The Basics: Digital Cameras

With hundreds of models available, you should be able to find a camera that will meet your exact needs and fit within your budget. And for the most part, digital cameras work well for many years.

The problem, however, is that manufacturers keep improving digital cameras to the point that you may find yourself wanting a new model every year, even though your current camera works perfectly well. Even if your current camera is fine, some of the new models are bound to catch your eye.

We want to let you know that its perfectly normal to want a new camera. In fact, with the new features, increased power, and better performance supplied by the newer digital camera models, it wont take too much convincing to your bank account that purchasing a new model would be a good value because youll have better photos that need less editing.

Four of the best newer features include:

Image stabilization (IS) ensures that your photos -- especially those taken at low light -- arent blurry because of camera shake. IS does not, however, prevent blurry photos from a moving object. Two types of IS are Optical IS and Digital IS. Optical IS, which is the preferred type of IS, involves using stabilizing hardware inside the camera body to prevent camera shake. Digital IS, on the other hand, boosts camera sensitivity and increases shutter speed to avoid camera shake, but digital IS can lead to problems with "noise" (stray pixels) in photos. Most of the newer cameras contain some form of IS.

Wide-angle capabilities are beginning to appear with more frequency in newer digital cameras. Most wide-angle options are pretty limited -- usually around 25mm to 30mm (when compared to a standard 35mm-lens equivalent measurement) -- but having even a limited wide-angle option is very handy, especially when paired with a large zoom lens.

Optical zoom lenses continue to improve, with newer cameras sometimes offering 10X, 12X and even 15X zoom lenses in smaller and smaller camera bodies. One thing to keep in mind with zoom lens measurements is that the "multiplier" applies to the zoom capability as measured from the point where the lens has no magnification. For example, if the camera lens is equivalent to 30mm with no magnification, a 12X zoom lens would have a maximum zoom equivalent of 360mm. But, if the camera lens is equivalent to 25mm with no magnification, a 12X zoom lens would have a maximum zoom equivalent of 300mm. In other words, if the optical zoom lens has wide-angle capability, your lens wont have as much magnification on the high end as a zoom lens with no wide-angle capability.

Face recognition technology aids the camera in finding the person in the frame and apply its auto-focus to that area to make sure that the face is in focus. Although not all the new cameras have face recognition capabilities, some of the newer models can now "find" up to ten faces in a frame, ensuring the sharpest auto-focus possible.

Digital cameras grow in popularity day by day over film cameras. Even though film prints may be superior in quality to digital camera prints most of the time, however this difference isnt noticeable unless youre making extremely large prints. Digital cameras offer abilities that film cameras cannot. For example, the ability to keep and print only the photos you want, extremely small camera bodies, easy sharing of photo files and the ability to adjust image output quality to match the photography situation.

Digital cameras prices can vary greatly from the more basic models that can cost less than $100 to the more high tech models that can cost thousands of dollars. Most digital cameras do carry a 1-year manufacturers warranty, you may be able to find many retail stores that offer extended warranty options for an additional cost.

Digital cameras can come in three broad subcategories: Ultra-thin models, point-and-shoot models and advanced models. Although a some cameras are suitable for more than one subcategory, most cameras match the following criteria:

Ultra-thin models measure less than 1 inch in thickness and typically offer stylish camera bodies in multiple colors. Ultra-thin models usually are less complicated making it very easy to use and dont offer a lot of "extra" or high-end features.

Point-and-shoot models are easy to use and typically offer no manual-control features. You should be able to take the camera out of the box, load the battery and memory card, and begin shooting immediately. Point-and-shoot models can vary greatly in size and in the types of features they offer.

Advanced models offer many manual-control features. They sometimes include interchangeable lenses and many add-on features, such as external flash units. Theyre usually pretty expensive and aimed at intermediate to experienced photographers.

Here are five questions regarding digital cameras that you may find yourself asking when searching for the model thats right for you:
Are more megapixels always better?
Should I just buy the camera with the biggest optical zoom lens I can afford?
What feature is the least important in my buying decision?
What feature do people tend to overlook when buying?
What "hidden" costs will I find with a digital camera?

Are more megapixels always better?
Not always. Large megapixel counts are great for making large prints, but they also tend to be more susceptible to problems with noise in low-light conditions. If you want to make large prints (13-by-19 inches and larger) of scenes shot in perfect light, large-megapixel cameras are perfect. Otherwise, a 6-7 megapixels is all you really need.

What "hidden" costs will I find with a digital camera?
Very few digital cameras ship with memory cards anymore (although some do offer internal memory), so unless you have a card that can transfer from another camera you already own, you should put a memory card into your budget. Youll probably also want a second rechargeable battery and a USB cable. So overall you should expect to pay $50-$100 for these necessary items immediately after you buy a camera. Some manufacturers offer external flashes, lens adapters, AC power adapters and editing software as "extra" items. These nonessential items could run another $100-$500, depending on the camera model you buy. Finally, making prints isnt free, even if you already own a printer; youll still have costs for paper and inks.

Should I just buy the camera with the biggest optical zoom lens I can afford?
Not always. It depends on the type of photography in which you want to engage. There are significant trade-offs with large zoom lenses. Some drawbacks to a large zoom lens include an increase in blurry photos from camera shake problems, which can potentially miss spontaneous photos due to shutter lag, shot-to-shot delays or waiting for the lens to extend. However, there is nothing like being able to zoom in on something far-away. To conclude you are going to have to decide if you want to go with having some issues with camera lag in exchange for the zoom capabilities.

What feature is the least important in my buying decision?
This decision is really based on the photographer, but one feature that we think shouldnt influence your decision on buying a camera is its video capabilities. Even though its handy to take a 30-second video from time to time, the quality of the video isnt good enough to influence your decision on buying a camera.

What feature do people tend to overlook when buying?
Its easy to overlook the usability of a camera buy examing the megapixels and other specifications when comparing digital camera models.  If you do focus on megapixels and end up buying a camera that isnt useable for you, youve wasted a lot of time and money in picking a camera. For example, if you want to be able to carry a camera in your side pocket a big hefty camera isnt right for you. You are going to want to go for an ultra-thin model. Make sure that the camera fits comfortably in your hand before you buy. Check that the cameras menu structure is easy to understand and that the buttons and dials are in easy to find locations. If you dont like to use the liquid crystal display (LCD) to frame photos, choose a model that has a viewfinder. Usability is an important factor in selecting a camera and shouldnt be overlooked when selecting a digital camera.

How to Shop

Before shopping, know what it is that you want to find in a camera. A good idea is to make a list of three to five key criteria for your camera. Do you want a thin model or a camera with a large zoom lens? Do you want the fastest response times? Do you already own some lenses and memory cards for a particular brand? Such a list will greatly narrow the field of potential options and get rid of cameras that arent particularly to your liking. You should also set a budget, keeping in mind the cost of potential add-ons.

Because digital cameras come in so many shapes, sizes and configurations, its important to try them out before you buy. Make sure a camera fits your hands comfortably; some models are too small for people with larger hands. Most local stores will allow you to hold and try different models.

When you are ready to make a purchase, you should have no problem finding the model you want at a good price. There are many options to selecting a camera that is right for you from electronics superstores, discount superstores, camera stores, Internet retailers and even some camera manufacturers that sell digital cameras.