Digital camera is one of the most important gadget nowadays. It captures the most important moments of a person and leave a memory in form of a photo. With the advancement of technology cameras continue to evolve and delivers high quality photos from time to time.
In choosing the right type of camera, be sure to consider the following: preference, specifications and price. This will guide you in order to buy the right camera for you.
Preference
The first step is to decide whether you want to buy a professional digital SLR camera or fixed lens digital camera. This is a crucial point because you have to weigh the advantage and disadvantage of this two types of camera.
Professional digital camera delivers the ultimate quality of photos and videos and is suitable for low light shooting. It has no shutter lag so it can easily capture photos in a split of a second per shot. They also have a versatile interchangeable lens for optimized camera zoom. Whether the photo to be captured are quite far, the details on the image to be captured are still caught on cam. It has also manual controls for exposure and focus so you can customize the quality of the shots to be taken. It has also an optical viewfinder to automatically detect the image.
Though this camera offers the best quality of pictures and videos, the downside of this is its lack of the portability. Professional cameras are two or three times larger than an ordinary digital camera so you have to carry it with its own compartment or on a large bag. It is also harder to use because of different manual modes that you have to adjust but pretty sure you will be used to it.
Fixed lens digital camera are easier to use than professional cameras. They are actually smaller than professional cameras so you can carry them anytime and anywhere. Plus they have default mode settings suitable for different environment where you are going to take your photos. However, the quality of photos are not as great compared to photos taken by a professional camera.
Specifications
After you decide for the type of digital camera that you are going to buy, look for the specifications or features listed as follows:
a. Optical Zoom
Optical zoom allows you to take photos from any distance. Higher zoom means better quality. Look also for image stabilization features for better feature at high zoom.
b. Resolution
More pixel count produces sharper images at a larger scale. It also allows you to crop pictures or resize the shots without difference in quality. However, high pixel definition requires more space on memory card but you can adjust the quality setting on your digital camera so you can use high resolution for selected photos only.
c. Image sensor
Sensors detect your image. Larger sensors lead to better shots regardless of the unit’s resolution.
d. Shutter Lag
Refers to the time between pressing a button and capturing the image. If you are on sports or action photography then digital cameras with least shutter lag is best for you. Also check for “continuous shooting” or the number of frames per second. It could be very important depending on use.
e. Startup time
Check to see how long the powers on and takes the first shot. One second or less is best. If you need a camera ready in any second, this is an important feature to be considered.
f. ISO ratings
Higher ISO ratings allow better photo capturing at different condition. Digital camera with high ISO ratings can take quality photos even if they are taken on a low or dim light.
g. LCD
Bigger LCD provides more accurate display of photos taken. LCD vary on size from 1.8 to 3.5 inches.
h. Lens
The larger the lens the better the image quality especially if accompanied by a large sensor.
I. Raw mode
All photos are taken on .jpeg format. But if you want to work out on photo editing to achieve much better results, look for digital camera’s capability for raw mode shooting. You can look for photography apps if to convert the raw mode into your preference format.
j. Menus design
Make sure that you are comfortable in handling the menu design of your digital camera. Make sure that you are comfortable in the adjusting settings or functions of the camera.
k. Portability
Professional and semi-professional cameras require big space especially if you will carry extra lens. However there are also digital cameras that will give you excellent performance at smaller and lighter weight.
Additional feature that you mind find helpful is the wireless capability of the digital camera. This will allow you to transmit images to your different devices or on a photo-sharing site.
Price and warranty
Make sure if you can pay the price. Most of the professional digital cameras cost almost a thousand dollars. Fixed lens digital cameras costs a bit lower than those professional cameras in the market. Make sure also to look if they have the warranty so you can let them fix any problems in your camera for a period of time for free.
These are few tips in purchasing your own digital camera. Make sure that you are purchasing based on your need and ease of using it.