Digital Camera Buying Guide
Posted on March 13, 2008
This is a question I get asked occasionally; “Which digital camera should I get?” I sincerely wish I had fast and easy answer. Alas, there are too many options available and too many details to consider for me to give fast and easy instruction on this matter. So let’s start at the basics and see what we can come up with.
Budget
Ah, the big one. This detail, above all, will govern what you ultimately end up with. For example, if you only have $100-$300 to spend, then you’re pretty much stuck with a point-and-shoot camera. If your budget extends to $500-$1,000+, then you have some more options to think about.
Point-and-Shoot vs. DSLR
For those that don’t know, a point-and-shoot camera is one that allows you to do just that: point and shoot. These cameras are great for quick snapshots or if you’re just looking for a straight-forward way to take pictures. These are typically smaller in size and cost less than DSLRs.
DSLR stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex. These are the larger cameras that you see with the big honking lenses attached to them. These are preferred in the higher levels of photography due to the fact that you can use different lenses and they allow you to manually adjust shutter speed, aperture, and focusing. Granted, many of today’s point-and-shoot cameras have these same capabilities, but from my experience these adjustments can be made much easier on DSLRs.
Many point-and-shoot cameras boast a Movie mode which allows you to take small videos. This feature is not found on DSLRs. This mode isn’t a requirement for everyone, but it does come in handy at times.
Megapixels
Unfortunately, the number of megapixels has become the primary focus point to most consumers. I can agree that the number of megapixels is important to an extent. If you printed a 4×6 print of an image taken with a 7-megapixel camera and placed it next to the same image taken on an 8- or 10-megapixel camera, you’d be able to tell very little, if any, difference between the images. Where the higher number of megapixels might come into play is when you’re printing out larger prints; upwards of 8×10.
When it comes down to it, megapixels don’t necessarily equal higher quality. There are several other aspects, such as optics, color management, and internal image processing, that play a bigger role in this area. Of course, it’s difficult to compare these elements without spending some time with each camera. So we find ourselves looking for something that is easy to compare, which turns out to be megapixels.
Point-and-shoot cameras are usually where you’ll see the megapixel numbers thrown around in order to portray a quality product. In contrast, when shopping for a DSLR, there’s no harm in gravitating toward the camera with the higher number of megapixels. Most DSLRs on the market today have good color management and processing features; furthermore, the DSLRs with the higher megapixel numbers are usually the newer camera models, which means updated features and more advanced processing technology.
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Brand
Brand is an important issue as well, determining the quality of the product and the available support for your new gadget. I’ve read my fair share of photography books and spent endless hours on forums and tutorial sites, and it’s consistently proven again and again that the two big brands are Canon and Nikon. I agree with this wholeheartedly and have owned cameras from both manufacturers in the past. I ultimately sided with Canon and that was strongly influenced by the amount of information and online discussion pertaining the their products. Over time, I’ve found that both brands have a huge supportive communities on the web and I feel comfortable recommending either brand.
I’m in no way saying that you can’t get great results from other brands. I’ve just had good experiences with both brands and therefore would recommend them over any other.
Accessories
Other things to keep in mind are the available accessories (storage cards, batteries, lenses and attachments, etc.) Most cameras will support either CompactFlash (CF) or Secure Digital (SD) flash cards. Some brands, such as Sony, use proprietary storage cards that can only be used with Sony brand cameras. This tends to turn me off because that greatly decreases your purchasing options.
You’ll also want to consider whether you want a camera that comes with a rechargeable battery or if it uses regular AAs or AAAs. More of the ultra-compact cameras will come with their own rechargeable battery because they don’t have to make room for the larger size of the AA batteries.
I know that the physical build is important to some folks–window shopping for the slimmest, sleekest camera that would fit just right in your new briefcase or purse. This is a valid concern, and at this point I’d suggest that you get the camera that you’ll use the most. Naturally, if you have a camera with you at all times you’ll be more likely to use it. And that’s what it’s all about.
Conclusion
A good digital camera can be a great tool for capturing the moments of your life that you want to remember and share with others. Don’t just run out and buy the first camera you see on sale. Take a little time to do some research and to think about what you’re wanting to get out of the camera. The photos you take will long outlive your camera–all the more reason to get the camera that you will use and that will give you the best results.
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