There are a LOT of digital cameras to choose from on the market today. The selection can be over-whelming, especially if you are new to digital. Let's look at the major points to consider when shopping for a digital camera.
First off, get out a pen and paper, and jot down your answers to each point. It'll help you come up with your answer, and you'll have a list to take with you when you go out shopping or go online to buy your new digital camera.
What are you going to use it for?
This will help narrow down the selection right off the bat. If you are going to use it for family outings and taking pictures of the kids at grandma's, you aren't going to need the same level of camera that a professional needs for photographing weddings or taking product shots. Jot down all the things you think you'll be using the camera for.
What will you be doing with the pictures?
Most people end up using the photos from their digital camera to post on Facebook or Twitter, email to family and friends, and maybe print out the odd 4x6 print at Wal Mart. Very few ever print anything larger than a 4x6, and if they do, it's almost never larger than a 5x7 or 8x10.
The reason this is important is that companies market megapixels as the biggest feature, and these days, megapixels really aren't that important to the average digital camera user. Even the cheapest cameras now have 6 or 8 megapixels which is more than enough to print an 8x10 print, larger than most people will usually ever print. You can even print a nice 11x14 or 12x18 from an 8 megapixel file, but few people will ever do that.
Don't be sucked in by megapixels. There are other features that are far more beneficial.
Does the size of the camera matter?
Most people will get better use out of a pocket camera than a larger model that they can't fit in their purse or coat pocket. The best photos are the ones you actually take, and photos don't get taken if your camera is sitting at home because you didn't feel like lugging it along.
Going back to our first point of what you'll be using the digital camera for, think about whether you're ok carrying around an additional bag for the camera, or if you'd rather have something small you can fit in your pocket. Be honest with yourself. I'm a professional photographer, and there's many a time I don't take my DSLR's with me because I don't feel like lugging them around.
What range of zoom lens do you want?
In simple terms, how close up and how far away do you want to be able to shoot? Size of the camera and what you're using it for factor into this point because digital cameras are usually bigger if they have a bigger zoom lens with a longer range.
Do you want to be able to take photos from a fair distance away? If so, you need a longer zoom. Something in the 200mm to 300mm range. Is taking photos up close important? If so, you need a wide angle zoom. Something in the area of 24mm, but even wider is good too.
Will you be taking photos mostly outside in daylight?
This makes a difference as to how âfastâ a lens you need. We're talking about the f stop here. The smaller the number, the faster the lens. The f stop is the aperture, or the size of the whole that opens up in the lens to light in.
Point and shoot pocket cameras are fairly limited in this area, although some higher end models have faster lenses around f2.8. If you're photographing in dim or low light regularly, you may need to go to a Digital SLR, or DSLR, which allows you to change lenses. With a DSLR, you can get very "fast" lenses that allow you to work in dim lighting.
Is the speed of the digital camera important?
If you're taking pictures of flowers, the camera's speed isn't going to matter much. If you want to take photos of your kids playing soccer, it's going to matter a great deal. Most point and shoots won't be up to the task here either. You'll likely be better served with a DSLR. Even the slowest of DSLR's is MUCH faster than a point and shoot pocket camera.
Summing it all up
Take a look at all your answers to the above points. You should now have a pretty good idea of what you're looking for in a digital camera. Maybe you've realized you need to spend more than you intended? Just remember, it's often cheaper to spend more now and buy what you really need, than to spend less and have to up-grade a short time later.
See you behind the camera!
Matt Ballard is a Professional Photographer and author of the popular photography blog, Art of the Image at http://www.artoftheimage.blogspot.com
Matt's latest eBook is Google Business Marketing: Succesful Marketing Strategies For Turning Google Into Your Best Business Partner. http://www.googlebusinessmarketing.com A MUST read if you want to raise your Google rankings and get more traffic to your website or blog.
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