Digital Camera Shopping

Shopping for a digital camera is daunting. There are many inexpensive cameras available these days, and they look very impressive, but take very poor pictures.

RESOLUTION
Camera resolution is specified in “megapixels,” and refers to the number of dots that make up an image. A 6 megapixel camera will have a resolution approximately of 2800 X 2200, for example.

Why buy a camera that takes pictures at 2800 X 2200 if your screen resolution is only 800 X 600? If the photo was taken with a higher resolution camera, you would be able to crop it and still have enough pixels in the image to comfortably print it without it looking “pixilated.”

ZOOM
There are two types of zoom advertised in digital cameras: Digital Zoom, and Optical Zoom. “Digital Zoom” is useless. QUICK NOTE:
Optical Zoom = Good.
Digital Zoom = Nothing. LENS & CCD SIZE
A larger CCD means a more defined picture, and a better ability to take photos in low light conditions. You will notice there are three predominant types of cameras on the market: Portable cameras with a lens that is perhaps 0.25″ in diameter, mid-range cameras with a lens that is about 1″ in diameter, and large cameras with lenses that are 1.5″ or larger in diameter.

Portable cameras generally have no optical zoom capability, and are fine for outdoor pictures in sunlight. Mid-range cameras are great for all-purpose pictures, and generally have an optical zoom and offer features like red-eye reduction and “macro” mode to take close-up photos. Large cameras approach the control and flexibility of 35mm SLR cameras. A camera with a small lens definitely is easier to cart around, but they rarely take indoor pictures well. QUICK NOTE:
Small Lenses = Portable and Hardy / Poor image quality and inability to take low light photos
Large Lenses = Better Optics & Image Quality / More delicate and less portable

MEMORY
Digital cameras use memory cards to hold pictures. Purchasing memory for a camera is normally a one-time deal: instead of buying film each time you want to take pictures (and making sure you have enough rolls!) you simply buy one media card when you buy the camera.

DOCKING AND PRINTING
Many cameras are now paired up with printers, so you can simply plug the camera into the printer and get a paper print. THINGS TO TRY WHEN SHOPPING FOR A CAMERA

- Go to a store with working demo cameras, and try to take several pictures inside the store WITH THE FLASH OFF. – Focus on a feature far away in the store, zoom in as far as the camera will go, and shoot some pictures. This is another great test for the camera’s ability to take indoor pictures. – Snap a quick picture of an unsuspecting customer walking by. – Go to an actual camera shop. Oddly, the retail prices on a given digital camera can vary widely from store to store.

Price: < $100
Small body size, fixed focus, small lens, digital zoom (NOT optical), no LCD preview, and low resolution (<1 or 2 megapixels). Good general purpose camera for average user. Takes great outdoor pictures, and decent indoor photos using the flash. Price: $300-$600
“Prosumer” level camera. Larger size body with large lens (>1.5″ diameter), auto and manual focusing modes, high optical zoom (6 – 20x), LCD viewer, and high resolution (>6 megapixels). Takes outstanding photos in all conditions. These cameras also take very good low-light (indoor) pictures WITHOUT requiring the flash.

Price: >$600
Professional digital camera. Ultra high resolution, standard lens mounts and accessories, large camera body. Cameras in our house have to be flexible.