The camera phone, like many complex systems is the result of evolving technology. A major breakthrough for camera phones occurred in 1997 when technology innovator and entrepreneur Philippe Kahn shared the first pictures of his daughter from a maternity ward. This cell phone transmission is the first known publicly shared picture via a cell phone.
Cameras have come a long way since photographic film was pioneered by George Eastman who started manufacturing paper film in 1885 before switching to celluloid in 1889. His first camera was called the Kodak and was offered for sale in 1888. Since then we have seen the invention of 35mm cameras, TLRs and SLRs and of course the instant camera. As technology has advanced the emergence of digital cameras has changed the culture of photography as these cameras are versatile with pictures being easily uploaded onto your computer.
Sony’s latest digital camera has caused a ripple excitement in the photography community, as it is the world’s first 63x optical zoom compact camera. Although the zoom is the most talked about feature of the Sony H400, this camera also has a 20.1-megapixel Super HAD CCD sensor which will surely enhance even the most breathtaking picture. In addition to these features, it also has 720p HD video recording capabilities and four picture effect modes. It is believed that the release for the Sony H4000 is set at an undisclosed date in April and the price is rumoured to be £250.
It is safe to say that cameras keep on evolving, so if you are interested in purchasing a quality camera such as the Sony H400 then you should consider selling your current camera to Camera Exchange store in exchange for cash. Once you have invested in a new camera you won’t use your old one and it will just be gathering dust. We are happy to pay cash for your old digital camera and lens, and for your peace of mind we are aware of the environment so we will do our best to remarket and recycle your unwanted camera.
If you are looking to sell used Panasonic cameras then get in touch with us for a camera trade in. We can purchase cameras from makes including Casio, Canon, Panasonic and Sony amongst others, so call us today on 0208 371 4179 if you have any questions.
There are many good reasons to trade in your old camera. Not only could you return some of the value of your once loved kit but you could also allow a less experienced camera operative the pleasure you once received when you first got it and you were learning how to get the most from it.
A good camera can hold a considerable value, even if it’s old and has seen some use. Whether you’re ready for a new model to match your aspiration, a change in direction or simply to enjoy learning a new camera it would be crazy not to get a quote and see if you can negotiate the purchase of the model you really want. Equally, if you’re thinking of hanging up the camera bag, why not get what you can for it and spend your money on something you’ll enjoy like getting your best work enlarged.
There is also the ecological value of trading in and reusing cameras. As no industrial process is totally clean, and will certainly require an input of energy, if you’re prolonging the life of a camera by trading it in you’d be doing your bit for the planet – even more so if you were considering simply binning your old camera and condemning it to the landfill.
So what are your options if you want to get a trade in? If you have the time and experience, there is a chance you could sell your camera on an auction or listing service but the results are unpredictable and you often have to pay up front to list your item. In this case the only guaranteed winner is the listing provider. There are also companies with whom you might be able to get a trade in, against the value of another camera. This is not always the most convenient; it ties you to buying to one company who may not even have the best deals or the particular camera you would ideally like. Our camera trade in service is different in so far as we offer either a bank transfer or cheque, leaving you free to shop around for a replacement or simply return the value to spend on something else.
Whatever you choose, obtaining a quote won’t take long or cost a penny. You can read more about our service on the homepage and follow through the step-by-step quote request process.
The best thing about choosing wildlife as a subject matter for your photography is that it is everywhere; anyone with a camera, of any skill level, can have a go at it. Simply step out into your back garden, head to the local nature reserve or woodland area and you are bound to find something to photograph. One animal that you are bound to see in abundance is the bird, so to help you to get the best out of your camera and create magnificent images here is a beginners guide to bird photography.
Essential Equipment
Bird photography is actually known in the photography world as birding. To ensure that you always get the most fantastic images then you need to choose the equipment that is best suited to the job. If you’re aiming for photos of a professional quality then SLR cameras are always the most superior choice. Digital SLR cameras can be quite expensive but here at Camera Exchange Store we offer camera exchange services so that you can trade in your old camera and purchase a much better model. Autofocus is a feature that your camera must have in order to take pictures at a high standard. This particular feature allows you to focus on the more creative elements of the picture taking process and can (but not always) prevent blurring of the image.
