There are tons and tons of digital cameras available for sale these days. The differences can be quite confusing. Many people just look at price, but that may not be the best way to find the right camera for you.
If you’re just the casual picture taker, you won’t need all the bells and whistles that come with a professional type camera, but you also want to make sure you are getting a product that will make your pictures look great at your inexperienced hands.
Even if you are a photography enthusiast, you can benefit from this information too. There are things in this book that you may not have thought about before. Things like shutter speed, pixel size, memory storage, etc. All of these things can make a difference in the type of pictures that you take.
So what should you consider when buying your first digital camera? Believe it or not, there are some very important things you should be thinking about.
First is money. Determine how much money you want to spend on your new camera. Setting a price range will allow you to target models that are affordable for you and keep you away from buying something you really don’t need anyway.
What will you be photographing? Do you expect your pictures to be mostly of the family or will it be of scenic views during your travels? You need to have a camera that best meets your needs. For example, if you are going to be shooting a lot of sports or action pictures, you’ll probably want a camera that can shoot at high speeds.
Will you be shooting a lot of close-ups or frequently taking photos from a distance? You’ll need a camera with zoom capabilities – at least 3 times zoom. Let’s say you’re at your son’s high school graduation, and you’re in the very last row of bleachers because you were running late getting to the school. You can still get a great picture of Junior getting his diploma – if you have zoom capabilities. I’ve owned a digital camera without zoom and will never again go that route, believe me!
Do you know what you’re doing when it comes to cameras and picture taking? If you’re a beginner, you’re going to be better off picking a camera that’s easy to use. You’ll probably also want most of your features automated such as flash, exposure, etc. If you’re more experienced, you’ll most likely want a little more control over your photos, so by all means go a different route!
Figure out what your photo printing needs are. For casual use, a basic 2-megapixel model will be fine. If, however, you’re planning on making prints larger than 4 x 6, you’ll want a camera with more megapixels. We’ll get into that in the next chapter!
Digital cameras are great because you can store lots of images on your computer and share them through e-mail, etc. But think about where you will be storing your images. If you have a computer with not much memory and no CD burner, you should probably stay away from the high-end cameras. Your images will be too large to store and you’ll have no way to save them.
Be sure to select a model with a good LCD screen, even if you don't think you need one at all. At the store, examine the screen in the light and be sure you can see the images well. Almost every camera has an LCD screen, so you shouldn't pay more to get it. But it's a good idea to be sure it's large, easy to see and shows good detail.
One of the best parts of having an LCD screen is if someone says "Oops, my eyes were closed," you can view the image and retake it if necessary. The LCD also gives you access to the camera's menu system, which will allow you to change the settings of the camera fairly easily.
The LCD will allow you to view all the images on your memory card. You can flip through the stored shots and delete the ones you don't want to keep. The LCD will draw a lot of power from the battery, so there may be situations when you don't have access to your battery charger when using the viewfinder is a better option. It is also better to use the LCD rather than the viewfinder when shooting close up; due to the accuracy of the framing. Basically, what you see is what you'll get.
Also, consider what type of battery your camera will use. It’s best to get one that operates off of standard AA or AAA batteries instead of proprietary ones (those made only by the manufacturer). And don’t bother buying regular batteries for your digital camera. You’ll go broke! Invest money instead into rechargeable batteries and a charger. In the long run, it’s the very best route to go.
The type of warranty offered can also be a hard decision. Most will come with a standard manufacturer’s warranty, but you can often purchase an extended warranty as well for things like parts and labor.
You’ll also want to look into how to get your camera repaired if something goes wrong with it. Will you have to send it somewhere or can it be done locally? If you’re sending it away, will it be fixed by an authorized service center and what is the turn around time? You may find that being without your camera is more difficult than you think!
Choose two or three of the above features and determine which of those is most important to you. When you do that, you can quickly narrow down your choices. If your budget only allow you to spend $250 but you want quality prints, look for the camera in your price range with the most megapixels.
