Compact vs. Digital SLR Cameras

Choosing between a compact (or "point and shoot") and a digital SLR camera is often the first big purchasing decision when starting out with photography. Not only is it potentially a big financial decision, but it may also determine what kinds of shots you'll be capable of capturing. This tutorial cuts through all the marketing hype in order to highlight only the most important differences between each camera type — thereby helping you to decide which one is best for you and your shooting style.

OVERVIEW

What exactly does it mean for a camera to be a compact (or point and shoot) versus an SLR? Strictly speaking, SLR cameras just have viewfinders that see the same light as the camera's sensor (more on this later), but in practice this isn't the only distinction. While the line between each continues to blur, these three differences usually still apply:

• Viewfinder Mechanism
• Fixed vs. Interchangeable Lenses
• Camera Sensor Size

There's also a range of more minor differences (which vary depending on the camera brand or model), the above three are often what most impact one's photography. The next several sections will focus on what these three differences actually mean in practice, and how your photography style will be impacted. At the end, we'll also discuss some of the other more minor differences between the two camera types.

** Notable Exceptions: The "Micro Four Thirds" or 4/3 standard has interchangeable lenses, but doesn't use the standard SLR viewfinder mechanism (Olympus/Panasonic cameras). Some budget SLR cameras may also have fixed lenses, and some high-end compact style cameras can have sensors that are nearly as large as an SLR — but each is the exception rather than the rule.

However, this deserves mentioning up-front: SLR cameras are usually MUCH more expensive than compact cameras — mostly as a consequence of the above three differences (we'll discuss why later). Also, unlike with compact cameras, purchasing an SLR camera is only part of the cost; you may have to buy additional lenses, an external flash and other accessories. These can even end up costing more than the camera itself.

1. VIEWFINDER MECHANISM

Unlike compact cameras, with an SLR camera what you're seeing through the viewfinder is the same light that will reach your camera's sensor when you press the shutter button:

With an SLR, when you press the shutter button, the mirror flips up and the light that was formerly being re-routed to your eye instead gets sent straight to the camera sensor. Move your mouse over the buttons above to see how this works. The flipping up of the mirror is also what makes the characteristic clicking or snapping sound that we've come to associate with SLR cameras.

With a compact camera, the viewfinder mechanism instead just tries to estimate what light will reach the sensor, so it's potentially less accurate. Compact cameras may also use what's called an electronic viewfinder (EVF), which attempts to re-create what an SLR viewfinder would see — but by instead using the electronic image from the sensor.

** Note: The above behavior is in fact why they're called "Single Lens Reflex" (SLR) cameras — because the same lens is used to produce the image in the viewfinder as is used to capture that image at the sensor, and the mirror reflects light to the viewfinder ("reflex" referred to the reflection in German). However, this terminology can be a little confusing, because SLR cameras are the type of camera that can use more than just a "single lens" — not compact cameras.

The need for a prism/mirror is one of the reasons why SLR cameras cost more (other than sensor size), and can make a big difference for a camera designer/manufacturer. However, in practice the sensor size and ability to change lenses will likely make more of a difference to your photography. This is especially true since many camera owners choose to use the rear LCD screen instead of the viewfinder.

On the other hand, if your work requires seeing exactly the light that will be captured, then you should certainly opt for an SLR. Otherwise, you can usually still see exactly how that light will be captured using either a compact or an SLR camera — by looking at the rear LCD in "live view" mode, and by using a live histogram.

2. FIXED vs. INTERCHANGEABLE LENSES

The fact that SLR cameras can change out their lenses is likely the first difference that one notices, or knows ahead of time. Yes, many compact cameras can use lens adapters (especially the high-end variety), but the original lens still remains on the camera.

Why would a camera need more than one lens? It is difficult if not impossible to design a single lens that can capture scenes using the wide range of styles commonly used by photographers — all without noticeably sacrificing quality and portability. Each style is therefore far better suited by a single, special purpose lens.

In practice, being able to use different lenses usually means that:

• You'll be able to use wider lens apertures (lower f/stops), which will enable a shallower depth of field and/or better low-light performance.

