Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Digital Cameras
Digital cameras
record and store images or video in digital form (see Figure 3.10). When
you take pictures, the images are electronically stored in the camera. You can download the
images to a computer either directly or by using a flash memory card. After you store the
images on the computer's hard disk, you can edit and print them, send them to another
location, or paste them into another application. For example, you can download a photo of
your project team captured by a digital camera and then post it on a Web site or paste it into
a project status report. Digital cameras have eclipsed film cameras used by professional pho-
tographers for photo quality and features such as zoom, flash, exposure controls, special
effects, and even video-capture capabilities. With the right software, you can add sound and
handwriting to the photo.
digital camera
An input device used with a PC to
record and store images and video
in digital form.
Figure 3.10
A Digital Camera
Digital cameras save time and
money by eliminating the need to
buy and process film.
(Source: Courtesy of Casio, Inc.)
More than two dozen camera manufacturers offer at least one digital camera model for
under $225 with sufficient resolution to produce high-quality 5 × 7-inch photos. Many
manufacturers offer a video camera that records full-motion video.
The primary advantage of digital cameras is saving time and money by eliminating the
need to process film. In fact, digital cameras that can easily transfer images to CDs have made
the consumer film business of Kodak and Fujitsu nearly obsolete. Until film-camera users
switch to digital cameras, Kodak is allowing photographers to have it both ways. When you
want to develop print film, Kodak offers the option of placing pictures on a CD in addition
to the traditional prints. After the photos are stored on the CD, they can be edited, placed
on a Web site, or sent electronically to business associates or friends around the world.
Organizations use digital cameras for research as well as for business purposes. Microsoft
chairman Bill Gates and philanthropist Charles Simonyi donated $30 million to build the
Large Synoptic Survey Telescope on a mountain in Chile. When operational in 2014, the
8.4 meter telescope will include a 3,200 megapixel digital camera that captures up to 30 TB
of image data per night. The images from deep space will be loaded onto the Web and made
available to the public.
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Terminals
Inexpensive and easy to use, terminals are input and display devices that perform data entry
and input at the same time. A terminal is connected to a complete computer system, including
a processor, memory, and secondary storage. After you enter general commands, text, and
other data via a keyboard or mouse, it is converted into machine-readable form and trans-
ferred to the processing portion of the computer system. Terminals, normally connected
directly to the computer system by telephone lines or cables, can be placed in offices, in
warehouses, and on the factory floor.
Scanning Devices
You can input image and character data using a scanning device. A page scanner is like a
copy machine. You typically insert a page you want to input into the scanner or place it face
down on the glass plate of the scanner, cover it, and then scan it. With a handheld scanner,
