Digital Photo Frame Buyers Guide.

When selecting a digital photo frame, we recommend that the following four factors are taken into account: The quality of the LCD screen, the size of the LCD screen, the features of the product, and finally, the price.

The size of the LCD screen

The size of a digital photo frame is determined by the size of the LCD screen. When a digital photo frame is labelled as a 7” digital photo frame, this refers to the size of the LCD screen. It does not include the actual frame surrounding the LCD screen. The size of an LCD panel is calculated by measuring the distance from the bottom left corner to the top right corner.

Be wary of some sellers who include the surrounding frame in their measurement. In this instance, a frame with a 7" LCD screen may be incorrectly described as a 10" digital photo frame.

Common sizes include: 7", 8", 9", 10.4" and 12".

The size of a digital photo frame is directly linked to the price. Therefore, most consumers will select the size of their digital photo frame depending on their budget. If budget is limited, a 7" digital photo frame should be considered as the minimum size to view your digital photos in reasonable detail. A 7 inch digital photo frame is comparable in size to a traditional 6 x 4 inch 'non-digital' photo frame.

The next step up the ladder is to an 8" digital photo frame which tend to retail for £20 – £25 greater than 7" models.

If budget is not a consideration, we recommend a 10.4" digital photo frame. The total LCD screen area of a 10.4" digital photo frame is approximately 230% larger than a 7" digital photo frame. In other words, you get a lot more LCD screen for your money. The bonus of a 10.4" digital photo frame is the 4:3 aspect ratio. Aspect ratio refers to the width of a photo frame relative to the height. If a digital photo frame is described as having an aspect ratio of 4:3, this means that for every 4 units of width there are 3 units of height. To ensure that your digital photos fit the full expanse of the LCD screen, the aspect ratio of the photos taken with your digital camera should match the aspect ratio of the LCD screen. Most digital cameras produce photos in a 4:3 aspect ratio. For this reason, a photo frame with a 4:3 aspect ratio is highly desirable. It is of course possible to resize your digital camera photos before transferring them to the photo frame. However, this may not be a straightforward process for those unfamiliar with computers, or who do not have access to a computer.

It should also be noted that many digital cameras allow you to choose the aspect ratio in which photos are taken (i.e. you can select an aspect ratio of 4:3, 16:9, 3:2) For those looking for a larger screen size than 10.4", we recommend a 12" digital photo frame. It is possible to purchase 15" digital photo frames, but this size can often look out of place if the digital frame is positioned on a table.

Summary: If budget is limited, try to select at least a 7" sized digital photo frame. Our recommended size is a 10.4" digital photo frame, with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

The quality of the LCD panel

We believe the most important aspect of a digital photo frame is the LCD screen panel. A quality assessment of the LCD panel can be made by considering both the resolution and the brightness. The resolution of the LCD panel determines how sharp and detailed the image reproduction will be: the higher the better. Resolution is measured in pixels. A digital photo is made up of millions of tiny dots called pixels. If a photo frame is described as having an 800 by 600 resolution, this means it is capable of displaying 800 distinct dots across 600 vertical lines, or about 480,000 pixels in total on the LCD screen.

For 7" digital photo frames we recommend a minimum resolution of 480 x 234. This will ensure that photos are displayed with a reasonable level of detail. For 10.4" digital photo frames, we recommend a resolution of 800 x 600. This will result in a sharp, true to life image, comparable to the quality of traditional print photos.

An often overlooked specification is the brightness of the LCD panel. It's no good having a high resolution LCD panel if a low brightness level does not allow you the viewer to enjoy the detail in the image. To ensure a bright vibrant image we recommend a minimum of 300 cd/m_ (also referred to as 'nits'). An important factor which determines how vibrant an LCD screen appears, is the number of bulbs used to illuminate the LCD screen. The cheaper and inferior option is to use a single bulb LCD panel, which often results in a dull and grainy image. The more expensive and recommended option is to use twin bulb LCD panels. This is particularly important for larger size digital photo frames. It is possible to save £5 - £10 by purchasing a photo frame with a signal bulb LCD panel, but we believe this is a false economy.

Summary: We recommend a minimum resolution of 480 x 234 for 7" digital frames, and 800 x 600 for high resolution 10.4" digital frames. For frames above 9" in size, a twin bulb LCD panel is essential.

Features

Early digital photo frame models were basic, allowing the user to display photos and perhaps the ability to run a slideshow. As the popularity of digital photo frames has grown, so to has the number of features. We will focus on only those features which we believe are of real practical use.

As a bare minimum, a digital photo frame should include a slideshow function with the option of selecting a range of transition time intervals. Most digital photo frames will include this feature with the added extra of choosing from a range of transition effects. Transition effects refer to the way in which one slide changes to the next, for example: fade, scroll, ripple, random.