If you’re looking to delve further into the world of birding then you should purchase a variety of lenses for your camera – note that not all cameras will allow you to switch lenses therefore before you make your purchase you should take the time to find out all of the details about your equipment. Lenses allow you to take pictures form a variety of angles; they can also allow you to take pictures at a greater distance from the subject matter therefore reducing the risk of scaring the birds away.
It is important that you also have a tripod as human hands are not the steadiest especially if it is cold outside (as it often is in Britain). Wildlife and bird photography involves a lot of waiting in order to achieve the most perfect photograph.
Practice Makes Perfect
Don’t start with fast moving, skittish birds as this can be frustrating. Don’t go in search of anything rare to begin with either, chances are you’ll be disappointed and if you do manage to take a picture it will not be of a high standard. Larger birds such as gulls, pigeons and crows are an easier subject matter to start with; while they’re more common they certainly aren’t boring as they are usually interacting with each other, nature or even people. Remember practice makes perfect so take as many images as possible.
Once you feel more confident and have had enough practice, branch out and try your hand at capturing smaller, quicker and rarer birds. The best advice anyone can give you in regards to photographing wildlife is to research, research, research! You will learn about their natural habitat, behaviour and their appearance, this will allow you to take much more exciting photographs. it also helps you to find out where they may be located and when the best time of the year and day is to capture them in the act. When capturing animals always move slowly and quietly, as any rash movement or noise could frighten away your potential photograph.
If you want to be the best at bird photography you need to learn how to be one with the earth and your subjects. So get yourself the best camera that you can, buy yourself a bird book and get practicing, and before long you will be sure to build a magnificent portfolio full of beautiful birds.
We would like to wish a very Happy Christmas to all of our customers from everybody here at Camera Exchange Store, and wish you the greatest success in all aspects of life going into the New Year.
It has reached the festive time of year again, and as 2013 is drawing to a close, now is the perfect time to reflect back on the events and successes of the last year. Through providing dedicated and professional customer service, as well as catering for an increasing product range, we have been able to continue to grow our operations throughout the year, and in turn improve and develop our business in a way which has not only been beneficial to ourselves, but every single one of our valued customers.
This year has been an incredibly exciting one for us here at Camera Exchange Store, and we are very proud to have been able to offer an increasingly successful and efficient service for the trade in of many different models of cameras and lenses. We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all of our clients for your custom over the past year, which really has been our best year to date, and we hope that our level of customer service as well as the quality of all of our products has met the highest of expectations.
Moving forward into the New Year we hope to be able to continue to improve on the quality and speed of the services we offer allowing for a completely streamlined and customer friendly process, as well as continue to build on the already excellent level of care and consideration we have given at all times to our clients over the past 12 months. We hope that our services will be of use to an increasingly wide range of people, and that we can be a great help in allowing you to exchange any unwanted camera equipment for a very reasonable credit.
Whatever direction this year has taken you, we hope that it has been an enjoyable and rewarding one, and that the service we offer here at Camera Exchange Store caters ideally to your specific needs and expectations.
Again, we would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope that going into the future the camera exchange service as well as the level of customer service we provide here at Camera Exchange Store will continue to provide you with the highest quality and most reliable service.
Any committed shutterbug will know that the ultimate time to capture an image of basically any landscape is a very early on a bitterly cold and frosty January morning. Everything looks a little more dramatic and scenic with a light encrusting of white – something that frost provides in the perfect quantity and snow provides to an all-encompassing excess. In addition, the early morning sunlight provides a beautiful golden glow – the first hour of daylight is known as “the golden hour” for this reason. Whether it is your favourite seaside scene given a new edge by the harshness of winter or something as common but fascinating as a frozen spider web you are sure to be able to get a great snap.
One critical factor in capturing the perfect winter image is ensuring that you are able to highlight the intensity of detail that is so vivid on a bright frosty morning. The world of digital cameras moves incredibly quickly and all new levels of definition and numbers of megapixels are constantly available to both the amateur and professional photographer. The quality of the camera that you use and the detail that it is able to capture are critical to how your photograph captures the truth of the image, a sub-standard or out-of-date camera can be incredibly frustrating and can have you struggling to get the image that you want.
