Where Diamonds are Mined

Argye mine located in the Kimberley region

in the far north east of Western Australia.

Owned by Rio Tinto, this mine is the world’s

largest single producer of volume of

diamonds. However, due to low proportion

of gem quality diamonds it is not the value

leader. It does produce 90-95% of the

world’s supply of pink diamonds.



Diavik is also owned by Rio Tinto, located in

Canada it is a very large mine. It is located

north of Yellowknife and south of the Artic

Circle on an island. The island is connected

by an ice road. It is also an important part of

the regions economy employing more than

700 people and producing more than 8 million

carats annually.



Ekati diamond mine is owned by BHP

Billiton and located south of the artic circle

in the Northwest Territories of Canada.

The Ekati is Canada’s first operational

diamond mine. Diamonds mined here

are sold under the Aurias trade name

Authenticity is verified through Canada

Mark service. CanadaMark service is also

owned by BHP Billiton Diamonds, Inc.



Baken diamond mine is located along the

lower Orange River in South Africa. It is

owned and operated by Trans Hex. The

average size stone for 2004 was 1.29

carats. In 2004, this mine produced a

78.9 carat D color flawless diamond that

sold for more than 1.8 million dollars (US),

as well as a 27.67 pink diamond that was

sold for over 1 million US dollars.



Merlin is the second of only two diamond

mines in Australia. No longer operating it

was owned by Rio Tinto and sold to Striker

Resources, who has explored the

possibilities of reopening the mine.



Orapa is the world’s largest diamond mine.

It us located 240 Km west of

Francistown. The mine is owned by

“Debswana” which is a partnership

between DeBeers and the government of

Botswana. This mine operates 7 days a

week. It maintains pre primary and

primary schools for its employee’s children.

There is also a 100 bed hospital and game

park. This mine began production in 1971

and is the oldest mine owned by the

Debswana Company.



The Premier mine located in Cullinan, South

Africa produced the largest gem diamond

ever in 1905. The Cullinan Diamond

weighed 3,106.75 carats. This mine also

produced the Golden Jubilee diamond

which weighed 545.67 carats. This mine is

owned by the De Beers Company and was

renamed The Cullinan Diamond Mine in

2003 in celebration of its centennial.

What Are Dirty Diamonds?

A dirty diamond is one of two things: a rough

diamond, or a diamond that hasn’t been

cleaned in a while. Rough diamonds are

uncut and unpolished – hence, they are dirty.

But that type of dirty diamond will soon be

cut and polished and sitting in a beautiful

jewel box in a display case. Then someone

will purchase it, and before long, it will

become a dirty diamond once again.



Diamonds become dirty. When you wash

your hands with a diamond ring on, soap

scum clings to it. When you put on hand

lotion, it gets grease on it. Shower with your

diamond earrings or necklace, and again,

you get soap scum. In one short day, your

brand new diamond could be dirty!



Purchase an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner the

same day that you purchase your diamond

jewelry, and use it every single day, without

fail. The clarity of the diamond changes

when the diamond is dirty – it loses its

sparkle. By taking one minute each day to

clean your diamond jewelry, you can avoid

this, and your diamonds will never be dirty!

Synthetic Diamonds

The first synthetic diamonds were produced

by General Electric in 1954. A synthetic

diamond is basically a rock that has the

durability, refractive index and hardness of

a natural diamond – but it is made by man.

A synthetic diamond should not be

confused with stimulant diamonds, such as

glass, cubic zirconia, or moissanite.



Although the technology for synthetic

diamonds came into play in 1954, no

synthetic diamonds were ever seen on the

market until the 1990’s. This was due to the

fact that it took many years for General

Electric to produce a synthetic diamond that

could compare with the quality of a natural

diamond – and when they figured out how to

do it, they found that it cost more to produce

a synthetic diamond than it did to mine and

cut natural diamonds.



Finally, a small company by the name of

Gemesis Corporation figured out a way to

produce synthetic diamonds that were of the

same quality as natural diamonds, at a

cheaper price. Today, Gemesis produces

synthetic white diamonds, and colored

diamonds as well. These diamonds sell for

about 1/3 of the cost of a natural diamond,

but there is a shortage of them, and they are

hard to find. In fact, it seems that synthetic

diamonds are rarer than natural diamonds!

Selecting Diamonds

Diamonds are graded for certification by

laboratories using grading criteria. Four of

these criteria are critical to understand when

making a diamond purchase or investment.

Known as the “Four C’s” these criteria are:

color, cut, clarity and carat.



Color is the result of the composition of a

diamond and it does not change. When a

jeweler is describing the color of a diamond

they are referring to the presence or absence

of color in white diamonds. Because a

diamond with no color allows maximum light

to pass through, colorless diamonds are

preferred for their sparkle.



Cut refers to a diamonds reflective quality.

Most diamonds are cut with 58 facets. The

brilliance of diamonds is heavily dependent

on the cut. The different angles and the finish

of a diamond determine its ability to reflect

light and cause its brilliance and fire.

Remember that the cut of a diamond can

have an impact on its durability as well as its

beauty. Some cutting faults can make a

diamond prone to breakage. A diamond

that is cut too thin can also cause light to

leak out of the back and the diamond will

lose some of the sparkle and appear not

to shine. So, as you can see the Cut is

probably the most important of the Four C’s.



During the formation process, inner flaws, or

inclusions occur in most diamonds. The

number and size of these inclusions

determine what is referred to as the clarity

of a diamond. Diamonds that are clear

create more brilliance and therefore are rarer

and highly priced. To be considered

“flawless”, a diamond must have no surface

or internal imperfections visible upon being

viewed by a skilled diamond grader using

10 power magnifications.



Carat is the unit of weight by which diamonds

are measured. One carat is equal to 200

milligrams. A carat is divided into 100

segments called points. 150 points would

equal one and a half carats.



When you go to the store to make that all

important diamond purchase, do not be shy!

Ask questions, get the answers needed to

make an informed purchase. Shopping for

certified diamonds enables you to make an

informed selection. Knowing the “four C’s”

allows you to comparison shop and purchase

the best diamond at a fair price. But, before

making a purchase, shop around and decide

what shapes and styles really appeal to you.

Enjoy your diamond for years to come!

Insuring Your Diamonds

Insuring a diamond takes a bit of thought,

planning, and shopping around. Diamond

insurance isn’t like purchasing car insurance.

It is quite different. Depending on the state

that you live in, there are basically three

different types of policies that will cover

diamonds, and all insurance policies that

cover diamonds are considered Marine

type policies.



The first type of insurance policies for

diamonds is an Actual Cash Value policy.

If the diamond is lost or damaged beyond

repair, the insurance company will replace

the diamond at today’s market value, no

matter how much you paid for the diamond

to begin with. This type of insurance policy

for diamonds actually is not that common.



The most common type of insurance for

diamonds is Replacement Value insurance.

The insurance company will only pay up to a

fixed amount to replace the diamond that was

lost or damaged beyond repair. This does not

mean that they will pay that amount – it means

that they will pay up to that amount. In most

cases, the diamond can be replaced at a

lower cost.



The third type of coverage offered for

diamonds is Agreed Value. This is

sometimes called ‘Valued At.’ This type of

coverage is very rare. In the event that the

diamond is lost or damaged beyond repair,

the insurance company simply pays you the

amount that you and the company agreed

upon. This is the best type of insurance to

have, but it is rarely offered. If you can’t get

Agreed Value coverage, Actual Cash Value

coverage should be your next choice.



