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Important considerations when purchasing a digital camera
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Buying a digital camera these days can be a time consuming & confusing task with so many makes, models & different functions to consider the average person can be uncertain as to which digital camera will suit his or her needs.
In writing this short article I hope to bring a little light into your “digital” world by helping you decide the right camera for your particular usage.
Are you sure you want a digital camera? Maybe you really want a digital video camera that is also a digital still camera? Or perhaps it's time to upgrade your mobile phone to one that has a built-in digital camera?
These are questions you should ask yourself & the answer will come when you establish your digital camera needs & what it is you expect from a digital camera.
Digital Video Camera / Digital Still Camera (combo):
The video/still camera combos are very popular these days & all the major brands have them. They are a great idea & you can save money buying one camera that does both digital video & digital still images. There are two negatives however that one must weigh up before going ahead with one of these combo cameras, firstly & most importantly the still picture quality of these combo cameras is always very poor in comparison to that of a stand alone digital camera. Even top of the line combo cameras are a long way behind in the mega pixel count which directly affects the size to which the photo can be enlarged. In addition as you can image the manufacturer has squashed two appliances into one which leaves a lot of features out. Secondly if something goes wrong with one machine they both need to go to the service center! Ideally having both a digital video camera & a digital still camera would be the best solution however not all budgets will allow this.
Mobile phone camera:
The convenience of having a camera in built into your mobile phone is a fantastic idea, there are many times when a picture begs to be taken & all you have is that mobile phone in your pocket. The camera mobile phone trend is going ahead in leaps & bounds, but please be aware of the pitfalls! As I mentioned above a two in one appliance can have its problems. Mobile phone cameras have even less picture quality then that of combo cameras mentioned above. Again it all comes down to your preference – if your happy with small photos that look “good” or “average” go ahead & get a camera mobile phone!
When purchasing a digital camera it is imperative that you ask yourself what exactly do I plan to do with this device? Are you just after a camera for the holiday break? If so go grab a disposable camera & be done with it! But seriously if you don't intent using the camera more than twice or three times a year you might be better off with a disposable. If your looking for a digital camera for the odd occasion, a camera that will point 'n' shoot without much input from the user & your not really fussed about blowing the images up to or beyond 8 X 10 inches then just go for a 1-3 mega pixel camera with a fixed lens. This type of camera is fine for most “novice” users & as long as you don't care too much for a quality zoom your pictures will be fine (family will love them). These “cheap” digital cameras are also of similar quality to the ones you will find in video cameras & mobile phones.
If you would like a camera that will take high quality images there are only two important features to consider (that's right ONLY 2). The first important feature is the optical lens or more specifically optical zoom. Please do not mistake or confuse digital zoom with optical zoom, the two are very different. Optical zoom will get you closer to the subject using the mechanical action of the optical lens, you can see the action of this lens as it zooms in & out of the camera body. Digital zoom on the other hand simply magnifies the subject digitally & doesn't actually get you closer to the subject. The result of using digital zoom can be blurred or smudged looking photos. Fixed lens digital cameras only have digital zoom (hence the fixed lens) while cameras that have an optical zoom often also include a digital zoom.
If you own or are thinking of purchasing a fixed lens digital camera I would recommend that you walk up to the subject and avoid using the digital zoom altogether! While using optical zoom will produce sharp accurate images, digital zoom is a big no no in the photography world.
The second important feature to consider when purchasing a digital camera is the amount of mega pixels. In digital imaging devices mega pixels define the resolution range. One mega pixel is equal to one million pixels. What does this mean? Well put simply the more mega pixels the better! Why better? Well if you like to enlarge your photos the more mega pixels you have the larger you can make your prints! Cheap cameras with 3-4 mega pixels are fine for most users however if you like the idea of big photos, that is bigger than 8 X 10 inches then you will need a digital camera with more than 4 million pixels. The amount of mega pixels really depends on your budget & your desired usage. If your a professional looking to create fantastic posters or magazine spreads your interest may go beyond 20 mega pixels, but for most of us 3-8 mega pixels will suit our lifestyle & budget just fine.
In conclusion you may be asking yourself why I did not touch on the different brands, models, features & characteristics of different digital cameras. Well the truth is it is all up to the individual, I personally am a Canon fan but you may like Nikon or Sony. Likewise the many different features of digital cameras are endless from make to make & between all the different models. My recommendation when choosing a digital camera is to DO YOUR RESEARCH! You cannot over research your potential purchase. If you intend buying from a local shop front be sure to test all the different digital cameras & see which one is easiest to use & has the right functions for you. Or if purchasing online make sure you read some digital camera reviews on the models that your interested in, you will save much heartache if you find out before your purchase that the digital camera is not ideally suited to your needs.
About the Author
Sam J Wilkinson is a technical adviser & webmaster who enjoys helping others by writing useful & informative articles. Sam invites you to read other tech related articles that he has written which can be found here at http://www.citylinkpcs.com.au. Articles include computer help tutorials, computer buyers guides along with other PC, Hardware & software reference material.
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