There are many versions of digital cameras available – each with various options and capabilities – so it is best to maintain a list of your demands before you begin to compare models and prices. From resolution to storage and from exposure control to white balance, here are some suggestions to help you select the best digital camera for your purposes.
Remember, "Cheap is not always Best, nor is Best always Cheap".
1. Resolution
This is probably the most important feature you should consider as the resolution will determine how sharp your image will be, and how much you can enlarge it or crop your pictures subsequently.
Printed photographs from a colour printer require a high resolution - at least 720 dotes per inch.
2. Lens
The camera lens acts as the "eyes" of a digital camera.
Digital cameras are often advertised as a best buy if it uses plastic lens. We would recommend that you use one hundred percent glass lenses instead!
You would want a lens that gives you a good sharp image, and one that has enough light-gathering ability to let you take pictures even when your surroundings are not so bright.
The digital camera lens should also be sufficiently capable of zooming in and out to make the images appear larger or smaller, closer or further away as your needs require.
3. Storage Capacity
Make sure that your digital camera has an adequate Randon Access Memory (RAM) storage. The amount of RAM storage in your digital camera will determine how many pictures you can take before you have to reload your camera.
The higher the RAM, the more pictures you can store. Downloading of photographs is then required less often. This is especially important if you do not have easy access to a computer, particularly when you are travelling.
4. Exposure Controls
All digital cameras, except for the cheapest, include some form of automatic exposure control which determines the amount of light that reaches the sensor depending on the lighting conditions.
The better quality the camera, the more you can specify the type of exposure to use. If you want better control over your cameras exposure, then you should choose one that can handle several different exposure modes and lets you set the exposure yourself.
5. Focus Controls
As well as having exposure controls, all but the least expensive digital cameras has an automated focus control for sharper images. More expensive cameras, of course, have more versatile focus controls that will allow you to focus manually so the object you want to emphasize the most is the sharpest.
6. Viewfinders
Most digital cameras have two ways to let you preview and compose your subjects - a color LCD panel and an optical viewfinder. If the light is too bright to view the LCD screen then you can use the optical viewfinder. Your more expensive SLR cameras let you see the optical view of the picture through the same lens that takes the picture.
7. Mega Pixel Category
One of the most important features of a digital camera is the mega pixel category. The higher the mega pixels the better the actual photograph will come out. One mega pixel is equivalent to one million pixels. The actual resolution of your image is determined by the mega pixel of your camera. This means that as you enlarge the picture, you would get more detail and less blurry colors
8. LCD Screen
A good digital camera will nearly always have a large LCD screen to help you frame your subject without you having to use the view finder. This also helpful when reviewing your images, the best LCD size would be 2.5 inches and higher.
9. Zoom Feature
Zoom capabilities is another important point for consideration when you buy a digital camera. Since this feature is used most often on digital cameras, you should compare optical zoom capabilities with digital zoom capabilities to decide which you prefer. Some digital cameras have both digital zoom and optical zoom capabilities. The higher the optical zoom, the better.
Optical zoom is usually considered better than digital zoom if you are a more experienced photographer. Optical zooms of between 3x and 10x are better than others. The higher the optical zoom, the better the quality of the digital photographs. A good camera should always have the capability to take pictures both at close range and at a distance.
10. Memory Card
Another important feature of a digital camera is the memory card. Always make sure you have the right memory card. There are many different types of memory cards out there like XD, SD, flash card and the memory stick. These different types of memory cards works with different digital cameras. Choose the size of memory that you need - get a bigger memory if you want to take many pictures!
11. Miscellaneous Equipment
Accessories are another point for consideration before making a decision to buy a digital camera. Some packages include all the accessories needed or required, while others may require additional purchases of extra cables and software to enable functionality. If one has to buy all these extra things to enable connectivity, then the purchase will not be considered such a good deal.
It is not necessary that you get all your accessories at the start. Although you will eventually want to add some other accessories to your photographic equipment (such as, tripods, filters extra lenses, external flash units, printers and external storage devices), you can always pick these extra items up gradually over time.
The above should provide you with a good overview of what to look out for when shopping to buy your digital camera. With all these considerations, you should be able to find a great digital camera which suits your needs with the necessary accessories at a good price.
Always remember that the key to buying the RIGHT digital camera is to find one that will best fit you, your lifestyle and the purpose for which it is intended. Do not simply buy the latest model, or the one from any manufacturer or retailer who claims that that is the best digital camera in the market. The joy of having chosen the correct digital camera is that you will subsequently enjoy taking lots of pictures with it.
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