The Quick and Dirty Answer....
For those that want the REALLY quick answer...
Go out and buy the newest, most expensive Canon or Nikon you can find in the size you want!
General Rule - The newer the camera, the better. Unlike film cameras, Digital Cameras are more like computers then cameras in the sense that the quality of the photo will be the result of improved technology. Advances in technology bring all kinds improvement in image quality and camera features.
For the Longer Answer, keep reading....
For those that are still reading, let's get some understanding about what's out there, what's important and what's not important. While the General Rule is broadly true, there are differences between cameras that you need to explore further and not blatantly buy the most expensive camera you see.
Buying a digital camera can be a daunting task. There are so many choices, so many confusing terms, cameras of different sizes, cameras of all price ranges, what brand do you choose, what's a person to do?
Let's break it down and take away the confusion.
What (do you want from it)
Snapshots to share with friends and family
Active children
Portraits
Action and Sports photos
Macro or closeup photos
Where (will you use it)
Everywhere
Holidays, special occasions, and vacation
For your kids
When (are you going to use it)
All the time
A few times a month
A few times a year
Only on special occasions
Why (do you want one)
Personal choice really, just make sure you'll use it
How (much do you want to spend)
How important is quality - you get what you pay for
While you are thinking about the above, let's get an overview of...
Advantage: Small, convenient, fits in your pocket (of course)
Disadvantage: Even the most expensive ones, are slightly average quality
Compact Cameras
Advantage: Better quality then above, fits in a purse
Disadvantage: Bulkier then above
SLR Like
Advantage: Close to SLR quality (sometimes just as good), more convenient
Disadvantage: Can't change lenses and do some more advanced functions
SLR
Advantage: Can change lenses, best quality
Disadvantage: Heavy and bulky
While your thinking about which category fits your needs best, let's look at...
Canon
Nikon
Sony
Panasonic
Olympus
Why is the above information Important?
Experience
While I don't condone just following the crowd, my personal experience, observations, and research tell me there are good reasons why the above are in the top 5. They can then capitalize on their Experience giving them a building block for the next generation of digital cameras. Canon has been a seriously strong leader in Digital Photography, Nikon was a distant second, but has quickly advanced to where the distinction is blurry, however Canon still controls the market share. Nikon has been competing a bit more on price in order to gain market share. After those two, the market share drops considerably, and Sony, Panasonic, and Olympus lead that second tier. Part of the reason Canon and Nikon are so far ahead, is that they monopolize the SLR market (and always have).
Stability
Brands that are the top sellers, will have more variety and are more likely to be around later on. A few major companies have already failed in the Digital Photography realm, and no longer make digital cameras.
Quality
The major players have been refining their equipment for many years now, and are getting it right (mostly).
Resale
The popular brands resell easier and fetch a better resale value
OK, so you've narrowed the playing field by Category and Brand. Let's get some understanding about all those features.
MP or Megapixels
MP meaning - Millions of Pixels. WOW if this hasn't been overused in equating MP with quality. While in general, MP will give you a vague idea of image quality, it hardly is the ultimate factor. If you are comparing cameras, and they are within a 3 MP range difference (ie. 8MP vs 10MP), then MP is not much of a factor. When it comes to the smaller consumer cameras, the difference is insignificant, even going beyond my 3MP rule.
Resolution:
The higher the better. Typically stated with two numbers, like 640 x 480 (low) or 5616 x 3744 (very high) and anywhere in between. You probably don't want the Max resolution to be much less then 2048 x 1536
Lens:
Almost all cameras have a zoom, low number means wide angle (you get a lot in the photo, but things are smaller), high number means telephoto (things far away appear closer).
Zoom:
Optical vs. Digital - Optical is what's known as a "true" zoom. The lens actually zooms in and out from wide angle to telephoto. Digital zoom is marketing ploy - it's useless. The reason it's useless is because it's the same thing as enlarging or cropping a photo. Why is that useless - because when you enlarge the photo, you are also enlarging all the imperfections, which come out looking like a bunch of colored dots known as Digital "Noise" (in film it was called film grain).
