There are actually two routes to go, in office or at home. Both methods are effective but you need to decide if you would rather spend an hour or so at the dentist or have a couple quick dentist visits then do the treatment at home over a 3 day period. Another thing to consider is that some in office methods take special equipment so you need to see what your dentist is set up for. All of the methods produce similar results.

This is a guide that is here to inform you of the options available and what is involved but remember that everyone’s teeth are different so to decide on the best option for you ask your dentist.

In home method:

The in home method includes two short visits to the dentist then 3 days at home. On the first visit the dentist takes an impression of your mouth. The dentist then uses the impressions to make two trays, one for the upper teeth and one for the bottom. These trays are very thin and almost invisible. They can be worn during the day or at night.

On the second visit the trays are given to the patient and tested for a proper fit then the dentist shows how to apply the prescription quality gel into the tray. This gel is stronger than the tooth whiteners you would buy over the counter.

At home the patient will wear the trays for several hours a day for three days. By the end of the treatment the teeth should be noticeably whiter.

The patient usually experiences some sensitivity for a couple days after the treatment.

This treatment usually runs around $500.

In office methods:

Zoom Whitening:

Zoom Whitening is about a 1 hour in office treatment. The Dentist first places a retractor in the mouth to pull the lips away from the teeth. The “Zoom” whitening gel is then applied to the teeth. A bright light is then shone on the mouth for about an hour. The gel is activated buy the light that whitens the teeth.

The patient may have some sensitivity for a couple days.

The cost of this treatment runs about $500.

Bright Smile:

This is also about a 1 hour treatment. A gentle hydrogen peroxide gel is applied to the teeth then activated by shining a special light onto the mouth. This is a gentle “Blue Spectrum” light which is patented by Bright Smile. The blue light is wavelength matched to the gel so it can whiten and brighten your smile.

The patient may have some sensitivity for a couple days.

This treatment costs about $500

Rembrandt:

Rembrandt is a 1 hour in office treatment that can whiten teeth up to 10 shades. A bleaching gel ( Rembrandt Virtuoso Lightening Gel) is places on the teeth. A “Rembrandt Sapphire light” is the shone on the mouth for about an hour.

Rembrandt claims that this treatment will prevent renewed stains, yellowing & dulling.

After this treatment you may experience some sensitivity for a couple days.

This treatment costs about $500.

Are you a candidate for tooth whitening?

The candidate for tooth whitening is anyone with stained, yellowed or discolored teeth that wants a brighter smile. The real question is which candidates will have the best results.

The candidates that will see the most dramatic change will be those whose teeth are discolored due to age, drinking coffee, tea, red wine or cola. If your teeth are stained from smoking or gray due to taking certain medications you will see improvement but not as extreme.

How to save money

Tooth whitening is considered a cosmetic procedure so dental insurance wont pay for any of it. This means that many people who would really like to brighten their smile are forced to delay or completely go without treatment. There are a few things that you can do to make tooth whitening and all your dental care more affordable.

1. Shop around: You can ask different dentists what they charge for their services. With many procedures they would need to examine your mouth before giving you a cost but with whitening they can usually give you a pretty accurate figure.

2. Ask about discounts and payment plans: Because cosmetic procedures are costly but not covered by insurance many dentists are prepared to work with patients so they are able to get treatment.

3. Medical savings groups: There are now medical savings groups that are very affordable to join and can save you a lot of money.

Myth 1 – Teeth Whitening ruins your tooth enamel

Not generally true! Professional Teeth Whitening product suppliers mostly use Hydrogen Peroxide or Carbamide Peroxide as the active ingredients in their tooth whitener gels. The chemical Hydrogen Peroxide (HO) is a bleaching agent which converts into water (HO) and releases an Oxygen molecule (O) in the process of the chemical reaction. Both Water and Oxygen are common, safe components of our everyday lives.

The Oxygen particles penetrate the rough surface of your tooth (even though they appear smooth, they are microscopically rough, rod like crystal structures) and dislodge staining particles. I like to explain this by imagining the TV commercials which show how a clothes washing powder with oxygen lifts stains from your clothing.

The “bleach” Hydrogen Peroxide is not the same as household bleach containing ammonia, or other low-end, acid based tooth whitening products, and can be swallowed, within limits. In fact our own bodies produce Hydrogen Peroxide naturally!

Acidic products can remove enamel from your teeth. Look for teeth whitening products using Hydrogen Peroxide which is pH balanced, meaning they have no, or low acidity levels. Putting acidity into perspective, you should be aware that everyday Orange Juice is shown in lab studies to soften (and potentially erode) tooth enamel by many times more than a professional hydrogen peroxide based tooth whitening gel could, if used correctly.

Myth 2 – Teeth Whitening is not Safe

Not true! Cosmetic Teeth Bleaching with Hydrogen Peroxide has been in use for 100 years. Most recognized dental bodies worldwide endorse tooth bleaching as a generally safe practice, when simple safety steps are followed. Any professional supplier of teeth whitening products will include adequate instructions for the safe use of their product.