• You'll be able to use specialized lenses, such as ultra-wide angle lenses, fish-eye lenses and extreme telephoto lenses, which will give you more creative options.

• You'll have the potential to achieve better image quality, primarily because your lens will likely have been more specifically designed for the task at hand.

For example, with portraits one could use a wide aperture (such as f/2.0 or less) in order to create a smooth out of focus background and isolate their subject. Alternatively, with architecture one could use an ultra-wide angle lens that's been designed to also minimize distortion (causing otherwise straight lines to appear curved). Neither of these scenarios would be possible with the vast majority of compact cameras.

However, using more than one lens also means that:

• You need to carry more lenses with you if you plan on shooting a range of different styles and subjects. This decreases the portability of your camera system.

• You need to change lenses every time you wish to change shooting styles. This can interrupt your shooting rhythm.

• You might introduce dust onto your camera's sensor each time you have to change lenses. This can reduce image quality and be difficult to remove. 

Of course, to negate any potential inconvenience, you could always choose your favorite all-around lens for your SLR and just stick with that. In addition, the built-in lens on a high-end compact camera can sometimes produce higher quality images than a stock or budget SLR lens, and is often also a lot more versatile. However, once you start spending a lot more, compact camera lenses rarely hold their own against high-end SLR lenses.

3. CAMERA SENSOR SIZE

In general, compact cameras have much smaller camera sensors than SLR cameras. This is a less commonly known "under the hood" difference between SLR and compact cameras, but is likely one that will make the most noticeable impact on image quality.

What does this mean in practice?

• Cost. Larger sensors are much more expensive to make, and usually require correspondingly more expensive lenses. This is the biggest reason by SLR cameras cost so much more than compact cameras.

• Weight & Size. Larger sensors require much heavier and larger camera lenses and camera bodies, because the lens needs to capture and project light over a larger sensor area. Other than reducing portability, this can also be a disadvantage because it makes one look more conspicuous with their large SLR camera/lens (thereby making candid people shots more difficult).

• Depth of Field. Larger sensors create a shallower depth of field at the same aperture setting. For example, a lens at f/4.0 on a compact camera likely won't create a blurred background in a portrait, whereas f/4.0 on an SLR camera will likely create a smooth, creamy background (depending on subject distance). This can be an advantage for portraits, but a disadvantage for landscapes.

• Image Noise. For the same number of megapixels, larger sensors have much larger photosites/pixels* (as shown above). This increased light-gathering area means that these pixels will be more sensitive to tiny amounts of light — resulting in less image noise. This means that an SLR camera can usually get away with a much higher ISO setting and still have the same amount of image noise as a compact camera.

• Dynamic Range. Another consequence of having physically larger pixels is that SLR cameras can usually capture a greater range of light to dark without having this become solid white or black, respectively (a higher "dynamic range"). This reduces the chance of blown highlights in the sky or other bright objects, and can preserve more details in the deep shadows.

** Technical Note: strictly speaking, a photosite isn't the same as a pixel, since a pixel is usually created based on several photosites, but we'll use the more familiar word "pixel" here even though we really mean "photosite." See the tutorial on digital camera sensors for more on this.

The key here is that a different sensor size is just a trade-off; one size isn't necessarily all-around better than another, so you need to consider how the pros/cons of each will fit into your intended shooting style. 

OTHER COMMON DIFFERENCES

In addition to what's already been discussed, each camera type may also have other advantages, depending on the specific brand or model. These include:

Compact Camera Advantages

• Live view rear LCD (although most newer SLR's have this feature)
• Greater range of pre-programmed creative modes
• No mirror/shutter mechanism that can fail after ~10-100K shots

SLR Camera Advantages

• Faster camera autofocus
• Much less shutter lag (delay between pressing the shutter and starting the exposure)
• Higher maximum frame rate
• RAW file format support (although most high-end compact cameras have this)
• Ability to take exposures longer than 15-30 seconds (using manual or bulb mode)
• Offers complete manual exposure control
• Ability to use an external flash unit (but many high-end compact cameras have this)
• Manual zoom control (by twisting the lens as opposed to using an electronic button)
• Greater range of ISO speed settings
• Ability to upgrade just the camera body and keep all of one's lenses

However, many of the above differences follow from the fact that one often spends a lot more on an SLR than a compact camera, and aren't necessarily inherent to each type. If one spends enough on a prosumer/high-end compact camera, they can often attain many of the above features typically found with SLR cameras.

