Number 233 - September 2002

Digital Image Storage
by Ali Tabikh, Palmia Computer Club, Mission Viejo, California
If you are a film camera user you need not rush to purchase a digital camera; film photograhy has many advantages, not the least of which is superior resolution. Add to this the fact that you can still display your images on the computer monitor. Most film developers now offer the choice of giving the images on paper, on a computer floppy or a CD, or both.     But for digital camer owners storage is a bit more complicated. Digital image storage facilities come in many shapes and sizes. SmartMedia and CompactFlash remain the two most popular media; the IBM Microdrive uses the thicker (5mm) Type II CompactFlash form factor. Sony digicams offer storage options that include floppy disk, mini CD-R, and its proprietary Memory Stick. Iomega attempted to launch its Clik! format, and Agfa even built a camera using it, but Agfa has left the North American consumer digital-imaging market. The most popular new formats are MultiMedia Card (MMC) and Secure	Digital (SD). Because of their postage-stamp size, these cards are popular with such new digicams as Leica's Digilux 1.     For this reason one needs a multifunction card reader to access these media. And Dazzle's Universal 6-in-1 Reader, which accepts six different kinds of media is the most versatile available. No power is required because it draws current directly from the USB it is attached to.     A source of irritation for most digital camera users is the built-in obsolescence of most digital storage media. Dazzle's 6-in-1 Universal Reader seems to be the logical accessory and is unlikely to become obsolete any time soon.     Information about the Dazzle 6-in-1 Universal Reader was taken from an article by Joe Farace, ComputerUser.com, May 1,2002.
Number 233 - September 2002