Safety vs Risk with tooth whitening is generally centred on 2 main issues: Exposure of the gel to the gums and soft tissue of the mouth or lips, and tooth sensitivity. Both can be minimized by using professional products and minimizing the amount of time the bleaching gel is exposed to the gums or teeth.

As with any cosmetic procedure, there are potential risks. Thankfully with professional teeth whitening any side effects experienced are temporary and are not permanent. As with most cosmetic procedures, you may have to endure some discomfort to look better. Sometimes I call this “Vain Pain”.

Myth 3 – All whitening Gel is the same

Not true! Of the two major professional gel options, there is Carbamide Peroxide and Hydrogen Peroxide. Both produce the same active ingredient Hydrogen Peroxide, but Carbamide Peroxide acts SLOWER on the teeth and is recommended for use only with an Accelerator Light (I will talk about that later) or for overnight use. Carbamide Peroxide concentrations contains roughly 1/3 of the active ingredient, Hydrogen Peroxide. As an example, 35% Carbamide Peroxide is roughly equal to 12% Hydrogen Peroxide.

Because Hydrogen Peroxide is an unstable chemical which reacts immediately, it is more expensive to produce. Many vendors offer only Carbamide Peroxide based products as a result. Stabilized Hydrogen Peroxide, while the most difficult and expensive to produce, reacts immediately on contact with the teeth and is best suited for short duration tooth whitening treatments without an accelerator light.

Myth 4 – Teeth Whitening Accelerator Lights don’t work

Not generally true! Except in some cases. There are businesses who sell only take home teeth whitening kits, and some Dentists, who say that the LED Lights and other accelerator lights are just a gimmick and don’t work.

There have been many studies conducted which show that the use of a professional accelerator light does indeed accelerate the oxidization (the release of oxygen and chemical bleaching reaction) of tooth whitener gel. This is especially true with Carbamide Peroxide based whitening gels which react much slower chemically.

Ask yourself, how many Dentists and Cosmetic Dentistry businesses offer an “in-office”, “chairside”, “instant whitening” or “Power Whitening” treatment? Many of them! Now why would they offer this treatment if the accelerator lights did not work? From my own professional experience, there is no doubt that the professional quality Blue LED Accelerator lights enable a faster tooth whitening result when using Carbamide Peroxide gel. In our own studies and observations having worked with thousands of clients and compared the results with the same gel, over the same time period, with and without the LED Accelerator Lamp, we are sure there is a noticeable improvement with the light under these conditions.

But, not all Accelerator Lights are the same. Some Dentists use older technology lamps such as Plasma, UV and other technologies. These technologies function at a light spectrum which is known to cause heating or burning of the skin tissue and heating of the tooth surface to release the oxygen in the gel, unfortunately that can also mean UV damage to your mouth, gums and lips. There are also mini handheld LED Lights you often see in TV Commercials – these are only toys and do not have enough power to have any effect.

Another case of where an accelerator light doesn’t work well is if the provider uses a mouth tray to hold the gel against the teeth, and this tray is coloured, is a “Silicone Impression” tray, or is a Pre-Filled Foam tray. These types of mouthguard trays do not allow the light frequency to pass through them and there are no accelerated bleaching effects as a result.

Modern, professional teeth whitening accelerator lamps all use LED light in the blue light spectrum, at a specific frequency which excites the oxygen release from the chemical, and accelerates the tooth whitening process. They are often known as “Cool LED” or “cold” light accelerators because they do not heat the teeth or surrounding tissue. As a result, they are perfectly safe, and the technology is FDA Apparoved.

Myth 5 – You need to go to a Dentist to get professional whitening results

Not true! Today, you can buy in Australia, professional strength tooth whitening products which you can use at home or as a service with a professional accelerator light and assistance – and not just from the Dentist.

Dentists are exclusively allowed to use the VERY STRONG bleaching gels, over 16% Hydrogen Peroxide, and up to 35% Hydrogen Peroxide. At these strengths of whitening gel, the real risks are tooth sensitivity and gum trauma. Dentists therefore use a special gum barrier which they apply to your gums prior to applying the strong gels. A Dentist will usually get a better whitening result in the same amount of time as a non-dental treatment, but there are costs to consider, both financially and in increased tooth sensitivity when using the stronger Dentist-only treatments.

For many years the Dentist’s had the cosmetic teeth whitening market monopolized because professional teeth whitening technology was too expensive for anyone else. Today, the price and availability of professional tooth whitening products means you have many more choices and options.

Myth 6 – Teeth Bleaching Gels from anywhere other than USA, Australia or UK are unsafe

Not true! First of all, in this modern world, you may not even know it but products appearing to be manufactured by a good American or Australian brand are most likely actually manufactured in China. This is true with all types of products and technology worldwide, due to simple economics.

There are many brands of teeth whitening products available in the market. You don’t need to be concerned where they were manufactured, because it makes NO DIFFERENCE. The active chemical, Hydrogen Peroxide is the same the world over. Because Hydrogen Peroxide is also used as a disinfectant, bacteria can’t live in this chemical and it will always be safe (ie; germ and bacteria free) to put Hydrogen Peroxide based gel into your mouth regardless of where it came from or how it was manufactured.

