What do I need to know before purchasing a digital camera?
I know nothing. Money is a consideration, but I’m not necessarily looking for the cheapest one out there, just a good deal for a good camera.
Some things in particular that I want to know:
Megapixels – I can go ahead and assume that more is better, but how big a difference is there between 4 megapixels and 5? Between 4 and 6?
Video – are the digital videocameras that can also take still shots a good idea? Or is it, at least in terms of picture quality, better to start with just a still camera?
All in one – what about those camera/printer dock bundles (like the Kodak Easyshare) – good, bad, indifferent?
Any advice anyone has to share regarding good brands, features to look for, etc… is much appreciated!
You’ll have to figure out what you want to do with the pictures, and what you want to take pictures _OF_.
For example, if you want to email most of your pictures and/or post them to Web pages, then you won’t need a camera with a lot of megapixels. Believe it or not, pictures more than about a half megapixel in size is wasted on most computer screens and are just a pain to wait to upload and transfer. Most picture software of any sophistication will allow you to cut down the number of megapixels for Web use or for just viewing on a computer, rather than for printing.
For making prints up to 8″ by 10″, you’ll probably have a hard time telling a picture taken with a 4 megapixel or a one with more without a magnifying glass. However, 6 or more megapixels is nice if you want to make really big prints, or will allow you to make acceptable prints from photos that need a lot of cropping (say more than 50% removal of picture area).
I haven’t used a digital camcorder, so can’t comment on how good still pictures are from them.
I’m somewhat indifferent to the camera/printer dock bundles, since I like to use my one general purpose printer for everything from reports to making quick prints on special paper. The prices for the prints from printer docks seem to be a bit steep as compared to doing them on a general printer and just buying special photo paper separately. If I want to save money on good prints, I do them at Wal Mart or Walgreens or online or….
The best accessories I got for my camera, other than a carrying case, are rechargeable nickel metal hydride batteries with charger, and a memory card reader. The first saved me a bundle of money on disposable batteries. The latter allows me to print stuff using anybody’s computer and printer, even from public terminals, without having to deal with installing camera and printer drivers. A word of warning – nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries need to be recharged every few weeks even if the camera isn’t used in that time, they tend to go dead on their own. Use disposible lithium batteries if you may not use a camera frequently. Some cameras use rechargable lithium battery packs, like what cell phones and laptops use. I’d suggest staying away from those cameras – replacemet rechargeable lithium battery packs get expensive, and the originals don;t last for than a year with heavy use…
Features: look for a good zoom with a decent amount of telephoto and a “macro” (close up) feature. You’ll use those sooner or later. If you can afford the extra money, look for one with “advanced” features like adjustable “sensitivity speeds,” and aperture/shutter speed.
I’ve used a Kodak for several years, no problems with it….
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