You will also see a zoom rate with a <number> + X such as 3X, 8X, 10X, etc. The higher the number, the bigger the range BUT keep in mind that Optical vs Digital thingy. Very often a camera will be advertised as 10X or 12X, but read the fine print, it is more then likely the Digital number. Some even go as far as to add the Optical number and the Digital number together - a totally meaningless number. Optical numbers are most commonly low, somewhere around 3x or 4x, but there a few with higher Optical numbers.
Video:
Some have video, some don't. The higher the resolution, the better the quality. For example 320 X 240 at 15fps (frames per second) is very poor quality, however 1280 X 720 at 30fps is HD or very high quality. I think YouTube recommends 320×240 for their site, to give you an idea.
Image Stabilization:
This is a cool feature originally introduced with video and is becoming more common in cameras. Just as it says, it stabilizes the image, so if you shake the camera, it fixes it and gives you a clear shot. However, we are talking about shaking so subtle, you didn't realize you shook at all.
Face Detection:
This is another cool feature. In short, the camera recognizes people in your photo and focuses on them. This prevents those times when you are taking a photo of someone and they come out blurry and something else comes out clear. I was amazed at how well this actually works.
Memory Card:
A few types out there. The type isn't terribly important, but you should know there are different ones out there. SD (and variants), CF, and Memory stick (Sony only) are the most common. SD is fast becoming a standard in consumer cameras. There are some variants like SDHC (means it's a bit faster in reading/writing information to/from your memory card).
LCD:
This is the small screen on the back of the camera. Typically they state the size, larger is often better, and resolution - higher the better but it shouldn't be much of a factor in a camera purchase. A few cameras have one you can flip around, like a video camera. This is a nice feature for taking shots in a crowd (over peoples head), but unless you have a specific need for it, I wouldn't make it a major factor in your purhcase decision.
Lens:
Unlike the cameras above, SLRs allow you to change the lens you use. Choices range from wide angle, normal, telephoto, zoom, and macro. There are also some specialty lenses like a shift lens too. An entire article can be written about lenses, but in brief, stick with name brands. If you use a Canon camera, use Canon Brand lenses, if you use a Nikon Camera, use a Nikon Brand lens. Just like cameras, you get what you pay for, so don't get an expensive camera and put a cheap lens on it (even a name brand one).
Sensor Size:
SLRs have sensors larger then the small consumer cameras. However even amongst SLRs, sensor size will vary. Typically they have a ratio of 1:1 (aka Full Frame), 1:3, 1:5, and 1:6. Cool, what the heck does that mean? Well besides the physical size difference, it affects how your lens sees things. In brief, a 100mm lens on a full frame camera sees the scene like a 100mm lens on a 35mm camera. However that exact same lens on a camera with a sensor with a 1.5 ratio factor, will act like a 150mm lens does on a 35mm film camera. This is great for telephoto lenses because you get more reach for your money, but you lose out on the wide angle end. This is why wide angles, which typically in the past went no more then 17mm, are now going down to 10mm to compensate for this difference.
SLRs in general offer an immense amount of flexibility, something an Advanced Amateur or Pro will want.
Like a car, a camera must feel right. It can be the top of the line camera, but if it's uncomfortable for you, confusing for you to use, maybe even too much to handle, then it's not the right camera for YOU. Narrow down your choices, then go to the store and handle each one, see if it feels right. Maybe you have big hands, and that tiny little camera is too awkward - this is not an uncommon concern. Maybe you have trouble seeing, and the small LCD on the back is too small. Maybe the camera controls are in an awkward or uncomfortable place or position for you. Can you see the LCD in bright light? Take them for a test drive (in the store of course).
Fast Action - Originally digital cameras were terrible about capturing fast action. You would click the shutter button, and a second or two later the camera would snap the photo - this is known as "Shutter Lag". It's less of an issue today, but many of the lower priced, and often smaller cameras, still have issues with this, they are not good for action shots. This is one of the reason so many people have gone to using an SLR - No shutter lag.
What Now...
For some good research, check out DPreview - An excellent site to compare cameras, features and get in depth information about each one.
For those that want the REALLY quick answer...
Go out and buy the newest, most expensive Canon or Nikon you can find in the size you want!