If you are thinking of trading up and investing in a camera that can really cope with the highest of details then we at the Camera Exchange Store make it simple to find out how much your current camera is roughly worth and therefore finding out what sort of camera you can upgrade to. Our easy to use calculator allows you to quickly and easily get an estimate of your cameras worth, for example if you are looking to sell a used Nikon camera you can get an immediate idea of its value.
This clear and easy way to see the price of your camera allows you to get the money for your old camera quickly and really get the best images from the promised cold snap when it inevitably arrives. One extra thing that is certainly worth investing in is a quality alarm clock to make sure you don’t slumber away all of those beautiful but cold mornings.
It was October 1888 when the National Geographic Society issued their first edition of National Geographic magazine. A century and a quarter later and people are still fascinated by the rich imagery it delivers. It has come a long way over that time span: starting out as a heavily text-based pamphlet that resembled a science journal, but is now renowned for its intense and spectacular images. The main influence in its evolution has of course been technology and developments in publishing, photography and the ability to travel to more remote places. What hasn’t changed is its familiar yellow-bordered design and the fact it never ceases to inspire and amaze.
The magazine became popular in the 1920s when it started showing colour photographs, a rarity at that time. During the 1930s one of the magazine’s writers and photographers persuaded the society to let the photographers use small 35mm cameras which took Kodachrome film instead of the large glass plated cameras that had to have stands. In 1959 the magazine lost its text based cover format and oak leaf border in favour of large colour photographs that captured people’s attention.
The effort that it takes just to capture a moment perfectly; that you can shoot and eternalise a sperm whale rising from the ocean, or snow geese racing through the air- that is what makes photography a joy. And although the moment of beauty or awe or sadness passes quickly, photojournalists freeze them time for generations to enjoy. Over the last 125 years the Geographic has helped advance the careers of the greatest photographers of the century; Frans Lanting, George Rodger, James Nachtwey all boosted their careers through the magazine, not to mention Steve McCurry who won awards for his iconic “Afghan Girl” which featured on a cover in 1985.
To celebrate National Geographic’s landmark birthday Taschen are publishing a collector’s anthology showcasing the most iconic images from the last century. The anthology is divided into three Volumes, arranged by continent: Volume 1 covers North and South America and Antarctica; Volume 2 Europe and Africa; Volume 3 Asia and Australasia. The collection displays the most iconic and striking images, handpicked from the years and tells the story of how photography developed. The years roll by with each turn of the page, evolving from black and white, to autochrome, Kodachrome and finally digital.
One thing that National Geographic does to affect you is it makes you want to go out and capture something wonderful too. It gives you a sense that anything is possible if you’re in the right place at the right time, and with the right gear. The Geographic have been running their annual photography competition now since 2006 which you can be a part of. Trade in your old digital camera to us this Christmas, and with the cash you earn treat yourself to a top of the range new device. For example if you sell a used Panasonic camera you could earn up to £150 depending on the model and condition. If you feel it’s time for an update and want to earn cash back for your used camera then Camera Exchange Store is the place to be.
When you find yourself shooting in bright sunshine you can face all sorts of photography catastrophes such as high contrast, blown out highlights and lens flares. To avoid failed shots and squinting portraits when you are in the sun, we at the Camera Exchange Store have put together 3 quick tips for you to achieve better photographs in sunny weather today.
1. Flick on Your Flash
It may seem strange or even counterproductive, but using your flash in bright sunshine can save a photograph. The technique, often referred to as fill flash, allows you to take away shadows from your subject matter and even subdue the sunlight in the background, transforming your shot. Some models of cameras even offer an option to control the intensity of the flash, so experiment with your flash output to achieve a perfectly lit shot.
2. Use Shade to Your Advantage
Utilise what nature creates by taking advantage of shade when photographing in high sun. If it’s possible to move your subject matter into shade you can avoid the unflattering shadows that ruin shots (especially in areas like portrait photography), resulting in a better quality photograph. You can also create shade if your subject matter isn’t mobile, using your own body or bringing in other objects to create shade for your photograph.