SUMMARY: COMPACT vs. DIGITAL SLR

The preference between each camera type really comes down to one of (a) flexibility and the potential for higher image quality versus (b) portability and simplicity. This choice often isn't a matter of which is right for a given person, but which is better for a given shooting environment and intended photo use.

Compact cameras are much smaller, lighter, less expensive and less conspicuous, but SLR cameras allow for a shallower depth of field, a greater range of subject styles and the potential for higher image quality. Compact cameras are probably better for learning photography, since they cost less, simplify the shooting process and are a good all-around option for capturing many types of scenes out of the box. SLR cameras are much better suited to specific applications, and when size and weight aren't important.

Costs aside, many prefer to own both types of cameras. That way they can take their compact camera to parties and long hikes, but have an SLR available when they need to capture indoor subjects in low-light, or when they're going somewhere specifically for photography (such as for landscapes or events).

How to Transfer Office 2007 to Another Computer

Office 2007 comes with a license for a single computer. This means that you cannot have Office 2007 installed concurrently on more than one computer at a time. Therefore, moving your Office 2007 license to a new computer means that you will have to completely uninstall the program from your old computer before making the change to avoid violating the licensing agreement.

Instructions

1. Uninstall Microsoft Office 2007 from the old computer. In Windows XP, you do this by going to the "Add or Remove Programs" applet. In Windows Vista or Windows 7, you do this by going to "Uninstall a Program" in the control panel.
2. Restart the old computer to make sure that Microsoft Office 2007 uninstalled. After checking, you may shut down the old computer.
3. Insert the Microsoft Office 2007 disc into the new computer. This disc includes Excel, Word, OneNote and PowerPoint. The disc will appear automatically once inserted. Follow the automatic prompts to the screen that asks you to choose between "Upgrade" and "Customize."
4. Select "Upgrade" if you would like to upgrade any existing Microsoft Office applications on the new computer. The setup will ask if you would like to keep earlier versions of Microsoft Office. Choose whether you want them.
5. Read the licensing agreement. The agreement is over 10,000 words, so CNET recommends reading the FPP retail licensing terms if you purchased the product in a store and the OEM terms if the product came preinstalled on the computer.
6. When you open up any document in Microsoft Office 2007, it will ask if you want to validate the product. You may use the products in the suite up to 25 times before you are required to validate it by entering the product key; however, it is simplest to enter the key immediately. According to Microsoft, the product key will either be located on the sticker of the disc case, on the certificate of authenticity, or in a confirmation email.

Read more: How to Transfer Office 2007 to Another Computer | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_6834231_transfer-office-2007-another-computer.html#ixzz26W1TnsLM

有道发音太快

如果出现了“小喇叭”图标，这种情况下有道词典是可以正常发音的。如果没有小喇叭出现，那就需要安装Flash插件了。有道词典的发音是通过Flash插件实现的，如果Flash插件版本较老或者插件损坏都会影响到有道词典的发音。所以，如果你发现有道词典不能发音，或者发音太快、杂音……先去下载最新版Flash插件吧，地址在：http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/


还有道词典离线状态下为什么不能发音啊？这个问题是这样滴：因为发音库实在太大了，我们就把发音库放在服务器上了，一方面可以节约大家的电脑空间，另一方面也可以对有道词典减肥，而且互联网这么发达的21世纪，对发音的体验应该没有影响。

WEB Marketing: How to Promote Your Web Site

Just because you have an online web site does not mean that marketing will be automatically done for you. In most cases, traditional methods of marketing are still required. However, the difference is in the cost and effective runtime. In most cases, the cost is negligible and the runtime, tremendous. We will look at the following methods of marketing your web site and you will find that it is something that all businesses can do.

1. Include Your URL on Stationery, Letter Heads, Envelope, Cards, and Product Literature.

This is a no-brainer that’s sometimes overlooked. Make sure that all reprints of cards, stationery, brochures, and literature contain your company’s URL. And see that your printer gets the URL syntax correct. In print, I recommend leaving off the http:// part and including only the www.domain.com portion. Of course if you select a catchy and easy to remember URL, you can expect to have a slight edge.

