A digital camera is a filmless camera that performs many of the same functions as a 35 millimeter camera, but it offers much more versatility than the old reliable 35 mm. Although many digital cameras may have the look of a traditional camera, they are fundamentally different.

Digital photography is unique in how it captures and stores an image. The functions of a digital camera are based on digital imaging technology. This technology uses an electronic image sensor and microprocessor for image capture. Instead of film, digital imaging technology uses a grid of many very small sensors that translate what enters the lens into data. This data is transferred to an image file that is then recorded on the camera’s own internal memory or on interchangeable PC “flash cards”. Once a photo is in the camera’s memory, it is ready for printing, viewing, or unloading for storage on a computer hard drive.

Choosing a Digital Camera

Like film-based cameras, the more you pay equates to higher quality, better resolution, and more features when purchasing a camera. Here are a few of the things that you should consider when purchasing a digital camera.

Resolution and Image Quality

When buying a digital camera, the resolution you select should be matched to the intended use of your photographs. If you will be putting your pictures on a Web page or plan on e-mailing many of your photos, stick to the basic camera’s resolution of a 3-megapixel or less to keep the file size small and downloads quick. If you plan to print pictures, choose a higher resolution. The higher the pixels, the higher the resolution. The higher the resolution, the larger you can print a photo with good results.

Simply put, a 3 or less megapixel camera is good for posting photos on the Web, but does not give terribly good quality printouts. As you increase the number of megapixels in the camera, you increase the quality of the printed photos, and the size at which those photos will look good.

To the average user, a 5-megapixel photograph will rival prints from 35 mm camera even at sizes up to 8″ x 10″. However, you must remember that sometimes you will only want to print out a portion of a picture. For instance, you take a great family photo. Aunt Shirley looked fantastic, so you would like to cut her out of the picture and print the photo of her alone. When you enlarge Aunt Shirley, the higher resolution that the photo was taken at the clearer the print will be and the larger you will be able to print it.

You will have to pay more for a high resolution, high quality camera, but we live in the visual world of movie theatres and big screen televisions. So buy as high a resolution camera as you can afford if you plan to print out your photographs. Don’t forget, your printer plays an important part as well. Along with a digital camera, you will also need a good quality colour printer.

Ease of Connection

Newer cameras come equipped with USB 2 ports as opposed to USB 1. USB 2 will transfer your pictures to the computer much faster, but to take full advantage of its speed your computer will have to have one of the newer USB enabled ports. Using a Firewire port is an even faster way to attach your camera to the computer. While most Macintosh computers have Firewire ports, this is optional on most Windows computers.

Ease of Use

Any camera that you consider purchasing should be easy to use. Look for large, easy to understand buttons and straightforward documentation. Who wants to go through a time-consuming learning curve if you don’t have to? Remember, the more features your camera has, the more complex it will be to operate. Try to match the camera’s complexity to your photo experience. If you understand colour balance and digital zooms, you may want to go for a full-featured camera. If not, look for a point-and-snap variant that will offer you good results without a lot of manipulation.

Lens

A glass lens is always preferable to a plastic lens. If you want good pictures, check on the type and quality of the lens.

Batteries/AC Adapter

Batteries and battery life are of prime importance with digital cameras. Look for a camera that gives you longer battery life. Some cameras come with rechargeable batteries. Some come with two sets of rechargeable batteries, one to use in the camera and the other to recharge and have ready as a replacement. A camera that will also take regular double or triple-A batteries can be very useful because you can always buy them at a local store when the need arises. Be careful not to combine rechargeable batteries with regular batteries. Use all of one type or the other.

When buying a digital camera, you should also plan to buy a battery charger and extra batteries, or an extra battery pack as well. Since downloading photos to the computer poses a considerable drain on the batteries, it may be smart to consider purchasing an AC adapter to use for downloading or when you are near an electrical receptor.

Warranty

Know what is covered under the warranty. Check where the service providers are located. Are they local or will you have to send the camera in for service? In addition, check to see how easy it will be to get repairs done once your warranty has expired.

File Storage

Cameras that have removable storage media are the best for almost all uses. CompactFlash or SmartMedia are the two most popular types of removable media. Both are very small disks less than one quarter the size of a floppy disk. CompactFlash and SmartMedia are not interchangeable. If you already own a piece of equipment that uses one type of card, you may want to buy a camera that uses that same type of card. Neither of these formats is particularly better than the other, they are just different. Cameras that store photos on floppies have been popular because this storage medium is cheaper and more convenient. You can take the floppy disk right out of the camera and put it into the computer. However, floppy disks don’t have the capacity that is needed to handle high-resolution images. If you will be taking photos exclusively for the Internet or e-mail, a floppy disk camera may be all you need. However, if you will be printing your photos, you will need to use a higher capacity storage card that can hold more data and be used for higher resolution photos.

One solution that will give you the convenience of a floppy disk for higher resolution cameras is to buy a card reader. They can be buyd for all the different types of storage cards. With this type of equipment, you simply slide the storage card into the reader and attach the reader to the computer. This is usually done by a USB connection.

Software

Almost all digital cameras come with software that allows you to download the photos to your computer. Often that software also allows you to edit the photos and make simple corrections. You should base your camera decision on the camera itself. Look at the software that comes with your camera as an added bonus. If it performs well, you will be a bit happier. If the software that accompanies the camera does not perform to your expectations, you can always buy additional software, like Microsoft’s Picture It or Adobe’s Photo Deluxe.

Flash

A good built-in flash is essential for interior shots and for those dreary months when you may need to light up an exterior shot as well. Other features to consider are zoom and wide-angle lenses which can make your photos much more effective.

Zoom

There are two types of zoom lenses on digital camera: optical zoom and digital zoom. Optical zoom is similar to the zoom on a non-digital camera. It is created by the lens itself, thereby produces a better quality picture. Of course, this is a much more costly type of zoom. A digital zoom is created by digitally extrapolating pixels. Digital zoom produces fuzzier images, but is cheaper to produce. If you think you will use the zoom lens regularly, don’t buy a camera with only a digital zoom. You may want, however, to consider one of the many cameras that combine both optical and digital zoom and produce excellent results.

Screen & ViewFinder

Most digital cameras have an LCD screen which is used to take and view pictures. The size and quality of this screen is important. If possible, try viewing this screen in different types of light to make sure it will be clear in bright sunlight as well as in darker situations. Note that some digital cameras do not have viewfinders. A viewfinder can be a useful feature in some situations and can also be used to save battery life which the LCD screen drains quite quickly.

Shutter Lag

Shutter lag is the focusing delay between the time you press the button and the camera’s response. This a problem that film cameras licked long ago, but it still plagues many digital cameras. If the shutter lag is too long it can mean missing the shot especially when photographing children, animals, and other moving targets.

Armed with this knowledge, you are now much better able to choose which digital camera is best for you.