Most digital photo frames include remote controls. This is a very handy feature if the photo frame is used to present a slideshow. A remote control should be considered a standard feature, however, some very cheap frames which fall into the £40 - £50 bracket are often sold without remotes.

A desirable feature is the ability to play music files through built in speakers, which can be used as background music when running a slideshow (think: wedding photos complimented by a selection of romantic songs, or Caribbean holiday snaps accompanied by reggae).

There are also multifunctional digital photo frames which allow you to play video files, such as MP4, DIVX, XVID. This provides a second use to the photo frame as a portable media player. Multimedia photo frames tend to cost £5 - £10 more than 'standard' digital photoframes. However, we believe that the added functionality is a good investment.

Another key feature is built in memory. The luxury of built in memory allows the user to load photos to the frame directly from a PC, digital camera, external memory card etc. The majority of photo frames with built in memory allow the user to synchronize the frame with a PC or Mac for file management. This can be a handy time saving feature if you have a large collection of files to upload to the frame.

A digital photo frame with built in memory has another practical use in that the user can load photos to the internal memory and present the frame as a gift, pre-installed with a well chosen selection of meaningful photos. The disadvantage of built in memory is that the added cost is often more expensive than purchasing an equivalent memory card. Our view is that it is generally worth spending an additional £5 - £10 on a digital frame with built in memory due to the additional flexibility and usability this provides.

Memory Card Compatibility

If you plan to use the memory card from your digital camera with the digital photo frame, you should ensure that the digital frame is compatible with the memory card type of your camera. The most common memory card types are SD (Secure Digital), CF (Compact Flash), XD and Sony Memory Stick (abbreviated to MS). We have yet to encounter a digital photo frame that does not support SD and Sony Memory Stick types. However, the product specification should be checked if in doubt. It is more common to encounter a digital photo frame which does not support CF or XD memory cards. Many frames include the added bonus of a USB port. The USB port can take the form of either a USB slave or a USB host. A USB slave is more flexible as it enables the frame to be connected to an external device such as a PC or Digital Camera for file transfer. A less obvious advantage of a USB port is that a USB card reader can be used to expand memory card compatibility.

Wi-fi Digital Photo Frames

A WiFi Digital Photo Frame (also known as a wireless digital photo frame) allows the user to transfer photos to the digital frame from a computer, wirelessly. For example, the user can set up a Wi Fi photo frame for a relative or friend living in another city by establishing a wireless connection between the digital photo frame and the computer of a relative or friend. The user then has the facility to send digital photos to the digital frame, via the computer, using the wireless connection.

This facility allows the user remote access and control over the photos stored and displayed on the digital photoframe. The person in possession of the Wi Fi photo frame (e.g. the friend or relative) does not need to make any changes to the frame, making Wi Fi frames ideal for 'technophobes'.

The drawback of the WiFi digital photo frame is that they can be complex to set up initially, requiring a certain level of technical know how. We also find that the WiFi feature tends to go redundant after a few weeks use.

Digital photo frames with an internal battery

Another feature to consider is a digital photo frame with a built in internal battery. A battery powered digital photo frame allows for a tidier, 'cable free', appearance which may be a consideration to those with a minimalist taste for décor.

However, the major drawback of this feature is the very limited battery life, 3 hours at best. It is often the case that the battery feature is perhaps used 2 or 3 times before the novelty disappears and the photo frame is plugged into the mains. Battery powered digital photo frames are also noticeably more expensive, £25 - £40 as a guide.

With the advent of wireless power technology, there may come a time in the not distant future when it is possible to purchase a wireless powered digital photo frame. Until that time, our view is that a standard mains powered photo frame is the way to go.

Summary: As a minimum, the digital frame should have the ability to play slideshows, with the option to change the transition time between slides. Desirable features include a remote control, and playback of music files and movie files. If budget is unlimited, Wi Fi and battery power are nice features to have, but present practicality problems.

Price

This section is to provide a guide on what price to expect to pay on the internet for a Digital Photo Frame.

Digital photo frames range in price from ££40 for a 7", to £300+ for a full featured 15" model.

Simple function 7" digital photo frames with limited features and no remote control can be found online for £45 - £50. The next step up the ladder is to a multifunctional 7" digital frame with the ability to play music and videos, inclusive of remote control, typically priced at £55 - £70.

If budget allows, we recommend opting for a multifunctional digital photo frame which have an extended life and tend to offer more for your money.

8" digital photo frames average out at around £80, and 10" digital photo frames can be found online for £100 - £120. Our recommendation is for a 10" digital photo frame which tends to offer best value for money at a size that will display a high level of detail.

Price guide for optional extras:

Built in rechargeable battery: add £25 - £40
Wi Fi: add £40 - £50
Built in memory: add £10 – £20 depending on size

Finally, we are here to help.

If you require any additional guidance, please get in contact through the contact us page. We would be very happy to help recommend a digital photo frame based on your individual requirements.

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