A Comprehensive Guide On the Features to Look For When Buying Digital Cameras

So you are planning to buy a new digital camera for yourself and just like everybody else, you whip out those photography articles and magazines for pointers on the best model or brand. Bad Idea! On closer examination of the market, you will find that a single camera is rarely able to top all four important criteria - photo quality, performance, features and design. Buying the right camera is more about finding out what works best with your style and usage requirements. So, instead of getting hung up on making sure you have got the "best" in a particular camera class, it is better to hand-pick a model that offers the exact features you are looking for. Confused on how to manage such a purchase? Here is a list of features that you must look for when buying a digital camera.

Megapixels(MP)

MP denotes the amount of information (pixels) that the camera will capture and record when you click a photo with it. A good rule of the thumb to follow here is – the larger print you will want for the pictures, the higher MP your camera should have to provide a good resolution. In general, a 10MP camera should be able to produce a decent enough poster size print.

Zoom

There are two varieties to choose from here – digital and optical zoom. Digital zoom magnifies a smaller area without enhancing the image focus while optical zoom focuses on a small area to render sharper images. Both are a part of most camera specs, however, you should choose a higher optical zoom in case you plan to shoot far-off objects with high clarity.

ClassificationThere are the simple and efficient point-and-shoot cameras that novices can use for easy photography. Then there are the complicated SLR (Single Lens Reflex) cameras meant for experienced photographers with many customization features to offer more control over the pictures being clicked. There are also the hybrid varieties where you can start by using the camera as a point-and-shoot and progress further to use built-in SLR features as you learn the intricacies of photography. Choose whichever suits your needs the best.

Features

Besides for the basic functionalities, you can also find various digital camera models that offer add on features to help photographers get better images. These include

• Image stabilization•Color filters•Face detection•Fast shutter speeds•Scene selection•Macro mode•Panoramic clicking•Red-eye, blinked eye detection•Built-in automatic flash, and many more.

As a general rule, the more features you opt for, the higher the price of your camera will be. So choose the ones that are most important as per your usage needs and find a digital camera model that offers them all.Closely examining these basic features will help you pick out the most suitable digital camera for your needs. Hope this how-to guide has helped you in understanding the nitty-gritties involved in this purchase.

Yano is the owner of company RetailGenius. RetailGenius is one of the largest e-commerce marketplace in Sri Lanka.