Digital Clarity
April 19, 2010, By Jeff Waddle 3 comments
Everybody’s got a camera on their cell phones these days, and they’re fine for most basic photos. But, the latest generation of digital cameras can do some amazing things that can help take your photography skills to a completely different level.
There’s a world of choice in digital cameras, so choosing the one that’s right for you can be complicated. Here’s some advice on how to figure it all out.
Features to Consider
Modern digital cameras can offer a wide array of features, but here are some of the most important ones you’ll want to consider as you shop for a camera that suits your needs.
- Megapixels: Generally, the more megapixels a camera’s imaging sensor has, the higher photo resolution it produces. While most digital cameras have ample megapixels (at least 6) for standard 4x6 prints of the kids opening birthday presents and similar shots, you’ll probably want a camera with at least 12 megapixels if you like to produce 16x20 or even larger prints for framing.
- LCD Screen: This is the screen you’ll look through as you frame your photos. And, if you view your photos primarily on your camera, the LCD is what you’ll be looking at them through. Some cameras offer LCDs that swivel away from the camera body for more flexibility for composing and viewing photos. LCD sizes vary but a 3-inch LCD is a solid choice.
- Optical Zoom: Every digital camera today offers a certain lens zoom rating, but they vary widely. Subcompact, point and shoot models may be only 3x optical zoom (the ability to bring the photo subject 3 times closer than it actually is) but super-zoom point and shoots can offer 20x optical zoom ranges. Some models offer telescoping lens that collapse back into the camera body to minimize its size. Consider your photo habits before paying more for a higher optical zoom. If you like zooming in on wildlife, landscapes or even the kids playing sports from a distance, then paying more for a higher optical zoom ratio would be a good investment.
- SLR Cameras: SLR cameras resemble the old 35mm cameras in that you have flexibility in the type of lenses you can attach to the camera body. So, for wide angle, zoom or macro (close up) photography, SLRs are a good choice. They also can give you more creative control over the camera settings than the typical point and shoot, but they are generally more expensive. And, remember that SLRs are a lot bulkier and heavier cameras than a point and shoot subcompact you can slip into your jeans pocket.
- Max ISO with best quality: This feature is all about how well the camera performs in low-light situations. A higher rating (800-1600) means the camera can produce a good photo even without using a flash.
- Face Detection: Digital cameras come with all sorts of scene and shooting modes but one of the most important for photographers that take lots of family photos is face detection technology. It automatically detects if one or more faces are in the photo and makes the appropriate adjustments in color, light and focus for the optimal shot.
- Image Stabilizer: Some cameras offer this technology as a guard against blurry photos when taking action shots.
- Continuous/burst mode: Digital cameras have different speeds at which they can take a series of photos in rapid succession—another important feature when you’re shooting action scenes like sports. Two ratings to consider are how fast a point and shoot camera can take its first shot after powering up ("shutter lag" of 1 second is considered slow) and how quickly the second or next shot can be taken (less than 2 seconds is good).
- Memory Cards: Memory has replaced film as the measurement of photo capacity in digital cameras. Many cameras come with low-capacity memory, so you’ll want to consider purchasing a memory card of at least 1GB that can hold over 200 photos for a 10-megapixel camera. The higher the megapixels, the more memory each photo will require.
Jeff Waddle is a featured contributor to ManoftheHouse.com.
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