While these models may be mostly low cost, they鈥檙e not worth your time or money. You鈥檙e probably better off sitting by the front window all night long. 

There are still plenty of decent options available at affordable price points if you鈥檙e shopping on a budget. Check out our test results for the top performing security cameras.

Video resolution vs camera quality: What matters most?

Manufacturers love to advertise video resolutions, like HD and 4K, as though they鈥檙e the key indicators of picture quality. A 4K security camera has to look fantastic right? Not exactly.

Camera components play a much more significant role in video quality. An HD camera with a good image processor and well-made lens will look a lot better than a cheaply made model that can record in 4K.

The important components are:

• Lens elements: Lenses need good-quality glass for optimum image quality. Cheap glass or plastic looks softer with less detail.
• Lens size: Bigger lenses can let more light in, which helps retain quality and detail, especially at night. Smaller lenses usually perform well during the day but may struggle at night.
• Image sensor: This is basically the film negative for digital cameras. In this case, it captures light to convert to video that you can watch and record from your camera. Smaller sensors in compact cameras can鈥檛 capture as much light, which reduces image quality and detail.
• Image processor: The software and hardware responsible for interpreting the light captured by the sensor. A low-powered processor can be slow and inefficient, which causes issues like artefacting (blocky image), compression and ghosting.

Most brands try to compensate for these shortcomings by tweaking or enhancing the video while it鈥檚 being processed. Results can be decent, but the software can only do so much with substandard source material.

So don鈥檛 be swayed by resolution alone. Check our image quality results to find the true top performing cameras.

The wireless security cameras to avoid

Normally, we publish a single image quality score, which is made up of both our daytime and low light assessments. But this time we鈥檙e revealing the results of each individual test to show you just how poor some cameras can be in the much less forgiving night time test.

Test results and comments are based on the performance and features that were available at the time of testing. These may have changed via software updates.

Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery

• 糖心Vlog Expert Rating: 61%
• Daylight image quality: 50%
• Low light image quality: 55%
• Ease of use: 72%
• Price (RRP): $179

This camera from Ring is starting to get pretty long in the tooth and you may be quite likely to find it on sale nowadays. The problem, though, is that it was never that good to begin with.

Ironically, it actually performs better at night than in the day, though the quality is still only OK. Daytime performance is borderline, thanks in no small part to video artefacting (blocky image), which is particularly noticeable when motion detection triggers a recording.

Motion detection issues don鈥檛 stop there. Sometimes, the camera takes too long to start recording and other times it doesn鈥檛 record at all. In fact, it鈥檚 only set to record motion detection events some of the time by default.

How does it decide what to capture and what to ignore? Who knows.

(Note. While we acknowledge that Ring has faced security and privacy concerns, 糖心Vlog doesn鈥檛 conduct a security assessment in this test. We can鈥檛 comment on how these affect/have affected Australian customers and whether Ring has completely resolved issues).

Read the full Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery review.

Connect SmartHome Smart Wire-Free Full HD Security Camera

• 糖心Vlog Expert Rating: 62%
• Daylight image quality: 55%
• Low light image quality: 45%
• Ease of use: 80%
• Price (RRP): $130

Connect SmartHome’s security camera performs about as well as you鈥檇 expect for the asking price. Low light image quality is particularly poor, even though it has infrared night vision.

Once the sun sets and the lights go out, picture quality becomes very noisy (grainy) and messy, with very obvious ghosting. This means subjects leave wispy streaks or a trail of pixels as they move about, which can really obscure detail.

Though the camera is very easy to use, its associated app is not at all intuitive to use and is tricky to navigate. It鈥檚 especially hard to review and download recordings triggered by the camera鈥檚 motion sensors.

Read the full Connect SmartHome Smart Wire-Free Full HD Security Camera review.

D-Link DCS-8302LH

• 糖心Vlog Expert Rating: 62%
• Daylight image quality: 50%
• Low light image quality: 50%
• Ease of use: 79%
• Price (RRP): $130

Even though it鈥檚 cheap, this camera is still not worth the asking price. Image quality is rough and lacking in detail, especially at night.

Humans, animals and other objects turn bright white as they get closer to the camera. Detail is more or less gone once the subject is within four metres of the camera, making it difficult to tell who has been poking around your property without permission.

This is a pretty big problem on its own, but night vision is only limited to five metres overall according to D-Link. In other words, night time image quality only looks good within a small, one metre window. Not exactly ideal.

Read the full D-Link DCS-8302LH review.

Swann Xtreem Security Camera Kit

• 糖心Vlog Expert Rating: 62%
• Daylight image quality: 55%
• Low light image quality: 45%
• Ease of use: 81%
• Price (RRP): $270

Calling this camera extreme (or 鈥渪treem鈥�) may be a bit over the top. Swann would be better off with a more honest approach, something along the lines of the 鈥淥K to Average Security Camera Kit.鈥�

Daytime picture quality is barely better than borderline while night performance is poor. The big issue here is very noticeable motion blur 鈥� not exactly ideal when you want to identify uninvited guests.

Performance isn鈥檛 exactly extreme either. The camera is slow to wake from standby, motion detection doesn鈥檛 always work and when it does, it鈥檚 usually slow to activate.

Read the full Swann Xtreem Security Camera Kit review.

The post Wireless security cameras to avoid appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

Improving your home’s thermal efficiency is a great way to reduce your household energy bills. A thermal camera like the Flir C3-X can show very clearly where the heat losses and gains are happening around your home, such as gaps in your ceiling insulation, air leaks around window frames or heat loss through your windows that could be fixed with more effective blinds or curtains.聽

But it takes a bit of practice to use a thermal camera effectively and to understand what the images are revealing. Not to mention thermal cameras can be expensive. We take you through the basics of using this type of camera and point out some options for borrowing one rather than buying it outright.

How does it work?

The Flir C3-X has an infrared lens as well as a regular digital camera lens and can take photos in the infrared spectrum. Heat radiation is in the infrared range, and the camera detects this heat and converts it to a digital image, just as a regular digital camera converts visual light. The result is a thermal, or thermographic, image.

Below are two example photos, taken on a hot day in Sydney (when it was well over 30掳C outside). The images are colour scaled, with dark colours representing the coolest parts of the room, and bright colours the hotter parts. At the left of the image you can see the range of temperatures detected, and in the top left are two specific temperatures: at top, the dead centre of the photo, and below it, the temperature of the area marked by the circle on the rectangular zone.

There’s a choice of several colour palettes for the heat photos and we used the default (as in the photos above)

Using the Flir C3-X

The C3-X is a simple point-and-shoot digital camera with a large 640×480 pixel rear touchscreen for framing and displaying your photos and navigating and using the options menus. There are on/off and save buttons on the top edge and a USB-C port on the side for charging and connecting to a computer.

If you create a FLIR Ignite online account, you can upload your photos to the Ignite website for easy viewing and sharing online (this requires the camera to be connected to a Wi-Fi network). You can also connect the camera via the supplied USB cable or via Bluetooth to your computer and copy the images across.

You can download comprehensive instructions from the on the Flir website.