If the Hydrogen Peroxide gel is past its use by date or chemically expired, you will know right away, because the gel turns a milky white colour which shows that it is already oxidized and will no longer be effective at whitening your teeth, it won’t cause any harm.

Myth 7 – You need customized Mouthguard trays to get best whitening results

Not true! While Dentists offer custom mouth trays which costs a lot of money, there are also many home whitening kits providing the boil-n-bite thermoshrinking mouthguards which will work equally as well. The totally custom trays may be a little more comfortable to wear, but they need to be, because in general, a Dentist’s at-home teeth whitening kits require you to have the tray in your mouth for long periods of time, over weeks of use. There are non-dentist products which only require short time duration usage, so it doesn’t matter as much if the mouthguard is less comfortable.

The other problem with mouthguards which are too form-fitted is that the gap between the teeth and the surface of the mouthguard is so small, that only the thinnest layer of whitening gel can fit between. The problem with this is less chemical = less whitening result, so you need to use the mouthguard and gel more frequently, over longer periods of time to get a good result.

Myth 8 – All teeth are the same and whitening results should be like the “Hollywood” smile

Unfortunately, some people have unrealistic expectations and can be disappointed with their teeth whitening results. This is not because professional teeth whitening products don’t work, because they ALWAYS WORK to some degree. It’s because they fail to understand that each person’s teeth are unique in mineral composition, which means that tooth bleaching will produce a different result for each person. If your teeth are genetically more yellow than someone else, your results will not be as white, no matter who’s product you use, how many times you try to whiten your teeth, or what the strength of the gel is. And some people have deep staining from antibiotics, tetracycline etc. which can’t be easily removed and may never be fully removed. Also, there are people with genetically grey or blue tinted teeth for which Hydrogen Peroxide bleaching does not work as well as yellow or brown colour tints.

People see the Hollywood Stars on TV and in Movies and believe they can get their teeth bleached to look like the movie stars. Unfortunately, that is not possible. Chemical Teeth Whitening has its limits of effectiveness and will not produce the pure white colour (for most people) you see on Movie Stars. Does that mean that movie stars are just genetically lucky? No, it means that movie stars have often paid many thousands of dollars for Porcelain Veneers to straighten their teeth and make them pure white. Of course you have this option too, if you have the money, but a tooth whitening with Hydrogen Peroxide generally makes a noticeable difference in whiteness and brightness of natural teeth, at a much lower cost than Veneers.

Myth 9 – If I have Caps, Crowns, Veneers or Dentures so I can’t whiten my teeth

Not true! While Hydrogen Peroxide only whitens natural teeth, it also cleans all surfaces, including man-made surfaces of caps, crowns, veneers and dentures. Some dentists say that hydrogen peroxide can weaken the bond of some of these artificial substances, or attack the metal components, but you should check with your Dentist about your specific case before whitening your natural teeth if you are concerned.

It is always better to whiten your natural teeth FIRST if you are going to be getting any caps, crowns etc. fitted. This is because the dentist can then match the colour of the artificial substance to your now whiter, natural teeth, giving an overall whiter smile.

Common Questions and Answers about Teeth Whitening:

Does Whitening Toothpaste work?

The problem here is that there is not a strong enough concentration of any chemical, and it is not concentrated on your teeth long enough to make ANY noticeable difference to the whiteness of your teeth. The only real “whiteness” if you can call it that, which is created by toothpaste is actually the abrasive action of the toothbrush or paste against your tooth enamel. This scratching DOES wear down tooth enamel and also removes large chunks of staining material on the tooth surface, but not the tiny staining particles which make teeth look more yellow. This is the same thing with “Tooth Polishes” which only act like a fine sandpaper to remove tooth enamel while brushing and will cause increased tooth sensitivity with prolonged use tooth enamel thins.

As with the Risk vs Reward argument, while there is significant damage caused to tooth enamel from tooth brushing over time, on balance this is better than the consequences of not cleaning your teeth.

Don’t be fooled by those expensive “whitening toothpastes” – they do not make a noticeable difference to the whiteness of your teeth, they are abrasively removing enamel from your teeth and you’re better off spending your money on something that does work.

Who is suitable for Teeth Whitening?

The generally recommended rules to define people who are suitable for teeth whitening are:

• Over 16 years of age (due to potential development of the teeth prior to this age, parental consent may be required)
• Not Pregnant or Lactating (this is an additional safety measure to protect babies, although you would not generally be able to swallow enough Hydrogen Peroxide from a normal teeth whitening treatment to harm your baby)
• No known allergies to Hydrogen Peroxide. If you have ever developed skin irritation when bleaching your hair with Hydrogen Peroxide, you may be allergic. But if you don’t know you’re allergic, it will become evident in the first few minutes of a teeth whitening treatment, and you can simply stop the treatment. Any side effects, no matter how discomforting will disappear in a few days with no permanent damage.

Aside from these conditions, teeth whitening is not advisable for people with Dental Braces, people with gum disease, open cavities, leaking fillings, recent oral surgery, or other dental conditions. If in doubt, I recommend you visit your Dentist prior to using a professional strength teeth whitening product.

