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Step 1: So you want to buy a digital camera. |
| This section will walk you through the process of buying your first digital camera, starting with a basic explanation of cameras and how they work, and finishing with installing the camera on your computer. This section focuses on compact digital cameras. If you would like more information about any specific aspect of this section, please refer to the other sections of this learning center focused on what you would like to learn. |
Here is a quick rundown of how digital cameras work. Light enters the lens, passes to the back of the camera and strikes the sensor. Sensors are devices which use pixels to translate light into electrical signals. The image that hits the sensor is the same image seen on the LCD screen on the camera.
Cameras with viewfinders receive the information in the viewfinder from one of two sources. The first is a window separate from the lens, which allows you to see a real image. What you see in the window is usually a fraction different from what the lens sees. The second type is a digital viewfinder. This is a very small LCD screen in the viewfinder, which receives its information from the sensor.
Typically, the shutter button (to take pictures), the on/off switch and the zoom buttons are located on top or near the top of the camera. Most cameras are right handed, so these buttons are usually near the right side of the camera.
On the back of the camera, you will find the LCD screen, menu buttons, viewfinder (if the camera has one) and possibly other buttons that control the functionality of the camera.
Sides or bottom of cameras will have the computer sync port, battery slot, memory card slot, and possibly other cable connections for video out or AC adapters. Depending on the camera, the existence or locations of these features may change. |
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What do you want in a camera? Cameras range in price, perfomance and quality. The camera that works for you may not be the same camera your neighbor wants. But the key to getting a camera is to find on that has the functions that you want and will use. The best camera you can get is the one you will use. It does you no good to have one what does everything, but sits in a drawer. As you read the following sections, begin to evaluate what seems to be important to you. Make a list. When it is time to buy, you are armed with ideas of what you want in a camera so you can direct yourself and the salesperson to what you are looking for. It will also help you filter through all the different models so you are not overwhelmed. Many of the camera models share functions, so do not get discouraged or overwhelmed when they all seem to look the same.
What to look for. |
Megapixels. What size prints do you plan on making? Do you plan on making prints at all? Are you somewhat computer savvy and would like to manuplate and work with your pictures on the computer, or do you avoid computers whenever possible?
Higher megapixel cameras allow you to make larger prints and manipulate images on the computer. You also need high resolution to crop pictures. Currently, most digital cameras range from 5 to 8 megapixels. 5 megapixels will allow you to make good prints up to 8x10 and some larger prints depending on the image. However, when an image is cropped, you are essentially enlarging the picture. So if you crop a 5 megapixel image by 50% you basically cut off half the picture. Now if you want to enlarge that cropped half, you do not have quite the resolution to work with.
Most good quality cameras now have the resolution to take good pictures. But what you want to do with your pictures may determine that you need something with higher resolution. |
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Sensors and Lenses. With some compact digital cameras, the megapixel resolution is beginning to max out the physical size of the sensor. There are so many pixels crammed into a very small sensor, that the picture quality no longer gets better with higher resolutions. Sensors larger in physical size gather more information and have less noise.
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The lens plays the third but equal part. The lens is built according to the size of the sensor. Cameras with smaller sensors can use smaller lenses. This is one of the reasons SLRs can capture very high resolutions. The sensors and the lenses are larger. Larger lenses capture more light. This does not mean that cameras with small lenses take bad pictures. However, this does mean that if you want to enlarge your pictures, the smallest of pocket cameras will not capture the resolution you will need.
There is a trade off depending on what you want in the camera. If you want the smallest, then you should not expect to be able to make poster size prints. However, if making large prints if not your concern, then the slim camera that goes everywhere and captures the moments is the one that works. |
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Optical vs. Digital Zoom. Optical zoom uses the lens elements to zoom and out. The elements of the lens move together or apart to create zoom. This is all done in the lens, before the light hits the sensor. Digital zoom uses the image already captured by the sensor to crop in on the image. This is the same as cropping the image after taking the picture. Digital zoom degrades the quality of the picture. Some of the symptoms are increased noise, camera shake, decreased color and decreases sharpness. Zoom amount varies per model. Most of the smaller cameras have 3 - 4x zoom.
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Screen Size. It is all a matter of what you want. Some models now have 3 inch screens. If you want a camera with a larger screen, put that on your list.
Batteries. There are 2 main types of batteries, AAs and Lithium-ion (Li-ion). Alkaline AAs are easier to find, but do not last as long. The recommended subsitute for Alkaline is rechargable AAs or a disposable option would be Lithium of Oxy-Nickel. Lithium-ion batteries are specific to the model of the camera. They are more expensive to replace, but they last longer and recharge more times.
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