Digital Cameras: A How-To Guide

If you’ve never purchased a digital camera before, where do you start? What do all the numbers mean? How many megapixels should your camera have? What should the resolution be? The following tutorial aims to give you a general understanding of several features your digital camera may have and how to choose the best camera based on your needs.

 

There are many important characteristics to look for when choosing a digital camera. Based on your needs, different features may appeal to you more so than others. However, you’ll probably want to understand the meaning of these terms before you can decide whether a particular camera will suit your needs!

 

Most digital cameras will tell you the resolution they provide, which is a fancy way of telling you how sharp the pictures will turn out. Resolution is measured by a system referred to as dpi, or dots per inch. The number is usually expressed in pixels where each pixel represents a color.

 

For example, most inexpensive cameras will come with a 640 x 480 resolution, which is perfectly acceptable for emailing photos or posting them on the Internet. What type of digital camera do you choose if you want to print photographs, however? Typically speaking, a camera that does not have a resolution of at least 1280 x 1204 will not be of very high quality for printing photos.

 

Secondly, you’ll want to see how much storage the particular cameras you’re interested in have. All cameras do not have the same storage capacity, so it’s important to choose a camera that has enough storage space to accommodate the amount of pictures you want to take. When browsing various digital cameras, you need to look at how many MB (megabytes) of RAM the camera has – this will tell you the amount of storage your camera has.

 

Additionally, the method of storing photographs your camera has may differ from model to model as well. Some digital cameras use floppy disks to store photographs, which can then be uploaded to any computer with a floppy drive. Most recent digital cameras have something called CompactFlash or SmartMedia.

 

These removable storage devices are preferred over any other method. Keep in mind that cheaper cameras may have nonremovable storage, which means you’d have to delete or upload photographs before taking additional pictures. This method is the least preferred over the other storage methods various digital cameras may have. Choose the storage device the best meets your needs and budget.

 

When browsing various digital cameras, you may also want to determine the method of transfer the cameras have when you want to put photographs onto your computer. Luckily, most cameras have a USB or serial cable, which allows you to connect the camera to your computer and upload photographs that way. Many cameras also come equipped with a video out port that will enable you to hook up your digital camera to your television to view your photographs.

 

Finally, more expensive cameras will allow you to switch between autofocus and manual camera modes, giving you more control over how your photographs will turn out. Zoom functions, metering, and multiple flash effects also contribute to the outcome of your pictures.

 

Ultimately, you must choose a digital camera that will not only fit your needs, but also fit within your budget. More expensive cameras usually have more features, but a cheaper camera may also work for you depending on what you plan to do with the camera. Even if you’ve never purchased a camera before, following the above guidelines will help ensure you buy a camera that you’ll be happy to use for years to come.