2. Promote using traditional media.

Don’t discontinue print advertising you’ve found effective. Rather than discontinue them, you may even be able to scale them down by almost half sometimes and in the process save advertising cost. Of course, the reason why you can afford to scale them down is because you have included your URL in the ad and therefore you need not put up too much material to confuse the potential buyer. View your website as an information source to the ad. Use a two-step approach: (1) capture the readers’ attention with the ad, (2) then refer them to a URL where they can obtain more information and perhaps place an order. Look carefully at small display or classified ads in the back of narrowly-targeted magazines or trade periodicals. Sometimes these ads are more targeted, more effective, and less expensive than online advertising. Consider other traditional media to drive people to your site, such as direct mail, classifieds, post cards, etc.

3. Develop a Free Service.

It’s boring to invite people, “Come to our site and learn about our business.” It’s quite another to say “Use the free currency calculator available on our site.” Make no mistake, it’s expensive in time and energy to develop free resources, such as our SMEcentral Site, but it is very rewarding in increased traffic to your site. Make sure that your free service is closely related to what you are selling so the visitors you attract will be good prospects for your business. Give visitors multiple opportunities and links to cross over to the sales part of your site.

4. Issue News Releases.

Find newsworthy events (such as launching your free service), and send news releases to print and Web periodicals in your industry. However, opening or redesigning a website is seldom newsworthy these days. You may want to use a Web news release service, such as one offered by Eric Ward’s URLwire (www.urlwire.com) or the free PR Web (www.prweb.com).

It is one thing to have a web site and another to market it. The above information is presented to show that any business can have the opportunity to market their web site easily. In most cases, you do not have to spend extra on top of what you are already spending on print stationery, advertisements, etc. It is just about adding your URL to these traditional media.

Promoting Your Website via Email

With the increase in Junk Mail, many people have grown fearful in checking their mailbox. You will at least have to spend 5 minutes each day in work deleting all your junk mail. A more effective way of emarketing is to use a less intrusive way of getting your recipients attention. Sometimes, the most effective way is the simplest. How funny sometimes we forget. Consider the following methods:

1. Install a “Signature” in your E-Mail Program.

Most e-mail programs such as Outlook, MSN and Yahoo allow you to designate a “signature” to appear at the end of each message you send. Limit it to 6 to 8 lines: Company name, address, phone number, URL, e-mail address, and a one-phrase description of your unique business offering. Look for examples on e-mail messages sent to you. This one phrase description can be something to catchy that people will never forget your website address. Of course keep it in good taste!

2. Capture Visitor E-mail Addresses and Request Permission to Send Updates.

On your website’s feedback form, include a checkbox where the visitor can give you permission to e-mail updates about products or services. Now your e-mails to visitors are not “spam.” You’re responding to their request for more information. If you can capture industry information and country it will even be better as your outgoing emails to these subscribers can be more targeted. But only ask for the information you need or few visitors will respond. DO NOT ask for too much information, ideally, a 10 sec time frame is all people have to give to you in filling up such forms.

3. Publish an E-Mail Newsletter.

What do you do after collecting all the mailing list information? This is the next logical step. While it’s a big commitment in time, publishing a weekly, monthly, or quarterly newsletter is one of the very best ways to keep in touch with your prospects, generate trust, develop brand awareness, and build future business. You can distribute your newsletter using your e-mail program, or better still have an email marketing campaign manager, like this one reviewed here where you can have an email content creation tool, content management tool, broadcasting tool and a subscriber list management tool.

4. Send Genuine Special Offers to Your Visitors and Customers.

Your own list of customers and site visitors who have given you permission to contact them will be your most productive list. Send offers, coupon specials, product updates, etc. Personalizing the subject line and the message will increase the results. Keep your content simple, yet creative. If you need help to create professional looking emailers and you do not have knowledge in HTML or front page, the ESPioneer solution can do wonders for you. See it here.

Email marketing is cost effective and can be non intrusive. Keep to the rules and you will be able to get more response from potential clients.