General Rule - The newer the camera, the better. Unlike film cameras, Digital Cameras are more like computers then cameras in the sense that the quality of the photo will be the result of improved technology. Advances in technology bring all kinds improvement in image quality and camera features.
For the Longer Answer, keep reading....
For those that are still reading, let's get some understanding about what's out there, what's important and what's not important. While the General Rule is broadly true, there are differences between cameras that you need to explore further and not blatantly buy the most expensive camera you see.
Buying a digital camera can be a daunting task. There are so many choices, so many confusing terms, cameras of different sizes, cameras of all price ranges, what brand do you choose, what's a person to do?
Let's break it down and take away the confusion.
Evaluate your needs....
What (do you want from it)
Snapshots to share with friends and family
Active children
Portraits
Action and Sports photos
Macro or closeup photos
Where (will you use it)
Everywhere
Holidays, special occasions, and vacation
For your kids
When (are you going to use it)
All the time
A few times a month
A few times a year
Only on special occasions
Why (do you want one)
Personal choice really, just make sure you'll use it
How (much do you want to spend)
How important is quality - you get what you pay for
While you are thinking about the above, let's get an overview of...
What's out there...
Pocket CamerasAdvantage: Small, convenient, fits in your pocket (of course)
Disadvantage: Even the most expensive ones, are slightly average quality
Compact Cameras
Advantage: Better quality then above, fits in a purse
Disadvantage: Bulkier then above
SLR Like
Advantage: Close to SLR quality (sometimes just as good), more convenient
Disadvantage: Can't change lenses and do some more advanced functions
SLR
Advantage: Can change lenses, best quality
Disadvantage: Heavy and bulky
While your thinking about which category fits your needs best, let's look at...
Brands...
Top Selling Brands(in order)Canon
Nikon
Sony
Panasonic
Olympus
Why is the above information Important?
Experience
While I don't condone just following the crowd, my personal experience, observations, and research tell me there are good reasons why the above are in the top 5. They can then capitalize on their Experience giving them a building block for the next generation of digital cameras. Canon has been a seriously strong leader in Digital Photography, Nikon was a distant second, but has quickly advanced to where the distinction is blurry, however Canon still controls the market share. Nikon has been competing a bit more on price in order to gain market share. After those two, the market share drops considerably, and Sony, Panasonic, and Olympus lead that second tier. Part of the reason Canon and Nikon are so far ahead, is that they monopolize the SLR market (and always have).
Stability
Brands that are the top sellers, will have more variety and are more likely to be around later on. A few major companies have already failed in the Digital Photography realm, and no longer make digital cameras.
Quality
The major players have been refining their equipment for many years now, and are getting it right (mostly).
Resale
The popular brands resell easier and fetch a better resale value
OK, so you've narrowed the playing field by Category and Brand. Let's get some understanding about all those features.
Consumer Cameras (Pocket, Compact, SLR Like)
Features:
MP meaning - Millions of Pixels. WOW if this hasn't been overused in equating MP with quality. While in general, MP will give you a vague idea of image quality, it hardly is the ultimate factor. If you are comparing cameras, and they are within a 3 MP range difference (ie. 8MP vs 10MP), then MP is not much of a factor. When it comes to the smaller consumer cameras, the difference is insignificant, even going beyond my 3MP rule.
Resolution:
The higher the better. Typically stated with two numbers, like 640 x 480 (low) or 5616 x 3744 (very high) and anywhere in between. You probably don't want the Max resolution to be much less then 2048 x 1536
Lens:
Almost all cameras have a zoom, low number means wide angle (you get a lot in the photo, but things are smaller), high number means telephoto (things far away appear closer).
Zoom:
Optical vs. Digital - Optical is what's known as a "true" zoom. The lens actually zooms in and out from wide angle to telephoto. Digital zoom is marketing ploy - it's useless. The reason it's useless is because it's the same thing as enlarging or cropping a photo. Why is that useless - because when you enlarge the photo, you are also enlarging all the imperfections, which come out looking like a bunch of colored dots known as Digital "Noise" (in film it was called film grain).
