Buying a Digital Camera
by Dave Clingman
 

Published in Guadalajara Reporter,
February 13, 2010

Deciding which model of digital camera to buy begins with deciding what you need, and want, in a digital camera.

The first thing to decide is what resolution you want for your photos.  The digital camera industry is proud that they are able to produce models that take resolutions that are finer than even 35 mm film. But the higher the resolution, the fewer photos you'll be able to store, and the longer your camera and computer will take to process the data.

If you want to print large sized photo-quality pictures, an 8 megapixel camera will give you the flexibility to do this.  For smaller, standard sized photos, or to post your pictures online, a 4 megapixel camera will be more than enough.  The following website illustrates resolution differences:
http://knol.google.com/k/print-sizes-for-different-digital-camera-resolutions

The zoom option on a camera is usually of prime importance.  An optical zoom means that your camera has a lens that can bring distant subjects closer, producing clear, bright pictures.  A digital zoom merely uses various software enhancements to enlarge what the optics see, which often results in more fuzzy photos than an optical zoom.

Check if you can buy a camera that uses the same kind of memory as your other electronic devices, such as your cell phone or a PDA.  It is great to be able to interchange a memory card when needed.

For power, some cameras use standard sized batteries, like AAA, while other cameras will have more specialized, smaller sized batteries.  With standard sized batteries, you can buy new ones almost anywhere, but the specialized batteries will often be lighter and smaller, making your camera lighter and smaller.  Whatever type battery your camera uses, purchase rechargeable lithium-ion type batteries, and be sure to have spares.

Other things to consider: What settings does the camera have, and how easily can you change these settings?  Do you want to take videos?  Do you want to use your camera as a webcam?  Does it have a macro setting for closeups?  Do you want to hold the camera to your eye, using a viewfinder as you did with your old film camera?  Can you adjust the exposure, perhaps with various ISO settings?  Can you take long time exposures for night time shots?  Remember that a flash usually works only up to about three meters (ten feet)?  What is the delay between pressing the shutter button and the camera actually taking the shot, and the delay until your camera can take another shot?  Do you want to be able to print photos directly from your camera?

A good digital camera helps save your precious memories.  Ensure the camera meets your own needs and preferences, and it will be a joy to use.

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