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Introduction - A Beginner's Guide to Digital Film

1. Why are digital cameras so popular?

2. Why is memory important to digital cameras?

3. What are the different types of digital film today?

4. What is the CompactFlash Association?

5. What does "Digital Film Compliant?" mean?

6. Is performance important when talking about digital film?

7. What does 4X, 8X, 10X, and 12X (1X=150KB/sec.) performance mean?

8. How many images can be stored on a CompactFlash, SmartMedia, or Memory Stick card?

9. What capacity is best for me?

10. What is a USB-enabled CompactFlash card?

11. What is JumpShot?

12. What is a Universal Reader?

13. What does the symbol CF+ represent?

14. Want more information on Lexar Media products?
     

The age of the Internet has helped to usher in one of the most exciting hobbies: digital photography. A key component of digital photography, and one not well understood by most people, is Digital Film? (removable memory for digital cameras). Just like "film" for conventional cameras, digital cameras require digital film to save and store the pictures taken. To take more pictures in the field, save images, or quickly transfer the images to a computer hard drive, consumer digital cameras generally use one of three common digital film formats: CompactFlash? , SmartMedia? , or Memory Stick? . Produced in an easy-to-use format, the "Beginner?s Guide to Digital Film" provides you with comprehensive answers to some of the most common questions about today?s most popular digital film products.

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1. Why are digital cameras becoming so popular?
   
   The quality of a photograph taken by a digital camera is directly related to the camera?s resolution. In 1996, cameras capable of taking 24-bit images at 640 x 480 pixels (VGA) were typically available for $800. Now, camera resolutions in the 1, 2, and 3 "mega-pixel" range are available for the same price or less.  
   
   Approximately 6 million digital cameras were sold in 1999, and conservative estimates are that over 10 million digital cameras will be sold in the year 2000 (IDC Worldwide Digital Market Review and Forecast). The reasons for this growing popularity range from users wanting to create personal Web pages with pictures of the family or the new baby, e-mail photos of products to peers, or capture an image of storm damage for insurance claims. The improving quality of color printers, which can output photographic print-quality pictures, fuels this growing popularity and the newest market opportunity.
   
   In addition to the more appealing price and improved quality of digital cameras, people also enjoy the ability to view, erase and modify their digital pictures instantly. A photo, taken on one of the many popular cameras with a LCD (liquid crystal display), can be directly viewed on the camera?s built-in color screen, then downloaded to the computer for a full-screen display, or even shown on a television. Digital photographs can be cropped or color enhanced easily, altered radically with exotic backgrounds, or manipulated creatively in fun ways. Digital pictures can be e-mailed quickly to friends and family or saved in electronic photo albums. 
   
   Prices for color printers have also declined dramatically while quality has increased. Printers with outstanding 600 dpi (dots per inch) or more color output have become extremely affordable, and color thermal printers with continuous-tone printing can produce eye-popping pictures that rival chemical film photographs. The ability to quickly take a photograph, manipulate or enhance it on the computer, print it, e-mail it, or post it on the Web is becoming easier and less expensive every day.
   
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2. Why is memory important to digital cameras?
   
   As picture quality and resolutions on digital cameras have improved, the need to save and store larger picture files has increased. Earlier versions of digital cameras often featured built-in, non-expandable memory for storing pictures. Memory capacity of these cameras could be reached quickly, forcing users to download pictures constantly to their computers or erase pictures before taking another photograph. This is very inconvenient for users who want to use their cameras without having a computer nearby.   
   
   Today?s leading digital camera manufacturers typically feature removable digital film cards for capturing, storing, and swapping images. Popular removable memory solutions include CompactFlash, SmartMedia (also called Solid State Floppy Disk Cards or SSFDC) and Memory Stick developed by Sony Corporation. Typically, camera manufacturers include a minimum-capacity card with the camera, just enough memory to provide a good out-of-the-box experience for the user. As the capacity of one card is reached, either the user must download the photos to a computer, erase pictures, or replace the card to continue taking pictures. That?s why for many typical picture-taking situations like vacations, weddings, or sporting events, the digital photographer needs more digital film.
   
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3. What are the different types of digital film today?

