Great Digital Camera
Buying Guide

Choosing a great digital camera means asking yourself many questions. Digital photography is here to stay and the interactive web site -www.betterphoto.com can help a lot in the decision-making process and the digital camera specs to look for.

Everyone around is busily taking digital images. I use the word, "image" as opposed to pictures because so much of what we do today is composed of pixels (picture elements).

These are the little "squares" that we see when we zoom into an image on the computer. Moreover, these pixels allow us flexibility and resolution in photography that our ancestors never had.

Before you take the initial plunge into digital photography or you look to upgrade an existing camera, there are great digital camera criteria to consider. It would be easy to make a list here, but BetterPhoto.com has done the organizational work already.

They have posted two interactive web sites (accessible via www.betterphoto.com).

As their web site notes, "there is no ‘Best Digital Camera'...so use...recommendations as a jumping-off point. Plan to further narrow your options by testing out cameras, asking the advice of others, reading user reviews and checking out digital camera specs."

Before you try out either of these sites though, here are few other things to consider.

The key is not only to compare cameras in the context of what your intended use and outcomes are, but also compare fixed lens versus interchangeable lens (single lens reflex) cameras.

Single lens reflex cameras give you many more options, the capability to change from a wide-angle lens to a significant telephoto (zoom) capability. They allow for additional options (e.g., remote flash) and they have menus that are more extensive.

At least the new Canon T1i includes a video capability. The higher-priced SLRs can also often yield a larger image size and associated higher resolution (measured in megapixels).

A 15-megapixel camera will allow an image to be made into a large poster without loss of detail, while a 2-megapixel image may only allow for up to a 5 inch by 7-inch image.

If you already have a SLR, determine if your existing lens is useable with the new camera system.

For each lens, you should also plan to purchase a skylight filter (to protect the lens) and possibly polarizing and/or other filters to enhance your image-taking capabilities.

Also be sure your digital camera criteria and home computer (hard disk storage and image sorting capability) and in-home storage capabilities (external hard drive, DVDs) can handle your growing library of images. You will also want some type of image processing software (e.g., Photoshop) to allow you to resize, crop and otherwise process your images.

Finally, consider an extended warranty for your great digital camera (especially if it is an expensive model). Some warranties will even cover you for doing "dumb" things (like dropping the camera). Note that these warranties typically do not cover interchangeable lens.

Whatever great digital camera you eventually decide to buy, enjoy it and the images that it allows you to capture.

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