Digital Photo Frames - the Latest Craze in Consumer Electronics

The days of 35 mm cameras are quickly slipping away. Digital cameras have become the norm. Now photo albums and picture frames that contain a print of a favorite photo in a neatly contained wood or metal frame seem to be fading away as well. Digital photo albums and digital photo frames are their replacement. These are providing a great way to display those fabulous shots without having to print them.

Digital photo frames are small monitors that display digital photos on an LCD screen. Most digital photo frames have screens that are five to ten inches (measured diagonally). But, there are a few that are as large as 15 inches.

Prices for digital photo frames vary from the 50-dollar range up to 250 dollars. Size and features are the two reasons for the price differences. Various features that are available include screen resolution, internal memory, frame styles, installed software, multiple viewing modes, memory card compatibility, and whether it comes with rechargeable batteries. Some even have built-in mp3 players so that music can be played while certain pictures are displayed.

When shopping for a digital photo frame, it's best to see the different models in action before buying. There are quality differences and size differences that are hard to detect unless the unit is turned on and sample photos are displayed. This may be tough to accomplish, as many retailers are not providing shelf space because the products are still so new to the marketplace. Also, some of the older units contained an aspect ratio of 16:9, which is not very favorable for viewing still pictures. An aspect ratio of 4:3 is ideal since most digital cameras take pictures with this aspect ratio.

Expect prices to begin to fall as consumers purchase more of these electronic showpieces. Nearly one million units were sold in 2006. And some are projecting that over 12 million units will be sold in 2010. There are several manufacturers in the digital photo frame business that are supplying these to consumers, which in turn will drive prices as low as possible.

Digital photo frames have exploded into the consumer electronics market over the past 12 months. They provide a great way to display those digital photos piling up on computer hard drives everywhere. Soon every household and every office will have two or three frames scattered throughout as consumers jump at the opportunity to show off their photographic skills.