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The First Big Question - To Digital or Not To Digital:
You have to first ask yourself how important time is in your imaging endeavors. If you highly value the time and money involved in film and developing, you will certainly benefit from a digital camera.
If, on the other hand, you simply want to get images into your computer for various reasons, and especially if you want to print big images, you may be happier using a film or flatbed scanner rather than a camera.
The reason is simple: a camera is like a scanner except that it only has a split second to get all the information. A scanner, on the other hand, usually has a minute or more to soak in the information needed to make a high quality, large print. A digital camera is like a scanner on the go; its value lies in its instantaneous capture, the money saved on film and developing, and its ease of use.
Big Questions for Finding the Best Digital Camera:
Okay, you've made it this far... you are definitely interested in buying a digital camera. The next step is to figure out which digital camera will best meet your needs. The following questions will help you get a better idea of which digital camera will be best for you:
Why Resolution Matters:
Especially if you are going to be printing your images, you will want to get as much resolution as you can afford. This is often expressed as MP (megapixels) or as a figure such as 1024 x 768.
Unfortunately, this aspect is the one most closely tied to the price of your camera because this aspect is dependant upon the high costs of electronic chips.
If you are one of the lucky few who are only going to be using your camera for Web site imaging, emailing, or other screen-output applications, you can relax; most of these cameras will offer more resolution than you will ever need.
Note: It is important to find out if the resolution of a digital camera is optical or interpolated. Usually, interpolation is the digital imaging equivalent of cheating at poker; you may walk away with more but you will never feel good about sharing your work with others.
Storage:
Some of the older cameras - like Polaroid's PDC2000/40 and the Olympus D300L - simply stored images in the camera's internal memory. When you filled up the capacity of such a camera, you were forced to download your files to a computer to free up more space. (Being limited in this way is very rare nowadays... if you come across such a digital camera - one with only internal memory and no capacity for removable storage - my advice is to walk away and continue shopping.
Much like a floppy disk, the card is activated as the memory storage area of choice simply by inserting it into the card slot. Two important issues in regard to PC cards:
Lens Features:
When you are on the edge of a ravine, trying to take a picture of a bald eagle perched on top of a Douglas fir on the next hill over, a telephoto zoom lens is a great blessing.
When you are backed up against a wall, trying to recompose the picture to get a different look or a wider angle, a zoom wide angle lens is a great blessing. Here are a couple of examples that made good use out of a wide angle lens:
If you have never used a zoom lens, just imagine being able to recompose a potential shot into a thousand different possible ideas without moving a foot!
The only practical reason to not get a digital camera with a zoom lens might be cost. But any money saved in this area is relative... do you really save enough money, for example, to warrant having to trudge across that muddy construction site to get the photo of the house being built?
Macro Lenses and Modes
Another thing you may want to look for is macro / close-up capabilities. In the point-and-shoot range, this is usually determined by having a macro mode that allows you to bring the camera closer to your subject.
Without such a macro feature, you must usually stay about 1.5 to 2 feet (or more) from your subject. The ability of some cameras to get within one centimeter can make for some extremely fun imaging... you can make huge close up images of everything from postage stamps, beetles and other bugs, kitchen utensils, flowers (and weeds for that matter), coins, and much more.
The digital cameras with the best macro capabilities either feature a macro mode or the use of a separate macro lens (e.g. when using a digital SLR camera). Shy away from using close-up filters - they do not do as good of a job.
ISO:
Sensitivity
By "sensitivity" we are referring to what the ISO equivalent would be if the camera was a regular type using that stuff called film - you remember, looks like a long strip of brown plastic with a bunch of tiny pictures on it...
Sensitivity becomes an issue when you are trying to do low-light photography; the higher the ISO, the more options you will have when working in dim light.
Like with film photography, though, a similar problem results when doing low-light photography with digital - as you get "grainier" results from shooting with fast ISO films (like 1600 or 3200), you get "noisier" results from shooting in the high ISO modes of digital cameras. Not usually a good thing. So what you really want to look for in this department is as many options as you can get... you want a digital camera that allows you to change the ISO and gives you many different choices.
A camera with ISO equivalents such as 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 will give you a lot more flexibility when it comes to shooting in poor light.
Burst Rate:
This specification refers to how fast a camera can capture images. Slow burst rates are often a common problem in digital SLRs (Glossary: SLR), but even more so in the compact point and shoot digital cameras. Simply put, a slow burst rate can make you miss the shot.
Burst rate becomes especially crucial in sports and fashion photography where a fast recycle time is essential. Since a digital camera has to actually write an image file every time you take a picture, you usually have between 4-8 seconds of dead time between shots.
This delay happens more in compact point and shoot digital cameras than in the digital SLR cameras. For many photographers - especially professional photojournalists and sports photographers - this fact makes it worth the extra money to buy a digital SLR. For example, the shot above of the surfer would probably have been missed with a less expensive point and shoot digital camera.
