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Choosing the right digital camera
 Thinking of joining the photography scene then choosing the right digital camera for your needs can be an exhausting and sometimes a frustrating experience. With so many
digital cameras on the market today to choose from getting the right one for your needs can be a challenge. And if you get
it wrong it can be a very expensive mistake. Having a simple plan in place before heading off to the shop can save you time
and money. Here are a few things you should ask yourself to narrow the selection of digital cameras available to
you.
· How much do I want
to pay for a digital camera? This is important because you can be lured into buying a digital camera with a lot of flashy options
that you would not otherwise use and pay a lot more for them. Have a price range in mind and shop around within that
range.
· What sort of
photographs do you want to take? If you are looking at taking scenic - landscape shots you should
look at a digital camera that is capable of taking wide angle shots or has a scenic mode. Same if you want to take some portrait
shots of the family and friends a portrait mode would be good. Maybe you want to take some nature shots you could be looking for
a digital camera with a good optical zoom etc. Or if you are into the insect side of nature a macro lens or mode is the
go.
· How knowledgeable
are you when it comes to digital camera settings like iso settings, shutter speeds, aperture settings, white balance etc. If all
these sound confusing then your digital camera selection should include a fully automatic mode. Where the digital camera does all
the work for you and today’s digital cameras do a good job of it as well. If you have some knowledge of digital camera settings
and would like to experiment and learn more about digital camera settings and there effects. Then a digital camera with a manual
mode as well as an automatic mode will be the go. Most digital cameras on the market today support both modes but some digital
cameras only give you semi manual modes which is something to check before you buy.
· One thing to
remember when selecting your digital camera is if you think or know you want to continue to grow your photography skills choose a
digital camera that will grow with you. What do I mean by that? Glad you asked. Compact digital cameras have very limited if any
room for expanding on for example compact digital cameras have fixed lenses and a built in flash. They do take good photos but
are limited in the type of photos they can take. If you are going to take photography to the next level down the track then you
should look at an SLR (single lens reflex) digital camera these digital cameras are more expensive. But you can buy different
types of lenses for them as well as different flash units, remote shutter releases etc. As your level of photography knowledge
grows you can add to your digital camera over time to satisfy your needs.
Now you are armed with your digital camera wants and don’t
wants its time to start comparing prices and types. One of the best places to get this information is on the internet. There are
thousands of sites and stores to check out. One of the best sites I do my comparisons is at http://www.dpreview.com these guys are very
thorough they get the latest digital cameras examine them take them into the field testing them in everyway and write there
review on them good and bad. The site has sample photos and forums for people that have the digital cameras. You can even
compare the digital cameras you are interested in side by side.
If you prefer to see the digital camera you are interested in. Your local camera shop should have a demo model for
you to try and most would allow you to put your own memory stick in and take some shots so you can take them home and view
the quality on your own computer.
I hope I have given you some ideas on making your choice of a digital camera easier for you. So start shopping and
welcome to the photography scene.
Jeff Dykes
Freelance Photographer
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