Compare Touch Screen Digital Cameras
Touch screen digital cameras are point-and-shoot-style cameras that allow users to control camera options and commands --- like capturing photos --- using touch-sensitive screens. As a point-and-shoot camera, a touch screen camera is compact, lightweight and provides automatic as opposed to manual focus. While all touch screen digital cameras share the same basic touch-screen functionality; models vary according to a variety of specifications and features.
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Screen Size
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A digital camera's screen size is a measure of the diagonal distance from a screen's bottom corner to an upper, opposite corner. Most touch screen digital cameras have screen sizes ranging from 3 inches to 3.5 inches. However, the largest models offer 3.7 inch screens. Having a larger screen tends to make a touch screen digital camera easier to use, as it allows for icons and menu options to be larger, more visible and easier to select with a finger-tip. However, the user-friendliness of a touch screen camera also depends on its interface.
Interface
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A touch screen digital camera's interface refers to the system the camera uses for allowing a user to communicate with --- and give commands to --- a camera's hardware. The majority of touch screen camera interfaces allow users to tap icons for making instant settings changes, as well as to tap particular areas of a screen's display for focusing on specific subjects during shooting. When viewing photos, users can typically drag their fingers across or pinch camera screens to scroll and zoom. Some touch screen digital cameras, however, allow for more advanced interface functions. These functions include being able to toggle through menu options by physically tilting cameras; being able to customize menus by tapping and dragging icons to new locations; and being able to rotate photos by using a finger to draw circles on touch screens.
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Durability
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While touch screen digital cameras are well-known for their interface functionality, they are not so well-known for their robustness. For users planning on taking touch screen digital cameras into extreme situations, such as on white water rafting trips, investing in especially durable models of the cameras can be beneficial. Some models provide water-proofing to depths of 10 feet; shock-proofing from heights of 5 feet and even freeze-proofing.
Video Capabilities
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For the camera user who wants to capture live video in addition to still photos, a touch screen digital camera that provides an integrated video-recording function will be ideally. As of 2011, the most advanced touch screen digital cameras with video capabilities allow for 720p high-definition or HD recording. This means the cameras can provide 720 progressively-scanned, vertical lines of display resolution.
Social Networking
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Some touch screen digital cameras offer social networking tools, which make it easy for users to upload photos and videos to a variety of networking and photo-sharing websites. These websites, depending on specific camera models, can potentially include Flickr, Picasa, Kodak Gallery, YouTube and Facebook.
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