A Short History of Digital Photography
Digital photograhy, although only taking off as the main medium for popular photography in the last few years, has been around for a surprisingly long time.
The key difference between digital photography and traditional film photography is that digital cameras use an electronic sensor - a 'CCD' or charged couple device - to record the image data, rather than physical film. The huge benefit that this provides the user is the ability to easily store and modify, or edit, photographs using a personal computer, rather than the traditional, time consuming - though many film users would say 'satisfying' - process of developing the film then using darkroom facilities to produce finished images.
The first consumer digital camera - the Sony Mavica - was produced 25 years ago in 1981! This may not be truly considered a full digital camera as, while photos could be saved to disk, a television was used for image display.
It was some years later - in 1986 -that Kodak invented the world's first megapixel sensor, capable of recording 1.4 million pixels that could produce a 5x7-inch digital photo-quality print.
In 1990 Kodak introduced the first comercially available digital camera: the DCS100. However it's considerable cost meant that this camera was only normally used by photo journalists or by photography industry professionals.
However, it was not until 1994 that Apple introduced the first real consumer digital camera. This was called the QuickTake 100 - co-developed with Kodak - and worked with a PC, via a serial cable using a "0.3" megapixel CCD. It was capable of producing eight images, which were stored in internal memory, and also featured a built-in flash.
In the last 10 years, digital point & shoot cameras have become widespread consumer products, and, broadly speaking, sales of digital cameras now outsell those of film cameras. Most recently, of course, this technology has even become commonplace in mobile phones.
As a result of this development and the huge success of the digital photography market, Kodak announced in 2004 that it would shortly cease production of reloadable 35mm cameras, and in January 2006 Nikon similarly announced that production would stop on all but two models of their film cameras.
 
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Choosing a Digital Camera
In the last year or so, the price of digital cameras and accessories has been falling and falling to a point where it is now easy for anyone to afford a digital camera whatever their budget.
Point & Shoot Cameras: Under £100:
At the same time image quality and image size - measured in megapixels -has been increasing in relation to cost, so that it isn't neccessary to spend a fortune to get more than acceptable image quality.
Point & Shoot Cameras: Under £200:
Take a look at these examples, from Amazon.co.uk , across the price spectrum to see what your 'digital' pound will buy!
Fixed lens SLR Digital Cameras Under £300:
Fixed lens SLR Digital Cameras Under £500:
'High End' SLR cameras from Under £800
Find more Digital Camera Equipment at Amazon.co.uk | 
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