I need advice on buying a digital camera.?

Question

Which make is the best for a good price? Whats the difference between Digital compact camera and Digital SLR cameras? What specifications is important when looking for a digital camera? Please I need some urgent expert advice, do not give me links I have enough of them.

Answer 1

In my opinion, the best 4 makes (in no particular order) are
- Fuji
- Nikon
- Canon
- Olympus
SONY's apparently aren't bad either, though you're generally paying a bit more for the brand name + most of them only uses SONY's own MEMORYSTICK format cards.

As for differences between the types.......
Digital SLR cameras have permenantly attached lenses that stick out, are manually adjustable + can be swapped for different powered lenses (though does leave a slight problem of dust getting into it), have the highest resolutions & get the company's latest technology first (usually)....... mostly intended for use by Professional Photographers & more enthusiastic amateurs........... and is also mostly why practically all of them cost a small fortune to purchase. examples include the Nikon D200 / D80 / D40 range, and the Fuji S3 Pro.

Digital Compacts........ are cheaper, the lenses retract inside the camera when not in use........ and as they have a screen you can view the pictures on as you take them are almost as versatile at taking pictures as a traditional SLR film camera while being small enough to fit inside a pocket so easily you can almost forget you put it in there.

There are also kinda like "hybrid cameras"..... which are a sort of half-way between a Digital SLR and a Digital compact, such as the Olympus SP-500UZ + the Fuji Finepix S5200

The main specifications I tend to look at are
1) The number of "Megapixels".. obviously the more it has, the better quality is likely to be* + does it have Optical Zoom? (always a good sign... far superior to Digital Zoom). My Digicam uses Optical Zoom to start off with, then has Digital Zoom for when it needs a bit of extra zoom power..... though most people are agreed that digital zoom is cr*p.
* Don't go lower than 4 - 5 megapixels.

2) What type of Batteries does it use? I like ones that take standard AA/AAA type batteries, and get High Capacity Rechargeable versions of them which last longer....... and are easier to find replacements for than "Proprietary" batteries, generally only designed for use in a specific brand's cameras.

3) What type of Memorycard does it use? I prefer either xD or SD/MMC types... which are widely available, and don't cost as much as SONY's Memorystick.

4) Most importantly, I just check out the reviews @ http://www.steves-digicams.com and see how the final images taken by a camera compare to those taken on another..... also doesn't hurt to ask a few people who already use the same camera(s) you're thinking of getting.

Answer 2

Digital Compact cameras are just point and shoot. Everything (focusing, light metering, etc.) is done automatically for you.

Digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex) cameras do everything that a manual one does, for example, you'd be able to control the aperture and shutter speed, etc.

When looking at a digital camera think of the following things:
1. Megapixels-- The higher the megapixels, the sharper and clearer the image when you enlarge it (meaning it won't get fuzzy if you decide to make it poster sized). I recommend 5 megapixels or more.
2. Battery life-- Do you want your camera to last 3 hours or six after recharging?
3. Size-- Should it fit in your pocket or do you want it a little chunkier?
4. Peripherals-- Can you switch out the lens for a stronger one? Can you get a "remote control" (technically, a "cable release") for your camera when you want to take a shot?
5. Zoom-- How far or close can you zoom the lens? I recommend no less than 3x.
6. Memory capacity - how many photos can you take? I recommend having a camera that can at least handle 1 gig.

One of my cameras is a Canon Powershot A630 model. It's got great reviews. It's fantastic for a beginner, easy to use (my friends love it), powerful enough, light but not annoyingly tiny, and economical (approx. $225 or so). It also uses regular AA batteries so you can just get rechargeable ones and re-use. Great for travel.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Digital Slr's have all the manual controls of a camera, compacts are point and shoot. You can control shutter speed, aperature etc. On a compact you cannot. I love the Sony Cybershot HC-1. Good cost, acts like an slr but with out the BIG slr price. $350 to $400 and is 6 megapxel. Good creative control and easy to learn, great first camera for serious beginner.

Answer 4

When I am looking for a new digital camera to add to my lines, I always look for megapixel size, flash settings, memory card type, and zoom. However, I give you one word of warning. Make sure it has red eye reduction. You might think it basic, I have a 3 megapixel camera with it, and a FAR more expensive 6 megapixel camera without it, and generally, the 3 megapixel camera is my camera of choice. Why? It has red eye reduction, so my subjects don't have demonic looks!

Depending where you want to use it, you might want to either have a ruggedized one, or a waterproof one. More than once I have almost dropped my camera in a river! And I am frequently dropping my camera from a small height.

Lastly, you might want to get a camera with a viewfinder. Might sound basic, but I assure you from experience, using the screen as a viewfinder is NOT as good as looking through a viewfinder. If you get glare off the screen, your shot might be ruined.

Lastly, if you are going to get a high megapixel camera, and want to take impressive photos, get a decent size memory card for it. I usually have a 1gb SD card in my camera, which is more than enough room for what I need, but you may need more or less depending on what you will use it for. I wouldn't personally recommend less than 512mb

I hope this has helped you enough.

Answer 5

First, look at the megapixels. When I went looking for one I got a 6 megapixel Sony. Anything higher than a 3 is ok. 6 is pretty good. What one friend told me was "never buy a brand that you can't pronounce." Sony, Kodak are both good. You'll get the funny named brands you can't pronounce, though, and you shouldn't get them.
When also looking at the zooms. Optical zoom is better than digital zoom, because you don't have the grainy sbustance from digital. they'll usually rate the zooms by optical X5 or something like that. Usually, the optical number is smaller than the digital, but I would try to find a camera that has an optical zoom higher than a 3.
Basically, for digital cameras...a good price for a good camera is about 2 hundred dollars or so. The more expensive you go, the better quality of course, but I consider anything less than that to be worthless or cheap. You can get a good amount for 2 hundred.
I searched online and I found a website that could explain things better for you. My dad also gets this magazine called Consumer Reports. This magazine/company tests almost anything you can think of from cameras to cars to vaccuum cleaners and they find the best brand. I would highly suggest getting this magazine if you can because you can benefit from it a lot when searching for anything to buy. Just go to www.consumerreports.org
and no, I'm not a salesman for anything I've listed either.

Answer 6

Check this site http://dpreview.com/ to see if the cameras you are interested in are reviewed. This is the best source of information on digital cameras. SLR cameras are bigger, heavier, and more expensive than the compact cameras. But they can take interchangeable lenses and accept a wide range of accessories. Their lens quality is usually better than in the smaller cameras.

Answer 7

When buying a digital camera the best place to do research is actually Flickr because they show you all the pictures and usage per camera. Look here: http://www.techroam.com/need-to-buy-a-digital-camera/

Answer 8

Look into Nov'06 Consumer Reports at your local library. Some Canon model #s have changed for newer ones.