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Buying a Digital Camera

After much arm twisting I have decided to shed some light on several tips you can use when buying a digital camera.

We all know that nothing seems to beat the fun and ease of sending or sharing a digital picture around our circle of friends.

There is really no other competitor to this form of media.

You are no doubt aware that there are enough different types of digital cameras that you are sure to find one that fits what you need perfectly.

In case you are not a novice and you are from the film camera family let me assure you that your learning curve will be much shorter than a newbies.

Your First Steps

The first thing you can do is to hit the internet.

Yes, surf the internet for more information about the type of camera you want.

I am assuming you already know what style of photographer you are. If you don't know just yet then browsing online should help you come closer to a decision or settle your decision once and for all.

I found that it was seeing pictures of nature online that really glued me to pursuing a digital camera that could handle the outdoors.

It may be different for you.

Even if you simply plan on taking the odd picture here and there I would still define that as casual and as such, you should look for a camera that isn't too cheap but is also not over-the-top.

The Second Step

The next step for you is to figure out how you plan on sharing the photos you take with your digital camera.

Are you going to head to WalMart and have them printed or are you going to simply share them online using social media, email, or something similar?

The Third Step

Are you a professional or just a casual user?

The reason I ask is if you are pro you know what you need to look for. If you are just an amateur then choosing a digital camera with lots of automatic features may be more up your alley. The iPhone works well for this.

Just a quick shot on the beach with the 4S.

I found BestBuy to have a good selection and certainly a decent amount of information to help you with your research.

If you find yourself leaning more towards the professional side of taking pictures then a mid-range camera may suit you best.

And yet you could find that you aren't pro but you are not amateur either. I've found that the features of the camera will dictate which one you buy.

For those of you who are professional then you are no doubt aware that the digital SLR cameras are the best. Along with the higher price you also find better quality accessories such as lenses as well.

Please remember that one lens can equal or surpass the price of the camera itself so don't be shocked. You will get what you pay for.

Be patient. Don't overthink. Look around, narrow your choices down, and then make your decision.

I can hear some of you asking what it was I looked for in my digital camera. That is a fair question so I will answer that here.

I could have bought my camera off the internet, in a small shop uptown, or a big department store. Although I did do my research  online I also visited stores in-person so that I could see, feel, and use the digital cameras I had my eyes on.

It's a good idea that you do the same.

One thing to keep in mind is that the pixels of the camera will make or break the picture quality. As a result keep an eye on the MegaPixels.

Without getting into nitty-gritty detail the more pixels you have the better the picture quality.

At the low end 2 megapixels can handle printing 4x6 inche pictures well and a 12 megapixel camera can print a 16x24 inch picture well.

If your camera work will keep things more so online for you then sticking to about a 4 megapixel, probably 5, would work best.

If you'll be printing these online pictures offline then more than 5 megapixels is better.

A couple key points that I will leave with you is to stick with optical resolution and an LCD screen size that allows you to see your subject best.

Of course you may want some extra features. Make sure to dig into what those camera features are and weigh them against what you want to do. Having USB capabilities also makes things easier for downloading to a tablet, laptop, or desktop.

Oh and keep in mind that you may need more battery power and memory. These are two things that I found I needed to upgrade because I use my camera so much.

Well how do you feel? This should help you get started with your search for buying a digital camera. These are real steps I took to get my digital cameras over the years. My current favorite is the Canon DS3100.

Stick to the camera that speaks to you while you browse the stores. And once you find it go out, take pictures, and have fun.

Written by admin

December 9th, 2011 at 4:20 am

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