It’s recommended to have the camera professionally calibrated once a year, which can be an expensive process.

Tips for taking thermal photos

• Be careful of any highly reflective surfaces in the image area, as they can cause inaccurate readings. It’s best to aim the camera at a dull (matte) surface.
• Avoid focusing on any area that’s in direct sunlight.
• Pay attention to the range of temperatures displayed for the image; the colour mapping can give an impression that there are very cold areas and very hot areas in the photo, but they may actually be only a few degrees different.
• In summer, areas inside your home with air leaks or poor insulation will show as hot spots, as heat is leaking in from the exterior. In winter, these same areas will tend to show as cold spots, as the indoor warmth is leaking out.
• For best results, take the time to read the camera’s instructions 鈥� you may need to adjust some of the settings in different circumstances. For example, in its default automatic model the Flir C3-X constantly adjusts the level and span (temperature scale) of the image, which will give a good result in most cases. However, in manual mode you can adjust the temperature scale to be close to the temperature of a target object in the image, which can help detect any anomalies or small temperature differences in that part of the image.
• When using the camera in potentially unsafe areas such as roof spaces or construction zones, be aware of your surroundings and personal safety.

Borrowing a thermal camera

If you just want to perform a one-off assessment of your home, then paying $1000 or more for a professional-level thermal camera like the Flir C3-X is probably a step too far. There are cheaper thermal cameras on the market, including thermal camera attachments for your smartphone,聽but you’ll still be looking at a few hundred dollars.聽

That’s why many local councils and sustainability organisations offer cameras like the Flir C3-X on loan to their local residents or members. Councils often offer this service via the local library. Contact your council or search online to see whether there are any offers near you.

Here are some examples of organisations offering thermal cameras for loan:

• .

Thermal cameras can also be hired from tool hire companies.

If you’re a skilled tinkerer, you could even try !

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On this page:

• How a camera takes a photo
• What does aperture do?
• Using shutter speed
• What is ISO?
• Understanding white balance
• Tips for using these camera settings

But this doesn’t give you much creative control or allow you to capture a good shot in less than ideal lighting conditions. Understanding the manual settings on your camera will give you more artistic flexibility and the ability to shoot in different environments. Plus, it’s a lot of fun.

Rather than explain what every single button, dial and mechanism is doing, this guide covers three key settings in photography: aperture, shutter speed and ISO. When you understand the principles, you can put them into practice and truly unlock what photography has to offer.

How a camera takes a photo

The key point you need to remember is that photography is all about light. Every setting will play a part in determining how much light is entering the camera, even if they do other things as well. When photographers talk about adjusting the exposure, they’re referring to adjustments made to various settings to determine how much light is coming in.

That said, the basic mechanics inside a camera are pretty simple. Up until digital photography came along, film cameras would capture an image by letting light fall onto film which created a negative. This technology remains unchanged in modern cameras except film has been replaced by a digital image sensor.

Inside the camera is a shutter. This protects the sensor from being exposed to light until you’re ready to take a picture. When you press the shutter button on top of the camera, the shutter briefly opens to let light in, then closes within an appropriate time to capture that moment.

The shutter is made up of two key components 鈥� the mirror and the shutter curtain. When light enters the camera through the lens, it bounces off the mirror upwards towards a prism which directs it into the viewfinder. This is so you can line up or compose your shot.

When you press the button to take a photo, the mirror flicks upwards, the shutter curtain opens and the sensor is exposed. Here, the sensor records whatever it “sees” until the shutter snaps shut. Then the camera software processes the image and it appears on the screen.

What about mirrorless cameras?

There’s an entire category of cameras that have done away with the mirror to save space and weight. This is also the case with compact models and smartphones. Instead, the shutter curtain is the only thing protecting the sensor from light entering the lens and the image you see through the viewfinder is a digital feed.

What does aperture do?

Aperture is a function of the lens that you can set with camera controls. It’s basically the camera’s pupil and is used to adjust two things: the amount of light that comes in and depth of field.

Aperture is displayed as a number called the f-stop, displayed as ‘f/’ followed by a numerical value. The aperture opens up as you lower the f-stop and vice versa. This typically ranges from a maximum aperture of around f/1.8 to a minimum aperture of f/22 in consumer-grade lenses, including cameras with a fixed lens.

Controlling light and depth of field

As you open up the aperture you let more light into the camera and less as you close it. It’s a useful way to naturally adjust the exposure levels without having to rely on boosting the brightness using software later on. But this also affects depth of field.

Depth of field basically determines how much of the image is in focus. Wider apertures create a shallow depth of field, which means that the subject will be in focus but the background will be blurry or soft. A smaller aperture does the opposite and ultimately flattens the photo at the higher end.

You know those photos of people ‘holding up’ the Leaning Tower of Pisa? That’s achieved using a small aperture. A portrait photographer, however, typically uses a wider aperture to highlight the subject against a softer background.

So, remember: a wider aperture lets in more light but leads to a shallower depth of field. A smaller aperture lets in less light but brings more of the image into focus. If you have a preferred aperture you want to use but don’t have the right amount of light, then you can also control the shutter speed to get the right mix.

Using shutter speed

Most cameras let you adjust the length of time that the shutter curtain stays open. This affects the exposure as well, but it also determines image sharpness especially when shooting moving subjects

Shutter speed is displayed in seconds or fractions of a second depending on the settings. For example, a shutter speed of 1/1000 means the camera is set to take a photo in one one-thousandth of a second. Consumer cameras usually operate within a range of 5鈥�10 seconds down to 1/6400 of a second.

Controlling light and motion blur

As you slow down the shutter speed you let more light into the camera and less as you speed it up. This is because the sensor is exposed for longer (or shorter) periods of time. But this also affects motion blur.

Why does this happen? The camera’s sensor is programmed to record and interpret whatever it sees. So if the shutter stays open for longer, the sensor is going to pick up all the movement that happens in that time frame.

This is why night-time or indoor photos are often blurry when you’re using a camera or your phone in automatic mode. The camera is trying to compensate for the low light by leaving the shutter open for longer, but that in turn captures all the movement and creates a blurry picture.

On the one hand, increasing the shutter speed is a handy way to increase exposure, but you need to keep motion blur in mind. Things like sports, moving vehicles or even photos of your kids running around at a picnic require a faster shutter speed whereas you can lower it if the subjects aren’t moving.

In some cases, motion blur is actually a desirable artistic effect. The most common example of this is waterfall photography. Snap a shot of cascading falls at a higher shutter speed and the water will look kind of jagged and hard. Bump that down and the running water will blur into a nice soft, flowing mist that looks quite calming.

Night-time urban photography is another good example. A low shutter speed will bring out the buildings with street lights and windows punctuating the image, whereas a high one will lead to an overall dark shot. Some cameras also have a Bulb setting where you can leave the shutter open for as long as you like, which is a handy feature for very low light and astronomy photography.

If you want to try slow shutter speed photography then either get a tripod or find somewhere to rest your camera. Humans can’t stand perfectly still, no matter how hard they try, and any tiny movements will add motion blur to the photo.

What is ISO?

