which would be the best digital camera for household use?

Question

i want to buy a new digital camera, and i dont know wether to choose best zoom, biggest lcd, smaller cam or what! any advice?

Answer 1

After deciding what can be budgeted, here would be my priorities in descending order:

The larger and brighter the LCD display, the less you'll be squinting to look into it - either for previewing a shot, or looking at what you took afterward before you download them to the computer. I'd suggest a display of 1.75 inches (diagonal) or larger. Also make sure that the LCD display is visible in bright outdoor light - so many "wash out," or become almost impossible to see what's displayed, outdoors.

Zoom. look for at least a 3 times, preferably 5 to 8 times OPTICAL (not digital) zoom. Look for a zoom in roughly in the range of 40 to 200 mm focal length (35mm camera equivalent - the lens should have the rating marked on it, and the manual will have the information too). Digital zoom degrades the resolution of the pictures, so is less desirable than optical zoom. Zoom is one thing that's so useful but so often overlooked in a camera

Megapixels - generally more megapixels cost more. Unless you're going to make prints larger than 8 by 10 inches, 4 to 5 megapixels should be about about right for you. A warning however - if you take a group picture, and then want to crop out a persons face and make a 5 by 7 print from that, 4 to 5 megapixles won't be adequate. That's why you want to have a decent zoom lens, so you can take detail pictures and group shots without doing a lot of moving around.

Size is less important since you say this will be for "household use." however, if you plan on taking any trips in the future, or just take a lot day trips with family and friends, a compact camera about the size of the "one-time-use" film cameras would be nice, since you could carry it in a small carrying case clipped to a belt or carried in a corner of a lunch box etc. The really small "shirt pocket" cameras are nice but cost quite a bit more than their larger cousins have the same same zoom, megapixels, etc.

Answer 2

Zoom capabilities, LCD and camera size should be at the bottom of your list.

The first thing you need to consider is price...what are you willing to pay for a digital camera? You should be able to find a quality brand 5-6mp point-and-shoot camera for under $300. The fancier professional SLR-type cameras with 8-10mp will run you around $1000.

Then you need to consider what mega pixel size you require. This is based on what you will be using the camera for and if you will be printing your photos out and at what size.
Most 5-6mp cameras will be adequate for household use and will produce quality prints up to a 8x10 print.

After you decide on the mega pixel size THEN you can look into all the features.
Zoom is important if you plan on taking pictures from a distance. But look at the *optical* zoom capabilities, not the digital zoom--it can cause deterioration of the photo.

LCDs are nice but don't play a big role in the effectiveness of the camera. Ultimately, you should still use the eye piece to shoot your picture. The size of the LCD is based on the size of the camera.

Finally, the size of the camera is just a personal preference. A larger camera is more solid and stable in your hands but can be bulky and inconvenient to transport. A smaller camera fits nicely into pockets or purses but can be broken or misplaced much easier.

Basically, you need to do some personal research and hit the electronics stores and physically look at and hold the cameras to see which best suits your needs.

Answer 3

I'd check out dpreview.com as a start. That's probably the most comprehensive comparion site available. It really depends upon your budget. If you can afford a digital SLR, that's the way to go...

Oh, you can also check out kenrockwell.com for great reviews of cameras that he's tried himself, but his reviews tend to get a bit technical. Here's one below:

Answer 4

check out fuji f30. it is one of the better small sized digital cameras now.