What is a digital camera? A digital camera is a camera that captures and stores photographic images in digital form, which means that the images can be fed into and "read" by a computer. When a digital camera captures an image, the "photo" can be stored in the camera itself - on a memory card, or Smart Media card - or transferred immediately to a desktop or laptop computer. Images are transferred to a computer using either a card reader attached to the computer, or using a cable. Images are stored in the camera until they are downloaded or erased. Once a digital image has been transferred to a computer, it can be displayed immediately. If the image is not as you want it to be, you can edit and manipulate it in a variety of ways. As long as you're careful to save each version of the image, you can keep making changes until you're satisfied, or even go back to the original. Digital images can also be printed. With a color printer that can cost as little as $200.00, you can make great-looking, high-resolution prints. Digital images can also be used in reports, presentations, or uploaded to Web pages. A big advantage of digital cameras is that you can see a photograph as you take it. If you are not satisfied with the image, you can delete it and take the photo again, so you don't waste film. Digital cameras are as easy to use as "regular" cameras - many are simply point-and-shoot. But there are many cameras that have more and more sophisticated features, such as the true macro capability of the camera demonstrated by Guy Devyatkin. For taking close-up images, Guy recommends looking for a camera that captures a one-to-one image, so that the image is the same size or bigger in the photo as it is in reality. What are some educational uses of digital cameras? Students and teachers can use digital cameras to create original images for reports, presentations, Web sites, newsletters, leaflets, and flyers. Teachers can use digital cameras to capture images of things too small or dangerous to show to a large group of students all at once. Digital cameras can be used on field trips and during experiments. They can be used to capture and share unique moments in the lives of students and teachers in and out of the classroom. QuickTime Required Guy Devyatkin  THE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHS OFFER A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE STUDENTS, BECAUSE THEY CAN PUT THESE PHOTOGRAPHS INTO THEIR REPORTS, INTO PRESENTATIONS, INTO ANIMATIONS. THERE'S A LOT OF PRETTY EASY-TO-LEARN SOFTWARE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS, SO THAT NORMALLY YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THESE IMAGES AND CROP THEM AND DO SOME BASIC EDITING WORK WITHOUT ANY FANCY SOFTWARE OR EXPERIENCE. FOR EXAMPLE, THESE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE MAGNETIC FIELD, THEY ALLOW STUDENTS TO GET A LOT CLOSER THAN THEY NORMALLY WOULD. For more ideas and advice on using digital cameras in your classroom, check out the following Web sites: Digital Cameras in Education http://members.ozemail.com.au/~cumulus/digcam.htm This Australia-based site suggests many uses for digital cameras in the classroom, as well as technical and logistical advice on using cameras with kids. 1,001 Uses for a Digital Camera http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~ucfcasio/qvuses.htm Not quite 1,001, but a good source of cross-curricular lesson plans built around the use of digital cameras.