Select the Right Digital Camera

There are many new digital cameras out there, and it can be confusing trying to decide which one is best for you. The following tips will help you get the best deal when choosing a digital camera.

Steps

  1. Set a basic budget on how much money you want to spend. Be realistic about the fact you won't be able to get the best of every feature, as you'll have to make tradeoffs.
  2. Determine your experience level. Are you a novice or an expert when it comes to digital photography? If a novice, a point and shoot might suffice. Experts will want more manual control over the exposure process.
  3. Consider what you will use your camera to capture. For kids or wildlife, get a camera that acts fast after you click the shutter.
  4. Be aware of the difference between a global shutter versus a rolling shutter that can give odd looking results when shooting a high-speed airplane propeller or wiggle in video.
  5. Decide if you want to capture video with the camera. If you want true HD capabilities, look for 1080 resolution video. If you want to catch close to professional or professional sound, look for a camera with microphone input.
  6. Check reviews on the web. http://www.dpreview.com, http://www.imaging-resource.com, and http://www.steves-digicams.com are the leading sites for serious photographers, while http://www.cnet.com has good reviews for more casual users. When you're trying to decide between two choices, or just want to explore similar cameras, search for information online.
  7. Make a list of which features are important to you, and prioritize the list. Keep in mind that there are tradeoffs, for example, size vs. optical zoom. You probably won't get everything you want.
  8. Consider which type of batteries would be most useful to you. Your main options are either AA batteries or a rechargeable lithium battery pack. Rechargeable pack may be lighter and last longer, but when it wears out, it may be difficult to buy a replacement. If camera takes AA batteries, it can usually run on rechargeable AA batteries as well - these are not manufacturer specific and can be easily replaced when needed.
  9. Try not to end up with a complete compromise camera. Decide what's important and get something best at that, rather than middle-of-the-road in everything.
  10. Remember that megapixels do not equal good pictures. There are many other things, including the lens, that determine the quality of the image. 3 megapixels is the minimum you should look at. A 3 megapixel camera will get you excellent 4x6 prints, if you want anything bigger consider a 4 or 5 megapixel -or more if your budget will allow. Talk to a photo store professional for more information about how many megapixels you will need your camera to have to make a quality picture in the print size you want.
  11. Narrow your search down to one or two models and shop around for the best price. Price comparison sites can be helpful but often the best price merchants have terrible service.
  12. Make sure your camera has a warranty that you feel comfortable with. Most cameras come with a limited one year warranty, but extended warranties are usually available.
  13. Buy the camera. If you have time to wait or do not need your camera immediately, we recommend you use price comparison sites such as PriceComparison.com or DealTime.com. You will save time and money finding the lowest price. Consider shopping at a local camera store. You will be paying about the same as you would off the internet, you are getting a person behind the counter who knows more about cameras than the internet, and also an easy place to take your camera back if it should happen to malfunction sometime down the road. And economically speaking, you will be supporting your local towns and creating jobs and keeping the money circulating locally

Tips

  • It's easy to overweight optical zoom in your purchase. Yes, zoom is nice -- but 90% of the time you can just walk a few steps closer to the people. And optical zoom can add a lot of price and weight to the camera.
  • Check on prices of accessories and get an idea of what you will need. Most cameras will provide you with a starter memory card (or internal memory)that will hold roughly 15 pictures, so an additional memory card is a must. Some cameras don't come with a memory card or even batteries to start you off. It is better to check on this than to accidentally go over your budget because you didn't know it needed a memory card or batteries.
  • For many casual photographers, a very small camera is nice because it is super portable, so you're more likely to have it with you when something good happens. From the other side, the larger camera may have reasons to be larger, (large lens collects more light allowing to make good photos in low light conditions without flash).
  • Also, you can see www.myproductadvisor.com and go to the camera section, the computer will ask you questions on what you want your camera to be like.
  • Ask friends and family about their digital camera choices.
  • Be careful with digital zoom. On cameras with fewer megapixels you will notice a loss in picture quality. On cameras of 6 MP and up, the loss will be much less noticeable. The same effect can also be achieved with editing software on a computer after you take the picture.

Warnings

  • Watch out for colorful or pretty cameras that do not do the job.
  • Be careful with most of the New York City based camera merchants. They often sell gray market merchandise, which means it doesn't have a US warranty. Sometimes they will quote a price 30% less than anyone else, but that is for the "body only" and they then offer to sell you the software, cables and battery for another $100. While there are exceptions such as B&H, it's best to assume that these guys are shady.
  • Watch out for slim "Back-Pocket" cameras, where they are only about half an inch wide. While they may be convenient, in order to get the lens to fit in the camera, they need to make it really small. This results in pictures being slightly warped on the edges.

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