Your rates will be determined by the value of

the diamond, the type of coverage that you

select, and the area that you live in. If you live

in an area with a high crime rate, you can

expect to pay more for your diamond

insurance coverage. It is important to

remember that insurance agents are not

qualified jewelers, and jewelers are not

qualified insurance agents. It is best to get

a certificate for your diamond, and to

provide the insurance company with a copy

of that certificate. This leaves the insurance

company less room for arguments over the

actual value of the diamond.



Don’t rely on separate coverage to cover

your diamond. For instance, if you diamond

is stolen from your home, it is probably

covered on your home owner’s insurance

policy – but the diamond probably won’t

always be in your home, and once it leaves

your home, there is no coverage.

How to Spot A Fake Diamond

In this world of advanced technology it is

almost impossible to simply look at a

diamond and determine whether it is real or

not – especially if you don’t know much

about diamonds. There are some steps that

you can take to avoid buying a fake diamond,

however.



First, only deal with reputable jewelers, and

when you find a reputable jeweler, stick with

them. Avoid buying diamonds or other

jewelry from jewelers that you have never

dealt with before in the past. Ask to see the

certificate for the stone. If no certificate exists,

walk away.



Look at the setting that the stone is in. Fake

diamonds, such as zirconias, are usually set

in low quality metals. Take a close look at the

stone. Fake diamonds are not durable –

natural diamonds, on the other hand, are the

most durable stone on the planet. Look for

scratches or nicks.



After purchasing a diamond, take it to

another jeweler for appraisal. In fact, take it

to two or three other jewelers for an appraisal

to make sure that the appraisals are all fairly

close. If you find that you have purchased a

fake diamond, you may be accused of

making a switch when you return to the store

of your purchase; therefore, it is important to

have a certificate for the diamond. No two

How to Sell A Diamond

There are many reasons why you may want

to sell a diamond that you own. Perhaps

you’ve gotten divorced, or you are strapped

for cash. The reasons why don’t really matter

– getting the best possible price is what

counts! The way to obtain the best price

for the diamond is to not be in a rush. Slow

down, and carefully consider all of your

options – there are many.



First, have the diamond appraised. In fact,

have it appraised by two or three jewelers to

get an accurate idea of the diamonds value.

Tell the appraiser that you want the Rapaport

Value. This is the wholesale value of the

diamond, and it basically tells you the highest

price that you can sell your diamond for. If your

diamond has no certificate, you should

consider getting a certificate from GIA. This

may help you get a better price for the

diamond as well.



First, try to sell the diamond yourself, to

people you know. Friends and family

members may be interested. If you don’t have

any luck with friends or family members, you

should turn to outside sources. Absolutely

avoid pawn shops! A pawn shop will only offer

you about 10% of what the diamond is worth!

Also avoid offers of selling the ring on

consignment. There are many things that

can go wrong, and there is no shortage of

diamond scams – even in well known

jewelry stores.



If the diamond is important, you should

strongly consider auctioning it off through

one of the famous auction houses, such as

Christie’s or Sotheby’s. If it isn’t what is

considered an ‘important’ diamond or a

high-end diamond, you should try to sell it

to an individual using classified ads, or even

eBay. However, selling to an individual that

you do not know could put you in danger –

especially if the diamond is worth a lot of

money.



Your final option should be a jewelry store. It

is vital that you not let your diamond out of

your sight while in the jewelry store – you

might find that the diamond you walked in

with is not the same diamond that you walk

out with! The jeweler will try to tell you that

your diamond is of poor quality or low

weight. Inevitably, there will be some

problem with the diamond. This is where

your appraisal and/or certificate will come

in handy.



If the jeweler is fair, they will offer you

between 60% and 80% of the value of the

Rapaport Value. Do not accept anything less

than this. Again, do not let the diamond out of

your sight until you have been paid for it.

How to Clean your Diamonds

Through our day to day movements our

diamonds get smudged and soiled. Even

when we are not wearing them, they collect

dust. Lotions, soaps, our natural skin oils,

can cause film and grime on diamonds

and inhibit their brilliance.



Want to keep that Brilliance and Shine?

Diamonds require cleaning so that maximum

amounts of light can refract fiery brilliance.

Remember that all it takes is a few minutes

and a little care to keep that diamond as fiery

as the day you first saw it.



You can use an small soft brush such as an

eyebrow or lip stick brush and soap and

water to clean your jewelry. Simply make a

bowl of warm sudsy water with a mild

detergent and place your pieces in the

mixture. Then brush the diamonds with the

soft bristles of the brush while they are in

the suds. You will need to make certain that

you rinse them clear of the suds after

cleaning them. You can use a small kitchen

strainer such as a tea strainer to contain

them while rinsing under warm water. Use

a lint free cloth, or a jewelry polish cloth to

pat them dry.



If your diamonds are in need of a stronger

cleansing, you may want to soak them for 30

minutes in a solution of half and half water and

ammonia. Once they have soaked for 30

minutes, remove them and gently brush the

mountings with a small brush. Then replace

the pieces to the solution and swish them

around in the mixture before removing them

to rinse and pat dry.



If you find your self too busy to be mixing

soaps and ammonias, many department

stores sell liquid jewelry cleaners. Most are

kits, with everything you need included. You

need to read the labels to determine the one

that is right for your diamonds and other

jewelry. Read the complete directions and

follow all the precautions.



And if you find yourself more the

“high-tech type”, even in your diamond

cleaning routine, there are multiple ultrasonic

cleansers on the market. These machines

use high-frequency to create a cleaning motion.

All machines are not the same, so please read

the instructions before using.



Only you can choose the cleaning method

right for you. But, it is essential to keep

your jewelry clean to keep it brilliant and

sparkling. Between cleaning, try not to touch

your clean diamonds with your fingers or

handle your jewelry by its edges. This will

help maintain its shine and brilliance for

How to Care for Your Diamond

Caring for a diamond takes more than

occasional cleanings. Diamonds are forever,

but they can be damaged if you are not

careful. By learning how to properly care for

your diamond, you will ensure that your

diamond is indeed forever.



First, you should take your diamond jewelry

to a jeweler once a year. Have him check the

mountings and prongs that hold your

diamond in place. Have him make any

needed repairs. This will prevent your

diamond from falling out of its setting and

becoming lost.



Diamond jewelry that is not being worn, or

diamonds that are loose should be stored in

a fabric lined jewel case, or in a jewelry box

where it can be kept separate from other

jewelry. Each piece should have its own

compartment. This will keep diamonds from

becoming scratched, and it will also keep

your diamond from scratching other jewelry

as well.



Remove your diamond jewelry when doing

physical work. Diamonds can be chipped

and scratched easily. Also avoid allowing

your diamond to come into contact with

bleach or other household cleansers – this

can damage or change the color of the

settings and mountings, and it may even

irreversibly change the color of the

How to Buy Diamond Engagement Rings

There is much to consider when purchasing

a diamond – especially diamond

engagement rings! The tradition of

presenting a woman with a diamond

engagement ring when proposing began in

1477 when Archduke Maximilian presented

a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy – and

in most cases, the woman you plan to

propose to will expect a ring to accompany

that proposal!



