Every person wants to look beautiful in photos because that is how they will be remembered in the future. However, buying a camera can be a tedious job and it is best you buy a model which suits your needs the best.
Point and shoot or Digital SLR?
The decision mainly depends on your knowledge and skills in photography and more importantly how much you are ready to spend on a camera. If you are planning to take up photography as a part time profession or want to learn the stints of photography just as a hobby then you can opt for a digital SLR which provides you more creative control. However, if you are not comfortable changing the settings and wade through the menus but rather prefer to just press one button to click a photograph you should chose a point and shoot camera.
Megapixels, really that important?
Many believe a myth that higher the megapixels the better the image quality. However, it is the quality of the pixels that makes an image eminent. A high quality 6 megapixel sensor will produce better quality photographs than a lesser quality 10 megapixel one. It is not worth a discussion over a difference of 1 or 2 megapixels; the images will be virtually indistinguishable from one another.
Get a good grip
Many ignore this very important aspect to consider while buying a camera. As you usually use a camera outdoors on trips, adventures and vacations it is important that you have a good hold on the camera. The grip should be comfortable and not be too big or small but fill the inside curves of your fingers to avoid cramps while you hold it for a longer time.
What is you need for speed
If you plan to take pictures of your kids or sports and action photos, you must consider the time between you pressing the button and the camera actually taking the picture. If there is a big time gap in between then the model is probably not for you, as your moment will pass before you can capture the photo. If you are going to use it for action shots, chose a camera that has a continuous frame rate of at least 5 frames per second with sufficient internal memory buffer. Otherwise taking photographs with slow continuous frame rate or smaller internal memory buffer will be frustrating and cumbersome though not impossible.
Battery type
Many of the branded cameras use proprietary batteries rather than the standard AA batteries. At least once in your life you have come across the irritating situation when your camera battery dies at the precise moment you really wanted a picture. It is always convenient to have an extra battery as backup if in case it dies or you misplace it. The proprietary batteries will also not be readily available other than company shops and your entire vacation can go without photographs if you lose it on the first day.
Weight
A digital SLR will give photographs of high quality but it weighs more than point and shoot digital cameras. It can be bulky to carry the digital SLR around for a longer time period. The digital SLR costs more than point and shoot camera but he photo quality is worth the price in the long run.
Accessorize your camera.
Check if your camera comes with a memory card and card reader. If not it is probably a good idea to add them. Chose a memory card that can hold at least 400 images at the highest JPEG resolution and get an extra set of batteries if it is feasible and within your budget
Zoom in to focus
Zoom is a very important point to consider while buying camera as it determines how clearly you can shoot a distant object. The difference between a digital zoom and an optical zoom is that optical zoom uses the lens to get the distant object closer while digital zoom captures only the central portion of the image. To put it in simple words digital zoom is more like a cropping tool resulting in a lower image quality. Always chose a camera with a better optical zoom rather than a digital one.
Other features
If you want to remember where a particular photo was clicked, you should opt for a camera with a built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. It uses satellite positioning to tag your photos with location data which can be read by softwares like Google Earth or Picasa. However, the major drawback is they will drain the battery faster than you can imagine.
Some cameras also come with a wi-fi so you can share your pictures on the go as soon as you click them and let your friends and family know about your adventures.
So what are you waiting for, get going on the camera-shopping spree and capture the best moments in the quality they deserve. Always choose a camera that will suit your needs the best. Drop a comment if you have any other queries.
