What Does DSC Mean in Cameras?

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Most digital camera pictures are tagged DSC. What do those initials mean?

Digital cameras have become part of our daily lives. These cameras come in many models, from cell phones to complex professional equipment. DSC is a common phrase link to digital cameras. It's helpful to know what this phrase means.

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D is for Digital

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Zeros and ones--discrete numbers--form digital camera images.

Unlike film cameras, digital cameras take photographic images using discrete numbers. These are numbers that represent data, using zeros and ones. These numbers are translated into color or black and white pixels. We see these discrete numbers as images.

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Thanks to these discrete numbers, digital photographers can see photographs instantly, in preview form.

S is for Still

Say cheese! The still camera captures another image of everyday life.

Still cameras collect a single image--a moment frozen in time. Many modern digital cameras offer both still and video image options. Still camera images remain popular. They are easy to transfer from a camera, or cell phone, to a personal computer. They can be quickly shared with friends and family, either as e-mail attachments, postings on social networking sites, or as images on a portable storage device such as a flash drive, thumb drive or compact disc.

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C is for Camera

Digital cameras make photography quick and easy.

A camera is, by definition, a typically box-shaped item that records visual images, either on film or via discrete numbers. With many digital cameras built into modern cell phones, the classic image of the camera has changed.

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Whether it is a stand-alone device or a cell phone application, the digital still camera is a versatile tool that gives us a record of people, places and events in our lives that we want to remember.

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