Course Overview
In this Course we will delve deeper into the inner workings of the digital camera. The better you understand the tools you will use to create images, the better the images you will create.
Topics covered in this Course include: image sensors, focal length, optical vs. digital zoom, viewfinders, noise, and strategies for steadying your camera. We will also explore some quick tips for creating better images.
Resolution, quality and clarity are just a few terms that might come to mind for you when judging the success or failure of a digital image. Image size is certainly an important consideration with respect to both the visual quality of your image and the amount of information you can store on your camera’s memory card. Most people think the higher the megapixels, the better the image will be. In general this is true, but not all image sensors are created equal, which means not all 6.1 megapixel cameras will have the same image quality. Understanding the structure of a digital image will give you valuable insight, so you can make more informed capture choices, including which file format is best suited to your project or output.
Student Outcomes
- Understand the basics of how an imaging sensor creates a digital photo.
- Comprehend how digital cameras create color images.
- Recognize the three types of viewfinders common to digital cameras.
- Distinguish Optical versus Digital Zoom.
- Use techniques (tripod, bracing arms, etc.) to avoid camera shake.
- Understand what the five measures of resolution tell you about your image file and how to use that information to calculate image size in inches.
- Distinguish which file formats are best suited to specific capture and output scenarios.
- Recognize the difference between thumbnails and actual image files.
- Identify the advantages and disadvantages of interpolation and file compression.
Prerequisites
No previous Digital Photography experience is necessary. All sessions include hands-on practice on Windows computers. This course is an introductory course and not suited for advanced Digital Photography professionals. Some experience with Windows computers required.