Free help and advice to the UK Further and Higher Education community

Helpdesk

All advice documents, training courses and blog entries tagged 'hardware'

Still images advice tagged 'hardware'

  • Introduction to digitising bound volumes

    Bound volumes such as books need to be digitised with care to avoid poor quality capture or damage to the book. This document looks at the specific problems posed when capturing bound documents and compares commonly used digitisation devices.

    Read full advice document...
  • The Book Scanner

    While it is possible to digitise books and bound volumes using scanners or copystands the most efficient and least  harmful device is the dedicated book scanner. For the purpose of this document we have tested a Zeutschel OS1200HQ which scans open books with a total area of A2+ at 400ppi book scanner and compared it to a copystand mounted Nikon D3 camera which captures at 4256 x 2832 pixels camera and an A4 Epson Perfection 4990 flatbed scanner with a maximum resolution of 4800ppi.

    Read full advice document...
  • Tethered Camera Operation

    As technology has improved digital cameras have become more and more portable. Smaller and more ergonomic cameras have made digital photography more practical - however, there are times when it is preferable to use a more static system with camera and computer connected. This is known as tethered camera operation. This document is aimed at anyone who might need to operate their camera from a distance, in an awkward position or wants to preview the image on a high quality computer screen.

    Read full advice document...
  • How Do I Digitise Difficult Objects?

    Scanners and digital cameras are the most commonly used devices for capturing still images; the digital files they create fit seamlessly into the modern workflow. This document looks at scanners and digital cameras and how they can be used to capture non-typical objects. In this document we look at a range of different objects and how we can capture them with a camera or scanner and a few accessories.

    Read full advice document...
  • Still Image Capture: Hardware and Software

    This document is an introduction to digital cameras and scanners and their role in digitisation. This document also looks at the features found in software used to edit images captured by cameras and scanners.

    Read full advice document...

Moving images advice tagged 'hardware'

Audio advice tagged 'hardware'

Cross-media advice tagged 'hardware'

  • The Video Enabled Digital SLR

    Until very recently if you needed to shoot video you purchased a video camera and if you needed to shoot stills you bought a stills camera. However, over the last couple of years manufacturers have started to release stills SLR cameras that can also capture video. With many of the middle and higher range camera models now offering video capture we should look at this new feature and try to identify its strengths and weaknesses. This document is aimed at anyone who has or is about to purchase an SLR camera and needs to know if the video option is of use to them.

    Read full advice document...
  • Light Sources for Still and Moving Images

    The word photography means drawing with light, without light it is impossible to record a video or still image. So lighting whether in a classroom, office or dedicated photographic studio is an essential component in a photograph or video. The captured image is a record of the light that is emitted, reflected or absorbed by the subject. With a basic understanding of light and how it can be modified the photographer or filmmaker should be able to improve the appearance of their images. This document will look at commonly used light sources and how the user can get the most from them.

    Read full advice document...
  • Stands and Supports for Still and Moving Images

    One of the easiest ways to improve the quality of still or moving images is by using a support. Supports and stands can reduce or eliminate vibration or movement which otherwise would degrade the quality of the captured media. Supports come in all shapes and sizes: this document looks at a variety of support types including tripods, copy-stands, clamps and brackets as well as improvised solutions.

    Read full advice document...
  • Audiovisual Signal Types and Interconnects

    Over the decades various technical standards have been adopted for analogue and then for digital video and audio. As the popularity of systems declined they were generally replaced by improved technologies, making many system configurations entirely obsolete. Obsolete interconnects can be difficult to use in conjunction with modern equipment.

    This paper looks at the nature of audio and video signals and then surveys significant historical interconnects (such as RCA) and contemporary, digital equivalents (such as SDI and SPDIF).

    Any method of transferring digital data, such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) can potentially be used to transfer digital audiovisual files, but such technologies are not primarily associated with audio video signal data and so are not discussed here.

    Read full advice document...

Blog entries tagged 'hardware'

Training courses