Camera Buyers Guide
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Nowadays just about everyone has a digital camera which they use to record their lives. Being able to take photographs revolutionized the way humans can perceive the world. Time was that buying a camera - digital or otherwise - was considered a luxury for most people. Now, however, with digital camera prices are dropping lower and lower every year as the relative quality of the devices steadily improves. As a result the main issue for most people isn't cost but rather how to choose which camera is best for them out of the thousands upon thousands available. Because there are so many different styles and brands of digital camera it didn't seem beneficial for me to suggest specific brands or styles. Rather the aim of this article is to help you learn about digital cameras in general so that when the time comes to buy one you are well prepared to better understand the marketing hype.
Why do you want a camera?The first thing to consider when purchasing a digital camera is what you want to use it for. The needs of a professional nature photographer, a hobbyist photographer and someone who wants to take snaps of their friends are all very different. If you don't know exactly what to do with the camera it's OK, however having some idea of your own personal intention behind buying a camera will greatly help you in choosing which camera is right for you.
Camera BodyThe next thing to consider is what type of camera you want. There are several major styles which dominate the market and every manufacturer makes some combination of these camera styles.
Ultra-CompactUltra-compact digital cameras are tiny! They are designed to be extremely portable and relatively inexpensive. The advantage of these cameras is mainly their size and price - you don't have to worry about breaking or replacing them. One of the drawbacks is that because of their small size they often have tiny sensors and tiny lenses. This is fine for many kinds of snapshots but as soon as you want to do something a little more fancy or technical you may find yourself frustrated with an ultra-compact.
CompactCompact digital cameras are small as well - just not as small as the ultra-compacts - they suffer from some of the same issues but are a bit more versatile. The compact camera housing often allows for a bigger lens and a bigger sensor accommodating higher resolutions and more powerful zoom functions.Medium FormatMedium format cameras are a cross between Compact and DSLR cameras. They often feature a very powerful sensor and all the bells and whistles of a DSLR but they have a fixed lens so it can not be switched. Medium format cameras are a good option for people who want to take really nice photos but don't have the budget or knowledge base for a true DSLR.Digital Single Lens ReflexDSLR cameras are the top of the line models used by professional photographers. They feature larger image sensors, powerful features and the ability to put different lenses on to totally control the shot. Fortunately DSLR prices have come down in recent years to where many people can afford one. While the highest end models often cost thousands of dollars it is possible to purchase an entry level DSLR camera for under $1000 - finally putting true photographic power in the hands of the people.ManufacturerAnother point to consider is the cameras manufacturer. There are many different digital camera manufacturers in the world and each has something it is known for. Many different makers offer different features on their camera and there will inevitably be a process of research to decide which manufacturer is best for you. Some of the largest manufacturing brands include Olympus, Canon and Kodak.SensorThe camera sensor is one of the most important parts of the camera to consider before making a purchase. Sensor size and variety will dictate quite a bit about the quality of the photograph. There are two main types of camera sensors - CMOS and CCD - to choose between. There are other styles of sensor that exist but they are only extremely high end cameras or technical imaging systems - satellites, hospitals and so forth. CCD sensors produce clear images but tend to have high energy demands - quickly draining battery life. CMOS sensors use up less battery but traditionally produce less clear images - especially in poor lighting conditions. Nowadays the technology for these types of sensors has developed to the point where either style can produce a relatively equivalent image.The physical size of the sensor dictates how much light can be collected before the shutter closes. Obviously, bigger sensors (like those found in DSLR or Medium format digital cameras) will be able to collect more light and therefore produce a higher quality image. However, don't let this trick you into thinking that the only way to get a high quality photograph is with an expensive DSLR camera. Sensor technology has come a long way and now even tiny ultra compacts are capable of taking relatively clear, high quality images. Click hear to read more about digital camera sensors What about Megapixels?Many people are still caught up in the idea that the megapixel count of a camera is the defining factor which determines quality. This may have been the case ten years ago when newer and newer cameras supported increasingly higher megapixels. Cameras today all have high enough megapixel counts for this to be irrelevant. Sure, it is nice to know how high of a resolution you can shoot your camera at but for most applications 6 or 7 megapixels is more than enough. Because cameras manufacturers are always touting higher megapixels counts as a feature consumers tend to buy into this - quite literally. Unfortunately because many of the resolutions supported by high megapixel cameras are so much bigger than any practical application people just fill up their memory cards and hard drives with excessively large files.Click here to read more about megapixels and photo resolution. Lens and Zoom CapabilitiesNext to the sensor the lens is probably the most important component of the camera. A lens is what lets you take pictures. Because the sensor of a camera is photosensitive (reacts to light) if you were to expose it to the open air and turn it on it would pick up light from all directions and produce and image which was unrecognizable. The lens of the camera filters the light and directs it to hit the sensor in a meaningful way. This lets different parts of the sensor pick up different light and create the image.Smaller format digital cameras will have a lens which is fixed, that is to say it can't be removed or switched out. These lenses are often small and simple. Luckily the sensors on these cameras are also small and simple and so the lens usually does the trick. If you are going to by a small camera you will not have the option of choosing which lens you would like to use. DSLR cameras, on the other hand, feature a lens which can be switched out for many different styles of lens. This is a hugely powerful feature because different types of lenses will have greatly differing effects on the way that the light is directed to the sensor. If you don't know about lenses and you think that feature sounds cool you should keep in mind that lens assemblies for DSLR cameras can run into the thousands and are often much more expensive than the camera itself. Because of this it might be a good idea to stick with a medium format camera until you know you are ready to invest heavily in lenses. Click here to read more about camera lenses. FlashA cameras flash lets you illuminate subjects which otherwise would be backlit and not visible. Flashes let you shoot in the dark and are a very important feature of digital cameras. Most people understand what a flash does so I needn't got into too much depth here but it is worth noting that some DSLR cameras don't come with an on-board flash. This could be seen as a huge flaw in the design but those cameras support an external flash to be hooked up. If you decide to purchase a camera without a flash make sure you also get an external flash and learn how to use it.Memory CardMemory cards are worth considering because it can be nice to choose a camera that has cards which are compatible with other devices you own. This is not a major concern, however, and most types of memory cards are stable and support high volumes of storage. Memory cards continue to hit the market with higher storage capacity than ever before. While it is true that higher volume memory cards will let you shoot more pictures the cutting edge of the memory field will often be more unstable then slightly lower capacity cards which are well established.
Further ReadingNeocamera Guide to Choosing a Digital Cameradpreview.com Digital Camera Reviews Photo.net's Philip Greenspuns Guide to Selecting a Digital Camera |
