Which Camera Do I need?

The camera that best fits your needs. Not all of the cameras available today fit your needs. Here is how to find the one that is best for you.

One question you need to answer is: what kind of pictures am I planning to take? Family snapshots, landscape pictures, close-ups of pets and other images, images of a subject far away.

In the old days of film you were limited in the type of picture you could take by the chemistry of the film and the focal length of the lens.

You will see the number of mega-pixels the camera uses varies from one model to another. You need to know that 5 mega-pixels is considered equal to the quality of a slide film image. I believe you will be satisfied with 5 million pixels. The more pixels you use the slower the image will write to the memory card. In some situations you will want a fast write speed so you can take another picture quickly.

You will enjoy a camera that is versatile enough to take several types of pictures. Fortunately you're able to find such a camera on the market today.

Many, but not all, professional photographers today use a digital single lens reflex camera that has interchangeable lenses. Each lens can be removed from the camera body and replaced with a lens of another focal length. The professional photographer is willing to sacrifice the convenience of having a light weight camera with one lens for the precision and versatility that multiple lenses gives that person. I believe you will be delighted with a camera using one lens.

Many people today are very happy with the small camera they carry in their pocket or purse. The primary use of that camera is for family photos and for general images that do not require a great degree of technical expertise to compose. Today you have software in the camera and after the image is downloaded that will give you lots of choices to change the final pictures composition.

Convenience and feeling comfortable with the camera are important points for you.

The weight of the camera is a factor. How much do you want to carry with you? I can remember having muscle pain in my neck and shoulder from carrying a camera, lenses, filters, flash attachment and more.

Battery life is another consideration. Most batteries today will work correctly if you keep them charged. Then you can grab your camera and get the unexpected picture instead of feeling frustrated because you don't have any film or the batteries are dead.

You also need to be concerned about how easy the camera's menu is to use. Not all cameras have a menu designed to be used easily. Check out how hard the menu is to work with. If the menu is hard to use you will be frustrated at times. Film cameras had no menu – digital cameras have one.

If you are buying the camera for someone else try to figure out how they will use the camera.

I urge you to read the manual included with the camera. Most are well written. Put the manual where you can find it when a question occurs to you. I don't remember how to do everything my camera is capable of so I go back to the manual for the needed information.

You will be happier with your new camera if you learn how to use it. One of the settings on some cameras is called “white balance.” It controls the color of the image. Different light (indoor or outdoor) will look different to the camera. Another setting is the speed of the image data (400,800, 1200) you can control the image quality with this setting too. No need to feel sad the picture didn't look great when you can see it immediately and take another with a different white balance or speed. You will learn with experience what setting you might want to adjust to get a really nice picture.

Camera memory is also a point for you to consider. How many pictures do you want to be able to take before the memory is full? When you travel or go to a family reunion you may want lots of space for your once-in-a-lifetime pictures. Happily, you can buy more memory.

Price will be one of the things to consider when choosing the camera. Camera prices are not the same everywhere and some sellers are to be avoided. Be a smart shopper. You can search on-line for information about the seller you are considering.

Cameras are changing. New models with different or better features and benefits are offered on a continual basis. If you find the camera that fits your needs now you will be less tempted to get another one soon.

There is an old saying: “Act in haste, repent at leisure.” Take your time and figure out what is best for you.

For a great site to get specific knowledge go to www.dpreview.com

To get more information about digital cameras click here.

Be patient with yourself. You know experience counts. You will take great pictures if you give yourself time to review and experiment. Every picture doesn't have to be a masterpiece but the more pictures you take the more you increase your chances of taking one you really like. It's easy to delete an unwanted picture.

Enjoy each day!