People with grey or blue tint colour to their natural teeth may also not benefit as greatly from teeth whitening using Hydrogen Peroxide, as people with yellow or brown tint colour.

If you have Gingivitis or Periodontal disease, any Hydrogen Peroxide bleach on your gum line will be painful and may produce a small amount of bleeding at the gum line. As a result, I don’t recommend whitening your teeth until these issues are under control with your Dentist. What is interesting however, is that reports have shown that Hydrogen Peroxide can kill the bacteria which causes Gingivitis, possibly preventing further damage.

What are the Risks with Teeth Whitening?

Whitening treatments are generally safe, however, some of the potential complications of these treatments include:

GUM IRRITATION: Whitening gel that comes in contact with gum tissue during the treatment may cause inflammation and/or blanching or whitening of the gums, gum line or inside lips. This is due to inadvertent exposure of small areas of those tissues to the whitening gel. The inflammation and/or whitening of gums is transient, meaning it does not last, and any colour change of the gum tissue will reverse within two hours, usually within 10-30 minutes. Persons with a history of mouth ulcers may develop temporary mouth ulcers which usually disappear within a few days after treatment.

TOOTH SENSITIVITY: Although more common with the in-Office Dentist Treatments using very strong bleaching gels, some people can experience some tooth sensitivity for a period after the whitening treatment. People with existing sensitivity, recently cracked teeth, micro-cracks, open cavities, leaking fillings, or other dental conditions that cause sensitivity may find that those conditions increase or prolong tooth sensitivity after a cosmetic teeth whitening treatment.

SPOTS OR STREAKS: Some people may develop white spots or streaks on their teeth due to calcium deposits that naturally occur in teeth. These usually diminish within 24 hours.

RELAPSE: After a cosmetic teeth whitening treatment, it is natural for teeth colour to regress somewhat over time. This is natural and should be very gradual, but it can be accelerated by exposing your teeth to various staining agents, such as coffee, tea, tobacco, red wine, etc. You should not eat or drink anything except water during the first 60 minutes after a teeth whitening treatment, and avoid tooth staining agents for 24 hours after (eat and drink white or clear coloured foods during this time).The results of a Hydrogen Peroxide based tooth bleaching treatment are not intended to be permanent, and can last up to 2 years when using professional strength treatments. Secondary, repeat, or touch-up treatments may be needed to achieve or maintain the colour you desire for your teeth.

How do I achieve best teeth whitening results?

Before answering this question, you should be thinking of the tooth whitening results from a single treatment, as a trade-off against the potential side-effects of a single treatment. The best answer is balance! Balance the potential results with the potential risk of side-effects. The highest concentrations of Hydrogen Peroxide produce the best results in the shortest time, but also have the highest potential side-effects. My recommendation is middle of the road – not the strongest, and not the weakest to get a happy balance of results and risk.

Before you undertake a professional teeth whitening treatment, have your teeth cleaned professionally. At least in the smile area, which is the upper and lower 8-10 front teeth. REMEMBER, teeth are opaque so cleaning the BACK of the teeth is very important to the overall whitening results you will achieve. A Dental Cleaning will remove any excess materials stuck to the outside of your teeth and permit the Hydrogen Peroxide to work best at bleaching your natural teeth, evenly.

Use a professional strength teeth whitening gel. Many Pharmacies, TV Ads and Internet companies promote teeth whitening products which use 3% or 6% Hydrogen Peroxide concentration. These just don’t work well at whitening teeth, and any effect they have takes a LONG time to achieve. The comparative cost difference is not that great between these low-end products and products of professional strength, but the time and effort required is. I recommend 12% Hydrogen Peroxide if available in your area, unless you are using a whitening treatment with a professional accelerator light which can use 35% Carbamide Peroxide. Of course the Dentist in-Office power whitening treatments generally use gel much stronger than 12%, but beware of the potential side effects.

Remember, if your teeth aren’t as white as you would like after the first treatment, you can always allow some time to monitor your gums and teeth for any side-effects, then take an additional treatment(s). Provided the product you are using is not too expensive, this is the best and safest way to achieve optimal teeth whitening results.

How long does Teeth Whitening last?

This depends on the product you use to whiten your teeth, and the lifestyle you lead.

If you are a smoker, or regularly drink red wine or use any other heavily coloured substances regularly, your whiter teeth will become stained again more quickly.

There is no absolute answer to this question, but in general, if you use a professional teeth whitening product for the full treatment as recommended, you may be able to keep the whiter teeth for up to 2 years if you are conscious of what you eat and drink, and maintain your teeth and oral health properly.

Most people are not saints and lead lives where they enjoy red wine or a curry etc. That’s fine, but if you want to keep your whiter teeth you should brush them 60 minutes after you have consumed the food or drink. Research suggests you should not brush immediately after eating because the acid formed in your mouth when eating makes the tooth enamel softer and abrasive brushing of the teeth during this period can be detrimental.