First, determine how much ring you can

afford. Most people use the ‘two months

salary’ rule. This means that the ring should

cost the equivalent of two months of your

current salary. Because you have other bills

to pay, saving up this amount of money may

take quite a bit of time. You should consider

financing. Simply go to the jeweler of your

choice and tell them that you plan to buy an

engagement ring, and that financing will be

necessary. Go ahead and get the credit

check out of the way, find out what your

payments will be, and how much of a down

payment is required.



Now, have your mother, sister, or your

girlfriends best friend take your girlfriend

shopping, and make sure that they gaze at

the engagement rings to get an idea of what

she might like. Make sure that the jewelry

store you buy the ring from will allow you to

return the ring, if that is required, or allow

your girlfriend to exchange it for another if

she isn’t happy with it!

How Diamond Prices Are Determined

Pricing most products is quite easy.

Determine how much it costs to make the

item, how much it costs to market that item,

and then mark it up by 15 – 30% or more.

Simple, right? Well, pricing diamonds isn’t

quite that simple. There are many factors

that are considered when diamonds are

priced.



Diamond prices are determined first by

adding the cost of the rough diamond, the

cost of cutting the diamond, and all other

costs necessary to turn the rough diamond

into a marketable diamond. Depending on

the importance of the diamond, an

independent company may be called in to

certify the grade of the diamond based on

color, cut, clarity, and weight.



At this point, the diamond becomes more

expensive each time it changes hands, until

it finally reaches a retailer, where the price is

raised a bit more. Before reaching the

retailer, however, the diamond must travel

from the mine, to the cutter and polisher, to

the independent grading company, and

then to the Primary market. Once it has

reached the primary market, it will be

purchased by diamond dealers and

wholesalers, and from there it will be sold

to retailers.



As you can see, the earlier you can purchase

a diamond in the process, the lower the cost

of the diamond will be – but not the value.

The value is based on what the diamond will

sell for in the market place – through a retailer.



If you own a diamond, and you have no idea

how much it is worth, you can have it

appraised, but the appraisal may not be

accurate. You will be better off obtaining a

certificate through GIA – Gemological Institute

of America. With the information on this

certificate, you can use a cutter’s guide to

accurately determine what your diamond is

worth.



There are also many diamond price

calculators available. These can be found

on the Internet, and many diamond dealers

use these as well. You must realize, however,

that before you can accurately price a

diamond, without a Diamond Grade Report,

you need to know quite a bit about diamonds,

such as different cuts, clarity, color, and weight

– and how each of those aspects adds to the

value of a diamond, or decreases the value of

the diamond as the case may be.



Again, you will be better off if you get a

Diamond Grading Report on the diamond,

and use that information to look up the price

in one of the guides that the diamond cutting

industry uses. This will give you the most

accurate value of the diamond in your

possession, or of the diamond you are

considering purchasing.

How Diamonds Are Mined

We seldom think about how the diamonds

we wear came to us. Natural diamonds, as

opposed to synthetic diamonds or fake

diamonds, are mined from the earth. There

are currently two methods of mining

diamonds: Pipe Mining and Alluvial Mining.



When pipe mining is used, the diamonds

are extracted from the earth through volcanic

pipes. These are not man-made pipes. These

are natural pipes in the ground. Shanks are

put into the ground next to the pipes, and

tunnels are driven into the deepest parts of

the pipe. The diamonds are not sorted out at

the mine. Instead, huge rocks that are full of

diamonds are brought out of the mine and

moved to a screening plant for separation.



The Alluvial mining method is done in

riverbeds and on beaches. Walls are built to

hold back the water and the sand on the bank

or beach is moved with a bulldozer until the

level of earth that diamonds can be found in

is reached. Again, the diamonds are not

sorted here. Instead, the sand that contains

the diamonds is bulldozed into trucks, and

taken to screening plants.

How Diamonds Are Cut

In their most natural form, diamonds are –

well – quite ugly. They have no luster or shine,

and in fact, look like nothing more than

broken glass. A diamond must be cut, and

then polished before it actually becomes a

thing of beauty.



Diamonds are cut with saws, into round

shapes. From the rounded shape, other

shapes may be cut, such as heart shapes

– but the shape is less important than the

quality of the cutting that is being done. If

the diamond is poorly cut, it will lose light,

and it will not sparkle and shine very well.

Each facet of the diamond must be

carefully cut into the geometrical shapes

that allow the diamond to sparkle and

shine, then the entire diamond is cut into

a specific shape, such as an emerald cut

or a princess cut diamond.



Once the cut is done, the diamond is put into

a dop, which resembles a cup with another

diamond – only a diamond is strong enough

to smooth the edges of another diamond.

Once the diamond has been cut and shaped,

and had the edges smoothed in the dop, it is

polished on a scaif or a diamond polishing

Famous Diamonds

Among the most well known diamonds is the

Hope. This 45.52 carat steel blue diamond

is currently on display at the Smithsonian.

The legends of the ill-fortune and curse

bestowed on the possessor of the Hope

Diamond are many. This diamond was

donated to the Smithsonian in 1958. The

Hope was originally a rather flat, blocky

110-carat rough.



The Dresden Green stands out among the

natural colored diamonds. It is the largest

green diamond in the world weighing

40.70 carats. This diamond is historic, large

and has a natural green color with a slight

blue overtone. These facts make it virtually

priceless.



The Conde Pink is a pear shaped and

weighs 9.01-carats. This pink diamond was

once owned by Louis XIII.



The Tiffany Yellow diamond a beautiful

canary-yellow octahedron weighing 287.42

in the rough (metric) carats discovered in

either 1877 or 1878 in South Africa. The

gem after cutting boasts the extraordinary

weight of 128.54 carats. And until recently,

was the largest golden-yellow in the world.



The Koh-I-Noor ( Mountain of Light ) is now

among the British Crown Jewels. This

diamond weighs 105.60 carats. First

mentioned in 1304, it is believed to have

been once set in Shah Jehan‘s famous

peacock throne as one of the peacocks eyes.



The Agra is graded as a naturally colored

Fancy Light Pink and weighs 32.34 carats.

It was sold for about 6.9 million in 1990.

Since this sale, it has been modified to a

cushion shape weighing about 28.15 carats.



The Transvaal Blue is pear cut. This blue

diamond weighs 25 carats. It was found in

the Premier Diamond Mine in Transvaal,

South Africa.



The Great Chrysanthemum was discovered

in the summer of 1963, in a South African

diamond field. This 198.28-carat fancy

brown diamond appeared to be a light

honey color in its rough state. However,

after cutting, it proved to be a rich golden

brown, with overtones of sienna and burnt

orange.



The Taylor-Burton Diamond is a pear-shaped

69.42 carat diamond. Cartier of New York

purchased this diamond at an auction in

1969 and christened it "Cartier." The next

day Richard Burton bought the diamond

for Elizabeth Taylor. He renamed it the

"Taylor-Burton”. In 1978, Elizabeth

Taylor put the diamond up for sale.

Prospective buyers had to pay $2,500

each to view the diamond to cover the costs

of showing it. Finally, in June of 1979, the

diamond was sold for nearly $3 million dollars.

Diamond Scams

When it comes to diamonds, there are

numerous scams to avoid. Most scams are

minor, but there are some major ones that

come up from time to time concerning the

buying and selling of diamonds. Scams

occur simply because most people who buy

diamonds – for whatever reasons – don’t

know that much about diamonds. Therefore,

they are easily fooled.



