Are you having problems deciding which digital camera is right for you? Follow Digital Camera Buyer’s ten steps to help you make the right choice

1 Decide what you’ll use it for

Before you choose your camera, you should think carefully about the kind of photographer you are. Most people use their cameras simply for taking everyday snapshots of friends, family, special events and holidays. If that’s your intention, you’ll probably be more concerned with ease of use and pocketability than you will be with having a raft of exposure controls at your disposal. All compact cameras will have a straightforward Automatic mode, which takes care of every exposure decision for you, but many also have a range of scene modes for night shots, portraits, landscapes, etc. In these modes, the camera automatically adjusts its settings to meet the demands of a particular shooting situation. They make it easy to improve your photography and take good pictures, without needing to know the intricacies of exposure control. For hobbyists, it will be important that the camera can be controlled manually to produce your desired visual effects. A model with manual exposure controls, extra optical zoom and advanced shooting features will permit far more creativity when taking photographs. Everyday camera users shouldn’t be put off trying a camera with advanced features though. There are plenty of small compacts available that boast a surprising degree of sophistication, but still maintain very userfriendly and accessible control mechanisms. Even if you’re a beginner, you may find that a little more shooting power does wonders for your photography.   

2 Stick to your budget

Above all else, your budget will determine which digital camera you choose. It’s easy to find a decent point-and-shoot model for under £150. Plus, with the internet constantly pushing down prices, entry-level cameras from the likes of Kodak, Olympus and Fujifilm can be picked up for £100 or less. Manual controls, high-quality lenses and large megapixel counts are all available in user-friendly compact bodies, but the asking price will be in the region of £200 to £500. At the top of the scale, digital SLRs are tumbling in price: top-class models from Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Olympus are all on the market for around £600 but a handful of models are available at £400 or less. But it’s also worth checking out slightly older models that have been marked down in price to find a camera to suit your pocket.

3 Look at the megapixel rating

Megapixel ratings have become the main selling point for digital cameras over the last few years and this isn’t without good reason. The number of pixels that your camera’s image sensor carries will determine the resolution of your photograph. The more megapixels (millions of pixels) available to the photographer, the higher the resolution, and therefore the sharper the colour and detail that it’s possible to achieve. Manufacturers are constantly outdoing each other with ever-higher megapixel ratings, and seven-megapixel cameras have swiftly taken over from five or six-megapixel models as the compact standard. However, it’s vital not to overstate the importance of megapixels. In reality, even a three-megapixel camera will provide more than adequate resolution for an ordinary 4 x 6-inch snapshot. It’s only if you want to print out much larger versions of your pictures that the picture quality starts to become a serious issue. High ratings of eight or ten megapixels are useful to semi or fully professional photographers who want to capture a high level of picture detail. For everyday photographs however, you’ll be hard pushed to spot the difference between a three-megapixel and seven-megapixel image when printed out at a standard size. So don’t automatically go for the highest megapixel rating you can find. Check out the camera’s other specs as well. The camera with the lower megapixel rating could have a broader and better range of other features and might well offer the best value for money.

4 Try out the camera’s zoom

An optical zoom lens is one of the most useful features you can get on a digital camera. The standard for compact cameras is 3x optical zoom, which allows you to get three times the magnification on the subject you’re shooting. If you can get a more powerful zoom lens, that’s all the better, as it will dramatically increase your options for framing and capturing images. The majority of digital cameras incorporate optical zoom as a standard feature, so if you come across a digital camera without any zoom lens capacity it probably isn’t worth its salt. By contrast, beware of cameras that boast digital zoom as an alternative to optical zoom. Most cameras carry this feature – even highend compacts – but it should only be used when absolutely necessary. Don’t be fooled into thinking digital zoom is ‘real’ zoom – it isn’t. Rather it artificially magnifies an area of your image by expanding and cropping the photo in your LCD screen. This inevitably causes the overall resolution of your photo to go down and so picture quality suffers. Even if you don’t regard this as a problem, digital zoom still offers nothing more than you can achieve by simply zooming in on a portion of your image when you open it on your PC. A large number of digital cameras now offer anti-shake functions that counteract the effects of trembling hands when taking a shot. This is a vital feature if you’re buying a high-zoom camera, as the further you zoom in on a subject, the more impact small camera shakes have on the exposure.

5 Do you want manual controls?

All digital cameras will offer either a complete Auto mode, which requires nothing from you except to press the shutter button, or a Program Auto mode, which automates the exposure settings but allows you to change certain factors such as white balance or sharpness. These modes will produce a decent shot in most circumstances, but in tricky shooting conditions, the camera’s readings may not achieve the right exposure balance. More sophisticated digital cameras will also offer three additional modes for manually controlling the way your camera exposes a shot. These modes are the key tools in creative digital photography and operate in a similar way as they do on traditional 35mm cameras. Aperture-priority (AP) mode allows you to set the camera’s aperture, Shutter-priority (SP) mode lets you set the camera’s shutter speed and Manual (M) mode allows you to set aperture and shutter speed together at the same time. Using these settings, a vast range of exposure effects can be achieved, but the process is often a matter of trial and error. Only after a lot of practice will you be able to make an instant judgement of what settings are needed for a particular scene.

