Getting started with a new camera

It is usually very easy to take your first photo with a digital camera, but there are some things to beware of:

• Does the camera have a rechargeable battery? If so you will need to charge it before you can use the camera. It is best to leave it on charge overnight the first time, even if the indicator goes out or changes colour.
• Does the memory card need formatting? You did remember to buy a bigger card, didn't you? Most cameras do not require you to format their cards, but some do.

Switch the camera on, point it and press the shutter release. It's that simple, because the default settings for every camera that I've ever used make it so.

The automatic settings are designed to take a reasonable photograph of a static subject in daylight. We will discuss how to broaden the scope of your photography in a later blog, but for now go off and fill the card.

Memory cards

There are several different types of memory for cameras and if you buy the wrong one it won't work in your digital camera.
SD cards are compatible with MMC cards. The main difference between them is that SD cards can be protected and work faster than MMC. SDHC are the same, but have higher capacity and will not work in all cameras. Check the technical specifiation to see whether they will work with your choice.


CF cards (Compactflash) have been around for a while, but are still popular and the newer ones are as fast as any other type of card.

Sony cameras usually use their own type of card called Memory Stick. This comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, so check the specification carefully.

XD card is the newest. It was jointly deveoped by Olympus and Fuji and is the smallest card in common use. There are two types H & M, modern cameras can use either, but once again check carefully.

The last format is Smartmedia, this is just about obsolete. If you buy a camera that requires Smartmedia, for example on eBay!. It's almostly certainly old stock.