Some cameras overcome this problem to a certain degree by adding RAM to the camera which acts as a buffer. In this way, you can take several shots before having to wait 10-20 seconds while the images write.
If you are going to be shooting fast-moving subjects, pay especially close attention to this spec. Be sure you get a camera with as fast of a burst rate as you can.
Battery Consumption :
Most people get a digital camera to bypass the time and money spent in getting film developed. If you are not careful, though, you could end up saving only time because the cost of batteries matches the money you spent on film.
The fact of the matter is that most digital cameras can go through batteries like a chocoholic can go through Kit Kat candy bars.
Digital cameras can be especially "battery hungry" whenever it features an LCD monitor. Leaving such a monitor on or using it as a viewfinder can cause your camera to die within a matter of hours.
For this reason, I recommend only using the monitor for playback, erasing, etc. Try to refrain from using it as your viewfinder.
With any digital camera, it would be wise to either get a camera with a rechargeable pack or use Lithium batteries. You can also use your own rechargeable batteries but these tend to go dead more quickly than regular alkaline ones. So you end up doing a lot of recharging. Having two or more sets of batteries, in this case, becomes essential.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Here is a Trusted site for Camera Reviews to aid you in your search of finding a perfect match for you
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/
The First Big Question - To Digital or Not To Digital:
You have to first ask yourself how important time is in your imaging endeavors. If you highly value the time and money involved in film and developing, you will certainly benefit from a digital camera.
If, on the other hand, you simply want to get images into your computer for various reasons, and especially if you want to print big images, you may be happier using a film or flatbed scanner rather than a camera.
The reason is simple: a camera is like a scanner except that it only has a split second to get all the information. A scanner, on the other hand, usually has a minute or more to soak in the information needed to make a high quality, large print. A digital camera is like a scanner on the go; its value lies in its instantaneous capture, the money saved on film and developing, and its ease of use.
Big Questions for Finding the Best Digital Camera:
Okay, you've made it this far... you are definitely interested in buying a digital camera. The next step is to figure out which digital camera will best meet your needs. The following questions will help you get a better idea of which digital camera will be best for you:
- What are you looking to accomplish? What are your goals? Do you want to simply document the life and times of your family, for example, or do you fancy yourself become a digital artist?
- Do you want to print your images? In large sizes? (Look for high resolution)
- If you are going to print, what kind of output device (i.e. printer) will you be using and what are its resolution requirements? (Again, look for resolution)
- Do you only see yourself publishing your images on the Web or emailing them to friends? (You don't need much resolution - don't worry about it)
- Will you be taking this digital camera to Europe or around the world? (Look for lots of storage)
- Do you own a laptop? (Look for a CompactFlash or other PCMCIA storage device)
- As taught in our Top Ten Tips, the cardinal rule in photography is to move in close to your subject. Will you always able to get very close to your subject? (If not, be sure to get a digital camera with a good telephoto zoom lens)
- Will you be taking pictures of small items like stamps, coins, bugs, flowers, etc? (Look for a digital camera with a macro feature)
- Do you already own Photoshop or Photoshop Elements? (Then you might want to just get a camera with a Photoshop plug-in)
- Do you prefer shooting digital photos over reworking them on the computer? (Then you might want to go for a camera with a popular, easy-to-use software program)
- Do you foresee yourself shooting at night, at concerts, indoors, or in other low-light situations? (Then get a camera with flexible over sensitivity or ISO equivalents)
- Do you foresee yourself shooting sports, fashion, or anything else that moves quick? (Then get a camera with a fast burst rate)
- Do you want to make sure that the money you save on film and developing doesn't just end up getting spent on batteries? (Then you might want to get a camera with rechargeable Lithium-Ion batteries or some such similar set-up)
- How much money do you have to spend? (Look for a bank that will refinance your home...)
Why Resolution Matters:
Especially if you are going to be printing your images, you will want to get as much resolution as you can afford. This is often expressed as MP (megapixels) or as a figure such as 1024 x 768.
Unfortunately, this aspect is the one most closely tied to the price of your camera because this aspect is dependant upon the high costs of electronic chips.
If you are one of the lucky few who are only going to be using your camera for Web site imaging, emailing, or other screen-output applications, you can relax; most of these cameras will offer more resolution than you will ever need.
Note: It is important to find out if the resolution of a digital camera is optical or interpolated. Usually, interpolation is the digital imaging equivalent of cheating at poker; you may walk away with more but you will never feel good about sharing your work with others.
Storage:
Some of the older cameras - like Polaroid's PDC2000/40 and the Olympus D300L - simply stored images in the camera's internal memory. When you filled up the capacity of such a camera, you were forced to download your files to a computer to free up more space. (Being limited in this way is very rare nowadays... if you come across such a digital camera - one with only internal memory and no capacity for removable storage - my advice is to walk away and continue shopping.
