Capturing the Digital Moment

Recently, my wife and I invited a number of the college students we teach over to our house. The center of attention for the party was the 12-feet wide, 120-feet long “slip-and-slide” constructed down the hill of our backyard.

There were bodies (mine included) surfing, slipping, and sliding down that thing all afternoon until dark. Aside from “Are you nuts?” the most frequently asked question we got after this escapade was “Did you get pictures?”

Which brings up another subject: Digital Cameras. Getting the most out of a digital camera means taking a look at a number of factors.

How do I use this thing?
There are a lot of digital cameras on the market offering a number of features at a number of prices. But before you go out and buy one, you need to ask yourself how you plan to use it. If you plan to only use it to put pictures of your agency and staff on the web then you can get off cheap with a camera that shoots 640 x 480 pixel pictures that can be uploaded using a USB or serial cable.

Many agents, though, are using the digital camera to document claims. If the pictures are only going to be viewed online, then a sub-1-megapixel camera (cameras shooting pictures of 1150 x 860 pixels or less) should be sufficient. For those that need hard copies, you’ll want at least a 1-megapixel camera, and if you plan to print pictures bigger than five-by-seven inches, I’d look for at least a 2-megapixel camera.

If you plan to shoot photos for claims and the like, then you also need to think about the storage. Unfortunately, digital camera manufacturers are about as standard on picture storage as the insurance industry is on SEMCI. They all offer it at high levels, but it all depends on who you go with. For example, Sony offers two digital camera lines-the Mavica and the CyberShot. Depending on the model of Mavica, pictures can either be stored on 1.44 MB floppy disks or 158 MB mini-CDs. The CyberShot utilizes a “memory stick,” which is the size of a stick of gum and can hold a number of pictures. Other brands such as Kodak and Nikon use Compact FLASH cards in some of their models.

Most one-plus megapixel cameras offer two or three quality levels for pictures. Pictures will be stored in either the .JPEG format or in the more memory-hogging.

TIFF format. Usually you’ll get more pictures using the .JPEG format as there is greater compression and sometimes less resolution. But if you are looking for detail, then the .TIFF is the way to go.

Are you getting one?
Once you get a feel for how you want to use the camera then it is time to look at the camera itself. Prices vary between brands, pixel resolutions and expandability. Here are some things to make sure you remember when looking at cameras.

Get a camera that has some sort of removable media so you’re not tied to a computer. And while you’re at it, I’d make sure it offers you at least two picture quality levels.

Get a camera that uses regular batteries. They may drain faster but you won’t ever be in a bind should they go out and then you have to wait for the battery pack to recharge. Also make sure it comes with an AC adapter.

Say ‘cheese’
Is a digital camera really a necessity? No. But they do say a picture is worth a thousand words. You’ll find more and more insurance professionals taking pictures for their files or to e-mail to a carrier. Instead of a Polaroid that may get lost, it’s easier to shoot an “e-photo” for a customer’s file that can be accessed or shared by agency and company.

Part of reducing the error that occurs in processing insurance information is the ability to communicate effectively. So when two or more people can actually see what is being discussed, the possibility for error is greatly reduced, if not eliminated.

However, I will admit that there are times when you really don’t want to have a camera around. For me, I think sliding down 120 feet of plastic, flailing like a dying cockroach, is probably best left up to the imagination.

Site Seeing is a regular column designed to examine and explain new technology and how it applies to the insurance industry. To comment, please send an e-mail to ijtexas@InsuranceJournal.com.