Tutorial Two: Digital Camera use and applications

In this tutorial, we demonstrated the competence in using a digital camera and tripod. We had to choose a theme and capture 5 images which we will display them on our blog. The theme i have chosen is gardens around Dunedin.

List some of the ways that digital images are stored transferred and manipulated using information technology.

There are many ways that digital images can be stored/transferred and manipulated by using other communication technology. Such as computer hard drive, Digital camera, CDs, Email, Social networking website, USB, Internet, Photo sharing sights such as Flicker, Facebook, Digital photo, Edited Program's- Photoshop.

“A new technology is rarely superior to an old one in every feature”  Briefly discuss this statement in relation to digital camera technology.  What would you consider to be some of the pluses and minuses digital camera technology holds in relation to more traditional film based cameras?

There are advantages and disadvantages to both film photography and digital photography. In relation to digital camera technology, neither is better on an absolute basis. Film and digital cameras do different things better, and neither is going away. Although film based camera will decline in areas where digital camera excels but the choice depends on the user’s application. Here are some of the pluses & minuses digital camera technology holds in relation to traditional film camera:

  

Advantages of digital cameras

The advantages of digital photography over traditional film include:

·     Higher initial cost

·     Instant review of pictures, with no wait for the film to be developed: if there's a problem with a picture, the photographer can immediately correct the problem and take another picture.

·     Minimal ongoing costs for those wishing to capture hundreds of photographs for digital uses, such as computer storage and e-mailing, but not printing.

·     If one already owns a newer computer, permanent storage on digital media is considerably cheaper than film.

·     Photos may be copied from one digital medium to another without any degradation.

·     Pictures do not need to be scanned before viewing them on a computer.

·     Ability to print photos using a computer and consumer-grade printer. 

·     Ability to capture and store hundreds of photographs on the same media device within the digital camera; by contrast, a film camera would require regular changing of film (typically after every 24 or 36 shots).

 Disadvantages of Digital Camera's

·      The photos taken are not valued as much as they are very accessible

·       A cheap digital camera costs about $200, while a basic compact film camera costs $150. If you want a digital camera with additional features, it can run up to $700. Digital cameras store photographs on small removable cards. Each one of these cards costs anywhere from $50 to $100 depending upon capacity. Whereas a roll of film cost around $10, but you can only take approx 30 photos.

·       Digital cameras are small computers that take photographs. Even the fairly simple ones come with many buttons, menus, options and settings. Camera manufacturers like to boast that their camera has more features than their competitor's. More features means controls that you will have to learn.

·       Most digital cameras use rechargeable batteries that are just for that model camera. Digital cameras are battery hogs. If you own a film camera now, you may have had to change the batteries once in a couple years. Digital camera batteries will be drained if you take lots of photos. Backup rechargeable batteries are a necessity.

·      Advantages and disadvantages of film camera

·      Lower initial cost

·      Better at capturing detail in whites and blacks (dynamic range)

·      More forgiving of minor focusing issues

·      More forgiving of exposure problems

·      Film is still higher resolution

·     Cameras are generally heavier

·     Film can take up a lot of space.

·     Film is a continuing cost

·     Film must be developed before viewing

·     Unless you have a darkroom, you are dependent on the lab to edit your images.

Given the prevalence of image capturing and distribution using IT, what ethical issues may arise with their use?

·         Provide at least 2 examples here

The ethical issues that may arise when using digital image could be that consent must be gained from the people involved, so their privacy is not invaded. Taking pictures of property is known as Stealing intellectual property, there could also be a cultural issue such as taking a picture of a Maori statue could be offensive to them.

Briefly discuss some of the ways that digital images could, or are, being used in occupational therapy practice? 

Occupational therapists need to embrace the use of mainstream technology in their quest to ensure that therapy remains current and meaningful to their clients. Technology can be useful to improve both functional independence and occupational performance. This opinion piece introduces how occupational therapists can apply mainstream technologies, including information and communication technologies such as the internet, computer software, portable devices and computer games, in their everyday interventions.

During this tutorial, we were asked to sign up for a flicker account and upload the photos we took. We are also expected to link the Flickr photos to our blog by creating a photo badge. Flickr.com is a free online photo management and sharing application. Their main service is to get photos and videos to people who matter to us.

There are many other photo storage websites which offers a similar service to flickr.com, facebook, myspace, bebo, msn and bebo are all very popular amongst young and old today.