ISO is another setting that affects image brightness, but understanding it requires a little bit of history. Back when film was the predominate medium, ISO indicated the film’s sensitivity to light. A higher number meant increased sensitivity which essentially boosted the exposure based on available light sources. A reel of ISO 100 film had low sensitivity to light while an ISO 3200 reel had high sensitivity.

When digital cameras came along they retained the basic principle but converted it to a digital process that you can adjust. Now, most consumer cameras have an ISO range of 100鈥�6400. It’s primarily used to give image brightness a bit of a boost when shooting in darker environments.

So, what’s the catch? Grain, or ‘noise’ to be more specific. As you increase the ISO, the amount of visible grain also goes up. An ISO 100 image will have no noise, whereas an ISO 6400 image will be bright, but very noisy. Modern cameras have built-in noise reduction tools that can compensate for this to a degree, but it affects image clarity at the more extreme end.

Understanding white balance

You know how certain environments can look different depending on the weather, time of day or artificial lighting? Like how a park will look all lush and green on a bright sunny day, but the same spot can appear sort of blue when it’s overcast? This is to do with colour temperature and that’s where your camera’s white balance setting comes into play.

White balance adjusts image colour to make the final picture look natural. These days most cameras handle this automatically, but you can manually tweak white balance as well. This involves picking a pre-set such as daytime, night, or cloudy, or entering a specific value (measured in Kelvins).

You may also want to play with white balance for artistic reasons or to capture a particular mood. The blue hue brought on by a grey, overcast day may not look nice, but you can tell the camera to retain it if you want to capture a realistic scene.

Tips for using these camera settings

Now that you know the basics it’s time to start experimenting. Keep in mind that every adjustment has benefits and compromises so it’s up to you to figure out the optimal combination for the environment, and also the style of photo you’re aiming for.

Say you want to take a photo of your friends at dinner indoors. It’s dim outside but the ceiling lights are pretty bright and you don’t want people to look blurry. Here is where you could try a wider aperture to let more light in with a higher shutter speed to reduce motion blur, and a slightly elevated ISO.

Or maybe it’s daytime and you want to photograph some sport with just a little motion blur to convey movement. This would call for a lower shutter speed, with a higher aperture and the lowest possible ISO to keep the exposure in check.

The best part about living in the digital age is you can learn by taking as many photos as you want without having to worry about buying more film. Theory is good but it only goes so far. It won’t take long to put these concepts into practice and you’ll be shooting exclusively in manual mode before you know it.

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On this page:

• Do you need a rechargeable lithium battery?
• Why is voltage important?
• What's in the Tenavolts kit?
• How do Tenavolts batteries perform?

Do you need a rechargeable lithium battery?

If used well, rechargeable batteries are an undeniably better environmental option compared to single-use alkaline batteries. But the inability for traditional NiMH (nickel metal hydride) batteries to reach the voltage of a single-use alkaline battery at 1.5V or even maintain their 1.2V level for the operating life of the battery is an issue for some, particularly if you’re powering devices that house four or more AA or AAA batteries.聽

Tenavolts AA lithium rechargeable batteries deliver 1.5V from the moment you put them in the device until they stop, and they can then be recharged to full capacity in just under two hours.

Why is voltage important?

The two most important things to consider in a battery are voltage (volts) and current (amps). A simple analogy to understand the two components is to imagine water moving through a pipe.聽

Think of voltage as the water pressure supplied to the pipe while the current (measured in amps or mAh) is the flow rate. If the battery can maintain a consistent voltage, then the current or flow rate remains the same for the life of the battery.聽聽

If the voltage for a single battery drops during operation, which can happen for most alkaline and NiMH rechargeable batteries, then the aggregated effect can lead to an inability to power the device even if there’s still energy left in the batteries.聽

For example, if a toy requires a certain amount of current to operate and the toy needs four or more batteries, then any drop from the 1.5V you can get from a single-use alkaline battery to the 1.2V you can get from a rechargeable NiMH battery leads to a quick drop in your ability to power the toy.

What’s in the Tenavolts kit?

The package includes four lithium rechargeable AA batteries, a charger cradle and a micro USB cable that can be connected to your laptop or smart device power supply. The cable is quite short, but you can also use a longer micro USB cable if you have one that came with a smartphone, speaker or other smart device.聽

It’s important to note that this charge cradle should not be used with any of the NiMH batteries you may already have at home. Keep the Tenavolts system away from your other rechargeable batteries and you’ll have an ideal option for the devices that really need that extra boost.聽

The front of the cradle shows a blue LED to indicate the charge condition of the battery when it’s in the charger, and the LED turns off when the battery is fully charged.

How do Tenavolts batteries perform?

Tenavolts batteries consist of a 3.7V/2.8Wh lithium-ion cell, which would make them incompatible with standard AA batteries. However, a 3.7V to 1.5V voltage converter/voltage regulator circuit board allows the Tenavolts batteries to be used on devices that require standard AA batteries. The board is located within the battery cylinder under the negative terminal cap.

The Tenavolts AA high-capacity rechargeable batteries are pre-charged up to 2775mWh, and are fully charged in a bit less than two hours, which is faster than the traditional quick charge NiMH rechargeable batteries which need at least three hours to be fully charged.

The batteries deliver a consistent 1.5V from fully charged to completely spent, providing the voltage required for some devices that need the best possible performance in heavy load discharge. Our tester, Carl Mihailovich, found some small variance over the life of the battery, but no more than 0.02V, which wouldn’t be noticed in day-to-day use of the batteries.

The measured capacity of the batteries is 1825mAh at 1.5V, which compares favourably to the rated capacity of 2775mWh (1850mAh). The load current for this test was 0.35A, which was used as the load for the NiMH rechargeable (Eneloop) and single-use alkaline (Duracell) batteries.

Our tester noted that the overall capacity of the Tenavolts batteries compares well with the Eneloop rechargeable and single-use Duracell alkaline batteries. The impressive voltage regulation of the Tenavolts batteries also makes them more versatile over loads ranging from low (0.1A) to very high (2A).

While the battery voltage remained very stable at each load current, there was a slight reduction with increased load. At 2A load (heavy) the voltage was >1.27V.

If you want to keep your聽high-drain devices powered for longer or cut down on single-use batteries (without compromising on performance), consider introducing your toys and devices to some Tenavolts AA lithium batteries.

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On this page:

• How do rechargeable batteries work?
• Low self-discharge batteries
• What about lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries?
• How do single-use batteries work?
• Removing single-use batteries from your life
• Understanding battery terms

How do rechargeable batteries work?

Rechargeable AA and AAA batteries are a must for high-powered devices, like digital radios, camera accessories and remote-control cars, where a day of heavy use will suck the juice out of them. You’ll need to factor in the cost of a charger, but after a dozen or so uses, rechargeable batteries more than pay for themselves.

Types of rechargeable batteries

Modern rechargeable batteries have a chemical makeup of nickel-metal hydride (NiMH). These batteries allow for a larger capacity that can hold more power for longer, compared to the older batteries based on nickel-cadmium (NiCad).

