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Focus on Features When Buying a Digital Camera
by Gareth Lenzy
http://www.yocamera.com
Before shopping for a digital camera, be sure you know
enough about the key features so you buy only what you need
Although friends, family members and reviews are good
sources of information to consider before shopping, here
are the basics to start with.
Because the term megapixel relates directly to image
quality, you will see it mentioned prominently in any
digital camera advertising. Dots called pixels make up a
digital image. with a megapixel equalling one million
pixels. Typical consumer cameras range between two and five
megapixels.
The more megapixels the sharper the image, generally, but
the size of enlargement is the important issue. You will be
okay with three megapixels for enlargements up to an 8x10,
but for larger photos you'll want more. If you plan to go
big, the extra expense for a five megapixel is worth it.
But save your money if you will use the photos for emailing
friends or to make small enlargements.
Think about what kind of lens you want on your digital
camera. Less expensive models usually have fixed lenses.
You won't be able to zoom in on your subject when taking
pictures. If you aren't close enough, the images in your
pictures will appear too small or far away. Zoom lenses
are a little more expensive, but worth the added cost. If
you want to shoot wildlife, a 10x zoom will be handy, while
a 3x is fine for general photos. An optical zoom, rather
than a digital one, is much preferred. Digital zooms
enlarge pixels and reduce picture quality.
Of course, if you want even greater flexibility, with
professional cameras you'll have interchangeable lenses.
With the hefty expense comes much more potential for great
photos.
How you will use your digital camera is another
consideration. Both video and still pictures can be made
with some models, although with the less costly cameras the
video will be quite short -- 30 seconds or less. For more
money, a combination model gives more video time.
Size can be an important consideration. If the camera is
too large, you may not want to carry it. A compact model
that fits in your purse or jacket pocket will probably get
more use than a larger model. The larger models have
slightly better quality in the images, but unless you're a
professional it's not enough to make a difference.
Memory sticks or cards are used with almost all digital
models to store images. Because most cameras come with
limited memory, you will need to purchase more to hold
fifty to one hundred images. Ensure that additional memory
is available at reasonable cost for your model.
All digital cameras make heavy use of batteries,
particularly if you are using the LED screen often. And
some brands have proprietary batteries that aren't cheaply
replaced. The ideal is a battery system that's generic and
easily recharged.
Software to download images onto your computer will come
with the camera, making editing and emailing them an easy
affair.
For more professional projects or to correct problems with
your images, such as red eye you may want to purchase
additional software, such as Photoshop. Make sure your
computer will support the software included with your
camera.
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