If you want to be a great digital photographer, you’re going to want a great digital camera. But there are so many options available. How will you choose the perfect digital camera for you? Read on.
Go to a Real Camera Store
There’s a big difference between buying a camera at Best Buy and at a specialty camera store. At a specialty store, you can talk to experienced salespeople who understand photography and cameras, inside and out. Even if you don’t want to buy your camera from a specialty store, you’ll at least want to pay a visit to look around and ask questions.
Things to Consider
There are many factors to consider when it comes to buying a camera. These are some of the things you should consider as you’re shopping.
Resolution
Resolution is one of the most crucial factors in digital camera. If you’re purchasing a camera only meant for web images, then a fairly low resolution camera is fine. But if you want to photograph for print, or just want high quality professional photography in general, then getting a high resolution camera is essential. You’ll want to get at least a 2-3 megapixel camera.
Battery Life
Battery life is another important thing to consider. How long can the camera stay on? How long before you need to recharge? Can you get an extra battery to have on hand, and if so how much does that cost?
Warranty
If something goes wrong with your camera, will they replace or fix it? How long does the warranty last? Some stores or websites will offer their own guarantees in addition to the manufacturer’s warranty.
RAM and Memory
How many photographs can your camera store before you need to delete photos is another important factor. You should be able to take at least several hundred photos. You should never have to delete photos in the field to clear space. Ideally, you should be able to have several outings before you need to clear out your memory.
Optical Zoom
You should never use a camera’s digital zoom. Digital zoom is basically a marketing ploy. If you need digital zoom, just do it in Photoshop afterwards – It’s the same effect. On the other hand, optical zoom is a crucial part of a great camera. The more the optical zoom, the better.
Lenses
What kind of lenses come with the camera? Are they plastic lenses or glass lenses or a combination of the two? Ideally, you should get a camera with glass lenses, since glass offers much better clarity.
Comparison Shopping
Once you’ve decided on what camera you want, then it’s time to shop for price on that particular model. Some people will choose to always buy from a specialty store because they like the customer service and want to develop a relationship with specialists. That’s definitely one way to go.
Another way to go is to do meticulous research looking for the best prices online. Google Product Search is one great resource for comparison shopping.
Another great resource is eBay. You can find many great cameras at nearly wholesale prices on eBay. Just make sure you’re buying from sellers with good feedback. Buy cameras new, not used – especially when buying online, since you can’t inspect it.
Buying the perfect camera is an important step towards becoming a great digital photographer. Make sure you know exactly what you want in a camera before you start shopping. Ask a lot of questions, and then find the best price.
