Choosing a Digital Camera
The process of choosing a digital camera is much the same as selecting any other camera. Set a budget, look for the camera with features that best suit your needs, do your research, and figure out where to buy it. The bad news is that there are so many digital cameras on the market that choosing between features and models takes a bit of time and due diligence.
The good news about digital cameras is that their prices have come down significantly over the past several years. This means the technology required to take good digital pictures is no longer out of reach for the average consumer. Not surprisingly, as is the case with film-based cameras, the more you spend, the more camera you'll get.
Like traditional cameras, the price you'll pay for your digital camera will be determined by how many special features it has. Unlike film cameras, many digital point-and-shoot cameras have panorama shooting modes. Some will even shoot short movies.
Because the prices for digital technology have dropped so quickly in recent years, you'll see a fair amount of variation in prices on many cam-eras — it definitely pays to comparison shop for them. As is the case with traditional cameras, you'll usually find better prices online or through mail-order houses than you will at your local camera shop. Online auction sites are also good places to shop for digital equipment. Just be sure you're clear on warranties and return policies when dealing with online stores. Check on restocking fees and who pays for shipping and handling in the case of returns.
Amazingly, it's now possible to spend less than $150 and get a well-equipped digital camera that can do everything you want it to. Pay much less than this, however, and you'll probably have to make some tradeoffs regarding features.
The field is wide and confusing, but here are some great recommendations for models, features, and prices currently available. Be aware that information changes rapidly, especially when it come to features and pricing. Be sure to check the Internet and photography publications for the latest news and special offers.
$100 and under: Kodak EasyShare seems to lead the pack in this price range for image quality and ease of use. Reviewers seem to recommend both the four megapixel (MP) Kodak EasyShare C330 and the five MP EasyShare C340, saying they produce relatively high-quality photos. The 6 MP Fujifilm FinePix A600 produces nice images, but some say its awkward design and mundane features hold it back.
$100–$300: As far as point-and-shoot cameras go, the 5 megapixel, 4x zoom Canon PowerShot A530 has good overall image quality for around $130. It makes great 5” × 7” and even 8” × 10” prints. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55/L for around $200 offers good 7.2 MP picture quality in its tiny body. The 6 MP Canon PowerShot A540 has manual and automated exposure and focus controls, 4x optical zoom, and good solid image quality. The Canon PowerShot A630 is an 8 MP camera with a 35mm–140mm-equivalent lens with accessory lens mount, all for under $200. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 at around $300 pulls ahead of the point-and-shoot pack with a Leica lens and a 10x optically stabilized optical zoom (28mm–280mm 35mm equivalent). Likewise, the very compact Casio 7 MP Exilim Hi-Zoom EX-V7 has 7x optical zoom and image stabilization technology.
$300–$500: The Canon PowerShot A640 at about $335 is 10 MP and has a large 2.5” LCD that folds out. Image quality is excellent, and the camera has a good complement of manual options and more than twenty-one shooting modes. The Canon PowerShot A710 IS is 7 MP, but employs IS (image stabilization) technology, 6x optical zoom, autofocus and manual controls, 2.5” LCD, and more than twenty shooting modes, including full manual. Battery life and speeds are good, too. If you want to go wireless, the Nikon Coolpix P3 at around $340 is a good choice for Wi-Fi fans. It is 8 MP and has 3.5x zoom and digital image stabilization. Primarily a point-and-shoot camera with a few manual settings, the camera also has a good movie mode and a large 2.5” LCD.
The Sony DSC-T100 Digicam has an 8.1 MP image sensor, 5x optical zoom, and a big 3” LCD, plus image stabilization. It runs on Sony's Bionz image processor and has a face detection system so your subjects' faces are always in focus. A fully charged battery will last about 380 images. It is priced around $400.
$500 and up: The following cameras all have rechargeable lithium ion batteries, and all are SLRs with features such as interchangeable lenses and image stabilization.
Camera model |
Features |
Price |
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTI EF-S |
DigicII Image Processor for enhanced image capture, 10.1 MP |
$375 |
Olympus E-520 |
With face-detection technology and image stabilization, 10 MP |
$600 |
Canon EOS 50D |
DigicIV Image Processor for fine detail, 15.1 MP |
$1,300 |
Nikon D90 |
Face-recognition technology and 3″ color LCD monitor, 12.3 MP |
$950 |