   Digital film uses non-volatile flash memory, meaning it does not require power to hold and retain the pictures taken. Flash memory technology is ideal for applications that require portability and ruggedness. There are two main types of flash memory (digital film) used for digital cameras today: CompactFlash, SmartMedia, and a third one called "Memory Stick."

   CompactFlash is a small form factor (about the size of a matchbook) that combines non volatile storage, high-capacity options and industry-standard compatibility, which is absolutely essential for digital cameras and handheld computing devices. Because they are designed to the guidelines set by the CompactFlash Association, a base-level assurance of compatibility has been set between all-certified CompactFlash cards and any CompactFlash-compliant device. Today, CompactFlash cards are available in capacities ranging from 8MB to 320MB.

   SmartMedia, or Solid State Floppy Disk Cards (SSFDC), also use flash memory, but unlike CompactFlash, they require the controller functions for compatibility and other tasks to reside in the camera, rather than on the storage media. While this keeps the cost of SmartMedia lower, it cannot assure the forward and backward compatibility features that CompactFlash and Memory Stick can. SmartMedia is a single flash-chip solution, thus limiting the card?s capacity and ability to store large high-resolution picture files. Today, 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, and 64MB SmartMedia cards are available for digital camera consumers.

   Memory Stick is the latest addition to Lexar?s digital film family. Though smaller than a stick of chewing gum, Memory Stick packs big performance in capacities ranging from 8MB to 64MB. A 16MB Memory Stick has 10 times the storage of a floppy disk, and it?s compact, rugged, reliable, and has erasure prevention. It too has an on-board controller that ensures compatibility with numerous consumer electronic devices.
   
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4. What is the CompactFlash Association?

   The CompactFlash Association (CFA) was established in 1995, as a non-profit, mutually beneficial industry association. The CFA?s premise is that CompactFlash technology will result in the introduction of a new class of advanced, small, lightweight, low-powered mobile products that will significantly increase the productivity and enhance the lifestyle of millions of people. CompactFlash provides the capability to easily transfer all types of digital information and software between a large variety of digital systems. The goals of the CFA are to promote and encourage the worldwide adoption of CompactFlash technology as an open-industry standard.  
   
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5. What does "Digital Film Compliant" mean?
   
   Digital Film Compliance provides customers a guarantee that all Lexar Media digital film cards are compatible with all cameras that support that card type. Please note that some older cameras may not support some large capacity digital film cards.
   
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6. Is performance important when talking about digital film?
   
   Yes! While all CompactFlash cards that are certified by the CompactFlash Association should operate in all CFA-compliant devices like digital cameras, some important performance differences can be found in CompactFlash cards used for storage, and those designed specifically as digital film. 
   
   Most flash-memory technology today was developed before the advent of today?s digital cameras, which require large image files to be processed quickly. In fact, most of the original applications for CompactFlash were for data access where READ performance was more important than WRITE performance. As digital camera applications, camera resolutions, and picture file sizes continue to grow, the ability to WRITE large files quickly has become a critical performance issue. Improved WRITE performance can significantly reduce the waiting time before another photograph can be taken ("image storage time"). 
   
   Lexar Media?s CompactFlash digital film features patented SpaceManager ? technology, an innovative, indirect memory-mapping technique that significantly reduces the time a picture file can be written to the digital film card. While actual performance will vary between camera models, Lexar Media digital film offers sustained WRITE performance that is nearly two or three times faster than other CompactFlash solutions. In some digital cameras, Lexar Media digital film is 200% faster than general-purpose flash memory! Imagine the shots you could miss while waiting for your images to be stored: a baby?s smile, a wedding kiss, or any other precious moment.
   
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7. What does 4X, 8X, 10X, and 12X (1X=150KB/sec.) performance mean?
   
   Because WRITE performance is so important to digital film and consecutive picture taking, Lexar Media has developed an easy-to- use specification to indicate the speed at which pictures can be saved to the film card during picture taking. Adopted from the CD-ROM industry, the performance of CD-ROM drives are rated at 150 kilobytes (KB) per second = 1X. In the future, Lexar Media will continue to introduce faster products with greater "X" ratings, giving consumers an easy way to recognize the latest in high-performance digital film.
    

