Switching to digital

Whether you're an amateur shutterbug or a professional photographer, there's never been a better time to go digital. Still not sure? Then check out how these people are making the switch from film to digital cameras. Teachers, grandparents, small business owners...they're all finding out how easy it is. And they're not alone: Even professional photographers are joining the digital revolution. See for yourself how easy it can be.

Go with the pros
Professional photographers and photojournalists absolutely have to "get the shot." That's why at the New York Times, all staff photographers now have digital equipment. The Associated Press began providing its staff photographers with digital cameras in 1994. It's easy to see how the speed and flexibility of digital imaging gives photojournalists the edge they need:

• They get the perfect shot right away.
• Their photos can instantly be transmitted through e-mail.
• They can add to and make use of a searchable database of images from past events.

But you don't have to be a photojournalist to see the benefits of going digital. Take a look at how some "ordinary" people made the switch from film cameras and never looked back.

Freedom from film
When Esther Hernandez decided to get a digital camera, she was a little nervous. Her old point-and-shoot was like a tried-and-true friend, standing by her through vacations, weddings, and the birth of her sons. But when a friend showed her how easy an HP digital camera was to use, she was hooked.

"I didn't want a lot of bells and whistles," she explains. "I just wanted something that worked." She also wanted to save money on film and developing costs, and with her HP Photosmart camera, she has said goodbye to film forever. When the memory card is full, she can transfer photos onto her computer and start over again. "I like the way the pictures are already on the computer, with no scanning," she says. "That way I can e-mail them to everyone in the family."

Esther downloads digital photos from her camera and prints greeting cards, stationery, and lots more. "I put a picture of a quilt on my own stationery," she says. "And I made birthday party invitations for my grandson with pictures of him on them." Esther also created an iron-on sweatshirt with a photo of all her grandchildren. "They get a kick out of it whenever I wear it.”