SEO Tips: How to do your own keyword research for free part 1: Introduction

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is essential if you want visitors to be able to locate your blog or website through search engines.

First, it is the type of keyword search words that Internet users frequently use.
Second, it is the amount of keyword competition.
Third, it is the strength of the websites or blogs that are competing for a specific keyword.

There are other aspects of SEO, but this is just the basics to help you get started.

1. What words do you expect an average user of Google will use when he or she is using Google's search engine?

Let's say, the user is looking for "fashion clothing", and he or she types in "fashion clothing".

Supposed in your fashion online shopping site or fashion blogshop, you have updated your posts and named the title of your posts such as "Best Deals!" or "Featured Products" or "Collection 8 - Holland Village launched!", (I found this title for a blog post in an online shopping site.)

Do you really think Google is going to put your website or blog on its first page?
No, and why? Simply because Google uses bots and crawlers, not humans, to verify the nature of your website or blog!

The bots and crawlers don't exactly know what you are talking about when you are using "Featured Products" as your blog post, because a website selling computers may be using "Featured Products" to sell laptops too!

I found so many online shopping sites don't really understand how much traffic they have lost by not understanding SEO.

Of course, many of these shopping sites thrive on their "word of mouth" marketing without using SEO.

However, if you compare "ShopLah!" with other online shopping sites, they can obviously out sell any of their competition especially if there are so many searches online looking for "fashion clothing".

So consider the keywords you should use when you are updating your blog post or websites.

2. Explain the amount of keyword competition.

Supposed you signed up for 2 lucky draws; one has 100 sign ups, and the other has 1000 sign ups.

So which of lucky draw do you stand for a higher chance? The one with 100 sign ups, or the other with 1000 sign ups?

Similarly, Google has only 10 places for websites or blogs to compete on for its first page, and for the keywords "fashion clothing", there are 48 million websites competing.

If you are beginning to apply SEO techniques, competing with a bigger crowd will lower your chances than competing with a smaller crowd.

So do take note of the amount of keyword competition.


3. Explain the strength of keyword competition.

Supposed you want to start a furniture shop.

Do you want to your furniture shop beside IKEA? (In case you do not know, IKEA is a power house for selling furniture.)

No, and why? Simply because many visitors will pass by your shop and visit IKEA instead, as IKEA has built a big brand, reputation and name for its furniture.

Similarly, when you are competing for a keyword, in Google's first page, check the strength of your competition for the top ten websites or blogs.

If they are too strong, I suggest that you should pick up other keywords to compete in.
Let me give you a summary on how to choose good keywords.


Good keywords should be:
Search words that an average person usually use.
That has the smallest amount of competition.
That has weak websites or blogs that compete for it.

How should we be using the keywords in my blogs or websites to my advantage?

There are many ways to use good keywords for your benefit, however I am not able to explain everything in detail.

We will just highlight a few that you might miss out.

1. When you find good keywords to use, you should always register your domain name that contains good keywords as much as possible.

An example, if you register a domain name such as "http://starlight.com/" versus "http://fashionclothing.com/", which will Google favor more when a user searches for fashion clothing?

The latter, and that's straightforward, because even for humans, how would I exactly know that "starlight.com" is a fashion clothing website?

So it is really better to register a domain name with good keywords.

However, I must say that it is very difficult to register a domain name with good keywords, because there are many people out there who would think the same way as you, and register these domains first.

If you can't do that, don't worry about it.


2. You should always use good keywords in the title and sub-headings of your blog posts, and talk about it as naturally as possible in the text of your post.

This will help search engines to identify the nature and popularity of your blog or website, and thus helping Google to favor your pages for the top ten slots.

Why should you be using keywords as naturally as possible? That's because there are some who are overly enthusiastic with keywords.

Putting in keywords after every few words or sentences will not help Google to rank you better, because Google recognize that blog posts should be read by humans, not by their Google bots.

Also, it will annoy your readers as well, if they don't understand what you are trying to say to them.

How to Promote Your Website?

