How to Choose the Right Digital Camera

There are many brands and types of digital cameras to choose from today, with many available features. There are also many ways to choose a digital camera also, so I'll break down the most important ones to streamline the choosing process.

1) Cost / Budget

In today's economy, buyers are more discriminating on their purchases.  If a camera has features you don't intend to use, paying for those features is a waste of your money and you might be more satisfied with a different camera.

Set your target budget for what you are willing to spend. If your wants and needs are greater than your budget, either postpone your purchase until you have more to spend, search for bargains and sales, or look into buying used/reconditioned. If you have a point-and-shoot budget but SLR wants / needs, look into used cameras.

If you buy used from places like EBay or Craigslist, etc., there is no warranty. This may or may not be important; if there is a major manufacturing defect, it should be apparent within the first year of use. Used cameras may have some wear but if the seller guarantees working order (meaning if you purchase it and there is a major defect you can return it for refund) it may even be advantageous that it has been "broken in". Consult references like Consumers Reports Buyers Guide for reliability and value (if you don't subscribe, consult your local library).

2) Projected Use

How are intending to use the camera? If you are a "snapshot" photographer, taking photos mostly of family, friends, and life events, a simple point-and-shoot pocket camera may be best. If you are more serious about photography as a hobby or art, you may want a more advanced camera.

In choosing an SLR, seek other photographer's opinions an various models in photography forums, ezines, and social networks.   Be aware though that some photographers are very loyal to a certain brand; read posts from photographers that have had different brands and models.  Assess the cost and quality of compatible lenses for the proposed camera, especially versatile lenses such as a 22-150 zoom.

3) Ease of Use

Are you the type of person that has trouble with the TV remote? If so, look for a camera that is very easy to learn to use. Look at cameras of friends and family members and ask them about it. Look in stores at different brands and models in your price range and play around with the display models. If you can figure out how to use the display model without any help or instruction, that may be the model for you.

If you are a more advanced photographer and want more, also check out store display models to see if the features' accessibility is a good fit. If you need to quickly change camera settings (like in sports or wildlife photography) and you have to go through a menu, you may lose the shot.

4) Features

More megapixels (mp) give a sharper image and larger file size. For the everyday camera user that prints regular-sized prints or emails photos, higher mp is not as important. If you plan to enlarge photos for display, higher mp is advantageous.

Most pocket point-and-shoot digital cameras, and even more advanced pocket models and SLRs have features to choose for scenery, beach, sports, portrait, etc. types of photos. When choosing a camera, make sure you are comfortable in how to choose these features. Those that are easiest to use are those that have a knob with icons with these features. In some ways, "more advanced" can also mean "more complicated", in that you may have to go through several steps to choose the same feature. This may not be a problem if you are on a beach outing and set it up for "beach"- make sure in your tryout on models that it will stay on this setting, or if you have to go through several steps each time you turn the camera off and on, which will make taking photos more cumbersome.

Assess whether flash settings and zoom in / out are easily accessible. Stabilization is a very useful feature to reduce camera shake, especially while using a zoom.

Optical zoom is more important than mp. For example, if there is a choice between an 8 mp camera with a 4x optical zoom and a 10 mp camera with a 3x optical zoom for about the same price, choose the higher zoom over higher mp.

5) Buttons

Referring back to #3, more buttons tend to intimidate some people. Try to see what models strike a balance between more buttons (easy access to features) and less buttons (having to go through a menu) that fits best with your comfort level.

If you often carry your camera in a case, purse or pocket, an inlaid on/off button or tight rotary button is good in that it prevents the camera from being accidentally turned on when not in use and draining the battery.

6) Batteries

Find out what kind of batteries the camera uses and if rechargeables are compatible. A less expensive camera that takes expensive or harder to find batteries may cost you more in the long run.

7) Feel

If a camera feels bulky or heavy in your hands, or you are just plain not comfortable with it, choose another, even if you love the features. Similarly, if you have large fingers and a camera is very small or has very small buttons, it may make using the camera more difficult for you.

If you make a proper assessment of your needs and wants in a digital camera, you can find the right camera within your budget that will give you enjoyment for many years.