I also recommend the use of Teeth Whitening Pens. They apply a thin layer of Hydrogen Peroxide to the teeth, at any time or place, and will bleach any staining close to the tooth surface (if the concentration is strong enough). Whitening Pens active ingredient only works for 30 to 60 seconds on the teeth because saliva washes it away, so choose a Whitening Pen which uses Hydrogen Peroxide (not Carbamide) and is professional strength gel. Whitening Pens are generally not suitable for removing deeper stains.

I have tooth sensitivity problems, can I still whiten my teeth?

Yes, and you have several options. You could use a desensitizing tooth paste for approximately 1 month prior to whitening your teeth and if sensitivity is reduced, you can use any product. But be aware that your sensitivity will likely increase again during or after the treatment, so I suggest choosing a mid strength whitening gel where you can remove it quickly if discomfort gets unbearable.

The other option is a low strength whitening gel. This will work over a longer period of time, but sometimes also increases sensitivity because of the amount of time required on the teeth to get a good result.

Probably the best option, in my opinion, is a Teeth Whitening Pen of at least 12% Hydrogen Peroxide concentration. Because you can paint the gel onto specific teeth and because the gel is washed away by saliva in less than a minute, this may produce the best results, with the least discomfort.

What should I do immediately after I whiten my teeth?

• Rinse the gel from your teeth and mouth without swallowing.
• Brush your teeth within 60 minutes using a tooth paste containing Fluoride to help seal the teeth
• Don’t eat or drink colored foods, or smoke for at least 60 minutes
• If you have tooth sensitivity, use a desensitizing tooth paste
• If you have tingling in your gums, purchase from the Pharmacy a preparation designed to soothe gums. This will help to prevent mouth ulcers forming (if you are predisposed) and decrease the discomfort and duration of any potential gum irritation.

The simple rule to the best Teeth Whitening results

Concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide (Strength) + Time on the teeth (Time) = Results (Effectiveness)

When factoring in Time, you should also consider the consequences of time:

• More effort, meaning you may not complete the full treatment
• More inconvenience
• Enough active ingredient to chemically react over that time period. That is to say, just leaving any whitening gel on your teeth for 24 consecutive hours won’t help because the Hydrogen Peroxide normally is fully reacted and spent within 20 minutes.
• Longer exposure of the mouthguard to the gums. Friction of the mouthguard can often cause gum irritation
• Longer exposure of the bleaching gel to the gums. Once again, the risk of gum irritation.
• Remember, there are limits to the whiteness achievable with natural teeth and these will vary with your tooth genetics, your lifestyle and the state of your teeth at the time of whitening.

More information and Teeth Whitening Product Reviews available by downloading the full report.

Maps Labs is a recent innovation from Google in order to facilitate the features of Google Maps. The objective is to make it more interactive. Depending on the response and success of Maps Labs, it might become a regular feature in Google Maps. Currently there are nine features that are part of it they are Aerial Imagery, Back to Beta, Drag ‘n’ Zoom, LatLng Marker, LatLng Tooltip, Rotatable Maps, Smart Zoom, What’s Around Here and Where in the World Game.

Without any doubt, it is well established that the intention is to make Google in Maps more interactive. In true spirit of its name Maps Labs allows everyone to suggest features that can be added to make Google Maps more interactive. Though it has only been couple of days since Maps labs was introduced, a cautionary remark in the Google-Latlong blog that if the features don’t live up to the promises then one can escape to the standard version of Google in Map, makes us raise questions on the future plans of the project.

‘Aerial Imagery’ as the name says offers an aerial image in a different perspective, in the ‘Drag ‘n’ Zoom’ option viewers simply need to direct the cursor on the area that needs to be highlighted and it will get zoomed. ‘LatLng Marker’ is an additional feature in Context Menu. LatLang is a shortened way of referring to latitude and longitude; that allows visitors to drop a mini marker indicating the latitude and longitude of the position that the cursor was pointing at when the context menu was evoked. The ‘LatLang Tooltip’ feature displays a tooltip next to the mouse cursor showing the latitude and longitude directly underneath it. You wouldn’t miss the habit of turning the map up and down, when we use to view it physically; the ‘Rotatable Maps’ feature allows visitors to turn the it upside down. What’s Around Here enables a second search option; it earmarks the interesting areas in the place that we are searching. It is a secondary search because it gives us additional options of areas and business that might be of interest to us.

Out of all the features some are notable and some are just passable, for example if we would consider the Smart Zoom feature then we will find that it is just a smart way of saying in advance that the image cannot be zoomed further.

It would be interesting to check out the new features that would part of Maps Labs in the immediate future and figure out how much additional interface would they add to Google Maps.

Panasonic FZ40 has a shape and some of the specifications are almost similar to its predecessor FZ35, but the fundamental difference is that the resolution is increased to 14.1 Megapixel and increasing control arrangement for functionality effectiveness. With the optical zoom capability is incorporated with a 24x image stabilizer, makes this camera very attractive for use in making long-distance object. Usually if you’re not unusual, when we use a camera with a zoom lens that has a long, then the picture will be blurred caused shake our hands, unless we are usually use the camera or a trained person. Therefore stabilizer on this camera helps to reduce blurry picture. When it’s possible, you better uses a tripod.

