 | Plan to buy a digital camera?
This straight forward buying guide will help you find the right camera. |
Index
Introduction to buying a digital camera
Megapixels
Zoom
Image Sensor Type
ISO
LCD
Memory
Red-eye Reduction
Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
Compact Digital Cameras
SLR Digital Cameras
Professional Digital Cameras
Lens
Movie Modes
Flash Photography
Digital Camera Software
Digital Camera Accessories
Digital Camera Brands
Top Digital Camera Searches
Useful Websites
Introduction to buying a digital camera
Cheap digital cameras and the need for digital images with the growth of web 2.0 community sites means the digital camera has become a mainstream consumer product. Not quite on a par with mobile phones but increasingly not far behind either. There are still people buying for the first time so this guide will cover some of the key terms that you will come across and key features to look out for. This is not going to help you with your digital photography but may help you buy a digital camera. When you have selected a number of cameras that you like you can always research them in more detail using consumer and product review sites and magazines.
The first step is to sit down and think very carefully about what you want the camera for. Are you just starting out, need something that is easy to carry and just want to take some fun snaps? Do you want to create professional looking pictures for work, maybe even posters? Of course you will also need to decide on a budget but using an online shopping comparison site like cubalaya.com will help you find the right model at a good price within your budget.
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Megapixels - Picture Resolution
This is a very important feature to consider when buying your digital camera as it is a key component that defines the quality of your image. A megapixel is 1 million pixels (dots) and your pictures are made up of these dots. Therefore an 8 million pixel digital camera can produce much higher quality images than a 3 million pixel digital camera. Most digital cameras will come with 3 million mega pixels or more and this is plenty for most people, allowing them to produce good quality 8in x 10in pictures. Remember to check if the camera has quality setting levels. For example shooting everything ona high setting will quickly fill your cameras memory card whereas medium or even low may be sufficient for your purposes allowing many more pictures to be stored. Also remember that higher quality images take longer to download and send via email. 6 million mega pixel digital cameras are not cheap but are increasingly better value. This is sufficient for most uses including larger prints and posters. There are now cameras like the Sigma that have 14 million megapixel capabilities but this is obviously for the professionals.
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Zoom
This is a very important feature often overlooked when someone is buying a digital camera for the first time. There are two types of zoom to consider optical zoom cameras and digital zoom cameras. Optical zoom cameras produce better quality images than digital zoom. Digital zoom cameras are just digitally enhancing images and anyone who has tried this on their PC will know that it distorts the image. The more challenging decision to make around the camera zoom is how much do you need? You will see zoom data presented as 3x or 6x and this goes up to 12x. However you need to be as 2 cameras both showing a 6x zoom can perform differently. The key to getting closer to the subject matter is the focal length. You may see a camera has a focal length of 35mm - 105mm which is a 3x zoom. Another camera may have a 28mm - 84mm which is also a 3x zoom but the first camera has greater range. Make sure that if you buy a camera with a powerful zoom you will need to ensure it has some form of image stabilising technology, otherwise you will got a lot of shaky pictures.
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Image Sensor Type
A CCD Image Sensor will typically provide a higher quality image but do tend to use more of the cameras battery. The CMOS image sensor is regarded as more energy efficient and the quality remains very good.
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ISO
This can be referred to as 'noise' in the world of photography. It is worth noting that 2 different cameras can both be 8 megapixel digital cameras but one may provide a better quality image. For example compact digital cameras have an ISO sensitivity range of around 50 - 400. However a good SLR digital camera will give you 100 - 1600 resulting in better pictures in low light scenarios.
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LCD
Most but not all digital cameras now come with a LCD display window. This allows you to view the picture clearly before taking the shot but also acts as a display and access point for the cameras menu and controls.
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Memory
Digital cameras use several different types of memory card. A few cameras have built in memory cards that are limited but most allow you to simply replace them. It is usually the case that you will need to buy larger or additional memory to allow you to store sufficient numbers of pictures on your digital camera. The most common forms of memory card include the flash memory card which comes as a type 1 or type 2 which is a different size so be sure to select the right type. Secure Digital (SD) Cards are very popular as they are small and can sore lots of data. XD memory cards are used by Fuji and Olympus. They are small and come in 3 versions. The latest versions are the H XD cards which are higher speed and the M XD memory card which is an upgrade of the original which has a greater storage capacity. Memory sticks are the other main form of digital camera storage. These are used by Sony digital cameras and come as a standard memory stick or the smaller memory stick duo.