3. Reflect for Success
It’s unlikely you’ll be hauling a proper reflector around with you when you are snapping photographs on a sunny day, but it doesn’t mean you can’t adopt the same principals of a reflector to bounce that sunshine onto your subject to light up shadowy areas. The majority of white (or light) surfaces can act as a makeshift reflector, so be opportunistic and make use of white walls or even white objects positioned outside your shot to throw some light back to your subject.
Here at the Camera Exchange Store we understand that when you are passionate about photography you won’t let a little light get in the way of your great shots, so try out these tips for better results on sunny days. If you feel like it’s time to upgrade your camera in preparation for your summer time photography perhaps it’s time to snap up a great deal and trade in your camera using our fantastic camera exchange service today.
Here at Camera Exchange Store we are passionate about everything photography related, but like most people we love wildlife photography. On the 2nd of September 2013 the winners of the British Wildlife Photography Awards were announced. This prestigious exhibition boasts some of the most innovative and beautiful images in wildlife photography; it means a lot to the British photography scene.
It was announced that George Karbus was the overall winner of the competition with his entry entitled ‘The Living Room’. This stunning and entirely unique photograph depicts a dolphin surfing on the waves within its natural habitat on the coast of Northern Ireland. The photographer dived alongside this playful creature to be able to take this phenomenal shot. The show saw a vast range of entries from right across the UK that featured a variety of different species; to view the full range visit the British Wildlife Photography Awards website.
Getting into Wildlife Photography: Tips & Tricks
It is because of this show that nature and wildlife photography is becoming more and more popular. As a beginner it is a fantastic subject matter to start with, as you don’t even have to leave the grounds of your home to find wildlife. To ease yourself into it, start small with a slow moving creature such as a slug or snail – after rainfall it won’t be very hard to find one of these little creatures. Try to think of exciting captions as you take the photo because wildlife photography isn’t about taking a purely scientific shot; a truly amazing shot manages to challenge you whilst being sensationally beautiful. Creativity, joined together with technical skill is what it takes to take a wonderful wildlife photograph.
Taking a truly original shot is one of the reasons why George Karbus’ photograph was so successful in this competition. The best way to ensure that you can achieve a truly original shot is to know your subject matter incredibly well; the more you know of an animal’s way of life, the more likely you will be able to predict its actions and then take that unique shot.
Of course what every budding photographer needs, whether you are young or old, is a good quality camera, so it might be time to get yourself a new one. Here at the Camera Exchange Store you can sell used Canon digital cameras and then treat yourself to a new model. The key to superb photography is to practise and experiment, keep this up and maybe one day you’ll be the winner of the British Wildlife Photography Awards.
This year the annual World Press Photo Exhibition took place in Holyrood, Scotland. The Scottish Parliament opened its doors for public viewing from July 30th until August 25th. This prestigious exhibition featured sensational photographs from right across the globe; in total over 100,000 photographs were shown by nearly 6,000 photographers.
The exhibit featured award winning entries from the World Press Photo Contest and featured some of the most provocative and emotional images ever taken. Many of the images shown depicted challenging subjects such as war and human conflict. Paul Hansen, a Swedish photographer won the World Press Photo of the Year award for his photograph entitled, ‘Gaza Burial’. The image depicts a group of males carrying two dead children to a burial ceremony at a mosque situated on the Gaza Strip; in the background of this emotional image you can see the father of the children laying on a stretcher. To view some of the striking images that were displayed, see the article on The Scotsman, be aware that some images may be distressing for children.
Although many images seen at the exhibit depicted raw, challenging and controversial subjects, many other images captured hope, love and, the beauty of the natural world. It was due to varied subject matter that this exhibition was such a success. These powerful award-winning photographs signify exactly what role photography should play; you should feel something when you look at a photograph and as a photographer yourself you should challenge the viewer somewhat. This doesn’t mean that you have to visit a war zone to take a fabulous picture, start small and gain experience taking pictures of things that you are passionate about. One day you could see your photos displayed at the World Press Photo Exhibition.
The success of this fantastic exhibition could mean a lot for the British photography, as it is hugely inspirational for professional and amateur photographers. Of course, having a great camera will help so if you’re thinking of upgrading yours, the Camera Exchange Store is a great place to exchange and sell used Canon digital cameras.