The Lumix FZ40 has equipped with a 24x LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens uses Panasonic’s POWER Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.) that can reduce the vibration caused by the use of a long zoom. And stabilizer technology is also helpfully if we take the photos at low light conditions and setting in the low shutter speed, create the image will be clearly. On the camera is not equipped with an image stabilizer, at a low shutter speed tends to produce blurred images if our hands are not steady and trained when holding the camera.

Like its predecessor, Panasonic FZ40 digital kamera use the 3″ LCD to see the object to be captured, we can and I think this size is very nice to see more clearly, although for more fine details image can be captured, we uses zoom functions. Additionally, Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 is also equipped with Electronic Viewfinder (EVF). In my opinion, the difference the fixed LCD and ELV are when you want to look at outdoor with enough sun blazing, the EVF will be very helpfully, and also requires more efficient in battery consumption. The both options (LCD and EVF) can not works together; we should select one of them. We can push the activated button that located on the right of the camera body. It is fairly easy to reach. When you activate the EVF will simultaneously turn off the main screen LCD.

The time required from the first turn to the camera ready to capture images is about 2 seconds, this may be because the camera lens should be set up in order to totally ready to zoom up to 24x. At the same time, the shutter release time lag has achieved as short as approx. 0.006 second thanks to the multi-task image-processing engine, the Venus Engine HD II. The camera’s quick response makes it easier to capture sudden, challenges photo opportunities together with the Sonic Speed AF (Auto Focus).

The FZ40 camera has full-packed features that it generates the stunning image quality and its easy-of-use helps us as a photo hobbyist or just point and shoot camera users. These cameras use the Lithium ion battery that can be recharged, its performance is quite good depends on amount of use of flash and the LCD. In generally, a fully charged battery provides enough power for 580 pictures using standard CIPA (Camera Imaging Products Association). Moreover, when we use the EVF (Electronic Viewfinder) would be very helpful to save battery, other than using the LCD to preview the captured object. But its better you should always prepare a spare battery for unexpected conditions.

The Panasonic DMC FZ20K features a 5-MP CCD sensor. It offers a wide range of colors and details with picture quality up to 2560 x 1920 pixels?which gives you quality prints up to 13 x 17 inches. Equipped with a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 12x zoom lens, this digital camera renders superb imaging. In addition, the Panasonic DMC FZ20K digital camera is designed with a 4x digital zoom. Thus, users can enjoy a total of 48x zoom lens. However, users should be reminded that digital zoom lessens the quality of the picture.

The Panasonic DMC FZ20K digital photo camera allows you to capture motion video with a sound feature at a maximum resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. The memory card limits the amount of video that can be captured. And of course, at low quality setting, longer video lengths can be accommodated compared when at high quality mode. Although the videos cannot be lined with camcorder quality, the movie feature is convenient and fun to use. Audio recordings and comments up to five seconds can also be added to your still pictures.

The videos and images are saved on Secure Digital memory cards. A DMC package comes with a 16 MB SD card. The files on the SD card can be transferred to a computer via USB connectivity. The Panasonic DMC FZ20K digital camera is operated with a lithium-ion battery pack. This is included in the package. Physically, this model weighs 1.14 pounds and measures 3.43 x 5.02 x 4.18 inches.

If you are considering to buy your own digital camera, you may try the DMC FZ20K. Because when it comes to digital cameras, you can never go wrong with a Panasonic.

Introduction

Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD is a telephoto zoom lens designed for digital SLR cameras by Nikon, focal length range is 18-270mm, As a 35mm camera, the Equivalent focal length is about 28-432mm, optical magnification rate is up to 15X, Tamron can be said that once again break a maximum zoom SLR camera lens records. If you are a photographer, I would like to recommend Tamron 18-270mm B008 Lens, because the lens can give you a lot of benefit when you shooting on travel or outdoor.

Highlight Features

The Lens Highlight features optical image stabilization function.

I believe we all understand the bad of telephoto zoom lens, any kind of micro jitter can make you lose a chance to shoot, most people would shake when he hand a heavy SLR camera, and use the VC Optical Image Stabilizer technology, It can Reduction the affect of you jitter and increase the chance you take a good photo. In the dark environment or when using telephoto lens, optical image stabilization function can reduced the shooting speed, and increasing the probability of you take a clear image.

Focal length range is 18-270mm.

Given the focal cover anything from 18mm to 270mm, you can take photo for any subject, Such as micro or long distance object. For example, you can easily shoot people,girls, landscape, birds and whatever subject you can imagine.

Ultrasonic Auto Focus motor (PZD)

The new tamron AF motor is the first use on Nikon Lens, and compared with the previous lens, It can ensure the lens body is smaller than others lens, and the Shooting is very silent. Because this design, the weight of this lens is reduced. As a photographer on travel or outdoor, carrying a large number of photographic equipment is very painful, and the use this lens, you can reduce the trouble of changing lenses. And it’s very light, only 1 pound.

if you frequently shoot at the 70-200mm focal length, you might consider purchase a professional telephoto zoom lens. It is a great travel lens, I would highly recommend this for any travel photographer.