The environmentally conscious consumer wanting to leave a smaller carbon footprint should opt for rechargeable batteries, particularly if you have high-use demands. Unlike single-use batteries, which are destined to be disposed of once they run flat, rechargeable batteries can be reused several hundred times.聽

However, the eventual disposal of rechargeable batteries can be an issue as they’re more toxic than most single-use batteries, so when it’s time to retire your rechargeable batteries, sites such as can provide valuable advice on your nearest recycling centre so you can get rid of them safely.

Low self-discharge batteries

Rechargeable batteries lose some power every day, even when not being used, in a process known as self-discharging. If you plan on using rechargeable batteries in devices that aren’t used often, then it’s best to purchase a low self-discharge (LSD) battery. These batteries hold onto charge for a longer period of time when they aren’t being used 鈥� the latest LSD batteries claim to retain up to 85% of their charge after 12 months of non-use, whereas standard NiMH batteries may lose 50% of their charge.

The ability to immediately use the batteries out of the packet is another handy feature of an LSD or ‘ready to use’ NiMH battery, particularly if you’re looking to immediately power up the latest birthday or Christmas present.

What about lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries?

A more recent type of battery you might’ve seen online could be the perfect solution to your rechargeable battery needs. It uses lithium ion (Li-ion) as the main component, which is lighter and able to deliver a higher capacity than nickel-metal hydride (NiMH).聽

But don’t buy these batteries unless they very clearly show a nominal voltage of either 1.5V or 1.2V. Most of the batteries you’ll see that claim to be both rechargeable and Li-ion have a nominal voltage of 3.7V, which will fry your electronic devices if they take normal AA batteries.

How do single-use batteries work?

Disposable batteries, also known as single-use batteries, are designed to be used until they have no power left. If you depend on your device to operate straight away after long periods of inactivity, such as an emergency torch, then it’s preferable to use a good alkaline single-use battery.

Lithium and alkaline batteries are functionally about the same in nearly all aspects. However, lithium batteries can be used in more powerful devices without having to worry about the battery draining too quickly, as they have a higher capacity, slightly higher initial voltage, and a longer shelf life. The downside is that lithium batteries are more expensive.

Removing single-use batteries from your life

The reasoning for the existence of single-use batteries continues to be less and less compelling with the introduction of ready-to-use rechargeable batteries that have a capacity that approaches the best that any alkaline battery has to offer. Companies are also beginning to hear consumer feedback to remove them from shelves for a cleaner environment. However, this can take time, particularly if it’s a large global company.

Ikea announced back in 2020 that they were committed to removing all non-rechargeable alkaline batteries from the global home furnishing range and set a target of late 2021 for this to happen.

Understanding battery terms

Milliampere hours (mAh):聽A measurement of the capacity of a battery. The higher the mAh, the longer the battery will last. If your battery is rechargeable, then the mAh rating is how long the battery will last per charge.

Memory effect: Most often associated with NiCad batteries where the battery appears to fail to charge to its full capacity, instead setting itself to show fully charged at the capacity of the battery when placed in the charger.

Claimed capacity mAh:聽High-drain tasks such as digital photography with frequent use of the flash may benefit from a battery with a higher capacity.

Lithium-ion single use: These last the longest in high-drain devices, like digital cameras, and might be a good option for a backup when travelling. Manufacturers claim they have a shelf life of around 10 years, and there are a few online sites offering rechargeable Li-Ion AA batteries. Most of these batteries have a nominal voltage of 3.7V, which will fry your electronic devices if they take normal AA batteries, so avoid them unless you know exactly what devices you have that can cope with a nominal voltage greater than 1.5V.

The post Rechargeable vs single-use batteries appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

Our expert testers

We’ve been reviewing batteries (rechargeable and single use) for over a decade and we’ve adjusted our test method over that time to keep it both rigorous and practical. Electronic tech has evolved over the years but the consumer’s need for good dependable AA and AAA batteries remains strong.聽

While we test most products in our own labs, battery testing requires particular facilities and equipment that unfortunately we don’t have space for. So batteries are one of the few products we send to another expert lab, which tests them according to our requirements.

How we choose what we test

With so many to choose from, what makes us choose one battery to test over another? As with most of our product testing, our aim is to test the most popular brands and types on the market and what you’re most likely to see in shops.

We survey manufacturers to find out about their range of products, we check market sales information, and we also check for any member requests to test specific batteries. From this information we put together a final list that goes to our buyers, who then head out to retailers and purchase each product, just as a regular consumer would. We do this so we can be sure the batteries are the same as any consumer would find them and not ‘tweaked’ in any way.

How we test

Single-use or disposable battery testing

The batteries are tested in a rig and monitored by a computer. Each of the batteries is discharged into a fixed load 鈥� the load is 24 Ohms for the low discharge test, and 2 Ohms for the high discharge test.聽

Four examples of each model are tested in each of the two tests, and the position in the test rig and models are randomly chosen to avoid systematic errors. The batteries are discharged until they reach a voltage of 0.7. The time and voltage of each battery is recorded during the test at approximately one-minute intervals.

Rechargeable batteries

Rechargeable batteries take a lot longer to test because 鈥� you guessed it 鈥� they have to be charged and recharged to determine their performance over time and with repeated use. The batteries are tested in a rig where each of the batteries is discharged into a fixed load. The load is 10 Ohms for the AA batteries, and 24 Ohms for the AAA batteries. Four examples of each model are tested with each position in the rig selected at random.

Test criteria explained

The overall score for single-use batteries is made up of:

• performance under high-drain conditions (25%)
• performance under low-drain conditions (20%)
• endurance under high-drain conditions (25%)
• endurance under low-drain conditions (20%)
• value score for high-drain devices (5%)
• value score for low-drain devices (5%).

The overall score for rechargeable batteries is made up of:

• endurance score (45%)
• consistency score (25%)
• self discharge score (20%)
• capacity score (10%).

Our test lab

We maintain our own lab that is up to date with the latest reference machines and calibrated measurement tools for our testers to bring you the right results.

For any testing required where we don’t have the necessary in-house skills or equipment, such as for batteries, we use an external expert lab.

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On this page:

• What type of camera is right for you?
• Should you buy a basic, advanced or expert camera?
• What do cameras cost?
• Understanding camera basics
• Understanding lenses
• Lens mounts and converters
• Which camera accessories do you need
• How to recycle your old camera

Even for those who prefer a simpler experience with great results, the latest breed of compact and ultra zoom cameras will do the job just fine.

What type of camera is right for you?

Finding the right camera can be a bit confusing if you’re not sure what to look for. Megapixels are meaningless as a way to tell a good camera from a rubbish one. So how do you know? There are a few of types of camera to consider, each with a different level of complexity.

Compact digital cameras (basic) are small and portable, and usually an all-in-one automatic kind of deal聽鈥撀�particularly good for casual or basic use. They sacrifice advanced features and some picture quality for compactness and simplicity. However, improved camera performance in smartphones has mostly killed this market.

Compact digital cameras (advanced) are built to a higher standard and pack some DSLR features into a smaller form factor. Better quality components and basic manual controls give you a lot more flexibility when shooting.

