How to Buy a Digital Camera

Are you buying your first digital camera? Well, you must be confused by the bewildering range of models out there. How do you know which model will suit your needs? To make things worse, digital cameras do not come cheap. Choosing a bad camera will easily cost you a few hundred dollars.

In fact, buying a digital camera need not be a difficult task. I'll highlight the key considerations you need to think through before making that purchase decision. Always, always remember to consider these factors when buying a digital camera:

  • Battery Life
  • Number of Megapixels
  • Zoom Lens
  • Exposure Control
  • User Controls

Battery Life
This has got to be one of the most overlooked features in digital cameras. I know many people who go for the latest and greatest digital cameras which are short in the battery life department. If you want to take good photos, your camera needs to powered for extended periods of time. I've found that cost and battery life don't go together - many cheap cameras have good battery life, while some high-end models drain your battery really fast. Make sure you choose a camera that has good battery life.

Number of Megapixels
The megapixel rating of a digital camera determines how much fine detail you can capture in your shots. Typically, the number of megapixels can range around from 2 megapixels to 8 megapixels. How do you decide how many megapixels you need? As a rule of thumb, if you're only interested in taking small snapshots to send via email or for posting on the Web, you won't need more than 2-megapixels. If you want large print outs of your gorgeous photographs, then you'll probably want to get 5-megapixel cameras and above. You may want to refer to this guide for more information.

Zoom Lens
You'll definitely want a camera with decent optical zoom. Now the keyword here is optical zoom (as opposed to digital zoom). Optical zoom physically moves the camera lenses to zoom in on a subject. Digital zoom, however, digitally averages and magnifies the image within the camera's microchip - resulting in poor picture quality. Many manufacturers' advertisements talk about digital zoom instead of optical zoom - so do be careful when choosing. I'd recommend getting at least 3x optical zoom in any camera you buy.

Exposure Control
The ability to control exposure settings such as shutter speed and lens opening is critical to professional photographers. Cheaper digital cameras only allow you to shoot photos in automatic mode - just press the shutter release and voila, your picture is taken. More advanced users prefer to tweak the shutter speed and aperture to capture fast moving objects or blur the image background. Choose a camera with good exposure control if you foresee yourself taking on photography as a serious hobby.

User Controls
If you are getting a point-and-shoot camera, make sure you find one that's easy to use. User controls to set resolution, macro mode, flash and exposure should be within easy reach. Of course, if you're a serious photography buff who wants to take the time to tweak all sorts of manual settings, then this many not be so critical. I prefer to try out the camera first in the store - play with the controls and get comfortable with them. Only then will you know whether it's comfortable enough for you.

Conclusion
Well, I do hope this article has helped you understand what factors to consider when buying a digital camera. A general piece of advice I can give is - if you're a total newbie, don't go for the latest digital SLR. It may be tempting to get that Nikon D70 right from the start, but I'd reckon its much better to start off with a cheaper camera first. Learn, experiment and build up your digital photography skills. Once you're more skilled, then proceed to upgrade to a better camera. Good luck and happy shopping!



Gary Hendricks runs a hobby site on digital photography. Visit his website at Basic-Digital-Photography.com for tips and tricks on buying digital cameras, as well as shooting great photos.

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Olympus Digital Cameras - Digging Into The History

One of the oldest companies, Olympus has had a long... Read More

How to Create a Great Video - a Simple Guide on How to Shoot Home Movies with a Camcorder

So you have bought a camcorder and have shot some... Read More

Safari Wildlife Photography Top Four Tips

I've been practising wildlife photography on safari for over twenty... Read More

Optimize Your Photos for the Web

It doesn't matter if your emailing photos of your grandson... Read More

Getting Your Photos Ready for Sharing

One of the main reasons people buy digital cameras is... Read More

A Guide to Disposable Digital Cameras

Disposable Cameras (also called single-use cameras) first came on the... Read More

Birthday Party Photo Tips ? How to Make Yours Truly Stand Out

How many of the birthday party pictures you've seen are... Read More

Portrait Photography: Tips and Methods

Portrait is defined as, "A likeness of a person, especially... Read More

Kodak Digital Cameras - The Giant Comes To Digital

George Eastman, founder of Kodak is world renowned today. Digital... Read More

A New Way to Use Old Snapshots

If you're like me, you have hundreds of photographs sitting... Read More

Black and White is Beautiful

Think about Laurel and Hardy for a moment, or Charlie... Read More

Digital Camera Bags - Purchasing and Using

Some compact cameras are small enough to fit in your... Read More

The Alligator Farm - Home to Beautiful Winged Creatures

Your first thought when you read "Alligator Farm" might be... Read More

How To Make A Time-Lapse Video With Your Digital Video Camera

Getting the most out of your digital video camera can... Read More

Keep a Digital Photos Diary

Digital Photo Diary - memories that last a life timeThe... Read More

Magic and the Photograph

It was widely reported in the press (15 September 1997)... Read More

Using a Camcorder to Record Family Events Quickly and Easily

Let's start there (but not spend too much time on... Read More

Understanding Digital Photography

Most serious photographers and all professionals use a Single Lens... Read More

Bracketing and How To Use Tt Correctly...

What Is... Exposure BracketingExposure bracketing is a simple technique professional... Read More

The Benefits of Disposable Cameras

Disposable cameras are cheap and easy to use. If you... Read More

The Naked Truth on Shooting Nudes

There are major obstacles to overcome to get into nude... Read More

Get The Most Out of Your Digital Camera Today!

Point and click. The new life of digital cameras gives... Read More

Infrared Photography and the Car Thief ? Successful Digital Imaging

Infrared photography is sometimes placed on the outside edge of... Read More

Light and Depth of Field

With such a fantastic device as the digital camera for... Read More

Light Meter Readings for Film and Digital

Reflected Light Readings for Film and Digital ImagesIn order to... Read More

Candid Photography

Candid photography is photography that focuses on spontaneity rather than... Read More

Guidelines for Printing Great Photos at Home

So you have this great digital camera and you've taken... Read More

Buying the Best Digital Camera for Your Needs

Choosing a digital camera can be a daunting task with... Read More

Digital Camera Memory - An Introduction

The digital camera is essentially a computer-based device, whose core... Read More

Is Digital Photography Expensive?

Being such a fascinating device as the digital camera, this... Read More

Photography - Rules of Composition

Composition is defined as the combining of distinct parts or... Read More

Tips for Better Vacation Photos

Photos are a great way to share your travel experiences... Read More

Elephants in the Sky and Four Poems

Elephants in the Sky[1980s, Lee Evens in Mali, Timbuktu/Africa]Advance: Lee... Read More