The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group No Nonsense Guide To Digital Cameras - For the Bookshelf Major Keary |
Click! the no nonsense guide to Digital Cameras is an excellent example of how to get a lot of relevant information into a small space. It is a recent addition to the Osborne no nonsense series, which "aims to get you exploring [a topic] quickly and effectively".
This small book does not pretend to be a definitive guide to digital photography. It is a simple and straightforward discussion of digital cameras that tells the novice how digital cameras work, how to use them, how to choose them, and how to use computer applications to get the results you want -- from colour correction to creating works of art. There is even a section on scanners, which use the same technology as digital cameras and -- for some purposes -- do a better job.
A part of the book contains quite detailed technical specifications for a number of cameras grouped in categories, from "those for the birthday photographer" through to professional models. Prices are, of course, American, and some of the models will be quickly superseded; however, the descriptions should be really helpful in making a choice.
This is an ideal book for novices, but there is an assumption that the reader knows something about using computer programs. Users who want to take the occasional photograph, or who want to restore some old prints, should find this is all they need. Those with aspirations to becoming expert will find the book a very good introduction. There are plenty of useful Web sites mentioned, and the glossary is a useful aid. I find most impressive the way in which so much information has been packed into such a small space without the text seeming to be terse, or resorting to technical jargon. Well worth the money.
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Ron White: Click! the no nonsense guide to Digital Cameras ISBN 0-07-222740-0 Published by Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 210 pp., RRP $29.95 incl. GST |
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Reprinted from the August 2003 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
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