A common scam that most jewelry stores

participate in is the Carat Total Weight scam.

The tag on the piece of jewelry, usually a ring,

only states the total carat weight of all

diamonds in the piece, instead of listing the

total weights separately for each diamond.

This leads consumers to believe that the main

diamond in the piece is actually bigger than it

is. Ask what the total carat weight of the center

stone is. Also beware of fractions. Jewelry

stores are allowed to round off diamond

weights. This means that if the jeweler tells

you that it is a ¾ carat diamond, it is

probably between ½ and ¾ carat – but

closer to ¾.



Jewelry stores often run ‘fluorescence’

scams to varying degrees. Referring to a

diamond as a blue-white diamond is such a

scam. A blue-white diamond sounds very

unique and special, but in fact, this type of

diamond is of lesser quality – even though

the jeweler will try to make you think you are

getting something special. Jewelry stores

also like to show their diamonds in bright

lights. Lights make diamonds shine. Ask

to see the diamond in a different, darker

type of lighting as well.



Some truly unscrupulous jewelers target

those who want appraisals on diamonds

that were given to them as gifts or that were

purchased elsewhere. They will try to tell you

that the diamond is worthless, or worth less

than it actually is worth – and offer to take it

off your hands or trade it for a much better

diamond, along with the cash to make up

the difference. This is called low balling.

Get a second, third, and even a forth opinion

before taking any action.



Another common dirty trick is to switch the

diamond you have chosen and paid for with

one of lesser quality and value when you

leave it to be set in a piece of jewelry, or

leave a diamond ring to be sized. The only

way to avoid this is to do business with one

trustworthy jeweler. Avoid jewelers that you

have not done business with in the past.



There are many more scams that jewelry

stores commonly pull on unsuspecting

consumers. Just use your best judgment,

and purchase your diamonds with the

utmost care and consideration.

Diamond Grading Reports

You’ve been told that having a certificate or

a diamond grading report is important, and

as a responsible consumer, you get one –

unfortunately, you probably won’t understand

a word of what is on that diamond grading

report, unless you are a jeweler.



On the color grading scale, D, E, and F

mean that the diamond has no color. G, H,

and I means that it has very little color. J, K,

and L means that the diamond has a slight

yellow color. P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, and X

means that the diamond is a darker shade

of yellow. Z means that the diamond has a

fancy color – other than white or yellow.

On the color grading scale, D is the most

valuable, and X is the least valuable –

however diamonds that get a Z rating are

the rarest and most expensive diamonds

in the world.



There are many aspects to a grading report.

Figuring it all out can be very confusing. You

should talk to a jeweler you trust, and have

them explain everything on the diamond

grading report to you.

Diamond Certificates

A diamond certificate is also known as a

Diamond Grading Report. This report comes

from the Gemological Institute of America

(GIA), and you should require this report

when you are purchasing a diamond.



With a diamond certificate, you can verify

the color, cut, carat, weight, and clarity of the

diamond. You don’t have to worry about a

diamond dealer telling you anything less than

the truth, because the certificate comes

from the GIA – not the dealer. You may be

required to pay for the certificate, but the

cost is usually low, and in many cases, it

will help you negotiate a better price on the

diamond – or keep you from purchasing a

lower quality diamond altogether.



If you buy a high quality diamond, and then

later decide to sell the diamond, you will

need to have the certificate, or you will have

a hard time selling it to someone else.

Furthermore, you can use the Diamond

Grading Report to look up the wholesale

value of the diamond in question. Use the

guide that is used by the diamond cutting

industry.



With the Certificate, or Diamond Grading

Report, there won’t be any doubts when you

are trying to purchase a diamond. You can

easily find out what the diamond is worth.

This will prevent you from overpaying, and it

can prevent a seller from under-charging as

well.



A copy of the Diamond Grading Report

should be given to your insurance company

as well, when you insure the diamond. This

provides absolute, unquestionable proof of

the value of the diamond should it be stolen

in the future. Insurance companies cannot

argue with the report.



Avoid diamond dealers who seem reluctant

to provide a certificate! Also avoid sellers

who tell you that a certificate diamond will

cost you more – the only additional cost

should be the cost of the certificate, which

is low. If the dealer doesn’t want to provide

a certificate, then you don’t want to do

business with that dealer.



Don’t accept certificates from Gemological

Laboratories other than GIA. There are many

fly-by-night Gemological labs these days, but

in the end, GIA has been established as the

most respectable and trustworthy – not to

mention oldest – of the lot. So avoid dealers

who don’t want to use GIA for certification

purposes as well.



Don’t buy an expensive diamond without

paying the extra cost of the certificate. If a

dealer tries to convince you to make the

purchase without the certificate, or if they

want to use a company other than GIA, you

can be sure that the dealer has probably

greatly inflated the price of the diamond –

they have something that they are hiding

Diamond Brands and What They Mean

Diamonds are one of the few products that

simply cannot be ‘branded.’ Even though

there are different cuts, different grades, and

different values placed on each and every

diamond in existence, no diamond is any

specific brand – just as gold is not a specific

brand.



Branding is actually based on who owns the

diamond. For instance, if DeBeers owns the

diamond, it is a DeBeers Diamond – but it is

still just a diamond. If the diamond was cut by

a specific well known cutter, then it might be

branded in that way as well – but it usually

isn’t. It is still branded based on who owns it

at the time. So basically, when it comes down

to it – diamond brands mean absolutely

nothing at all.



Do not allow a jeweler to try to talk you into

paying an exorbitant price on a diamond

because it is a specific brand. This is a bit

of trickery used by unscrupulous jewelers

when they know that they are dealing with

people who don’t know much about

diamonds. Remember that diamonds are

not actually branded – unless mother nature

UNDERWATER DIGITAL CAMERA: CAPTURING MOMENTS UNDERWATER

Memories are created just about anywhere. And when I say anywhere, I mean that memories are even created underwater – so the creation of underwater digital camera.



An underwater digital camera is not just used to capture underwater memories; some professional marine photographers also use underwater digital cameras in their business. Even marine biologists and scientists use underwater digital cameras to capture marine life and thus be able to study the life and properties of the marine life. But I think it is safe to assume that you, my reader, are neither a marine scientist nor a professional photographer. Like me, you are just some photo junkie who wants to capture underwater moments and just cant figure out how without ruining your cameras.



Please listen to me when I say that even waterproof cameras cannot withstand underwater photography. To be waterproof is to resist the water in certain levels, submerging in under the water to get the perfect shot is like throwing it out of the window expecting a pick-up truck to pass by and run over it.



Now if you’re really serious about using an underwater digital camera to capture those wacky and funny moments underwater, I suggest that you buy specialty cameras.



There are rarely underwater digital cameras, as cameras are electronic and cannot withstand water and water pressure. The closest electronics has ever got to producing underwater digital cameras are producing underwater casings for digital cameras. These casing will turn your conventional digital camera into an underwater digital camera.



If you are shooting with your underwater digital camera, you need to take note of a few things to help you come up with the best images underwater.



Remember that as you farther under water, light diffuses. This means that your underwater digital camera will produce images darker than those images you took while on land – this is because of the light diffusion the red spectrum seems darker. To avoid this, use white balance come up with natural colors. Also, pictures taken underwater will come up larger than pictures taken on land with the same zoom effect. Be sure to check your underwater digital camera’s viewfinder to check the right picture angle and size that you want.