You have opened pages of magazines and have seen stunning pictures of levitation, or you have been to your Facebook page and have seen incredible pictures that make your friend look like a film star and you said to yourself,” I wonder how they make pictures like that”. The answer is, it’s easy, get a digital camera and a free digital camera tutorial. However before you rush off to buy one there are a few things you need to know first.

A digital camera is an awesome appliance that can bring joy and excitement into your life if you are able to use its capabilities to the full together with some basic digital photography techniques to create fantastic photos and works of art.

All cameras whether digital or analogue have one thing in common. They have as the primary equipment inside them what is known as a lens. This is an optical element usually made from plastic or glass and through which light travels from the subject and gets directed to the film or sensors at the rear end of your camera. The success of any photographic campaign depends very much on the lens and understanding the properties of lenses will help you get the best out of your digital camera.

There are basically two kinds of lenses that are found in the digital camera; the prime lens and the zoom lens. The main difference between these two types is that the prime lens has a fixed focal length whereas the zoom lens is a package containing several lens elements arrange in such a way that you can vary the focal length of the whole unit. All zoom lenses are usually described by the ratio of their longest to the shortest focal length. Both types are useful and the optimal choice depends on what you want to achieve.

As a beginner, your best bet is to purchase one from the following types of digital cameras.

1) A Compact Digital Camera

2) A Bridge Digital Camera

3) A DSLR Camera otherwise known as a digital camera SLR

There are other types of cameras but are usually reserved for more experienced or professional photographers who are more conversant with digital photography basics.

The first two types usually come with lenses that are fixed and cannot be replaced but have zoom capabilities. So the challenge for you will be to choose the one with the best range of focal lengths that will best suit your photographic endeavor. Because digital zoom enlarges a small central portion of the sensor, the zoom feature is ideal for times when you cannot or do not want to get close to your subject, when you want to include either more or less area of the environment in your shot, or when you want to place emphasis on certain portions of your subject matter. The digital camera SLR is more versatile than the others and more expensive of course but is well worth its price. It has replaceable lens structure and you can choose an appropriate lens each time you want to shoot.

If you decide to buy a DSLR camera, then in choosing the appropriate lens to use on each occasion you will need to be aware that zoom lenses can be parfocal, meaning that they maintain focus as the focal length changes, or avarifocal which losses focus when zooming. You must understand also that some zoom lenses are long-focus lenses with focal lengths longer than a normal lens, while some others are wide-angle lenses (wider than normal). You can also get some that cover focal lengths between wide-angle and long-focus ranges.

The use of the zoom function can give rise to blurry pictures so make sure that the digital camera you purchase has image stabilization feature to correct this.

Nikon Coolpix S8000 is claimed as the world’s slimmest digital camera. This 27.3mm camera has 10x optical zoom and NIKKOR lens. The zoom ability is really a distinguished feature presented. You may get an image with excellent detail by using it in conjunction with ace macro mode. Your close-up captured image will also be presented in clear result without blurry effect around the edge of the image. However, the combination between macro feature and zoom lens in this camera causes an excessive noise around the corner areas of the image.

Furthermore, the camera allows you to perform the 30mm shots with vast and rich in detail. This way will produce a quite satisfying picture because you will have the clear image without the bulkier and pricier result. By pushing the lens wider, you will also be able to have the clear details or parts of a landscape.

Moreover, besides the zoom feature, Nikon Coolpix S8000 is constructed with great design for easy-to-use UI. This is proved by the special design of one button that enables you to access scene modes of the camera easily. So whenever you find something catchy you can pull out your camera and directly shot the unique thing you see through a single push on the dedicated button.

In addition, to view the results of your captures, an LCD screen is built-in on the back side of the camera. This 3-inch screen will show you the images you have just captured or show you your other photo collections. The invention of the digital camera with a screen included is really useful because you can instantly repeat the shot whenever your previous image doesn’t show good result.

However, above all of the pros mentioned above, Nikon Coolpix S8000 also has slight drawback. The camera has a significant issue with reviewing images. It takes about 4 seconds to retrieve the image you shot on the screen. Therefore, if you are kind of persons who need quick process and result, Nikon Coolpix S8000 will be little bit irritating.

Equipment – What Other Equipment Should I Use?

TIP 1 – Lenses – Good glass can make a big difference in how your photos appear and appeal. If you are in the market for a new lens for your digital SLR, then look for a good quality, wide-angle lens that can, ideally, zoom down to a 10-12 mm focal length. You don’t necessarily have to opt for major brand name (e.g. Canon or Nikon) lenses. If you want to save money, there are some fine lenses made by Tokina and Sigma (to name a few). I have used both and can vouch for them. Use the wide-angle lens for all of your indoor shots. Consider a longer zoom lens for outdoor photos (especially for view shots or shots of the home taken from a distance). Something that will zoom at least to 200mm would suffice. I actually use 2 cameras with a wide-angle and a longer zoom lens permanently mounted so I don’t have to change lenses (which can introduce dust and take extra time).

