How to Buy a Digital Camera

By Susan M. Keenan

Purchasing a digital camera can be an intimidating experience for some of us who haven’t grown up in a technological world. Fortunately, digital cameras really aren’t as enigmatic as we believe. In fact, making your purchase of the perfect model of a digital camera is really as simple as understanding a few facts and your needs.

What Are Your Needs?

• Purpose-Consider what you will be doing with the camera. Is it strictly for picture taking? Will you be using the camera to film video clips? Will you need the camera to tape short audio clips? • Future needs-Consider whether you are going to use this camera for a learning process or if you intend to keep it forever. Perhaps the camera is a gift. Is the recipient a child, a teenager, or an adult? If this is a beginner camera, then it does not need to be top of the line.

How Does a Digital Camera Work without Film?

Digital cameras use magnetic storage disks or cards to store the pictures. The disks are removable so that the images can be transferred to other media. The images remain on the storage disks until the user deletes them. Memory cards have the capacity to store hundreds of photos.

Special connectors allow the user to transfer the pictures or digital images from the storage disk to a computer where they can be saved to the hard drive, emailed to others, or edited with a computer program. Additionally, the images can be transferred to an existing multimedia presentation or printed to hard copy.

What Does This Mean?

• Megapixel- Megapixels determine the photo’s resolution. Resolution in non-technical language means the fine details of the picture. The more megapixels you have, the better quality your pictures will have. Additionally, the more megapixels you have, the bigger the picture you can print and still retain good quality.

• Optical zoom-The optical zoom is a contributing factor to the sharpness of your pictures. The higher the zoom, usually, the better the quality of the sharpness.

 • Memory- The memory that your camera has is a major factor in determining the number of pictures that you can store with your camera. Most cameras have the capacity to store pictures on board and on memory cards.

• Storage capacity- The number of megabytes that a camera has the capacity to store is its storage capacity. However, the resolution of your pictures also plays a role in the number of pictures that you can store. The higher the resolution, the more storage space the picture requires.

• Battery life- Digital cameras tend to drain batteries quickly. Typically, the batteries have used up their life somewhere between two hundred and four hundred pictures.

What Should You Remember?

• Camera case- A camera case is a must have on your list when you are purchasing a camera. No matter how careful you are with important items, it is easy to accidentally damage a camera. If you are taking your camera to events outside the home, providing a nice safe, and secure carrying case is essential.

 • Extra batteries- Digital cameras have a tendency to use up battery life in a short period of time. Always carry extra batteries with you when taking the camera outside the home. Consider investing in a rechargeable battery set.

• Extra Memory- Once you become familiar with the workings of your digital camera, you may become picture happy. Purchase additional memory cards for your camera at the time that you purchase it. Then, you won’t have to try and remember exactly what type of memory card you need when you finally decide to go out and purchase more memory.

What Should You Consider?

• Printer- The quality of your printer (laser or inkjet) will have an effect on the quality of your printed photographs.

• Camera software- The quality of your digital camera’s software will have an effect on the quality of your printed photographs.

• Computer- The quality of your computer will have an effect on the quality of your printed photographs. Specifically, the speed of your computer will affect the quality of the photographs. If you are going to invest in a super deluxe, mega expensive digital camera, but only have a very basic computer, think again.

 • Paper- Purchase photo quality paper to achieve the best results when you print your pictures. A variety of manufacturers produce excellent photo quality paper for printers.

• Technology skills- Realize that if you do not have any computer skills, but are considering purchasing a digital camera, you will experience a learning curve. Consider taking a class, getting help from a friend, or learning on your own before you purchase the camera or immediately after you make the purchase. You don’t need any obstacles getting in the way of your learning to use your digital camera.

What Are the Benefits?

• Immediate viewing- Probably one of the most liked features of digital cameras is the ability to view the photos immediately.

 • Numerous picture capability- The number of exposures non-digital cameras allow is limited, typically to 12, 24, or 36 exposures or pictures.

• Delete- Digital cameras allow easy deletion of unwanted pictures. Photographers, professional and nonprofessional, no longer have to print out of focus pictures before they toss them into the trash.

• Cost- The ability to print only the pictures that you want actually equates to a savings in money. If you aren’t a skilled photographer, this can amount to quite a tidy sum of cash.

 • Cards- Homemade cards have entered a whole new realm of personalization in the advent of digital cameras. Whether you are printing invitations to Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas cards, or graduation thank you cards, a nice digital picture can give your cards a classy appearance.

• Share easily- Once you know how to download your photos online, you can easily share your photos free with family and friends through e-mails or website posts.

• Easy to store photos- Once you have taken your digital pictures, you can easily store them on the memory cards, the computer hard drive, or burnable CDs.

What Are the Disadvantages to Owning a Digital Camera?

The initial investment in time is the only real disadvantage to owning a digital camera. Fortunately, this is a temporary setback. Once you learn how to use the camera, download the photos, edit the photos with software, emails them, burn them to CDs, and print them, you will be saving the time that you normally took to take your film in for developing.

Where Do I Buy a Digital Camera?

Many electronics stores, photography stores, discount department stores, and online sites offer cameras for sale. Moreover, digital cameras are sure to be featured in many other types of stores as well. The best thing that you can do when shopping for a digital camera is to talk to a salesperson that knows cameras. Learn from them and make your purchase wisely.

© Doityourself.com 2006

- Back to Top -