The Basics: Digital Cameras

If you think you're seeing digital cameras everywhere these days, you're probably right. The growing popularity of digital cameras isn't an accident. They provide enough advantages over film cameras that some manufacturers have greatly reduced or abandoned the film camera market. You can store photos digitally and print only the shot you need versus printing every shot from the roll of film. You can use the storage cards over and over versus buying new rolls of film. You can use software and in-camera editing features to improve your photo quality with a digital camera; image enhancement doesn't happen easily with film cameras. Sharing digital photos instantly and using them with various media is a snap, which is another great advantage. Some photographers will prefer film since digital photo quality isn't always perfect. But for many consumers, digital photography is easy and convenient compared to film photography and provides high-quality shots for their picture-taking needs.

Digital cameras record a photo by making use of a type of light-sensitive circuit, usually a CCD (charge-coupled device) or occasionally a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductors). As the light strikes the circuit, it converts the light to pixels (picture elements). Each pixel is a dot that represents a tiny portion of the photo. By combining all of the pixels, you'll see the photo.

After recording the photo, the digital camera stores the pixels on a magnetic media device, called a memory card. These tiny cards appear in many sizes, ranging from similar to a stick of gum to slightly larger than a postage stamp. They can hold anywhere from 16MB to 8GB of data -- or more. Several brands of memory cards exist, and many models of digital cameras require a specific brand. Some newer cameras can use more than one brand, though. Memory cards are far less expensive than they were a few years ago; you can find 1GB cards for less than $30 now.

Manufacturers offer digital cameras in three broad subcategories: Ultra-compact models, point-and-shoot models and advanced models. Although a few cameras can fit into more than one subcategory, most match the following criteria:

Ultra-compact models measure less than 1 inch in thickness and typically offer stylish camera bodies in multiple colors. Ultra-thin models usually are very easy to use and don't offer a lot of "extra" or high-end features.

Point-and-shoot models are easy to use and typically offer no manual-control features. You should be able to take the camera out of the box, load the battery and memory card and begin shooting immediately with this type of camera. Point-and-shoot models can vary greatly in size and in the types of features they offer.

Advanced models offer many manual-control features. They sometimes include interchangeable lenses and many add-on features, such as external flash units. They're usually pretty expensive and aimed at intermediate to experienced photographers.

Manufacturers offer digital cameras not only in a wide variety of sizes but also with many different feature sets. There are cameras basic enough for those who've never snapped a photo in their lives to professional models for expert photographers. Models cost anywhere from $100 to $10,000 or more. With so many models available, users can find a model that fits their exact needs. But with so many choices, narrowing the list of models can be a significant challenge.

Here is a list of four of the best newer features to look for when shopping for a digital camera:

Image stabilization (IS) ensures that your photos -- especially those that are taken in low light -- aren't blurry because of camera shake. IS does not, however, prevent blurry photos from a moving subject. Optical IS, which is the preferred type of IS, involves using stabilizing hardware inside the camera body to prevent camera shake. Digital IS, on the other hand, boosts camera sensitivity and increases shutter speed to avoid camera shake, but digital IS can lead to problems with "noise" (stray pixels) in photos. Most newer cameras contain some form of IS.

Wide-angle capabilities are beginning to appear with more frequency in newer digital cameras. Most wide-angle options are pretty limited -- usually about 25mm to 30mm (when compared to a standard 35mm-lens equivalent measurement) -- but having even a limited wide-angle option is very handy, especially when paired with a large zoom lens.

Optical zoom lenses continue to improve, with newer cameras sometimes offering 10X, 12X and even 15X zoom lenses in smaller and smaller camera bodies. One thing to keep in mind with zoom lens measurements is that the "multiplier" applies to the zoom capability as measured from the point where the lens has no magnification. For example, if the camera lens is equivalent to 35mm with no magnification, a 12X zoom lens would have a maximum zoom equivalent of 420mm. But if the camera lens is equivalent to 28mm with no magnification, a 12X zoom lens would have a maximum zoom equivalent of 336mm. In other words, if your optical zoom lens has wide-angle capability, your lens won't have as much magnification on the high end as a zoom lens with no wide-angle capability.