An underwater digital camera with its built-in flash will produce marine show phenomenon. It is a phenomenon wherein your pictures come out as blurry and with white particles floating above it, to avoid this phenomenon it is advisable to use external flash for your underwater digital camera.



Before using your underwater digital camera, submerge the camera in the water first for several seconds then check if there are leaks through the case. Make sure that no grain of sand or piece of hair is stuck in between the seal to make sure that water will not permeate the case and thus wet your camera in the process. It is also advisable to put silica gel or two inside the case of your underwater digital camera as long as they don’t disturb the camera’s operation. (Silica gel will keep the moisture from forming inside your camera case.)



Most underwater digital cameras come with optional lenses. Don’t be afraid to add these lenses to your underwater digital camera kit. Macro lenses will help you capture small things without getting too close and startling your subject.



Also, remember to always wash of salt when you’ve used it under salt water. If the salts are not washed off, in time they will crystallize; act as sands and cause leaks for your camera case. In cases when sands seem to get into the case, they are better washed off with streams of water.



Check out Sony, Nikon and Canon’s website for available underwater cases for your digital cameras.

SONY DIGITAL CAMERA: EMBRACING PERFECTION

Known for producing quality electronics, Sony is also one of the pioneers and the best producers of digital camera. Truly using a Sony digital camera is embracing perfection with its many features exclusive to a Sony digital camera.



Indeed, one of the best ways to capture your memories forever is thru photos and what better to do it than with a Sony digital camera. Photos are used to remember or when we reminisce of the wonderful times of our lives. And only vivid and detailed photos can help us bring back all those memories. And quality photos are exactly what a Sony digital camera offers to its consumers.



Equipped with the best optics and imaging technology available, the Sony digital camera line ensures its consumers that a Sony digital camera will only capture more detail, more color and more brightness imaginable.



Every Sony digital camera has an exclusive Sony technology that enhances photo capturing experience. Armed with the Real Imaging Processor (RIMP), any Sony digital camera allows high digital processing that reduces picture noise and delivers smoother and more detailed images. The RIMP is an intelligent Sony digital camera technology that allows faster shooting time, swifter burst shooting and almost simultaneous processing of your images (enables immediate display of your image) for your Sony digital camera.



All Sony digital cameras are furnished with Carl Zeiss lens. Carl Zeiss lenses are world renowned for their quality brilliance, outstanding accuracy of colors and enhanced definition with almost zero distortion. With a Carl Zeiss lens, flawless imaging is truly embracing perfection with a Sony digital camera.



Sony has its own Cyber-shot line of digital camera for all photo fanatics out there. One of the lower ends of their Cyber-shot series of the Sony digital camera is the DSC-L1. The L1is a 4.1 mega pixel camera with a 3x optical zoom and plays MPEG Movie Vx. It is also supplied with a Vario Tessar lens from the Carl Zeiss line.



A higher version of the L1 is the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P200. Almost same in all respect with the L1 expect this baby is a 7.2 mega pixel Sony digital camera.



For those who are serious in their craft, the right Sony digital camera for you id the Cyber-shot DSC-F828. Designed for professional photographers, the F828 has a 28-200mm equivalent of a Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar lens, which makes it excellent for action and low-light shots. An 6 mega pixel Sony digital camera, it is outfitted with 7x optical zoom and a 1.8 inch LCD screen where you can review the pictures that you just took. The DSC F828 has a four color system that includes RGB+emrald colors and enables night shot/night framing system. The F828 even allows manual exposure, zoom and manual focus controls for your customization needs.



For the younger and trendier generation, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-M1 is the right Sony digital camera for you. The M1 is a digital camera and a camcorder in one. It can record either up to five seconds MPEG 4 playback or unlimited video recording, depending on your preferred setting. Shooting with 30 frames per second, it is 5.1 mega pixel camera with a 640 x 480 maximum pixel resolution. It has 3x optical zoom and 2x digital zoom.



Very lightweight at only 6.5 oz. the M1 is very portable and is only 2x1.1x4.5 inches (dimensions). A USB 2.0 compatible and with PictBridge support, the M1 makes file transferring from your Sony digital camera to your computer as easy as taking pictures.



Available with accessories such as wrist strap, docking station and a 32MB memory Stick Duo, the M1 comes with an expansion slot that lets you upgrade up to 512MB of memory for further picture taking or video playback. It even has a built in features such as stereo surround, built-in mic and a 2.5inch TFT active matrix LCD display.



Check out Sony’s website at www.sony.com to look for other available Sony digital camera models that will fit you and your lifestyle.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA: PROFESSIONAL CAMERAS GO DIGITAL

Olympus has always been known to produce quality cameras, either point and shoot or professional cameras. However, these days Olympus has joined the digital scene by producing their own line of digital cameras.



Olympus digital cameras are best known for producing DSLR cameras. These digital cameras are the kind that professional photographers use in their craft. Although this is for a fact, this company has also produced their own line of point and shoot Olympus digital cameras.



First up is an Olympus digital camera called the MJU-mini. A 4.0 mega pixel Olympus digital camera, it is cute, portable and can capture great pictures. Also, a tough Olympus digital camera, it is made with a metal frame and known for its solid weight - this is great because hands get too shaky when a camera is too light. With 2x digital zoom, a 5.8-11.6mm Olympus lens, this baby is your best bet for your personal Olympus digital camera.



Another personal Olympus digital camera is the MJU 500, obviously the higher version of the MJU-mini. the MJU 500 is a 5.0 mega pixel Olympus digital camera that is easy to use and one favored by consumers who are looking for a digital camera within this particular price range. (The MJU 500 is around $400-$500). The first notable feature of the MJU 500 is its large 2.5-inch HyperCrystal LCD screen. With its 160-degree wide view range, this large LCD screen enables its users to view subjects at extreme angles (though it does not feature the flip or rotate like other LCD screens from other digital cameras). Made from durable lightweight metal with rubber gaskets in its interior and weighing only 3.0 lbs., the MJU 500 is also weatherproof. Meaning that this Olympus digital camera can withstand a few splashes here and there. (Note: it is weatherproof and not waterproof, there is a big difference between the two - splashes and not water). The MJU 500 of the Olympus digital camera line, introduces an alternative design apart from the curvy MJU series with its new flat surface and smooth and round edges. It is so compact, with its 3.9 x 2.2 x 1.2 inches dimension, it can easily fit in your handbag or the back pocket of your pants (just be careful not to sit on it). This Olympus digital camera also features 23 shooting modes, one of which will enable its users to shoot in consecutive sequences and just choose the best one later. Another one of its many features is its ability to record and playback those videos and sounds. It has an expandable memory card slot, but when you buy the package, you would have to settle with temporarily with the 32MB xD card that comes with the package. this fashionable Olympus digital camera comes in two colors - silver and blue.



for a professional Olympus digital camera, the Olympus 5300 is the right DSLR for you. it is the first 8-mega pixel camera out in the market. with a 7-14mm lens, it gives the equivalent of a 14-28mm lens. also, a first for this Olympus digital camera is its side-swing mirror that doesn't need a pentaprism, giving you a smaller and sleeker camera. another unique feature is the Super Sonic Wave Filter (SSWF) that shakes off the dusts in your sensor, this way dust can never accumulate in your camera. with features like four exposure modes and 14 scene modes, this USB 1.1 compatible Olympus digital camera is one of the best DSLR cameras in the market.



another Olympus digital camera is the Olympus CaMedia C-70. It is also a small and compact digital camera but equips a 7.0 mega pixel camera that gives you power and portability at the same time. Packed with 5x optical zoom and, it start up fast and auto focus even quicker than most digital cameras in the market. It has a 2.0-inch LCD screen, a xD picture card slot and furnished with a 7.9-39.5mm Olympus lens that has 5x optical zoom. The CaMedia C-70 is the perfect choice for high quality shots, good features, great build and excellent portability.



