We wish we could give you quick answer. But that is like asking what is the one best food.
While there are over 400 digital cameras on the market, there
is no single best digital camera for everyone.
To get a good fit with a digital camera
that matches your needs, price range and personality, requires a considered
study of your purposes, preferences and budget.
We need to answer the following questions: What kind of traditional camera do you
current using? What kind of pictures do you need and want, and how will
you use them? How experienced are you as a photographer?
Are there any specific features that are necessary for your work?
How much money do you wish to spend? And etc...
1.You are a snap shooter:
I want to take photos that I can e-mail to friends and family, post on
the Web, or print in sizes smaller than 8x10 inches. I'd like a digital
camera that is easy enough for the whole family to use and small enough
to take anywhere. I'll be printing on an inexpensive, all-purpose
inkjet printer.
It's the digital camera specification for you:
| Resolution | 3 megapixels or greater |
| Price | $150 to $500 |
| Lens type | Zoom (range encompassing at least 38mm to 114mm, 35mm equivalent) |
| Storage media | Internal memory, CompactFlash, Memory Stick, xD-Picture Card, or Secure Digital/MultiMediaCard |
| Photo file format | JPEG |
| Interfaces | USB, NTSC/PAL television connection |
| Exposure controls | Automatic, programmed scene modes, exposure compensation (for tweaking the automatic exposure) |
| Focus controls | Automatic |
| Flash modes | Automatic, fill, red-eye reduction |
| Software | Photo stitching, photo album, slide show |
| Multimedia | Video-clip recording with sound |
| Cool features | Direct-to-printer output compatibility and in-camera red-eye removal |
2.You are a budget buyer:
I want to find a digital camera that costs less than $300 that will let
me post snapshots on the Web; e-mail them to friends; print them in
small sizes (4x6) and get me up and running quickly without requiring me to read
the manual. I want a camera that will good enough for a few years.
| Resolution | 3 megapixels or greater |
| Price | Less than $200 |
| Lens type | Fixed (between 38mm and 55mm, 35mm equivalent) or zoom (range at least encompassing 38mm to 76mm, 35mm equivalent) |
| Storage media | Internal memory, CompactFlash Type I, Memory Stick, xD-Picture Card, or Secure Digital/MultiMediaCard |
| Photo file format | JPEG |
| Interfaces | USB, NTSC/PAL television connection |
| Exposure controls | Automatic, exposure compensation (for tweaking the automatic exposure) |
| Focus controls | Autofocus or fixed focus |
| Flash modes | Automatic, fill, red-eye reduction |
| Software | Basic photo editor |
| Cool features | Webcam capabilities, automatic scene modes, continuous-shooting mode, autofocus assist lamp |
Somep points to consider:
- Look for cameras that can save files in a raw state. Saving
your image as a RAW,TIFF will provide you with a
higher quality image to work from.
- Choose a camera with an eye-viewer rather than just a screen.
LCD screens use up a lot of battery and inaccurate
- Find a camera with minimal 'shutter lag'. An annoying feature
of some digital compacts is the lag between clicking the shutter
and the camera taking the shot
- Ensure that the camera has a good quality lens. Ideally not plastic and good brand
- Choose a camera with a large buffer memory. This allows a
number of images to be taken before writting into camera storage
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