Basics for Choosing a Digital Camera

If you're new to the world of digital cameras then you know it can be a bit overwhelming with the countless new terms and special features. So, here is a short review to introduce you to the basics of digital cameras so you'll know exactly what you need when it comes to selecting a digital camera.

Comparing SLRs and Automatic Point and Shoot Cameras

A digital SLR operates the same as a non-digital SLR camera except that it exposes a light sensitive sensor instead of exposing film. If you choose an SLR, you will be able to manually adjust things like focus, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Generally speaking, digital SLRs will provide the highest quality images possible.

Point and shoot cameras are the more popular and more commonly seen digitals with large LCD screens on the back that require only one button press. Point and shoot cameras take lower quality pictures (although not by a lot) but provide a lot less customizable options. However one of their big benefits is their ease of use and their small portable size. Additionally, if you're planning on emailing or uploading images and not printing them at large sizes, the quality difference is negligible.

Mega Pixel 101

One of the most important features camera manufacturers talk about is the number of mega pixels. So what really are mega pixels?

Mega pixels are how camera manufacturers measure the number of pixels in an image. A camera with one mega pixel means that the camera will take pictures with 1 million pixels. You can think of them as an image's resolution.

How do you determine which mega pixel value is best for you? It really depends upon what you want to do with you pictures. For most users, who wish only to shoot a few photographs and upload them to their website or email them to friends at smaller sizes, anything in the 2MP to 7MP range is absolutely fine. If you're going to be blowing your work up to larger sizes, you should work with cameras that shoot at higher resolutions (10MP and above). The bigger you want your photo, then the more important the amount of mega pixels become.

The Difference Between Digital and Optical Zooms Many digital cameras feature both digital and optical zoom. An "optical zoom" is the distance the camera is able to zoom using its lens while a "digital zoom" is how far the camera can "fake" it from there. Basically, optical zoom will magnify the subject in the same way a zoom lens would, while digital zoom simply blows up a part of the image. One good example of a digital zoom, is when you see on tv the video footage from a security camera that shows the pixilated and blurry face of a robber.

When it comes to a digital zoom, you can for the most part, completely disregard it as a feature. Images created using digital zoom have low quality and look pretty terrible, so if you're not close enough to catch it with optical zoom it's best to either get closer or shoot with what you have.

When it comes to buying a digital camera, it doesn't have to be a frustrating or overwhelming experience. Just be honest about what you need and expect from your camera, as well as what your price range is, and go from there. If you focus on a digital camera that meets all your needs generally you'll be happier with your selection instead of buying a camera with an overwhelming selection of features. If you're really not sure, it's usually best to start with a less expensive camera and then move up over time - there's always room to upgrade later, should it turn out that your camera isn't delivering on what you really want.