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What is a digital camera?

We all enjoy looking at photos and watching videos on our digital devices, but what about making our own?

To make our own we need to use a digital camera.

A digital camera is a device that can make and save a photo or video.

It has a tiny computer inside to help make and save the photo or video.

A digital camera has a special round part on the front called a lens which is like the human eye.

Light shines through the lens making a picture inside the camera. This picture is exactly what the lens sees outside in-front of the camera.

The digital camera has a part inside called a sensor. It can see the picture being made by the lens.

The sensor records and saves this picture with the help of the computer inside the camera.

Taking a digital photo

Instead of saying make a photo, we say take a photo.

To take a photo we press a button on the camera called the shutter.

It might be a real button or a button icon on the device screen.

Pressing the shutter opens and closes the camera lens, a bit like when we blink our eyes.

Whatever is in front of the camera lens when it 'blinked' is recorded onto the sensor as a digital photo.

The photo is then saved in the camera's memory.

If we take a photo of ourselves, it is called a selfie.

Have you ever taken a selfie?

Making a digital video

The camera sensor can also record lots of pictures very quickly one after the other.

It can then join them together to make a moving image - this is called a video.

When a camera makes a video it can also record the sound it hears using a microphone.

We usually say we are recording a video, instead of taking a video.

What do digital cameras look like?

Some digital devices, like smart phones and tablets, have a digital camera built in.

This means they can take photos and record videos as well as all the other things that they can do.

Other digital cameras can only do one job - take digital photos and videos.

Here are some different types of digital camera:

What kind of photos and videos can we make?

It's fun to use digital cameras to take photos and record videos of our friends and family.

• You could record a video of your pet to send to your family who live too far away to come and visit.
• You could use an action camera on a chest harness to film a skateboard or scooter trick - remember to practice.

• You could take photos of the delicious cake you have just baked to share with your friends.
• You could take some photos to show how your seeds have grown into plants.
• You could record a video of your trip to the zoo to watch when you get home.

Sharing our photos and videos

It's fun to share photos and videos with our friends and family.

We can look at our photos and videos together on the camera device screen, or show them on a larger screen like a TV, a tablet or computer screen.

We can print our photos onto paper and put them into a book called an album to share with other people.

We can also share our videos and photos using the internet.

We can share them online or send them to friends and family in an email.

Remember you should always be careful not to take photos of people you don't know without asking permission.

Always check with a trusted adult before you share any photos or videos online.

Glossary

Here are the meanings of some important words.

Camera - A device that can make a photo or a video.
Digital camera - A camera that uses a computer to make images.
Lens - The part of a camera that lets light in, like a human eye.
Shutter - A button on the camera that opens and closes the lens, like a blink.
Camera sensor - A device that can record a picture made from light coming through a camera lens.
Photo - A single image created by a camera.
Video - A series of images created by a camera that create a moving image.
Record - Make a copy and save.
Image - Another word for picture.
Digital device - A machine that has a computer inside.
Screen - A device that shows pictures, text, videos and animations.
Printer - A device that can make a paper copy of information from a computer.
Tablet - A type of computer that has a touch screen and no keyboard.
Online - Connected to the internet.
Selfie - A digital image that someone has made of themselves.
Album - A book that contains lots of printed photos stuck onto the blank pages.
Email - A message sent using a computer connected to the internet.
Trusted adult - An adult that you know and will keep you safe.

Activities