. So, to begin with, what are SLR cameras? Well, they are high-end models with interchangeable lenses, as opposed to the point-and-shoot compact cameras you may be familiar with.

SLRs score over their compact counterparts, because the shots are terrific and the colors are vivid. With compacts, taking a picture indoors after it's already dark outside could become difficult. You'll probably have to throw out a significant number of your indoor non-flash photos, which are often victims of horrible graininess or blur. Yes, for blurriness, the stabilizer helps, but it can't perform miracles. One reason for that is all compact cameras contain a tiny sensor (0.4 inch diagonal). That's not much light gathering area, especially when compared with the much larger sensors in SLRs (1.1 inches, for example). Another reason is that these compacts crank up their own light sensitivity automatically, known as ISO, in a further effort to reduce blur. Unfortunately, extremes in ISO mean extremes in "noise" (grainy speckles).

So, here's what makes every brand stand out from the other. Take your pick, depending on what you want for your SLR. Happy shopping!

Canon

Snap a photo while you're recording, capture superb stereo sound and start recording while you're in the still-photo mode. Those are just a few things you can do with the PowerShot S3 IS ($338, 6.0 megapixels). In fact, it may be the closest thing you'll find to a hybrid camcorder and camera, all in one. You can zoom or change focus while shooting videos as well, which is a feature that is extremely rare in digital cameras. The movies look fantastic, although a 2 GB card only holds about 18 minutes of footage.

The S3's screen cialis drug impotence is tiny by today's standards at two inches, but on the other hand, it swivels and rotates like a camcorder's screen. With that, you can shoot over your head, down low and so on. To make photographic matters even better, this camera can take 2.3 shots per second in burst mode and it takes macro shots as close as zero inches away. Yes, you can photograph things that are actually touching the lens. Cool, huh?!

Olympus

The main highlight of the ambitious SP-550UZ ($500, 7.1 megapixels) is its super close-up mode. With this, you can shoot subjects only half an inch away. The zoom is astounding (28 to 504 mm, in film terms) and you can practically peer up the nostrils of someone standing at the other end of a football field. What’s more, there’s a 2.5 inch screen that brightens up in dim light to help you see what you're shooting and there's a remarkable on-camera tutorial that teaches you by operating the relevant controls in real time as you hold the camera. In addition to the first ever 18X zoom lens, this one is loaded with unusual goodies. Its burst mode can capture incredible numbers of shots per second at lower resolutions (seven shots at 3 megapixels each, for example). Oddly enough though, if you want full 7 megapixel shots, you only get a sluggish one frame per second.

The menu design isn’t so great on this one either. If you have more money to spare for better features, you could buy a proper digital SLR (the Nikon D40, for example), complete with lens and phenomenal results.

Panasonic

The Lumix DMC-FZ8 ($307, 7.2 megapixels) doesn't offer any special tricks like the Canon or the Olympus, but it offers some standout features, including an actual sliding on/off switch, a rock bottom price tag and the ability to save pictures in a RAW format, which is a rarity among non-SLRs. (RAW format photos use far more space on your memory card than traditional JPEG files, but professionals love RAW files, because specialized software can virtually reshoot them with different settings, after the fact. The Olympus offers RAW shooting as well). The Lumix is a consistent performer without any annoying design quirks. Plus, no "7 megapixels" logo appears on the camera body. For that, Panasonic gets points for breaking ranks with its rivals, who still want you to think that more megapixels means better photo quality.

Nikon

I am at a loss of words for the Nikon D80. With this camera, I am now able to shoot professional looking photos without even trying. The camera is extremely easy to use, even for someone who has never used an SLR before. It has so many preset modes, you can practically shoot in any light condition using one of the photo modes.

The Nikon D80 has some great special effects software built in as well. You can crop, brighten and sharpen photos right on the LCD screen, without even having to transfer them to your computer! All in all, it is a terrific SLR camera and is a benchmark for other 10 megapixel cameras. The Nikon D80 is a very hard product to beat and has brought professional looking photography to the hands of amateurs. This is highly recommended to anyone looking for an entry to mid-level SLR camera.

