This year’s “carry-around” digital compact cameras perform nearly as well as big pro DSLRs, but at a fraction of the cost and size.

It’s generally accepted that the Nikon D3 and Canon 5D cameras are both technological miracles, providing capabilities that we didn’t even know we needed 10 years ago. But their weight and size are not their strongest points. After a long day of shooting, they start feeling a little heavy, don’t they? In the studio or on location, this is not a major issue for pro shooters. For users spending the weekend at the beach with family, however, the best of the DSLRs are too big and heavy to lug around all day. Most pros have, in addition to their working toolbox of cameras and lenses, a personal favorite “carry-around” camera – one that is easy to pack, fun to use and able to serve as a backup to the commercial workhorses...

The issue of whether to switch to a digital format is on the minds of nearly everyone who has not yet done it.

Is this a question you are now asking yourself, your friends or your clients? Well, you are not alone. The issue of whether to switch to a digital format is on the minds of nearly everyone who has not yet done it. Ultimately, it's a question only each individual can answer, but as more and more clients switch to digital media, the case for digital may become compelling.

If you have already answered the question in the affirmative, you will be faced with a bewildering array of digital cameras. Some cost $500, some $5,000. Some are suitable only for web use, while others deliver...

Digital video today, like digital still photography, is marked by rapidly accelerating technology that leaves us breathless each time a new product is introduced. Each new camcorder seems to eclipse the capabilities of its predecessor. Two new developments that have expanded the horizon of video camcorders have been the advent of digital signal processing and the mini digital video tape cassette.

Camcorders are becoming more useful for still photographers by packing more sophisticated still, video and audio capabilities into smaller units that allow easy down-loading, editing and impressive multimedia opportunities. Sony's new DCR-PC110 Digital Handycam camcorder is the first to integrate both megapixel imaging and MPEG movie mode...