Things to Consider When Buying a Digital Camera

There are so many options with digital cameras these days it’s no wonder first time buyers are easily overwhelmed by the multitude of selections. They come in all sizes, colors and a wide variety of features. You can get a full sized digital SLR which can accept a variety of lenses or a slim camera that can fit in your clutch or a shirt pocket.

You may wonder what to look for when shopping for that new digital camera. Well, before you fill your mind with too much information, you must first decide what your needs and wants are in a camera.

What kind of pictures will you be taking? If you are a photography enthusiast then you’ll want extra features such as zoom, resolution, and speed and aperture control. If you want to just take pictures of your family and friends then you won’t need those added features.

Consider your budget. This will play a key roll in your decision to purchase, no matter what your needs are. Obviously the more features a camera has, the higher the price will be.  The number of pixels determines the quality of the image. Often your image may contain unwanted elements that you’ll want to “crop out”. Areas outside of the subject matter you may want to eliminate.  Rather than spending extra money on more megapixels, look for a device that has “optical zoom” (NOT digital zoom, there’s a huge difference). This will allow you to focus on the subject rather than having to crop later.

Often, your spending does not end once you buy a new digital camera. Do you intend to edit and print you images at home? Can your computer and printer handle the demand you’ll be placing on it? When you buy a digital camera, editing software is usually already included. The camera also comes with a memory stick of a certain size. If you plan on taking an extended vacation, you may want more memory and will need to purchase larger capacity memory stick. Then of course, for home editing there is the matter of printing paper. If your pictures will be stored on your PC, then you’ll have to have plenty of memory available.

Now that you’ve identified your needs, and established your budget you need to decide which features are important to you. Lets talk about some of these.

The first is Resolution. This is the cameras ability to produce high quality images. Resolution is determined by the number of pixels the device has. You’re looking for a high number here. You may be happy with the photos you take with a camera of 8 or 10 pixels, but if you want to make and print an enlargement of one, you’ll lose image quality. You’d be much better of with a device of 12 or more pixels. These days, cameras with 12 pixels seem to be quite common. This will also allow you to crop unwanted areas out without losing image quality.

Next comes memory. This is very important. Cameras need memory cards to store your images. Avoid buying a camera with “Built-In” memory ONLY. The device should have the capability of adding external or optional memory, usually through a card slot. This will allow you to exchange a full card with one that has lots of space while you are shooting.

Another very important element in your decision making is the look and feel of the device. You may already have an idea of the shape and size of your prospective camera, but you should actually hold several different models in your hand to be sure it’s the type you want. Personally, I prefer the full sized cameras that have some bulk and weight to them. You may prefer the smaller slim styles. Determine whether the buttons are located where you like and if they’re spaced nicely and also whether you’re comfortable with the viewfinder.

There are basically four categories for digital cameras.  They are Ultra Compact, Compact, Super Zoom and SLR (Single Lens Reflex).

Ultras are pocket sized and good for quick snapshots, much like that cell phone with the picture taking feature. Compacts come with more features, and often larger zooms. They’re still small enough to fit in a purse or jacket pocket. Super Zooms are NOT pocket sized as they have SLR type lenses. The benefit of these is the fact that they have a wider range of focus, typically from 28mm to 450mm zoom. You can also find many typical SLR Camera features on these. Finally, you have the SLR models. These are my favorite.  With the SLRs, you can physically change lenses. They also have the most electronics controlling such things as the time lag button push and shutter action. You can exercise control over aperture and/or shutter speed too.

Digital cameras are notorious for burning through batteries and they’re not cheap. You may want a camera with rechargeable batteries. You may want an AC adaptor so that you can recharge your camera while viewing or uploading your images.

How about an LCD? This is a small screen on the rear of the camera body that allows you to view the pictures you’ve taken. I mention this because it uses up a lot of battery power.

After all that, there are the special features you may want to look into such as a diopter attachment on the viewfinder. This is especially helpful for those individuals who regularly wear glasses. Another feature you most likely will appreciate is optical stabilization. This helps reduce the effects of camera shake which causes blurring.

Once you’ve purchased your new digital camera, you may want to add a remote control, a camera bag for protection of course and perhaps a tripod.

This should help you figure out what you really need and want before you buy that new digital camera. There are many websites where you can see the ratings of different camera based on price, resolutions and much more. Why not go shopping now?