Before beginning the hunt for a digital camera, there are a few questions you should be able to answer. Knowing the answers to these questions can significantly increase your odds for getting the best camera for you, as well as making your ultimate buying decision quicker. While, this is not an exhaustive list, it covers the basics, which you can fine tune as your shopping process goes on.

There are literally thousands of digital cameras on the market, in all shapes in sizes. Having a specific budget in mind can greatly narrow down your list to a manageable size.

Lets get right to it. It’s very true, that the immense popularity of digital cameras (SLR and otherwise) and rapid technical advances have produced a glut of choices and features that can be bewildering to the average consumer.

Megapixels used to be the single biggest feature in determining the price of a camera. As memory storage has gotten cheaper, megapixels are still a feature to consider, but not nearly as much as a few years ago.

I’ll make it even simpler for you. Pick any one of the following three digital SLR cameras, and you won’t be disappointed. They are the Canon Digital Rebel XTi, the Nikon D40, and the Olympus Evolt E510.

As of this writing, the 10 megapixels flavors for these cameras are all available for about $600. That includes a basic kit lens. That feels like highway robbery, compared to the $1000 I paid for a good point and shoot digital just a few years back.

When looking for the best digital SLR camera you can find, the important word to remember is “YOU”. Ask a dozen camera enthusiasts why they their favourite camera is their favourite, and you likely get a dozen answers.

The one big feature you get with the G9 that you won’t find on a simple point and shoot is RAW format. It basically saves your images without compressing them into jpg format and losing some picture quality. RAW is far more flexible when it comes to editing pictures later. You basically get more manual control of your picture taking, like a SLR, but without the added size and extra lenses. You can get a G9 for about $500 these days.

Try different lenses to. Have lots of questions for the sales people, but take their answers with a grain of salt. They are sales people after all. The actual experience of handling and using the camera should be your final factor in making your decision.

Consider what kinds of cameras you’ve had before, and how they worked out for you. Don’t just go shopping for a particular brand name, because that’s the only brand name you’ve ever owned. If you really liked it, sure that’s fine. But, if not, maybe it’s time to broaden your horizons a little.

A final note about special features would be prudent here. Plan on doing any underwater shooting? Does the camera have an optional underwater housing available? Got shaking hands? Maybe image stabilization would be a good option for you. Some cameras even do red eye reduction editing right on the camera, before you download your pictures. All these come at a price, so carefully consider whether the features are worth it to you. Knowing specifically what your looking for can only hedge your bet in getting the best digital camera for you.

Share This