TIP 2 – Flash – Sometimes the onboard flash is sufficient for supplemental lighting, and with point-and-shoot cameras, you may not have an option for mounting an external flash. If your camera does have a hot shoe, consider an electronic flash that will tilt and swivel. They do cost a bit more, but having the flexibility to angle the flash at a 45 degree angle, for example, will give you some bounce off the ceiling and soften the harsh shadows that can appear as a result of a direct flash. Additionally, adding a flash diffuser will broaden the flash and reduce the effect of photos showing a very bright center with weaker lighting on the sides.

TIP 3 – Tripod – A good, sturdy tripod is a must, especially for indoor photos where you will be using slower shutter speeds. It will support and steady your camera. Some tripods have a built in level. I prefer using a ball head on my tripod. There are heads available with built in levels. You could also purchase a small level that slides into the hot shoe of your camera. It would be OK for outdoors, but not recommended for indoors since you would not be able to mount an external flash.

Camera Settings – What Should My Camera Settings Be?

TIP 4 – Mode – Shoot in Aperture priority mode. Automatic is not recommended. With this setting, your camera will determine the proper shutter speed for you. Manual mode gives you full control, but until you are well versed in all of the features of your camera, stick with Aperture priority.

TIP 5 – White Balance – Auto white balance is usually fine. If you notice a yellow cast to your photos, try switching to an incandescent setting. If you notice a green cast under older fluorescent bulbs, change to a fluorescent setting. Sometimes you have to experiment with this until you get the desired look to your photos. Do keep an eye on the photos as you shoot, since you may need to change white balance from time to time.

TIP 6 – Aperture (F-Stop) – You will usually want to have a good depth-of-field for real estate photos (focus is sharp both close up and far away), so a higher number F-stop will give you that. F5.6, through F8 will usually be fine for most applications. Note that the higher the number, the lower the amount of light being let in which will, in turn, slow down your shutter speed. Again, indoors, a tripod is essential unless you have a rock-steady hand. Outdoors during daytime, you can get away with hand-held and higher (F11 say) F-Stop. If you don’t want to mess with it, generally, you can set your aperture at F7.1 or F8 and leave it there.

Preparation – What Can be Done to Get Ready for a Photo Shoot?

TIP 7 – Determine the best time of day for shooting. Getting a great front shot of the home is usually very important since this is often the photo that will start your MLS slide show or appear in print ads. If possible, you want to have the sun behind you for a shot of the home’s façade. Shoot east facing homes late morning, west-facing homes early afternoon. South facing homes can be shot most any time, but close to mid-day will give you fewer long shadows. North facing homes are the bigger challenge and should be shot either early morning or late afternoon so the sun is not directly over the home. Dusk, or after-sunset, is a great time to shoot since the sun doesn’t affect the photos. But they can be tricky since you have very little time to do your photo session. I’ll talk about dusk photo shoots in another article.

TIP 8 – Do a walk-through before starting your shoot. Make sure each area (indoor and outdoor) is “photo ready”. If there is anything that needs to be cleaned up or removed, ask the homeowner to do that while you go on to other areas. Adjust blinds if any glaring sunlight is showing through (or a messy neighboring yard) and turn on all lights as you go. Put toilet seats down and close closet doors. Make sure all vehicles are away from the property and not showing in any of the windows.

Canon has launched a lot of digital camera models, from the professional SLR cameras to the small point and shoot models. If you look at review sites you will see a lot of good opinions about Canon digital cameras, since the quality of the photos is very good and they’re built very well. Online you can find features, ratings and prices for all the Canon digital cameras, including Digital Rebel, EOS and PowerShot. Yes, you will find that their cameras get excellent reviews, but they’re all true.

Canon SX10 IS

In my opinion, the Canon SX10 IS is the best point and shoot ever, and I’m not the only one to think that. This digital camera aims to take on Olympus and be the best camera of this type. It’s an extended zoom camera that is powerful and has an optical zoom of 20x. Its resolution is 10 megapixels, it has wide angle lens, an LCD screen of 2.5 inches and image stabilization as a feature. You can usually find one for under $350.

Canon PowerShot SD990 IS

When it comes to ultracompact digital cameras, the Canon Powershot SD990 IS is the best model offered by Canon for the holiday season of 2008. It has a light body, it’s small and has enough power. It has the latest technology in it and the sensor has 14.7 megapixels. The optical zoom is 3.7x and you can go with the digital zoom up to 4x. The photos are saved in JPEG format and the ISO varies between 80 and 1600. You can choose between manual and auto exposure and it also comes with lens-shift image stabilization. The lowest prices you can find them at is $300.

Canon EOS 50D

The EOS 50D is the latest model offered by Canon and it’s the replacement for the 40D model. It comes with the DIGIC 4 image processor, an LCD screen that has 3 inches and a CMOS sensor of 15 megapixels. The ISO can go as high as 12800, it has an EF/EF-S lens mount and you can save photos both in RAW and JPEG formats. It’s an expensive camera though, as you have to spend around $1200 on it.

Canon Digital Rebel XS

This camera was launched as competition to other DSLR cameras that are entry-level. Though it’s based on the 450D model, it’s a cheaper version, that still has some of the good features (very good ISO, Live View preview, saving files as RAW or JPEG). The price is around $500.