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Digital camera buying guide
Digital camera (or digicam for short) is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor.
1)Before buying a camera ask yourself the purpose of buying a digital camera,as you have to invest wisely as per your need.Don't spend too much looking for features that you never or rarely use.
Ask these questions and the answers will help you decide what you are looking for.
- What do you need the camera for?
- What type of photography will you be doing? (portraits, landscapes, macro, sports)
- What conditions will you be largely photographing in? (indoors, outdoors, low light, bright light)
- Will you largely stay in auto mode or do you want to learn the art of photography?
- What experience level do you have with cameras?
- What type of features are you looking for? (long zoom, image stabilization, large LCD display etc)
- How important is size and portability to you?
- What is your budget?
2) Megapixels are NOT everything
One of the main questions to ask when it comes to megapixels is ‘Will you be printing shots’? If so - how large will you be going with them? If you’re only printing images at a normal size then anything over 4 or so megapixels will be fine. If you’re going to start blowing your images up you might want to pay the extra money for something at the upper end of what’s on offer today.
For high-quality prints sized 8”x 10” or more, you need a camera with at least 3 megapixel resolution.
3)Optical zoom VS Digital zoom
Optical zoom is the magnification within the lens itself when you zoom in/out. Make sure the camera has powerful optical zoom capability.
Digital zoom doesn’t change focal length. Instead, as you zoom in, a smaller and smaller portion of the digital sensor is used to record the subject. This lowers the number of pixels.
4) Digital cameras eat up batteries. Make sure the camera you select accepts rechargeable batteries. Battery life is usually covered in camera reviews, so note it. A good camera takes about 100 photos with a single charge.
Rechargeable batteries are convenient, but offer no means of recharging while on the move. If you’re worried about running out of power while travelling, you can go for a camera that uses standard AA size batteries.
5)All digital cameras have a built-in LCD screen. Some offer crisp renditions of photos, others accept hoods to boost visibility, yet others tilt, twist, flip... All fun features but consider how you use a camera before deciding. If you need to shoot around corners or edges, a movable LCD is a good idea.
ompact Flash memory cards are very popular due to their durability and wide storage range (16 MB to even 32 GB, for pro cams).
6)In-built scene settings help you take better pix. When you choose a scene, like landscape or portrait, the camera adjusts itself automatically to the settings best suited for it. Consider a camera with an array of scene modes
7)Redeye reduction is a standard feature on most cams. But it’s just a reduction, not a removal. If you hate red-eye or shoot a lot of portraits, consider a camera with a hot-shoe or connection for an external flash. Keeping the flash away from the lens reduces red-eye. Want max flash control? Look for a camera that allows manual adjustments!
The best camera for you doesn’t have to be the most expensive or most popular. It is the camera that does what you want it to do.
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