Ultra zoom cameras cameras are often more expensive, and have all the features of a compact, but have some advanced features as well. They’re often a bit bulkier, and a good option for someone around the intermediate point in the market. Sometimes these models are also called “bridge cameras” as they are a transition from a basic compact camera to a more sophisticated DSLR (see below).

DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) cameras are the traditional things you think of when you see the word “camera.” Detachable lenses can be swapped out depending on how you want to shoot, they allow full auto or manual control and bodies typically have much larger image sensors. They also have a physical shutter and mirror that opens up to expose the sensor when shooting. All these factors combined can give great image quality, but DSLRs are often quite heavy and bulky.

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras (aka Mirrorless or Micro four-thirds) basically reduce the size of a typical DSLR by removing the mirror, so the shutter. Otherwise they have many of the same functions, controls and sensor sizes that you’d find in a DSLR, including interchangeable lenses. This market has been growing in popularity for some time thanks to the smaller form factor that doesn’t sacrifice quality.

Tough cameras are another option 鈥� they聽have protected features so they can be taken into most situations without fear of dropping or exposure to heat, cold, moisture and sand. The difference is how much rough鈥揾andling they can take. Their image quality and ease of use makes them a beginner to intermediate model.

Should you buy a basic, advanced or expert camera?

Are you after a beginner, advanced, expert or tough camera model?

Basic camera models聽

These are designed for quick and easy use in automatic mode, which is why they’re often referred to as point-and-click cameras. Though they can perform well in well-lit environments, they typically struggle in low light without the help of a flash. Also, manual settings are very limited, leaving little creative flexibility.

But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as these are more about utility than art. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to sit back and let the camera do the work while you take happy snaps of friends and family. That’s why basic cameras need to be small and light with simple functionality and decent image quality.

That said, these are becoming harder and harder to find as smartphones have largely replaced this option for casual users.

Advanced/enthusiast camera models

Advanced are designed for people that want good quality photos, without having to spend a tonne of money while learning all the ins and outs of photography. They have a broad selection of automatic modes and some manual functions that strike a balance between letting the camera do the work while giving you some creative control.

Some models have interchangeable lenses, others have a single built-in option. You can also find high-end compacts in this category.

Expert camera models

At this point, you need to have a good grasp on how your camera works to make the most of the tools at your disposal. Sure this takes work, but once you get your head around the technical side of things, you’ll have total creative control backed up by high-end components that can result in stunning images.

They’re very flexible, with a range of consumer and pro-grade lenses available, as well as other accessories such as an external flash. They’re also designed to perform well in all lighting conditions provided you know how to adjust the settings.

What do cameras cost?

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Basic:聽Prices range from around $80鈥�400.
• Advanced:聽Prices range from around $200鈥�1500.
• Expert:聽Price range from $500 to more than $3000.
• Tough:聽Prices range from around $150鈥�500.

Understanding camera basics

These are the standard features, functions and settings you need to get your head around to operate a camera.

Automatic and manual controls: When you turn on automatic mode your camera adjusts its settings to create what it thinks is the best possible picture, usually based on optimal exposure. This is only really effective in well-lit conditions however. Manual mode gives you the freedom to adjust these settings yourself. Many cameras also have semi-manual modes which automatically adjust some settings while you manually tweak others.

Image sensor: this is where the light falls when you’re taking a photo. It records the light then uses the information to create a digital image. Sensors replaced film in digital cameras.

Aperture: an adjustable opening in the camera lens that determines how much light is coming in, while changing the depth of field. Depth of field essentially determines which parts of the photo are in and out of focus. A narrow depth of field with keep the subject in focus while softening the background, while a large depth of field will keep the whole photo in focus. Aperture is displayed as an “f-stop” with lower numbers indicating a wider opening and narrower depth of field. E.g. f/1.8 is wide whereas f/22 is much smaller.

Shutter speed: when you take a photo the shutter opens up to reveal the sensor, then closes when it’s finished taking a photo. The longer it stays open the more light gets in which is a useful tool for shooting in low light conditions without a flash. However, slower shutter speeds also lead to motion blur in the photo if the subject isn’t perfectly still.

ISO: this setting increases/decreases the sensors sensitivity to light. It can give images a little brightness boost where required, but bumping up the ISO will increase the amount of visual noise (aka grain) in the photo.

White balance: light comes in many colours 鈥� fluorescent is usually greenish, tungsten (like a normal household bulb) is red/orange and daylight blue to red depending on the time of day. Automatic white balance should make sure whites always appear white regardless of the lighting conditions, but sometimes you’ll get a better result if you can manually override the automatic setting.

Image stabilisation: With longer lenses it can be difficult to hold the camera still, which can lead to slightly blurry pictures. Image stabilisation can help by adjusting internally for the camera movement. The best system is often referred to as ‘optical anti-shake’, where the lens elements move. Some cameras now have very effective mechanical system where the camera’s sensor moves.

Electronic systems tend to increase the sensitivity of the sensor, open the aperture as wide as possible and use the fastest shutter speed possible. The result is often noisy as well as blurry pictures. If you’re taking pictures in a low light situation or with a long lens use a tripod if possible.

Manual focusing: Manual focus is useful for situations where the automated function isn’t up to the task. Low light and subjects behind glass or with little contrast can be tricky for some systems. Continuous manual focus is more useful than systems that only offer a number of pre-set distances as it allows for more precise control.

Resolution: The bigger the resolution the more storage space you’ll need, but keep in mind that resolution is not always an indicator of image quality.

Shutter delay: Is how long it takes from when the shutter button is pressed until the shutter opens to take the picture. Some cameras can be pretty slow without pre-focus engaged, taking one second or more to respond 鈥� too slow to catch really spontaneous photos. Only cameras consistently at or under a third of a second should be considered for sports and other fast action.

Viewfinder: Most compact digital cameras don’t have a viewfinder these days. Those that do, usually have an electronic viewfinder. Be wary of slow responses and colour shifts when in low light conditions. For cameras that don’t have a viewfinder at all, you have to use the monitor on the back to frame your shot. This can cause problems seeing what you’re taking in bright sunlight, though.

Understanding lenses

DSLR and mirrorless cameras both use interchangeable (removable) lenses, whereas tough, compact and ultra-zoom models have a single fixed lens. Swapping out lenses for different tasks is one of the main advantages of a DSLR or mirrorless camera. Most brands have a large range available so you can pick out some general purpose lenses, followed by more specialised ones if you get into a particular photographic niche.

The main thing you need to know about lenses is focal length, measured in millimetres. This is the distance between the camera sensor and the lens when the subject is in focus. While that doesn’t mean much in practice it’s used to illustrate the type of lens that you’re using. For example 16mm would be considered a wide lens, 50mm would be portrait and 200mm would be telephoto. A bigger focal length equals greater magnification.

There are two main lens categories – prime and zoom.

Zoom lenses are versatile, but typically cost more, are heavier and produce slightly softer images. Prime lenses aren’t convenient but they produce much sharper images. They also have a much wider aperture making them ideal for artistic and low light photography. Most zoom lenses go as far as f/2.8 whereas consumer grade prime lenses get down to around f/1.8 or f/1.4 if you’re willing to spend a little more.