You will also see a zoom rate with a <number> + X such as 3X, 8X, 10X, etc. The higher the number, the bigger the range BUT keep in mind that Optical vs Digital thingy. Very often a camera will be advertised as 10X or 12X, but read the fine print, it is more then likely the Digital number. Some even go as far as to add the Optical number and the Digital number together - a totally meaningless number. Optical numbers are most commonly low, somewhere around 3x or 4x, but there a few with higher Optical numbers.
Video:
Some have video, some don't. The higher the resolution, the better the quality. For example 320 X 240 at 15fps (frames per second) is very poor quality, however 1280 X 720 at 30fps is HD or very high quality. I think YouTube recommends 320×240 for their site, to give you an idea.
Image Stabilization:
This is a cool feature originally introduced with video and is becoming more common in cameras. Just as it says, it stabilizes the image, so if you shake the camera, it fixes it and gives you a clear shot. However, we are talking about shaking so subtle, you didn't realize you shook at all.
Face Detection:
This is another cool feature. In short, the camera recognizes people in your photo and focuses on them. This prevents those times when you are taking a photo of someone and they come out blurry and something else comes out clear. I was amazed at how well this actually works.
Memory Card:
A few types out there. The type isn't terribly important, but you should know there are different ones out there. SD (and variants), CF, and Memory stick (Sony only) are the most common. SD is fast becoming a standard in consumer cameras. There are some variants like SDHC (means it's a bit faster in reading/writing information to/from your memory card).
LCD:
This is the small screen on the back of the camera. Typically they state the size, larger is often better, and resolution - higher the better but it shouldn't be much of a factor in a camera purchase. A few cameras have one you can flip around, like a video camera. This is a nice feature for taking shots in a crowd (over peoples head), but unless you have a specific need for it, I wouldn't make it a major factor in your purhcase decision.
Advanced (SLR)
Features:
Almost everything above applies, but there are a few more things to know about.Lens:
Unlike the cameras above, SLRs allow you to change the lens you use. Choices range from wide angle, normal, telephoto, zoom, and macro. There are also some specialty lenses like a shift lens too. An entire article can be written about lenses, but in brief, stick with name brands. If you use a Canon camera, use Canon Brand lenses, if you use a Nikon Camera, use a Nikon Brand lens. Just like cameras, you get what you pay for, so don't get an expensive camera and put a cheap lens on it (even a name brand one).
Sensor Size:
SLRs have sensors larger then the small consumer cameras. However even amongst SLRs, sensor size will vary. Typically they have a ratio of 1:1 (aka Full Frame), 1:3, 1:5, and 1:6. Cool, what the heck does that mean? Well besides the physical size difference, it affects how your lens sees things. In brief, a 100mm lens on a full frame camera sees the scene like a 100mm lens on a 35mm camera. However that exact same lens on a camera with a sensor with a 1.5 ratio factor, will act like a 150mm lens does on a 35mm film camera. This is great for telephoto lenses because you get more reach for your money, but you lose out on the wide angle end. This is why wide angles, which typically in the past went no more then 17mm, are now going down to 10mm to compensate for this difference.
SLRs in general offer an immense amount of flexibility, something an Advanced Amateur or Pro will want.
Final Notes...
Does it feel right?Like a car, a camera must feel right. It can be the top of the line camera, but if it's uncomfortable for you, confusing for you to use, maybe even too much to handle, then it's not the right camera for YOU. Narrow down your choices, then go to the store and handle each one, see if it feels right. Maybe you have big hands, and that tiny little camera is too awkward - this is not an uncommon concern. Maybe you have trouble seeing, and the small LCD on the back is too small. Maybe the camera controls are in an awkward or uncomfortable place or position for you. Can you see the LCD in bright light? Take them for a test drive (in the store of course).
Fast Action - Originally digital cameras were terrible about capturing fast action. You would click the shutter button, and a second or two later the camera would snap the photo - this is known as "Shutter Lag". It's less of an issue today, but many of the lower priced, and often smaller cameras, still have issues with this, they are not good for action shots. This is one of the reason so many people have gone to using an SLR - No shutter lag.
What Now...
For some good research, check out DPreview - An excellent site to compare cameras, features and get in depth information about each one.
Joanna Francois
Invite as author
Untitled
j