   4X = 600KB/sec.	Minimum transfer rate
   8X = 1.2MB/sec.	Minimum transfer rate
   10X = 1.5MB/sec.	Minimum transfer rate
   12X = 1.8MB/sec.	Minimum transfer rate

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8. How many images can be stored on a CompactFlash, SmartMedia, or Memory Stick card?

   Digital cameras typically can take pictures in multiple-resolution modes and employ different compression techniques and file formats. Digital film size requirements can be dramatically different, depending on what mode is being used. If you know the file size of the images commonly taken by a camera, you can easily calculate the number of pictures by dividing the total digital film card capacity by the picture file size (lowest resolution) or highest compression mode possible. For example, some cameras say they offer enough memory to store 30 or 40 photographs when, in fact, they can store only 3 high-resolution, (uncompressed) images on the digital film card provided with the camera. Always try to determine the highest quality, uncompressed image file size of the camera to understand the camera?s image capacity and how much additional digital film you will need.

   Approx. Number of Exposures with Lexar Digital Film 8MB  16MB 32MB 48MB 64MB 80MB 1 128MB 160MB Low res photos (640 x 480) 9 164 18 328 36 655 54 984 72 1312 90 1640 144 2624 180 3280 Medium res photos  (640 x 480) 6 55 11 109 24 218 36 330 48 440 60 550 96 880 120 1100 Highest res photos (1024 x 768 and above) 3 27 7 55 14 109 18 162 24 216 30 270 48 432 60 540

   Uncompressed Mode

   Compressed Mode

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9. What capacity is best for me?

   Since your individual needs and purposes dictate how much digital film you will need at any one time, you should review those variables. This chart provides additional information to assist you in making this individual assessment.

   Recommended Digital Film Capacity     Beginner Intermediate Advanced Maximum Camera Resolution 1 Megapixel 16MB 16-32MB 32-48MB 2 Megapixel 16MB-32MB 32MB-48MB 64-80MB 3 Megapixel 32-48MB 48-64MB >80MB

   * Capacity recommendation based in usage in high-resolution mode (Ideal for print-quality images!) Return to Top
    

10. What is a USB-enabled CompactFlash card?
    
    USB-enabled CompactFlash integrates USB functionality into the controller chip on the CompactFlash card. This patented technology enables Lexar Media to manufacture and produce a low cost, USB-connectivity solution for your computer. This solution requires only a USB-enabled CompactFlash card, a JumpShot cable, and a CD-ROM with optimized software drivers. Lexar Media USB-enabled CompactFlash cards are guaranteed to work in all CompactFlash digital cameras. All USB-enabled CompactFlash cards have the USB logo marked clearly on the topside of the card. Return to Top
     

11. What is JumpShot?
    
    JumpShot is a small, low cost, and optimized USB cable used to connect your USB-enabled CompactFlash card with your computer to transfer picture files at very high speed (up to 850KB/sec.). Lexar Media is able to manufacture JumpShot at a low cost because the USB feature is built into the USB-enabled CompactFlash card, which eliminates extra components in the cable. JumpShot ONLY works with the USB-enabled CompactFlash cards. And the best part is you don?t need to have your camera tied up downloading photos slowly, and you don?t need to purchase a separate card reader.
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12. What is a Universal Reader?

    If your computer system lacks slots for memory cards, you can add them in the form of a Universal card reader. A Universal Reader is a device that interfaces easily with your computer and provides connections for SmartMedia, CompactFlash, or PC card digital film. This solution is great if your camera and other devices use different types of digital media, and you don?t want to spend your time connecting and disconnecting multiple readers constantly. Lexar Media offers both Parallel and USB versions of Universal Readers, which are nearly 40 times faster than downloading directly from your camera?s serial port. The Universal Reader also conserves the valuable life of your camera battery when you need to download images to your computer, saving those precious batteries for actually taking pictures. Return to Top

13. What does the symbol CF+ represent?

    This symbol means the CompactFlash card meets the CompactFlash specifications, contains additional USB functionality, and is guaranteed to work in all digital cameras. CF+ is a symbol established by the CompactFlash Association. Return to Top

14. Want more information on Lexar Media products?

    For more product information and where to find Lexar Media products visit digitalfilm-Lexar.
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