Easy Guide to Buying a Digital Camera

When buying a digital camera there are some important features to consider and understanding these will provide the education necessary to make an informed choice and enable the consumer to buy the right digital camera that suits individual needs.     Digital Camera FeaturesMegapixels and Resolution - Basically the more megapixels the camera has the better and sharper the resolution of the images. If you intend to only email pictures or view them on your computer then any resolution is fine. But with a higher resolution you have the flexibility to print better quality pictures as well as print them in larger sizes with better resolution and perform other editing functions such as cropping and printing. Most digital cameras offer a resolution of at least 5 megapixels, which is enough to make a sharp 11-by-14 print, if you want to print bigger pictures go for a camera with more megapixels.Camera Size and Weight - Some cameras weigh as little as 4.2 ounces and while the pocket size camera may be convenient there are some important considerations when deciding on the size of the camera you purchase. First, the smaller the camera the tinier the dial and buttons that makes changing settings a hassle and so it affects user friendliness when taking pictures. Second, many smaller digital cameras do not have any manual settings.    LCD and Viewfinder - All digital cameras have an LCD screen; these vary in size from 1.8 to 3.5 inches. The smaller size limits your ability to review just-taken images on the camera. A good LCD is essential for knowing whether you got the shot you wanted, and can usually give you an indication of whether it was properly exposed.     Zoom Lens - This is a very important feature to consider. The best option is to buy a digital camera with Optical Zoom. The optical zoom feature actually utilizes the movement of the digital camera lens. Optical zoom ratings range from 3X to 20X and the higher optical zoom ratings give much better image quality. Optical zoom gives you all the benefits of the camera's maximum resolution, combined with the ability to focus in tight on faraway shots and scenes. The Digital Zoom lens only captures pixels and magnifies those and so it produces inferior photos, so, always go with Optical Zoom. Tip: Ignore digital zoom in the Optical Zoom rating. While most digital cameras offer at least a 3X optical zoom and up to 20X, some vendors will show a high total zoom that includes digital zoom, and is not the true Optical Zoom rating.    Image Stabilization - Image stabilization is important because without it you need a steady hand or a camera tripod to avoid blurry pictures at extreme telephoto lengths. More advanced digital cameras, tend to employ one of two image stabilization methods. Optical image stabilization, in which an element in the lens adjusts to compensate for movement and sensor movement, in which the camera's sensor moves in order to compensate for the shaking.    Manual Focus vs. Point and Shoot Capability - Manual focus setting capability is important for getting certain shots. Often times this allows for adjusting the digital camera's settings to fit specific shooting situations and gives a lot more control and usability for the picture taker. The lower-end cameras do not offer manual focusing but instead offer a point and shoot capability or allow only stepped focusing, which forces you to choose from a few preset distances.    Exposure settingsAutomatic Mode - All digital cameras let you shoot in fully automatic mode, just press the shutter release and you get a picture.    Aperture and Shutter Priority Modes - Adjusts the size of the lens opening or how long the shutter stays open, and the digital camera automatically controls the other variables to give you the proper exposure.    Facial recognition - is a great feature offered by many point-and-shoot cameras and actually detects people's faces and adjusts the shutter for optimal images.    Memory/Storage - All digital cameras come with a starter memory card, usually that is 16MB in size. The starter memory card for a typical 5 megapixel digital camera set to its highest resolution can store six to eight pictures. The memory card feature is not so important because you can and will want to buy another one in order to have the optimal storage capability and convenience of not having to transfer the few pictures taken to make room for more. Several models and sizes of digital camera memory cards are available for purchase.    Batteries - Digital camera batteries vary. Some cameras use AA's, either non-rechargeable or rechargeable, nickel metal hydride, high-capacity disposable CRV3s or rechargeable batteries. Using rechargeable batteries for digital cameras can save a lot of money. Many cameras allow the use of both so in the event the rechargeable is charging you can pop in some AA's.