Buying a digital camera can be quite confusing if you are not in on all the tech talk. Options are growing now more than ever, making it even more difficult to understand what type of camera will fit your needs and budget.
In recent years manufacturers have been building specialized cameras to suit different shooters. From beginner models under $200, to full-fledged DSLRs the market is full of options. If you're having a hard time figuring out what is best for you to purchase, consider these important tips before you visit the electronics store.
If top performance and superb photos are at the top of your list, then a digital SLR camera is best for you. Keep in mind they will be the most costly and less portable, and you may need some time to learn how to maximize its use. Compact Interchangeable-Lens cameras are more compact than DSLRs and still take excellent photos. In the area of optical zoom range, megazoom and pocket megazoom cameras will have excellent image stabilization, but are still on the pricey side. Point-and-shoot compact cameras have manual controls and are good learning tools for novice photographers before graduating onto more complex models.
Although features are important to consider, the purpose of your camera should be number one. That heavy DSLR that takes amazing photos might spend more time on the shelf at home than with you on vacation because it can't fit in your pocket. A simple point and shoot might take great backyard photos of the kids, but lousy shots at concerts and nighttime events. Be honest with your price range, skill level, usage, and willingness to purchase additional accessories.
Some consumers make the mistake of basing their decision solely on megapixel count. Nowadays its hard to find a camera with anything less than a 10-megapixel sensor, but be aware that higher megapixel count can be meaningless unless you'll be using the camera for professional photography. You will be able to produce sharp prints and email photos to friends and relatives with at least 10 megapixels.
If choosing between a camera with higher resolution and more optical zoom, the more powerful lens would be a better choice. It means you wont have to magnify the subject and use editing software to crop the image. Some $200 range cameras on the market offer optical zoom as powerful as 10x, while more expensive models will go up to 30x. These high zoom lenses are prefect if you have intentions of shooting nature or sports scenes.
All digital cameras take .JPEG images by default. This compresses photos but compromises the details in each image. Some point-and-shoots as well as many DSLRs on the market give you the option to shoot in RAW mode, which preserves all of the image data. This will bring more detail to every image, however the file sizes will be much higher. If this is your preferred option your next step will have to be investing in a high-capacity storage card that can hold all this extra data. Some high capacity cards can offer up to 32GB of space, which is perfect for travelers.
Battery life is another crucial area in the decision process, especially if you plan on using your camera over long periods of time without access to a charger. Some models take rechargeable AA batteries and you can pick up extras at almost any retailer, while some come with specially made batteries that can cost upwards of $25 to replace.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.alltimeinfo.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