Visit Olympus' website at www.olympus.com to look for other Olympus digital cameras and other Olympus products available in the market.

NIKON DIGITAL CAMERA: DIGITAL SLR CAMERAS

Nikon is a camera brand, best known for producing SLR camera. As with the boom of digital cameras all over the world, Nikon joined the bandwagon by producing what they make best, thus the new era of the Nikon digital camera was born - digital SLR.



One of the best in DSLR, the Nikon digital camera called Nikon D70 is 6-mega pixel Nikon digital camera. Coated with polycarbonate over its stainless steel chassis, this Nikon digital camera is furnished with a 50mm AF Nikkor lens that can combine with an 18-70mm kit lens and still be portable enough to be carried around. It has a 200-1600 ISO effective speed range, great for taking pictures both in the shade and under the sun. and why won't it be?! With its three frames per second continuous shooting rate and its 1/8000 second shutter speed, taking pictures is as easy as clicking away and having fun. this Nikon digital camera is supported with a Flash card.



Another SLR from Nikon is the Nikon Coolpix 8800. An 8-mega pixel Nikon digital camera, the Coolpix 8800 has a compact body. Furnished with a 1.8 inch flip-out and swivel LCD, this baby is surely first rate SLR. This Nikon digital camera features an image stabilizer system to reduce camera shakes particularly on long shots since this gadget can zoom up to 10x (optical zoom) and can focus to up to 3cm in macro mode with its 35-350mm lens. Key controls are very user-friendly, with modes such as sensitivity, image size/quality and white balance - found directly with the mode dial. The image output quality is the middle name of this Nikon digital camera, with great detail rendition, color fidelity and saturation. a rather exceptional feature of the 8800 is the continuous shooting modes, where users can choose 1.2 or 2.3 frames per second. A bit bulky to carry around, the 8800 is perfect for shooting action and sports shots. The 8800 works with a Compact Flash card for storing up your images.



Another digital SLR from Nikon is the Nikon D50. A 6.1 mega pixel Nikon digital camera, this gadget has 7 varied modes to shoot from using its AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 18-55mm lens. These modes are Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Close Up, Sports, Night Portrait and Child. To see the images that you took, this Nikon digital camera is furnished with a 2.0 inch LCD screen. How fast can this camera shoot? It has 2.5 frames per second and with uninterrupted shooting of up to 137 frames per second. This Nikon digital camera is not too bad, especially for novice photographers. This package also includes a software for touching up, editing and sharing your pictures. The software even enables you to burn your images to VCD or DVD format.



One of the first point and shoot Nikon digital cameras is the Nikon Coolpix 4800. A four mega pixel Nikon digital camera, the old school designed 4800 is equipped with a 1.8 inch LCD screen for viewing your pictures. The 4800 is an 8.3x zoom Nikon digital camera with 6-50mm Nikkor Ed lens that zooms quickly and has continuous auto focusing (a feature where your lens is always trying to keep your pictures sharp). It also allows users to shoot, record and playback short movie clips with its assist and excellent scene modes - meaning that includes providing outlines for portraits (for tweaking purposes), exposure and sensitivity settings. These features are very helpful especially for novice photographers that want to try their hands at photography. Along with that, it comes with a 13.5MB SD card and the Li-on battery pack.



Remember to check out Nikon's website at www.nikon.com.sg or www.nikonusa.com to see the latest Nikon digital cameras.

SHARE SMILES WITH KODAK DIGITAL CAMERA

Ever since, Kodak has always been associated with photographs. Kodak is primarily known for producing quality films and photograph that capture our smiles and tender moments, so it’s no big surprise that Kodak ventured with camera business. Starting out with analog or conventional cameras, they finally followed suit with their line of Kodak digital cameras.



One of the best and handiest Kodak digital cameras is the Kodak easy Share one. Only about $600 the Kodak easy Share one is one of the first new series of Kodak digital cameras supports wireless sharing of your photos. This new technology from the Kodak digital camera is a super-intelligent wireless (think Wi-Fi) snapper that allows users to instantly share and print photos without the hassle of using and putting up cable connections. This Kodak digital camera supports Kodak Wi-Fi card. The Wi-Fi card will enable the owner of the camera to instantly use basic web browser in sending images directly to Kodak’s online storage and printing service. And of course, the Wi-Fi card will also enable you to beam your images straight to a Wi-Fi printer. This amazing Kodak digital camera includes a 3x optical zoom from its C. Variogon 38-108mm equivalent lens, an extra SD card slot and a three inch fold out touch screen display.



The fold out touch screen display comes with menu buttons that helps users customize their camera settings or edit their images. This Kodak digital camera also supports Video out USB and 3volts DC in adapter, just in case you’d want to just view through your photos while your batteries are recharging.



As with all Kodak digital cameras, the easy Share one comes with a Kodak Easy Share program that further makes it easier for file transferring and editing of your images.



Personally, I would recommend the Kodak dx7590. This is my ultimate dream Kodak digital camera. This is a Kodak digital camera for those who are just starting out with photography as a hobby or those who wish to pursue one as a craft. This baby is perfect for your practice shots. It is a 5 mega pixel Kodak digital camera with 10x optical zoom of a professional quality Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon lens. The dx7590 is one of the Kodak digital cameras that have the exclusive Kodak color science Image processing chip. And to check out all those amazing photos you’ve captured, this Kodak digital camera is furnished with a 2.2 inch high resolution indoor/outdoor display. As I’ve mentioned, if you’ve been wanting to learn the tricks of the trade, there is a manual and custom controls that you could always experiment with. It’s high speed, low light auto-focus with continuous shooting and bracketing modes, so you could always get your sister, girlfriend or just about anyone to model laughing, changing poses as you click away. The dx7590 has 22 modes and color scenes, so you could always mess the images you took using your computer, making the picture come out as older or earlier that day. This amazing Kodak digital camera lets you store pictures up to 128 MB, using an SD card (that you have to buy separately). This dx 7590 comes with the Kodak easy share camera dock 6000, for recharging your batteries or transferring your photos to and from your computer. The best thing about the Kodak dx7590, this Kodak digital camera is only around $500. Now, is that a bargain or what!? An almost professional camera for the price of a lower end digital camera.



Be sure to check out Kodak’s website at www.kodak.com to check out their latest releases of digital cameras. The Kodak website also offers basic information regarding their products and its prices.