Within each category are broadly defined lens types. These are fisheye, ultrawide, wide, portrait, telephoto and super-telephoto. To give you an idea of what each end of the spectrum looks like, fisheye lenses were prominent in 90s alt-rock and skateboarding videos while super-telephotos are what you see lined up in the press box at sporting events.

Zoom portrait lenses are the best all-rounders as they have the ideal focal lengths for taking photos of individuals, groups, landscapes etc and just enough zoom for far away subjects. It’s also worth picking up a 50mm prime lens for nice portrait shots.

Lens mounts and converters

There’s a huge selection of lenses out there from all the camera brands and a bunch of third-party manufacturers as well. But each brand, and camera type (DSLR or mirrorless) uses unique mounts. This is why you can’t put a Nikon lens on a Canon camera, or even mount a Canon DSLR lens on a Canon mirrorless camera.

Fortunately, manufacturers have released official converters (aka adapters) so you can attach different lens types, but they come with a caveat. Converters can change or limit certain camera functions in the lens and body.

If you use a converter to mount a Canon DSLR lens on a Canon mirrorless body, it may add a crop factor, or reduce the aperture range. Picture quality may also take a hit, but this isn’t as noticeable unless you’re working with pro-grade equipment. Some cameras support other lens mounts without the need for a converter, but they can still face the same sort of problems.

This isn’t to say that official, first-party converters within the same brand are bad for your camera. Just bear in mind that they don’t provide a one for one transition. If you’re concerned, look up the specific lens/body combination you’re considering online, and note how the converter will impact performance.

Though you can also opt for a third-party converter, there are risks involved as they can damage the electronics in your lens. This is also the case with cross-brand converters (e.g. a Nikon lens mount for Canon cameras), and specific features, such as auto-focus, may not work in these configurations.

Which camera accessories do you need

So you bought a camera and maybe a couple of lenses. Great, now it’s time to grab everything else. Regardless of whether you bought a compact or top end DSLR, there are a handful of essential accessories you’re going to need:

Essential

Memory cards: cameras don’t come with memory cards or internal storage (and if they do it’s minimal). Pretty much every consumer grade camera uses SD cards these days so remember to pick a couple up. Rather than buying one large card, say 16GB, we recommend picking up two smaller ones such as two 8GB cards. Spreading your photos across two cards like this means that you don’t lose all your photos if one goes missing on a trip, for example.

Memory card speed: This isn’t really an issue if you’re just shooting stills, but you’ll need a a high-speed card if you want to capture 1080p or 4K video. 60-90 megabits per second (MB/s), is suitable for 1080p up to 60 frames per second (fps), and 4K at 24 fps. Shooting 4K at anything higher than 24fps, requires a much faster card, up to 300 MB/s.

Carry bag: Not only does this make transport easier, a good quality bag protects your gear and can keep everything in one place including extra memory cards, batteries, lenses and so on.

Extra batteries: a fully charged backup battery will always come in handy. You’d be surprised at how quickly a camera can run dry when you’re taking photos all day long.

Cleaning cloth: your lens will get dirty and smudged and that will show up in your photos, which is why you need to keep a cleaning cloth on hand. These are similar to the soft cloths that are used to clean glasses. Other items like towels or clothing can work in a pinch but the material is much more abrasive and can scratch the lens, so they’re best avoided.

Screen protector: low-cost clear plastic adhesive designed to protect the LCD screen, similar to a phone protector. You can easily cut one down to size if it’s too big for your camera.

UV lens filter: lens filters screw onto the front of DSLR and mirrorless lenses to create different image effects. Though the purpose of a UV filter is to cut UV light it also protects the lens from damage without impacting photos. Why is this important? If the UV filter gets damaged, it’ll cost $200 max to replace (depending on the size). If the actual lens glass gets damaged, you’re looking at hundreds of dollars in repairs and at least a week or two without that lens while it’s in for service. Buy and attach a UV filter to every lens in your kit.

External flash: if you purchased a fancy camera with a hot shoe (the technical term for a flash mount) then grab an external flash. Even if the camera has one built-in an external flash will almost always deliver better results.

Optional

Now that you’ve spent all the money on essential items, you can round out your kit with these optional accessories.

Memory card reader: although you can transfer images directly from your camera to a computer, memory card readers are usually much faster.

Tripod: a three-legged mount that keeps the camera perfectly steady. A tripod is essential if you’re using slow shutter speeds to shoot in low light conditions but they’re also useful if you don’t want to keep a camera hanging around your neck all day.

Monopod: a one-legged version of the tripod designed to strike a balance between stability and portability. You still need to hold the camera and keep movement in mind, but being able to balance it on the ground still improves stability.

Hard drive: external storage is important for backing up your photos while traveling, especially if you’re shooting in high quality/uncompressed formats as these will quickly fill the SD card. Some hard drives come with a built-in SD slot so you can directly transfer photos, videos etc without a computer and others have WiFi which can connect to some cameras.

Remote: these plug into your camera so you can take a photo without needing to touch the body at all. They’re mainly used for very slow shutter speed shoots, where pressing the button on the body can cause slight motion blur.

Waterproof casing: obviously important if you want to do underwater photography and also worth considering if you’re going to be shooting in damp or wet conditions.

How to recycle your old camera

You should have absolutely no trouble re-homing your old camera unless its beyond the point of repair. In that case, it’s easy enough to recycle.

Sell it

There are plenty of budding photographers out there that don’t have the money to buy brand new gear and your old camera could get their new hobby off the ground. Online marketplaces like eBay and Gumtree are your best options though your local camera store might buy second hand gear as well. This includes old film cameras.

Just don’t expect to make much money. Used camera bodies depreciate pretty quickly so don’t set the price too high when you put yours online. Lenses, however, can retain a bit more value especially if you’re selling one that’s no longer in production.

DSLR, mirrorless and high-end compact cameras will generally sell on the aftermarket. You may be able to shift a decent ultra-zoom camera as well, but a basic compact camera will need a pretty steep markdown as they’ve been largely replaced by smartphones.

Donate it

While the technology that powers cameras has improved over time, core functions and photography rules remain largely unchanged. An older model can be a great hand me down gift for a family member or friend that wants to give it a try before they commit to buying newer, more expensive, equipment.

Otherwise most charities will take camera gear that’s in good working order. will accept it, might depending on the store but won’t take any electrical goods. You can also try contacting smaller local charities or community organisations in your area.

Recycle it

Digital cameras aren’t covered by the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS) so you may need to ring around before finding a service that will accept your old one. Start by looking for in the Recycling Near You database.

Dead batteries need to be recycled separately. Fortunately Recycling Near You has an entirely separate .

JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys will also recycle your old soundbar via a partnership with Ecoactive. All you need to do is head to the , enter your details and the items you’d like to recycle, and a staff member will get in touch.

Don’t forget to check out the e-waste services run by your local council. Most will take small electrical appliances, including cameras. For example, the in NSW (where 糖心Vlog is located) accepts them as well as old batteries.

