Although I can only comment on the 1963 edition of the Focal Encyclopedia of Photography, I truly feel you can't go wrong with any edition of this volume. I turn to mine time and again for information (I've been a professional photographer for over 25 years). The book is comprehensive, interesting and written in clear, concise language. The older editions, of course, don't have information on digital photography, but still have information that is interesting and helpful for any who are interested in photography.