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Red-eye Reduction
Most but not all cameras now offer a feature to reduce the red-eye effect in pictures. This occurs when the flash from the camera reflects on the persons eyes giving a red glow effect in the final picture.
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Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
This is the term used to describe the mid sized and weight of digital camera. They are generally easy to use with enough features to keep most general users happy. They will usually come with a built in flash and lens.
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Compact Digital Cameras
This is often the term to describe the smallest and lightest models of digital camera. They will fit in a pocket and usually come with built in lens and flash. If you want to buy a cheap and easy to use digital camera then try a compact model. The disadvantages of this model are that your photography will be limited and you may at some point require a camera that can produce higher quality larger images.
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SLR Digital Cameras
The SLR digital camera is for the more experienced digital photographer. The SLR has become much cheaper over the last year and there are many models to choose from although canon and Nikon currently dominate this space. A digital SLR camera gives the photographer more control and offers greater quality. The lens on an SLR is changeable, you will be able to control aperture and shutter speed. An entry level SLR digital camera will have more features to allow you to develop your photography skills than even the highest specified compact digital camera model.
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Professional Digital Cameras
See SLR Digital cameras
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Lens
This is fairly straightforward but obviously the better the lens quality the better your pictures will be. Note that on SLR digital cameras you can get interchangeable lens.
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Movie Modes
Most cameras now have a movie record function. These tend to be limited in size and quality and won't get close to your camcorder but they can be fun. If this is something you think you may use a lot then consider how you will use and store the movies. Does the camera allow you to record movies with different levels of quality? Look for the frames per second (fps) where 15fps is lower quality and 30fps much better. This can be very useful if you want to email a short clip to someone as a lower quality movie is much easier to download and send in terms of file size.
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Flash Photography
Many models and most point and shoot and compact digital cameras will have a built in flash. A more experienced photographer or someone looking to take professional looking pictures will want to select a camera with the ability to add an external flash. This will give you much better illumination and control over your pictures.
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Digital Camera Software
All digital camera models will come bundled with their own bespoke software to allow you to transfer images to your PC and usually do some basic editing. It is worth investigating and researching this aspect further as it can be a key element of purchasing for the beginner. For example Hewlett Packard (HP) is renowned for providing robust and simple to use software with their cameras. Also as you get more experienced you may want to buy an additional editing package like Photoshop to allow you to make the most of your pictures.
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Digital Camera Accessories
The digital camera accessories market has exploded over the last couple of years. Everything from tripods, camera cases, batteries, rechargeable batteries, lens adaptors, lens filters, lens cases, camera straps, marine or waterproof case, lens hood, docks, cradles, usb cables, screen protectors, external flashes, car adaptors, flash memory case and cleaning kits are available. As your knowledge and passion for digital photography grows you can expand your camera kit. The one piece of kit that you should always buy straight away is a good camera case. Why spend several hundred pounds on a nice new digital camera only to accidentally damage it? Make sure the case you buy is suitable for your purposes and camera model.
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Digital Camera Brands
canon digital camera
,fuji digital camera
,sony digital camera
,hp digital camera
,hewlett packard digital camera
,nikon digital camera
,panasonic digital camera
,kodak digital camera
,olympus digital camera
,acer digital camera
,vivitar digital camera
,samsung digital camera
,sanyo digital camera
,pentax digital camera
,ricoh digital camera
,benQ digital camera
,mustek digital camera
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Top Digital Camera Searches
canon EOS 400D
,fuji finepix
,sony cyber-shot
,cybershot digital
,panasonic lumix
,canon rebel
,canon ixus
,canon powershot
,samsung digimax
,cheap digital camera
,SLR digital camera
,compact digital camera
,6 megapixel digital camera
,7 megapixel digital camera
,8 megapixel digital camera
,digicam
,digital photo printer
,pentax optio
,photoshop
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Useful Sites
www.sony.com
www.canon.com
www.nikon.com
www.panasonic.com
www.kodak.com
www.fujifilm.com
www.pentax.com
www.which.com - for independent reviews
www.stuff.tv - glossy magazine site with reviews
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