Buying a Digital Camera - Get it Right the First Time! | Photography

By ScottGoodman
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Most casual users of digital cameras will only ever use it for point and shoot occasions, rarely ever experimenting with all the different functions; this often leads to people buying something that doesn't suit their needs. Now that you are looking to buy a digital camera, do you know what to look for? Below are listed a few things that may be of assistance when you come to choose. The first piece of information is defining what you need and want in a camera.

The problem with technology is that it doesn't stand still even for a minute so you can't get to grips with it before it has moved on and digital cameras functions are a prime example; many buyers just aren't interested in experimenting with these functions. Of all the options available, what would you ask for if you were going to buy a digital camera? In order for you to make an educated choice, I have compiled some areas that are generally looked at when deciding. The first piece of information is defining what you need and want in a camera.

Do you plan to only use this for occasional family and friend type photos? Once you have sorted this out you will have to think about how much you are prepared to spend on this new piece of technology. You will probably be downloading the images onto your personal computer so check to see if your pc is up to the task of printing and editing these images. You may want to consider buying your camera as part of a new computer system which would probably include all the software and a printer as well. Manufacturers usually do a deal with an image manipulation software company and supply it when you buy a digital camera, however item such as printers and special paper will need to be purchased separately

Your printer may be fine for letters but is it up to printing photos; something like this is another extra cost item but fortunately they have also dropped in price over the years. Although you may not print out poster size images, setting the megapixel resolution to its highest setting will ensure the prints are of better quality. If you intend to take more than a dozen or so shots with your digital camera then you will have to use external memory to increase the storage space. There are a number of card types - some of the latest the professionals use can store 32 gigabytes; all the most up to date cards have one thing in common, and that is they can all store hundreds of images even at very high resolution.

The more 'user friendly' your model is, the more likely it is you will use it. Consider where the buttons are located and how they are spaced out and see if you feel comfortable using the viewfinder. Many newer digital cameras come equipped with large internal rechargeable batteries but if not you shot invest in a couple of sets; these can last for many hundreds of shots and will save a great deal of money. Some people buy their digital camera purely on the size of the screen; large screens make taking the picture so much easier.

Some lower specification versions only have a LCD screen and the larger this is; the quicker it will drain the batteries. If you want yours to have a good zoom facility, you should opt for those with an optical zoom lens. The picture quality deteriorates if you use the digital zoom camera and generally isn't worth the bother once you have seen the image results. Remote controls and diopter adjustment are still quite rare but handy if you have them fitted although I would prefer to have a tripod socket if there were a choice. With a little luck this article has cleared up a number of points you may have been unclear on and should make buying a digital camera a little easier.

About the Author

Before you buy anything online, make sure you check Scott Goodman' excellent web site on digital camera ratings, and best digital cameras

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