Face recognition technology helps the camera find the person in the frame and apply its auto-focus to that area in order to make sure the face is in focus. Although not every new camera has face recognition capabilities, some newer models now can "find" up to ten faces in a frame, ensuring the sharpest auto-focus possible.

How to Shop

How important is resolution? Resolution determines the number of pixels in the digital photo; images with more pixels can be printed at larger sizes and will have more sharpness. Keep in mind that photos with large resolutions will require more storage space, both in temporary storage on the camera's memory card and in permanent storage on a CD, DVD or hard drive. With large-resolution photos, you can either print them at large sizes or you can crop a larger photo to a smaller size without losing photo detail. However, most people won't print many photos at the largest sizes, meaning resolution isn't the only aspect to consider when searching for a camera. For most people in most situations, a maximum 6 or 7 megapixels in a camera will be plenty. And if you're planning to send photos to friends and family by e-mail, smaller resolutions are preferred to avoid long download times. Fortunately, most digital cameras allow you to select from a variety of resolutions when shooting, ranging from the maximum to 1 or 2 megapixels.

What are digital zoom and optical zoom? Digital zoom is really not worth considering when looking at digital cameras; optical zoom is far more important. Optical zoom measures the actual magnification capabilities of a lens. A 3X optical zoom lens, which is the minimum zoom measurement for most digital cameras today, will magnify the image by three times. Digital zoom actually only magnifies the image after it's shot. Digital zoom often leads to photos losing sharpness because it increases the size of the pixels. If you're shooting at a high resolution, digital zoom can be a little more effective, but optical zoom is the far more important measurement.

Why are response times important? Response times measure the camera's ability to react quickly to your commands. When you press the power button, is the camera ready to shoot quickly? When you press the shutter button, does the camera shoot immediately or does it suffer from shutter lag? Cameras with poor response times can be especially frustrating to use, as you increase your chances of missing a spontaneous photo. Cameras tend to suffer in performance and response times in low-light situations or when the zoom lens is fully extended, meaning that if you plan to shoot a lot in those circumstances, you will want to make sure you select a camera with good response times in those tricky areas.

What about hidden costs? As with just about any high-tech device you buy, digital cameras have a few hidden costs. With nearly all digital cameras, you will have to purchase a memory card immediately. Depending on how you plan to use the camera, you may want to purchase a second rechargeable battery, just to ensure you always have a charged battery available. With cameras aimed at more experienced photographers, you will have the option of buying interchangeable lenses and external flashes, among other items. Some cameras offer specialty equipment as well, such as underwater housing. Inks and specialty paper for printing can be expensive if you want to print dozens of photos. For the most part, though, the hidden costs with digital cameras are minimal.

What do buyers tend to overlook the most? When buying a digital camera, buyers tend to focus most of their attention on specifications. They lose sight of the camera's feel. Before buying any camera, always at least hold it and try to gain a feel for how the camera's controls will work for you. Every camera has a slightly different feel, and it's important to make sure the model you're going to buy is comfortable for your hands; this is especially important with ultra-compact cameras.

Before shopping, it's probably best to list three to five key criteria for your camera. Do you want a thin model or a camera with a large zoom lens? Do you want the fastest response times? Do you already own some lenses and memory cards for a particular brand? Such a list will greatly narrow the field of potential options. You should also set a budget, keeping in mind the cost of potential add-ons.

Because digital cameras come in so many shapes, sizes and configurations, it's important to try them on for size before you buy. Make sure a camera fits your hands comfortably; some models are too small for people with large hands, for example. Most local stores will allow you to hold and try different models.

When its time to make a purchase, you should have no problem finding the model you want at a good price. Electronics superstores, discount superstores, camera stores, Internet retailers and even some camera manufacturers sell digital cameras -- just find a retailer you trust. In some instances, a local retailer might be willing to match a price you find at an Internet retailer.