The post How to buy the best digital camera appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

On this page:

• Smartphone vs camcorder
• Features to look for
• How much do video cameras cost?
• Action cameras

Although the digital camera choices available to you have dropped dramatically with the rise of the聽smartphone聽and improvements in video capture with聽still camera a videocamera can still be a great option to get the best possible footage.聽

Smartphone vs camcorder

Smartphones capture more video footage than any other device, producing results that will satisfy most people most of the time. However, a good camcorder will still deliver better quality video under challenging lighting conditions. The dramatic increase in TV display sizes also allow the higher quality picture of a video camera to shine.

Unlike most smartphones, a camcorder:

• has an optical zoom glass lens that gets you closer to the action
• offers easy access to the removable memory
• has a menu system that’s focused on video rather than on messaging, Facebook or phone calls.

So once you’ve decided to buy a camcorder, the questions to ask are: “What is my budget?” and “What do I want my camcorder to do?”

Features to look for

A good video camera might have some or all of the following features:

External battery charger

Allows you to recharge one battery while recording with another, and is particularly handy for models with a shorter recording time.

Remote control

Lets you access most playback functions plus additional functions which may only be available via the remote. However, many will let you use your smartphone to not only control your camcorder’s functions but also preview your video composition live.

Accessory shoe

Allows you to attach things to the camera聽such as an external microphone or a video lamp.

Video lamp/photo flash

Allows you to film or take still photos in low-light conditions.

Eyepiece viewfinder

Using the viewfinder rather than the LCD monitor when recording can save battery power. Some viewfinders may be black-and-white, while more and more models don’t have one at all.

A viewfinder may be awkward to use if you’re wearing glasses. However, most models that have a viewfinder are diopter-adjustable to your eyesight (similar to binoculars), so most people will be able to use it without glasses.

Which recording format?

When it comes to recording formats, there are really only two options:

• removable memory
• internal flash memory.

Tape or hard drives are no longer an option for consumers due to durability issues and the higher capacity and more affordable flash memory. DVD media was used for a short time but turned out to be a dead end.

All video cameras should have as standard:

• play, fast forward, rewind, stop, pause and search
• LCD colour monitor with adjustable brightness and the ability to swivel, so you can easily film yourself
• instruction manual
• rechargeable lithium-ion battery
• AV cable
• USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 connection for transfer of video to a PC
• Bluetooth or WiFi Direct so you can use your smartphone as a remote control and preview away from the camcorder.
• HDMI connection to view video on a TV or other display
• memory card slot to record photos and video on a memory card
• volume adjustable speaker(s)
• stereo microphone
• wind filter.

How much do video cameras cost?

Video cameras we’ve reviewed in the past ranged in price from $249鈥�2000.

Action cameras

While action cameras, like the GoPro Hero series, offer extreme performance and some pretty stunning videos online, we’ve found they can also be difficult to use.

Thankfully, this may not be a big issue if you own a smartphone, as most new models now offer an app to control the camera as well as acting as a remote monitor, so you can mount the camera on your car bonnet and monitor the video from inside your car on your phone.

The post How to buy the best video camera appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

Getting packed

Camera bag

Whether you use a dedicated camera bag, your backpack or you pop it into your on-board luggage, make sure your camera is protected from impact, dust and moisture and that it’s secure. Travellers are always a target for thieves, so choose a moisture-proof padded bag you can lock and that can’t be easily cut. Also, pack your SLR or other system camera body with lenses detached. That way any impact won’t damage the lens mount on the camera.

Batteries

Most cameras come with a proprietary rechargeable battery. Buy another one and keep them both charged. Cameras that can take AA batteries have an advantage if you’re somewhere where they are readily available, but they usually don’t last long and are bulky to carry.

Chargers, cables and connectors

Your camera will come with a charger and/or a cable for charging the battery in the camera. Make sure you have all these packed. You’ll probably need a wall plug converter if you’re heading overseas. Most chargers work in a number of countries, but it pays to check. Don’t forget to pack a connection cable for downloading your images.

Back-up cards

Storage cards (SD and Compact Flash) are relatively cheap, so it makes sense to have more than one. They’re pretty robust devices, but keep them away from dust and moisture which can easily be transferred into your camera.

If your SD Card gets wet, dry it off and leave it for at least 24 hours in a dry place before trying to use it. If it falls in salt water, gently wash it off with fresh water, or the salt may corrode the connection points. Generally it’ll survive and you shouldn’t lose the images on it.

What about back-ups?

If you’re travelling for a long period or just take lots of pictures it may be a good idea to take a small laptop with you so you can download your images and free up space on your storage card. If you’re really concerned about losing precious shots, you can also take a small USB external drive and back the images up to it occasionally. All this adds weight and stuff you have to look after, but it could save some heartache. Cloud storage is another option.

Tripod

They’re bulky, clumsy and take up space. Consider your needs carefully, but even the best image stabilisation can’t compete with a solid tripod when the light gets really low.

What can you do without?

Once you’ve packed everything and think you’re ready to go, stop and look at what’s in the bag. If there’s anything that you can do without, take it out. Remember, you’re going to have to lug this stuff around and nothing puts a damper on a holiday like a bad back.

On the road

Planes, trains and buses

Any border crossing or transition from one country to another may present you with problems when you’re carrying a lot of equipment. It may be wise to compromise on one small unobtrusive camera if you are heading for a country where borders are tricky.

If you do decide to carry more gear, avoid putting anything valuable or delicate in checked-in luggage. Chargers, cables and other spares are probably going to be fine, but always carry-on your main camera and lenses. Check for airline luggage limits to make sure this will be possible. This is especially important for internal flights that might have more stringent restrictions.

Hotels

Hotel safes are a good option if you’re leaving any valuables in your room. This includes computers and external drives, so choosing a small camera or computer may make life easier.

Never use a camera immediately after leaving a cold air-conditioned hotel and going into a humid street. Electronic devices don’t like moisture and it’s very likely that there will be some condensation in the camera. Waiting a few minutes for the camera to get to the surrounding temperature could save you a lot of money.

In the street

It’s really easy to lose yourself in the moment when you see the shot that will make all your friends on Facebook jealous. But that’s when you can get yourself into trouble.

• Be careful not to cross cultural boundaries, sometimes asking if you can take a picture will avoid an ugly confrontation.
• Pay attention to traffic.
• Keep your gear close 鈥� never leave bags of any sort loose beside you. It’ll be too much of a temptation.

Insurance

Your travel insurance will probably include your camera. However, if you’ve a lot of equipment you might need to consider getting some specific cover.

• Always check your policy for exclusions.
• Make a record of the brand, model and serial numbers for all your gear then put it somewhere secure and accessible. It’s probably best to have one copy with you and another at home.

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On this page:

• Mounting problems
• Falling off at the edges
• What else to look for in a digital camera lens

Mounting problems

The mount is the connection between the lens and the camera and it’s important to make sure they are compatible. This may not be a problem if you’re buying a lens from the same brand and designed for your camera, but that may not be your best option.

Even within brands some lenses will fit a number of different camera bodies (full frame, FourThirds, APS-C, etc.), but will behave differently. Other lenses are only compatible with certain bodies, even if the mounts match. An APS-C optimised lens can mount on a full frame, for example, but photo quality will suffer. Always check to make sure you’re getting what you expect.