6 Don’t forget Movie mode

Almost all compact cameras feature a digital video mode these days. However, you’re unlikely to find this feature on either prosumer or SLR camera models. The vast majority of digital compacts have a Movie mode which records in VGA standard – that’s 640 x 480 resolution – at 30fps (frames per second). However, it’s possible to get higher resolution SVGA and XGA capture on certain models. In most cases, the camera will also capture sound, but it’s worth checking to be sure. VGA mode offers a level of picture quality that matches a basic camcorder. Some compacts even offer a separate audio-recording function, so the camera can be used like a dictaphone. The more ambitious camera users among you might also be able to use slideshow software on your home computer in order to combine still photos with video to make a digital montage.

7 Check battery life and memory format

A key consideration for any digital camera buyer is battery life and storage capacity. Most cameras support either AA-sized Ni-MH batteries, or carry their own lithium-ion battery pack. Both of these battery types are rechargeable, but if your camera only supports Ni-MH, you might have to invest in your own charger. Some manufacturers won’t supply rechargeable batteries with the camera, so this could mean further investment. The most common type of memory card is the Secure Digital (SD) format. Fujifilm and Olympus both use the xD Picture Card format, while Sony sticks to its MemoryStick. The CompactFlash format is less common nowadays, but is still the card of choice for many DSLRs. If you’re upgrading and have already invested in some memory cards, it’s worth making sure that your new camera is compatible with the same format, although prices for new cards are now much lower than they once were.

8 Know your consumer rights

It’s fairly unusual for a new digital camera not to function properly, but it’s still a good idea to check the length of warranty being offered when you make your purchase. It probably won’t be worth paying extra for an extended warranty because digital cameras lose value very rapidly. However, you should familiarise yourself with the returns policy of the shop you’re buying your camera from, particularly if you’re purchasing over the internet. Chances are you won’t ever need to return a camera, but some retailers may refuse to take it back, or even charge you for it.

9 What will you do with your photos?

A lot of digital camera owners end up storing their pictures on their computer’s hard drive and viewing them only on a PC screen, without a second thought for the many other options available for enjoying their snaps. If you want prints, you can either invest in your own photo printer, which will produce standard-sized prints on glossy paper via a direct connection from your camera, or a memory card slot. You can also take your memory card into a high-street processor or send your images electronically to an online photo processor to get them printed. If you’re adventurous, why not post pics onto an internet gallery so that friends can view them, or use DVD burning software to create your own slideshow?

10 Remember to accessorise!

To get the most out of your camera, consider investing in extra equipment to expand your photographic system. These accessories aren’t for enthusiasts only; spare cards and batteries are vital for any photographer and a quality photo printer or imageediting software can be a user-friendly way to improve your shots without breaking the bank.

MEMORY CARDS

Memory card capacities now reach as high as 4GB, and the new SDHC format takes that up to 8GB. Don’t rely on a single card for all your pictures though – if you lose it, then you’ve lost all your photos too. Invest in a handful of moderate to high-capacity cards of 256MB and upwards so that you’ll always have memory to spare.

SPARE BATTERIES

If you have at least two sets of rechargeable batteries, you can make sure you’re always ready to shoot. Invest in a set of four Ni-MH batteries and a charger, or buy a backup of your camera’s lithium-ion battery pack.

PHOTO PRINTER

Don’t leave your photos hidden on a hard drive or memory card. Use a photo printer to produce your own set of high-quality prints. Most dedicated photo printers can be used without connecting to a PC.

SOFTWARE

If your photos don’t turn out as well as you’d hoped, it’s not too late to save them. Image-editing programs such as Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop Elements allow you to fix poor exposure, red-eye and countless other photo mishaps. You can also add a wide range of artistic effects to your images, and organise them according to keywords, dates, etc.

TRIPOD

A tripod isn’t just the tool of a professional photographer. In many instances, such as zoom or action photography, it’s your only guarantee of getting a shot that doesn’t suffer from the effects of hand shake. It doesn’t have to be an expensive piece of kit either. You’ll find basic tripods on the high street for under £30, and some will fold to a closed length of just 30 centimetres.

LENSES

Depending on the type of camera you buy, additional lenses are either a luxury or a necessity. A handful of high-end compacts and prosumer models can have telephoto or macro lenses attached to them, but it’s the DSLR user who needs them most. It’s not worth investing in a DSLR without getting yourself a range of lenses to go with it.

BAG OR CASE

Very few cameras come with their own case, so it’s a good idea to buy some kind of pouch to keep it in. This will help to prevent damage and dust getting into the lens. If you’re planning to expand your range of accessories, a larger shoulder bag or backpack will probably serve you better.