TRUSTING DIGITAL CAMERA REVIEWS

Digital camera reviews are abundant not just online but also in the newspapers, magazines and even TV shows. We often wonder why most digital camera reviews always praise all the digital camera out in the market, that’s why we end up getting confused on which product to buy or get our loved ones. ]



Here’s one thing you should never trust regarding digital camera reviews - never trust press releases or reviews that are directly from the manufacturer or advertising office that is directly connected with producer of the digital camera. Why?! Well because these digital camera reviews are never too truthful, or they just give out the good points about their products. I mean, what would you expect, supposing you own your own line of digital cameras and to boost your sales, you release digital camera reviews about your products. Of course you wouldn’t point out the bad things or the glitches of your product in your digital camera reviews, because that way you will never be able to shoot up your sales. Press releases or digital camera reviews from manufacturer are always half-truths. Haven’t you had any experience with that?! I mean, that just doesn’t go for digital camera, remember that brush-blower thingy that you bought over the internet that says it would work tremendously for your hair, but ended not working for your hair after all. Press releases are press releases, meaning that they are aimed to get people to buy the product or to give the product a better name.



On more thing that you can never fully trust are home shopping networks and advertisements. As much as press releases, they pretty much pose the same claims about their products. But hey, don’t trust me, you can always get them and return them after proving to yourself that it doesn’t work. Never mind the time and effort that you’ve wasted, you chose to listen to a half-truth digital camera review, that’s what you get for that.



The best digital camera reviews available are those found in specialty magazines (computer based and technical magazines), special websites catering to techie stuff and unofficial digital camera reviews. Why?! Well because! Because these digital camera reviews are always truthful. These reviewers and critics are never afraid to list down the good as much as the bad points of digital cameras. These digital camera reviews usually points out the difference between the products that a certain manufacturer has released and how it is worse or better than the previous one. These reviewers and critics are also knowledgeable in their craft, so its say to safe to say that they know what they are talking about when it comes to digital camera reviews. One more thing, most of the time, these digital camera reviews are actual first hand experience with the product itself and not just some advertising agent asked to come up with flowery words to capture you and your wallet.



Another best source for a digital camera review is one that you can write yourself. And how can you do that?! Of course, you first need to buy your own digital camera, try it out and compare everything that you do with it to the things that it claims to be. (be careful to read the specs, options and features that you need to try out, be on the lookout for words such as weatherproof, meaning that they are splash resistant as to waterproof that are water resistant. You don’t want to get your newly bought weatherproof camera wet, just to prove to yourself that the things they claim are not true). After doing so, then you can write your own digital camera review or reviews, depending on how many things you’ve learned from your digital camera. Be sure to indicate that your review is an on-hand experience with the product and not just some wild guess.



The most honest digital camera reviews are the best reviews you can look for and trust. Anyway, you can always call customer center or return your digital camera if they don’t live up to their claims.

DIGITAL CAMERA: THE FUTURE OF CAMERAS

Basically a digital camera is a deice use to capture pictures without the use of films. Unlike the conventional camera, the digital camera does not rely on mechanical and chemical processes. It has a built in computer and records the images it captures in an electronic form. Having and operating one does not even require the use of electricity.



Since the images that a digital camera captures is in electronic form, it is a language recognized by computers. This language is called pixels, tiny colored dots represented by ones and zeros that make up the picture that you just took. Just like any conventional cameras, a digital camera is furnished with a series of lenses that focus the light and creates the image that you want to capture. The difference here is then; a conventional camera focuses its light on a film while a digital camera focuses the light into a semiconductor device that electronically records the light. Remember the built in computer, it comes in here and breaks this information to digital data resulting to all the features of the digital camera.



Another feature of the digital camera is that it has a sensor that converts light into electrical charges. A charge coupled device or CCD is an image sensor that is found in a digital camera. While other low-end digital camera use complementary metal oxide semiconductor or CMOS as an image device, it can still become better and more famous in the future but most engineers are do not believe that it can replace the CCD for higher-end digital cameras.



A collection of tiny diodes, the CCD gathers electrons when they are struck by photons or the light particles. Each diode or photosite is sensitive to light, meaning that the brighter the light, the number of the electrons gathering will be larger



The price of a digital camera nowadays have been depreciating, one of the main reasons of this is because of the introduction of CMOS image sensors, this is because CMOS sensors are less expensive and are easier to manufacture than CCD sensors. A CCD and CMOS sensor works the same way at first, by converting the light electrical charges into photosites. Simply putting it, is to think that a digital camera works in such a way as thinking that the millions of tiny solar cells, each of which forms a part of the whole image. Both CCD and CMOS do this task using different methods.



When shopping for the best digital camera, take note of these key features.



Image quality. Check the resolution of the camera. The higher the resolution, the more thou will be able to enlarge your picture without the grainy or the out-of-focus effect that we all want to avoid.



Lens. Choose a digital camera with better digital zoom. The digital zoom of the camera will enable you take the pixels from the image sensor and incorporate them to make an image.

Power. Always opt for rechargeable batteries, they can always come in handy, plus you don’t waste as much money on the disposable ones.



Options. So you can brag to your friends how good a photographer or artist you are. Or choose the one that gives options that best cater to your lifestyle, so you won’t ever whine how you never get the right pictures.



Memory. If you’re a photo freak, be sure that you have enough memory in your camera to take all the wacky, freaky, funny and just about any photo you can. Think 512MB if you’re a photo junkie and takes pictures of just about anything.



Computer Interface. Always make sure that it is compatible with your PC, laptop, palmtop or whatever your local picture printer software is, you don’t want to go running around the whole state or the country looking for a computer that’s compatible with your digital camera, wont you?!



Physical. If you are going to be bringing it everywhere, choose a handy and portable digital camera. This way, it won’t always feel as heavy and bulky as those cameras that you see professional photographers are always dragging on their neck. Don’t they ever get tired of that?!



These are just the basic things you have to look for in a digital camera when you buy one. A digital camera is so great that it is quickly replacing all conventional cameras in the market, with all its technology and portability, truly the digital camera is the future of cameras.

CANON DIGITAL CAMERA: EXPRESS, SHOOT AND SHARE

Canon is well known across the country as an imaging equipment and information systems. Their many products include copiers, printers, lenses, camcorders, semiconductors among others, and of course Canon digital cameras.



The latest high end canon digital camera is the PowerShot S2 IS. This is a 5.0 mega pixel Canon digital camera that features a 12x optical zoom and a 4x digital zoom. This baby is furnished with Optical Image Stabilizer (that is what the IS in S2 IS stands for) that eliminates camera shakes for people who have shaky hands or for taking camera shots. The UD lens found in this canon digital camera provide amazing color accuracy throughout the whole zoom area.



As with many digital cameras nowadays, this certain canon digital camera can record moving pictures. Now with another first, the S2 allows you to record moving pictures, and there no use for missing a perfect image incorporated with that moving picture. With the Movie Snap feature, just snap away when you see that perfect image, and it will be saved in your canon digital camera along with the recorded video.



This canon digital camera is also equipped with the DIGIC II Image processor that is designed to increase processing speed and image quality. It instantly says that with the DIGIC II, your canon digital camera has faster start-up time, playback and auto focus while giving your images the absolute brilliance.



The S2 also support USB 2.0 Hi-speed standard, so you will always have the easiest time transferring your files to and from your computer. With the USB 2.0, you can take advantage of your super hi-speed SD card.



This canon digital camera is also supplied with a 1.8 inch LCD power saving and fold out screen that’s 115,000 pixel resolution. S2 shoots at 30 frames per second; this shooting rate can be reduced when taking pictures in night display, to give you the brightness that you need when taking pictures.



On the other hand, the latest point and shoot canon digital camera is the PowerShot SD500 and the PowerShot SD400.



