Digital cameras have helped evolve the way people do photography these days. Film photography used to set a limit to the number of shots that a photographer could take, if only to cut on unnecessary expenses. The use of film back then, after all, wasn’t exactly cheap. Nowadays, people take a limitless number of photos, since processing them is no longer much of a problem. The exchange of photos used to be through actual developed photos. Now, people send them through email or even post them on websites and different social media sites.
Blame it on the huge volume of photos being taken these days. People just don’t print out photos the way they used to. So, how does one display a favorite photo? A computer would be fine, but it’s just not the same as having a picture put on a frame.
What are digital photo frames?
Since most photos these days are taken digitally, it’s but practical to have them put into a digital phot frame. As high tech as it may sound, a digital photo frame is simply an LED monitor that is meant to look like a classic picture frame. Just like regular picture frames, they can be oriented horizontally or vertically, depending on your preference. They can also be placed almost anywhere – on the piano, your favorite table or even placed hanging on a wall. Since this picture frame is digital in nature, you can store pictures on an SD card that is placed in a slot on the frame. The display can show either a single shot, or a series of shots, depending on what you have saved on the card.
A digital picture frame can actually be quite a practical gift, even if the person you have in mind is not technology savvy. One way in which you can give a digital picture a frame is to have photos already uploaded on the frame so that the person need not bother, as it can be quite confusing for someone who is really not into new technology.
Digital frames have also become quite affordable, so these can easily fit into your budget.
Digital picture frames need not be permanently fixed in just one place. The great thing about these frames is that they can be put on display for certain occasions alone. Some come with a/c adaptors so that they need to be plugged in electrical outlets. Others come with rechargeable batteries, making them more convenient to use.
Just how versatile can digital frames get?
Since basic digital frames are meant to display photos, it is understandable that they are capable of displaying image files such as JPEG, TIFT or BPM images.
There are also frames that come with audio capabilities, as some of them come with built-in speakers. Because of this capability, these audio-enabled frames are able to play MP4 or WAV files so that the photos on display can come with background music, if preferred. Another nice thing about these audio-enabled frames is that they can play videos as well. These frames are able to support a variety of video files such as M-JPEG, WMA, AVI, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4.
Digital frames come with a variety of features depending on the model and type of frame. There are those that must be hooked up to a computer by means of a software in order to make slideshows to utilize different designs and modes of playback. Some frames, though, can actually be programmed directly through manual controls on the frame itself. You can get pretty creative using digital frames, as you can actually combine music, photos and videos to create your very own presentation, especially if your frames have speakers built into them.
Other cool features found on digital frames are sensors that help you choose the orientation of your photos and slides. These can even help resize images that you upload so that they fit into the frame with very minimal distortion or change in the resolution.
Digital frames can also serve as extra PC monitors. They can be connected to the USB port of your PC and can be activated using the accompanying software.
Many of these digital frames come with remote controls, too, for added convenience.
One other thing that makes digital frames really convenient is that they allow for photo printing. This can be done by a simple touch of a button so anyone can do it.
What are the different sizes of digital frames?
Digital picture frames come in a variety of sizes. The smallest size digital frames come in are around 1.5 inches. The large ones can be as big as 19 to 32 inches.
Small digital frames are meant to be used as key-chains, although, in reality, they aren’t as handy as advertised. They do, however, easily fit in handbags or briefcases, making it easy for you to bring these with you. Screen resolutions of these types of frames are at 128×128 pixels.
Frames at 2.8 inches come with a screen resolution of 320×240 pixels. They still can fit into bags, so you can still carry them along with you wherever you go. Compared to the 1.5 inch screens, though, expect them to be less handy.
If you’re looking for something similar to the usual picture frames, the 3.5 inch ones work well, since they are the ones that you can easily placed on any nightstand or display table.
8 to 12 inch frames come in different resolutions. Some come with 800×600 resolutions, while others come with 800×480 pixel resolutions. There are also big picture frames that come in a number of resolutions, too! Some come in as detailed as 1440×900 pixels.
How are photos placed in a digital frame?
Most digital frames actually function similarly to computer external drives. They are connected via a USB cable to a main computer where they appear as part of the computer system, much like any standard USB drive. Files can be transferred from your computer using the cable and software. Digital frames have their own memory which can be anywhere from 8 MB to 4GB. There frames too which have ports where you can attach clip drives so you can directly transfer files from the drive to the frame. If digital frames seem to be bothersome to set up, you need not be discouraged. There are frames that have readers for different storage card types such as CF, SD, SDHC, MMC, MsPro, MsDUo and XDs. You can load your images into the cards or directly put the card from your camera or mobile device into the card slot provided in the frame.
There are other frames that make use of WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity. This makes it even more convenient since images can be immediately uploaded from any gadget, such as a phone or tablet, directly to the digital frame. There are also those come with an email address so that others can send photos directly to the frame using the specified address. For added connectivity, others can be directly linked to social media sites, such as Facebook, so that photos are kept up-to-date in real time. There are also those that can be linked to mobile carriers, such as AT&T, with a limited amount of storage space. Additional storage may be purchased though for an additional fee.
Can these frames be easily matched to your other home decors?
Digital frames come in different colors and finishes to easily match many home decors. Some may come with metal, acrylic, or real wood finish. There are a number of colors to choose from. The mats and frame design may also be mixed and matched so you can come up with different themes. Some even have clips so that you can easily snap an older frame into your new digital frame.
Digital frames are a modern way by which you can easily upload and display your favorite photos. The memories that these frames hold are priceless. With digital frames, you no longer have to choose which among your many memories is your favorite one. Instead, you can always look and recapture those special moments for as long as you want and even share them with those who are closest to you.