How to Choose a Digital Camera

Today, there are a wide range of digital cameras on the market. As well, every year many more new cameras are introduced. Each camera promotes a variety of features such as: design, file formats, resolution, usability, and much more. It can be very difficult trying to pick the best digital camera that meets your needs. Because there is not one single digital camera that can be considered the best of all cameras, the best thing a person can do is acquire an understanding of the beneficial features that will make a digital camera a good investment.

The following is a list of tips on how to choose a digital camera:

Resolution: It is important to get a high resolution camera. A camera of 2 to 3 megapixels is a good choice. If you will be printing a lot of photos, you should get a camera of 3 to 4 megapixels. If you are going to enlarge photos, get at least 5 to 6 megapixels. The type of resolution you choose will depend on what the camera will be used for.

Zoom: The type of zoom you choose will depend on how you will use the digital camera. The two types of zoom are optical zoom and digital zoom. Optical zoom allows you to take close up pictures without affecting the quality of the picture. Digital zoom will allow you to get a close up picture of the subject but the detail and clarity may be affected negatively. A smaller zoom is good for family shots (1x - 4x.) A 5x zoom and higher is good for action shots. A 10x or 12x is good for long distant nature shots.

LCD Display: You should have an LCD display on the back of the camera so that you can view the precise framing. A rotating LCD viewfinder is also a good feature to have as it is more accurate than the LCD.

RAM: It is important to get a camera with a lot of RAM so you can store plenty of pictures. Guidelines include: 128MB of memory for up to 4 megapixels, 256MB for 5-6 megapixels, and 512MB for 7+ megapixels.

Batteries: Because digital cameras consume a lot of power, it is important to get rechargeable batteries, including extra batteries so you can use the camera while one set of batteries is recharging.

Extra Features: There are a number of extra features that you may want to consider such as: self-timer, variable shutter speeds, interchangeable lenses, auto exposure, steady-shot, a battery-time-remaining indicator, voice memo, adjustable aperture, autofocus and macro features, shutter-release lag times, and USB or IEEE 1394 (FireWire) connectivity.

Flash: Because the majority of digital cameras come with a built-in flash, it is important to make sure you can turn the flash off.

Choosing a digital camera can be a time-consuming and difficult task. Fortunately, the Internet has several first-rate camera review sites. You can use these sites to help you narrow down your choices. When you know what features you need when searching for a digital camera, you will be able to find the best digital camera that meets your needs.