Third-party brands like Sigma, Tamron and Carl Zeiss (to name just a few) produce lenses which can be used with a number of camera brands, and sometimes they can be very good value for money. Just make sure that all the lens and camera functions will work together.

High quality older lenses may fit your camera and do a good job, but auto exposure and focus may not work with some newer bodies. Some manufacturers have compatibility lists online to show which of their lenses will work with their latest bodies. If you’re uncertain, try using the lens you’re considering on a body before buying.

Falling off at the edges

Photography is a minefield of jargon and never more so than when it comes to optics. You’ll see MTF (modulation transfer function) curves used on many websites 鈥� both manufacturers’ and comparison sites 鈥� to supposedly give empirical evidence that one lens is better at capturing detail than another. For the most part you should ignore them.

MTF curves are a measure of the lenses’ ability to resolve detail, but the devil is in the detail. If you don’t know and understand the exact parameters of the test, the MTF graph is just lines on a page. Also, if you’re looking at one manufacturer’s graphs against another’s, it’s probable that the lenses were tested under different conditions, so they’re pretty much a waste of time.

To be truly useful MTF measurements need to be done under the same conditions, at the same settings for each lens and ideally on the same camera body. It you want a detailed technical explanation of how MTF curves work try putting “understanding MTF curves” in a search engine.

What else to look for in a digital camera lens

Contrast and compare

If a lens is described as being “high contrast” it means images will look sharp because edges are clearly defined. This generally is a good thing, but don’t confuse it with the lens’s ability to resolve detail. That’s what MTF is for.

Out of shape

Every lens distorts, some distort more than others.

There are three basic types:

Barrel: the middle of the edges of the image bulge outwards.

Pin cushion: where the middle of the edges of the image curve inwards.

Wave: a combination of barrel and pin cushion and the hardest to correct.

The best way to check this is to take an image with lots of vertical and horizontal lines near the edges. Modern buildings are often useful if you’re not in the habit of carrying a test chart with you.聽Certain types of lens distortion can have stylistic benefits, however.

Minor distortion is rarely a major issue, but some cheaper lenses can have very ugly waves in them. Most photo editing programs include lens correction tools.

Dark edges

It’s called vignetting when the edge of the image is significantly darker than the middle. Wide angle lenses are the worst culprits, but some telephoto lenses suffer as well.

It’s not always a bad thing. Some images look better if the edges are a little darker, but you can always add this effect later using software.

Glaring problems

There are two types of glaring commonly cause problems:

• Reflections 鈥� can be undefined and vague blobs or very obvious and well defined depending on the lens design. Lens hoods help, but very bright lights in the image will probably cause problems. Better lenses are less susceptible.
• Internal flare 鈥� (also called veiling glare) is where diffused light bounces around in the lens and hits the sensor from lots of angles. It isn’t seen as a shape, but the extra light reduces the image quality. Good lenses have internal light baffles to deflect the unwanted flare and keep it off the sensor.

Sensor sense

Some lenses are designed to be used with smaller sensors. Using them with a large sensor (sometimes called “full frame” sensors) will produce pretty poor results.

On the other hand, a lens designed for a large sensor should perform OK with a smaller sensor.

Magnifiers

Most lenses are described in terms of their focal length. A 50mm lens has roughly the same field of view as the human eye 鈥� roughly 鈥� and only if it’s used on a 35mm camera. Unfortunately, there aren’t too many 35mm cameras in the market these days.

So although a lens is called 50mm it may have a real focal length of 80mm or more on your camera. This may be an advantage if you’re looking for a long telephoto lens for sports or bird watching, but makes getting a real wide angle lens harder.

Your camera manufacturer should have information on the magnification factor you have to apply (between 1.5x and 2x is common) to work out the real magnification of the lens you’re considering.

Zoom zoom

Zoom lenses are hard to beat for convenience, but pay attention to the following:

• Weight 鈥� you’re going to be lugging it around a lot.
• Zoom range 鈥� wider zoom range can mean poorer image quality. It’s a compromise between convenience and quality. Your call.
• f stop 鈥� most zooms have different minimum f stops for wide and tele settings (see Stopping down below). Some lenses can maintain an aperture setting throughout the zoom range, but they are usually more expensive.
• Image stabilisation 鈥� at higher magnification it can be impossible to hand hold without camera shake. A good optical or mechanical stabiliser will help.

Stopping down

Small f stops (lower numbers such as f2 or less) effectively means the bit that is in focus is small and the rest of the image is blurry. Great for arty shots.

It also means more light gets to the sensor, which is useful in dull situations. If you want to shoot in low-light environments without a flash, then you’ll need a lens with a small f stop.

However, because of the way optics work, cameras with very small sensors can’t get the same narrow focus as those with larger sensors. If you’re looking for this effect you may have to do some research to see what limitations your camera will introduce. Also, smaller f stops require more glass elements, which will increase the weight of the lens.

In close

Close focus, or macro, is basically a combination of the magnification of the lens and how close you can get to a subject and still focus on it. The closer you are at higher magnification the bigger the subject will appear in the image. Macro usually means the image on the sensor is the same size as the thing you’re photographing. So when you look at it on your screen it’ll look enormous.

Special macro lenses not only get in really close, but also have some characteristics that help make for sharp, clear images. They can cost a lot, but many cheaper lenses get in quite close and do a pretty good job, so you should only consider special lenses if you’ve a real need.

Bokeh what?

It’s just a blur. Bokeh is a term you’ll hear from salespeople and some photography enthusiasts to describe the shape of blobs in the out-of-focus area of a photograph. Good or bad bokeh is a matter of taste.

The shape of the out-of-focus blobs is largely determined by the shape and number of blades in the aperture. More blades tend to make for smoother blobs.

Build quality

Entry level lenses cost less because they use cheaper components, such as plastic barrels instead of metal. These are generally suitable for enthusiasts, but serious enthusiasts and semi-professional shooters may want to consider higher-end lenses with weather sealing, metal casing and top-quality glass. They’re designed to work in more extreme conditions as well, like wild weather and very low-light, but will command a much higher asking price.

Glass coating

Lenses are coated with a thin layer of material that protects the glass, and slightly alters image appearance. Different manufacturers use different types of coating, so a photo snapped with a 50mm Canon lens, may look slightly different to the Sigma equivalent. However, most general consumers are unlikely to notice. Filters that screw onto the front of your lens have the same effect. There’s a large variety available that can alter the image in different ways, such as increasing contrast, removing reflections and enhancing vibrancy.

Threads

Lenses with big front ends may be good for letting in lots of light, but the bigger the front diameter the more things like filters will cost. Not a big deal, but worth keeping in mind.

Hands on

Although it sounds obvious, the controls on a lens such as manual focus, aperture control, image stabilisation, zoom or focus locks should all be easy to find and control by touch. Use a lens before you buy it to make sure it feels right in your normal grip.

How much do digital SLR lenses cost?

They range in price from $100 to “it’s time to mortgage your house”.

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