by Shikha

Created on: June 17, 2008

It can get a little frustrating when you buy a camera after a lot of thinking and asking around and rummaging through endless reviews only to realize that it is not the one for you. But there is hope. The most important thing before you buy a digital camera is to make sure that you choose one with all the features that you want in a camera.

MEGAPIXELS
MPs determine the resolution or quality of the pictures. Determine what your need is and then decide on the MPs you want in your camera. If it is just to email it to your friends or store on your computer, 2MPs are more than enough. If you want to take 8x10 prints, you will need 4MP. To take bigger prints you will need 7MP or more. A single point difference between MP counts does not make a discernible difference.

ZOOM
Buy a camera with the maximum optical zoom. Because a camera may boast a high digital zoom but digital zoom is just a software that magnifies and crops an image. In order to take a good quality picture, optical zoom matters. Perfect for those trips when you cannot get down out the car but you just have to take a picture of the mountain far away.

MEMORY
The larger the size of your memory card, the longer you can take pictures without having to worry about dumping them into your computer. And of course, it is hard to carry your computer wherever you go. So if you do not want to delete some of your favorite pictures, carry an extra 1GB card or maybe larger.

LCD SCREEN
A major point where a digital camera scores over an ordinary camera is that it has an LCD screen where you can compose your picture perfectly before clicking; and you don't have to try to wink an eye or get a marked eye trying to focus a scene. Buy a camera with 2.5" screen for a better display.

BATTERY
There are cameras which come with ordinary AA batteries. And as you click you have to keep changing the batteries which means when you go on a trip, you will have to carry along a pack of batteries. Nowadays there are cameras which rechargeable batteries. The charger comes with the camera and you just have to plug in the camera to any socket anywhere.

AUTOMATIC SCENE MODES
All of us want to take great pictures. But most users do not use the extra features that come with most basic cameras today. Did you know that you can take a soft portrait picture like the ones taken in studios with the background blurred, with your $150 camera? The difference in aperture settings that are required for portraits, night photos, etc are saved into automatic modes which you can select while taking pictures. It just takes the turn of a dial to take amazing pictures.

Just remember not to be swayed by the ever increasing mega pixel counts and sleekness of the latest camera in town. Buy what you want and read the user guide (it helps a lot!) and you will be soon on your way to choosing the camera made for you and taking great pictures with it!

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