The SD500 is the first 7.1 mega pixel canon digital camera that gives amazing images and absolutely to die for details. It has a 3x optical zoom that enables close up shooting with a 37-111mm equivalent with a 35mm film camera. This is one of the new perpetual curve design for a canon digital camera that fits the hands perfectly.



Sporting a very slim design, you would marvel at its 2.0 inch LCD that gives easier frame and play back use.



This baby is also equipped with the same DIGIC II Image Processor found in canon digital cameras that gives you amazing features. Also USB 2.0 compatible and works with the same high-speed SD card.



Even better than most digital cameras out there, this gadget can shoot moving images to up to 60 frames per second- perfect for moving objects (especially in sports) and a 30 frames per second for shooting still images. Furnished with scene modes like portrait (blurs the background and focuses on your subject), foliage (perfect for foliage, greenery or blossoms), beach (sunny shots without the dark faces), underwater (reduced background scatter. Tip: you can always buy waterproof case for shooting underwater images), fireworks, night snapshot, kids and pets, indoor, snow and digital macro (larger than life images).



This canon digital camera even enables you to customize and correct as you shoot. With modes like lightening skin tones, positive film, darker skin tones and others, you can never go wrong with using a canon digital camera.



These are just some of the many features of the SD500. There are more to the SD500 that has yet to be discussed. Check canon’s website at www.usa.canon.com for a full profile of the SD500 and to other latest releases and products.

Things You Need to Know Before You Buy Digital Camera

Digital cameras come in many sizes, colors, brands, zooms, resolutions, playbacks, etc. There are so many features and qualities that are being placed in the devices that buyers especially first timers become overwhelmed and dizzy with these outstanding arrays of gadgets. This is even without including the various advertisements and different ratings that are used to promote these products.



So what are the things to look for if you want to buy digital camera? To be able to answer these, there are 2 sets of information you have to know before you can decide. The first type of information is defining what YOU need and want in a digital camera. To do this, you can ask yourself the following questions:



- What do you want to take with your digital camera? Before you buy digital camera, it is important to determine what kind of pictures you want to take with it. If you are a digital photography enthusiast, any digital camera will not just do. You have to look for features that can support the zooming you need, the resolution, etc.



- How much is your budget? This is a very important question any person who intends to buy digital camera should ask. Because no matter what your needs and wants are for the device, your financial resource will play a huge part in dictating the type of digital camera you will buy.



- What are you resources? When you buy digital camera, sometimes the spending does not end there. You also have to consider the capacity and the power of the computer and the printer you will be hooking your camera with for your editing and printing needs. Editing software are already included when you buy digital camera but other devices aren't. Aside from a printer, ink and paper for printing, you might also need additional memory cards for your camera and a more powerful computer to support image editing and image storage and retrieval.



After answering these 3 questions, the second set of information you need to know before you buy digital camera are the features that you need in the device. These are:



- Resolution. Before you buy digital camera, check first its capacity to produce high quality photo images. The number of pixels indicated determines resolution. The more number of pixels, the higher the resolution which can make photos to be enlarged without losing image quality.



- Built-in memory. Digital cameras need memory cards for picture storage. When you buy digital camera, make sure that the gadget that you buy does not only have a "built-in" memory but should also have a card slot for external and additional memory. This allows you to change full memory cards conveniently while shooting your pictures.



- Look and feel. It is essential for you to feel comfortable holding your digital camera while shooting. So, before you buy digital camera, it good to test and check if you are comfortable holding it and using it. Consider where the buttons are located and how they are spaced out and see also if you feel comfortable using the viewfinder.



- Battery life. Digital cameras use up batteries fast and batteries are expensive. Before you buy digital camera, consider if the camera's batteries are rechargeable. This way you can recharge them. Take also into consideration an AC adapter when you buy digital camera. You can attach this to the camera when you are viewing your pictures or uploading them



- LCD. The LCD is a special consideration you have to look into when you buy a digital camera. This is a small screen located at the back of a digital camera that allows you to preview the pictures you took. This has to be considered when you buy digital camera because it uses up a lot of battery power.



- Special features. Special features that will suit your needs should be thought about, too before you buy digital camera. If you want your camera to have good zooming, you can opt for those with optical zoom lenses. A diopter adjustment on the digital camera's viewfinder will also be beneficial to those who regularly wear glasses and wish to buy digital camera. Other features such as remote control, tripods, etc. can also be considered when you buy a digital camera.



With these information, you can now figure out what you really need and want before you buy digital camera. If you want to see ratings and rankings of these devices based on price, resolution or other features, check out various websites that have these in the Internet.

HOW TO FIND THE BEST DIGITAL CAMERA

It seems that every month, if not every week, different manufacturers are coming up with the latest digital cameras to entice potential clients. And it's just not working for us!



After spending sizeable amount of time at the mall figuring out which is the best digital camera for us, we finally have enough money to buy for that eye-popping, 7 mega pixel, 10x digital zoom, potable, candy colored, up to 512MB expandable memory of super hi-speed SD memory card and not to mention very portable, (that will be the envy of almost everyone we know). We march to the mall armed with our life savings and lotsa pride in ourselves, when we pass by a new display - an eight mega pixel, up to 1G expandable memory, with built it mic and stereo surround, video playback capable, with 22 scenic modes kind-of-camera. And we sigh because the producer of this amazing gadget claims that this is the best digital camera yet out in the market. And so as we always want to have the best, armed with our life savings and a few credit cards, we buy the "best digital camera." But then again, that doesn't last too long, after two months or so, there's another "best digital camera."



And so it confuses us. What makes a digital camera, the best digital camera?



Well, there are certain factors to consider when looking for the "best digital camera" for us.



MEGAPIXELS. One of the most important features of digital camera to make it into the best digital camera category is its mega pixel property. The higher the mega pixels the better the actual photograph will come out. A mega pixel is equivalent to one million pixels. The resolution of your image is based upon the mega pixel property of your camera. This means that as you enlarge the picture, you would get more detail and less blurry colors.



LCD SIZE. The best digital camera will always have a large LCD to help you frame your subject without having to squint to the viewfinder. This is also helpful when reviewing your images, some cameras enable touch up and editing features with its LCD. A 1.5-inch display is average, a 2-inch LCD display is good, but the best LCD size would be 2.5 inches or higher.



ZOOM. Most digital cameras have both digital and optical zoom. A higher optical zoom is always better than a higher digital zoom. Digital cameras are usually furnished with optical of between 3x to 10x. The better the optical zoom, the higher it climbs up to the best digital camera category.



MEMORY CARD. Always make sure that your memory card is the right one for your digital camera. There are different types of memory card like the xD, SD, Flash card and the likes. And these types of memory cards go with certain types of digital cameras. of course memory storage is also up there in choosing the best digital cameras. Choose the size of memory that you need, if you're a photo junkie, you might need more than 32MB. Memory cards can go up to 1G.



The key point to find the best digital camera is to find one that will best fit you and your lifestyle. Don't just buy the latest or the one that claims they are the best digital cameras out in the market. You wouldn't want to buy a DSLR and use it with your home activities or family outing and have to lug it around?! Or you don't want to buy the latest point and shoot camera when you're serious about being a professional photographer. (Of course, you can use this for starters, but if you're not a novice photographer anymore, you wouldn't want to get this kind of camera.)



Actually, the best digital camera is the one that you will enjoy and use. Not the type that you'll just leave rotting in its box or after a few weeks of usage or so, up there in the attic.