If you can, be sure to buy a camera that utilizes removable media such as a CompactFlash, Smartmedia or other PC card. A PC Card (a.k.a. Flash RAM, PCMCIA Card, etc.) allows you to store photos on an external device and expand the memory of your camera so that it will hold more pictures.
Much like a floppy disk, the card is activated as the memory storage area of choice simply by inserting it into the card slot. Two important issues in regard to PC cards:
- 1. These cards can be fairly inexpensive. Depending on how many megabytes of storage are on the card, it can cost a lot of money.
- 2. When a camera manufacturer invests in a PC card slot, it does not invest much in internal storage. This means that in order to get more than, say, 7-10 high-quality pictures in the camera at any one time, you need to buy an PC card up front and this adds to your initial cost.
Lens Features:
When you are on the edge of a ravine, trying to take a picture of a bald eagle perched on top of a Douglas fir on the next hill over, a telephoto zoom lens is a great blessing.
When you are backed up against a wall, trying to recompose the picture to get a different look or a wider angle, a zoom wide angle lens is a great blessing. Here are a couple of examples that made good use out of a wide angle lens:
If you have never used a zoom lens, just imagine being able to recompose a potential shot into a thousand different possible ideas without moving a foot!
The only practical reason to not get a digital camera with a zoom lens might be cost. But any money saved in this area is relative... do you really save enough money, for example, to warrant having to trudge across that muddy construction site to get the photo of the house being built?
Macro Lenses and Modes
Another thing you may want to look for is macro / close-up capabilities. In the point-and-shoot range, this is usually determined by having a macro mode that allows you to bring the camera closer to your subject.
Without such a macro feature, you must usually stay about 1.5 to 2 feet (or more) from your subject. The ability of some cameras to get within one centimeter can make for some extremely fun imaging... you can make huge close up images of everything from postage stamps, beetles and other bugs, kitchen utensils, flowers (and weeds for that matter), coins, and much more.
The digital cameras with the best macro capabilities either feature a macro mode or the use of a separate macro lens (e.g. when using a digital SLR camera). Shy away from using close-up filters - they do not do as good of a job.
ISO:
Sensitivity
By "sensitivity" we are referring to what the ISO equivalent would be if the camera was a regular type using that stuff called film - you remember, looks like a long strip of brown plastic with a bunch of tiny pictures on it...
Sensitivity becomes an issue when you are trying to do low-light photography; the higher the ISO, the more options you will have when working in dim light.
Like with film photography, though, a similar problem results when doing low-light photography with digital - as you get "grainier" results from shooting with fast ISO films (like 1600 or 3200), you get "noisier" results from shooting in the high ISO modes of digital cameras. Not usually a good thing. So what you really want to look for in this department is as many options as you can get... you want a digital camera that allows you to change the ISO and gives you many different choices.
A camera with ISO equivalents such as 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 will give you a lot more flexibility when it comes to shooting in poor light.
Burst Rate:
This specification refers to how fast a camera can capture images. Slow burst rates are often a common problem in digital SLRs (Glossary: SLR), but even more so in the compact point and shoot digital cameras. Simply put, a slow burst rate can make you miss the shot.
Burst rate becomes especially crucial in sports and fashion photography where a fast recycle time is essential. Since a digital camera has to actually write an image file every time you take a picture, you usually have between 4-8 seconds of dead time between shots.
This delay happens more in compact point and shoot digital cameras than in the digital SLR cameras. For many photographers - especially professional photojournalists and sports photographers - this fact makes it worth the extra money to buy a digital SLR. For example, the shot above of the surfer would probably have been missed with a less expensive point and shoot digital camera.
Some cameras overcome this problem to a certain degree by adding RAM to the camera which acts as a buffer. In this way, you can take several shots before having to wait 10-20 seconds while the images write.
If you are going to be shooting fast-moving subjects, pay especially close attention to this spec. Be sure you get a camera with as fast of a burst rate as you can.
Battery Consumption :
Most people get a digital camera to bypass the time and money spent in getting film developed. If you are not careful, though, you could end up saving only time because the cost of batteries matches the money you spent on film.
The fact of the matter is that most digital cameras can go through batteries like a chocoholic can go through Kit Kat candy bars.
Digital cameras can be especially "battery hungry" whenever it features an LCD monitor. Leaving such a monitor on or using it as a viewfinder can cause your camera to die within a matter of hours.
For this reason, I recommend only using the monitor for playback, erasing, etc. Try to refrain from using it as your viewfinder.
With any digital camera, it would be wise to either get a camera with a rechargeable pack or use Lithium batteries. You can also use your own rechargeable batteries but these tend to go dead more quickly than regular alkaline ones. So you end up doing a lot of recharging. Having two or more sets of batteries, in this case, becomes essential.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Here is a Trusted site for Camera Reviews to aid you in your search of finding a perfect match for you
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/