1. Search Engines Submission

Place your website link (URL) on major search engines as majority of traffic that a website received are came from them. You don't really need to submit your website to all hundred thousands of search engines, because over 90% of search engines referrals come from the top three search engines. They are Google, Yahoo! and Bing.

However, it doesn't help much if your website link only shows on next 20th page of search result. Therefore, before submitting, make sure that your website is optimized for the best possible search ranking. Do refer "SEO" to guide you how to optimize your website search ranking.

The only disadvantage of free search engine submission is the process of submission is not immediate; it could take several weeks or months to display your website on their list.

2. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
Pay-per-click is one of the most cost-effective advertising programs available today. It allows you to bid on keywords relevant to your website. When those keywords are searched on, the search engines would display your ad on the results page along with non-paid search results. For example, if you search a keyword on Google, the non-paid results will display on the left column while paid ads on the right. Advertisers are charged only when their ads are clicked on.

The major search engines that offering pay per click program are Google AdWords and Yahoo Overture. Started bid rate is USD$0.05 per click per keyword. The more popular keyword you bid on, the more advertiser compete with, simultaneously the higher rate you bid on a keyword, the better position your ad will be placed in search results for the keyword.

The advantage of this program is allow your website to appear in search results almost immediately, unlike the usual URL submission process which could take several weeks or months for your website to be listed, This program could help your website bring in traffic instantly while waiting for the search engines to index it.

3. Forum
Participating in message boards (forums) is one of effective way to promote your website. It is an excellent place to ask questions, share knowledge, and of course, bring publicity to your website.

One way that posting in a forum can help bring visitors to your site through direct referrals from your signature. For eg, my company signature might be as follows:

NewMedia Express - Singapore Web Hosting Provider
Services: Domain Name, Web Hosting, Server, Colocation, Dedicated Server

Another way that participating in a forum can help drive traffic to your website is through search engine exposure. Many search engines index threads from forum. If you were a contributor to a thread that had been indexed by a search engine, the thread will have contained a link to your site via your signature. The URL pointing to the thread will have counted as a page linking to your site, adding to your link popularity and search ranking. Plus, when visitors click on the URL, they will read your post and possibly follow the links in your signature.

4. Link Exchange
Exchange link with your partner to increase traffic to your website. Since many search engines factor link popularity heavily into their ranking algorithms, it would be good to have as many sites link to yours as possible. However, not just any link will do. When it comes to link popularity, the search engines are smart enough to know chink links are relevant and which are not.

Therefore, you need exchange links with those website contents are similar to yours. For example, a computer software solution provider may offer link exchange with Internet solution providers.

Take note, before placing their link, do ask for permission.

5. Search Engines Optimization (SEO)
SEO is essential to drive traffic to your website in the first place as over 80% of all website traffic comes from search engines. Therefore, you must know using the right META tags in your HTML code to optimize the search placement.

<TITLE> Tag
Keep your keyword present once in the tag. Use 5 - 8 words in the <TITLE> tag. The use of more words may be penalized by the search engines.
You can place your company name, product or service name. The title tag content may display in a search engine or appear when your site is bookmarked or placed in a favorite folder.
Do not spam the <TITLE> tag with your keyword. Some search engines penalize you for using all CAPS.

<META NAME="KEYWORDS"> Tag
Not all search engines support META keywords, but you should include them for those that do. These keywords should match the words that someone would enter in a search to find your website, such as your product/service name, company name. Do not repeat the same keyword more than five to six times. Doing so may be interpreted as spam. Keep tag less than 1000 characters in length.

<META NAME="DESCRIPTION"> Tag
The META Description is not as important as it used to be; however many search engines display it as your page description in their results. Make sure your description is meaningful; if it doesn't make any sense, chances are, visitors won't click on your link. The meta description tag should incorporate your keywords into a meaningful sentence. Place your keywords closer to the beginning of your description to achieve better rankings. The length of your description should be between 150 and 250 characters. Do not repeat your keyword more than three to five times.

6. Write Articles
Sharing knowledge on the web can be a very powerful way to establish your online presence and credibility. You may write a thoughtful and informative article on a topic in your area of expertise and then publish on your website or others. Search engines may index your website shall any useful information is provided. If your article published on other website, do append your website link at the bottom of the articles.