It seems that most every week camera manufacturers are announcing the latest digital cameras to entice potential users.
After spending lots of time at different retail stores in the area figuring out which digital camera is best for us, we finally have enough money to buy for that eye-popping, 8 mega pixel, 20x digital zoom, with up to 512MB expandable SD memory, and not to mention very portable, (that will be the envy of almost everyone we know). We march to the store armed with our life savings and lotsa pride in ourselves, when we pass by a new display - a ten mega pixel, up to 1G expandable memory, with built it microphone and stereo surround, video playback capable, with 24 scenic modes. Aaahh! And we sigh because the manufacturer claims that this is the best digital camera in the marketplace. And so as we always want to have the best, armed with our life savings and a few credit cards, we buy the “best digital camera.” But then again, that doesn’t last too long, because after a few months or so, here comes another “best digital camera!”
Of course it’s confusing, and continues to be. So what makes a digital camera, the best digital camera?
Well, there are specific factors to consider when looking for the “best digital camera” for you.
1) MEGAPIXELS. One of the most important features of digital camera to make it into the best digital camera category is its mega pixel capability. The higher the mega pixels the better the actual photograph will come out. A mega pixel is equivalent to one million pixels. The resolution of your image is based upon the mega pixel capability of your camera. This means that as you enlarge the picture, you would get more detail and less blurry colors.
2) ZOOM. Most digital cameras have both digital and optical zoom. A higher optical zoom is always better than a higher digital zoom. Digital cameras are usually furnished with optical of between 3x to 10x. The better the optical zoom, the higher it moves up to being in the best digital camera category.
3) LCD SIZE. The best digital camera will always have a large LCD screen to help you frame your subject without having to squint into the viewfinder. This is also helpful when reviewing your images, or using touch up and editing features with some cameras. A 1.5 inch display is average, a 2 inch LCD display is good, but the best LCD size would be 2.5 inches or larger.
4) MEMORY CARD. Always make sure that the memory card you select is the right one for your digital camera. There are different types of memory card like the xD, SD, Compact Flash and others. Each digital camera supports certain types of memory cards. Of course, the type of memory storage available is also important in choosing the best digital camera. Choose the size of memory that you need, if you’re an avid photographer, you’ll need more than 32MB that comes standard with most digital cameras. Memory cards today start from 32MB and can go up to 2GB.
The key point to selecting the best digital camera is to find one that will best suit you, your needs and your lifestyle. Don’t just buy the latest ‘hot’ digital camera or the one that claims they are the best digital camera in the marketplace. You wouldn’t want to buy a Digital SLR and use it for your home or family photos and have to lug around such a large camera! And you don’t want to buy the latest point and shoot camera when you’re serious about being a professional photographer. (Of course, you can use this to start out, but if you’re not a novice photographer anymore, you won’t want to get this kind of camera.)
Bottom line is that the best digital camera is the one that you will use and enjoy. It will meet your needs and have the features most important to you. Enjoy your new digital camera!