Sony

The DSC-H5 ($365, 7.2 megapixels) shoots images up to an ISO of 1,000. The camera’s Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization helps produce sharp pictures at long zooms and in low light. If that’s not powerful enough for you, you can buy a VCL-DH1758 telephoto converter to pump up the magnification beyond 20X! Sony also offers the VCL-DH0758 wide angle converter and the VCL-M3358 close-up macro lens. Another thing you notice on the DSC-H5 is its huge three inch screen, which makes the 2.5 inchers on the others (and the two incher on the Canon) look undernourished. Another bonus is the included set of rechargeable batteries with a charger, which is a thoughtful touch.

This camera works best for portraits and architectural shots because of its terrific long zoom. However, because of its small viewfinder and the shutter lag due to a slow processor, the camera isn’t great for capturing moving subjects.

And Finally…

If you're after a mid-size superzoom, you can do much better. You could get the Panasonic for its low price and solid design, the Canon for its remarkable split camera/camcorder personality or the Olympus for its mind boggling zoom. You won't be slipping any of them into your pants pocket, but when you bring home that prize winning shot of the wedding kiss or the soccer goal, all will be forgiven!

Many times, we are in the wrongful notion that cialis 2.5 we need to have a studio setting and a studio subject to take great pictures. The truth is though that your subjects can be anyone, animate or inanimate. That's what makes photography so much fun. Here are a few easy tips on finding the right subjects for your pictures!

Honest Emotions

This quality is all appealing. If you capture innocence on your camera, no matter how badly composed it is, the picture will still be appreciated. If you spot a pet, a child or an adult with innocence written across their face, go for it! Capture them in action and you never know what you may end up with.

Poignant Faces

You need to study faces before you decide who can be your best subject. Faces that appear pleasant in person might turn out to be quite non-photogenic and vice versa. Also, capturing an acknowledged beauty on camera isn’t always great. What will elevate your skills is if you can find that grandmother with well defined wrinkles and nerves on her face. A tight close up of her face in black and white will tell you what you have indeed captured. It’s these poignant faces that distinguish a professional from an amateur.

Straight Action

Sometimes nothing succeeds like sporting action. Whether it's snow boarding, jet skiing, parasailing, bungee jumping, roller skating, driving, water slides, roller coasters, it's so fun to capture those kinds of things. In fact, just about any kind of action shot that’s engaging and inspirational at the same time will be a winner. With this, the action becomes your subject and not the person performing it.

Serendipitous Moments

We have many such moments, but the thrill is in capturing them for posterity and nothing can beat the serendipitous moments offered by nature. It could be a pattern in the sand, a set of footprints, the crashing of waves over a rock, a life saver’s tower, shoes at the water's edge, sand castles, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion, etc. The possibilities are endless. All you need is a watchful eye for the serendipitous!

Timing

With a little observation, you can create photographic subjects. For example, the start and end of a day can present the best opportunity for shooting at the beach. For starters, there will be less people there at those times and you’ll also find that with the sun shining at an angle, you often get more interesting effects of shadows and colors. That's especially true in the evening when the light becomes quite warm and golden. Another timing issue is that the beach can really come to life on the days when everyone avoids it because of poor weather. Stormy seas, threatening and dramatic clouds and wind blowing trees all make for atmospheric shots.

Watching and Listening

Many times, you don’t have to look far for photographic inspiration. Your subject could be anything that moves, from tiny orange soldier beetles to bull elephants fighting. Intimate photographic knowledge can be taught to a lesser extent from others, but to a far greater extent just by watching and listening to everything around you. It can be the body language of your subject that results in a "once in a lifetime" photograph. For example, a naturally relaxed bird will have its feathers quite loose, but just before flight, they will all tense. If you see this and start clicking the shutter at the right time, it can result in a wonderful “take off” image. It could be a bull elephant twitching its tail and becoming very agitated just before charging at another bull and engaging in a tussle. The world is full of great photo subjects!

Happy picture taking!