Digital Camera Buyer's Guide: Choosing the Right Camera for Your Photography Needs

1. digitalcorner digital cameras 101 digital camera buyers guide

2. digitalcorner digital cameras 101 J.J. Johnson Pegasus Photography

3. digitalcorner History • Feburary 17, 1994, Apple produce the first consumer-market level digital camera that worked with the home computer. • Digital Camera Timeline

4. digitalcorner So you want to buy a digital camera? • What is your Budget • Point and shoot or DSLR • Megapixels • Lenses • Zoom (Optical / Digital) • Memory Cards • Image Format • LCD Screen • Recycle Time • Battery • Accessories • R.P.M

5. digitalcorner Most Popular Digital Cameras

6. digitalcorner Categories What Type of Photographer Are You? Point-and-Shoot Beginner Amateur Serious Amateur Advanced Amateur Family dSLR Professional

7. digitalcorner Categories What Type of Photographer Are You? • Point-and-Shoot • You want a digital camera that automates everything • You 'point' and 'shoot' the picture -- the camera does the rest

8. digitalcorner Categories What Type of Photographer Are You? • Beginner Amateur • Just starting out in photography • Probably your first digital camera • You need something that is relatively easy to use • you want a camera that will let you try a few things without getting overwhelmed • Your digital camera will have Auto mode, plus a few controls to allow some learning and experimentation

9. digitalcorner Categories What Type of Photographer Are You? • Serious Amateur • Well, you're hooked! • Photography is fun, and digital photography has opened up new horizons in seeing and artistic expressions. • You want to learn about f/stop, depth of field, and freezing action; how to apply the rules of good composition, proper exposure in different situations, and faithful color reproduction. • Your digital camera will allow you to explore and experiment: you're ready and not afraid to learn what all those controls are for, experiment with them to see the different images you obtain

10. digitalcorner Categories What Type of Photographer Are You? • Advanced Amateur • You've been at it for years now, and you know both your own personal strengths and limits, as well as the strengths and limitations of digital cameras and image editing software. • You've learned to not only follow the rules, but also when to break them. You know the type of photography you like best. • Your digital camera should give you total creative control as well as the best image quality possible • You want a digital camera that you can customize to work the way you like to work

11. digitalcorner Categories What Type of Photographer Are You? • Family dSLR • As easy to use as a P&S but with the image quality, speed of operation and flexibility you would expect from a dSLR. • A Family dSLR is as full-featured as any digital SLR and will take you as far as you want to go. • It is Point-and-Shoot simple in use -- not in features.

12. digitalcorner Categories What Type of Photographer Are You? • Professional • You are a pro. • Only the best will do. • Buy whatever you want from any of the categories • -- and why are you even here today?

13. digitalcorner Categories • Basic Digital: Point-and-shoot • Advance Digital: Point-and-shoot • Digital SLR- Advanced features

15. digitalcorner Categories Basic - Point-and-shoot • Compact camera • Autofocus • Built-in flash • Best selling

16. digitalcorner Categories Advanced - Point-and-shoot • Same features as the Basic P&S • Zoom Lenses • Better focus and exposure system • Red-eye reduction

17. digitalcorner Categories dSLR (digital Single Lens Reflex) • Full control • Manual (M) aperture & speed • Speed priority (S) • Aperture priority (A) • Programmable (P) • Interchangeable lenses • Hot shoe flash

18. digitalcorner Categories dSLR (digital Single Lens Reflex)

19. digitalcorner How Many Megapixels The key element to picking a digital camera Megapixel • Definition: One-million pixels, a unit of measurement in an image. This number will determine the quality of the image. Think of it as the number of dots in your picture. A low density of dots will result in a poor image • Pixel stands for PICture ELment • Pronunciation: MEG-uh-PIX-uls • Common Misspellings: megapixals • Examples: Images from my one megapixel camera will really only look good in an email, but I get great enlargements from my five megapixel camera.

20. digitalcorner How Many Megapixels 2 megapixels or less • This is typically found on smaller, inexpensive cameras or cameras in combination with other devices (such as • cellphones or PDAs). • It will be hard to make a high-quality print of any size, but these are just fine for e-mailing photos or posting photos • for a personal web site. • I wouldn't recommend it for family portraits or if you really need a nice-looking print. • Expect to pay $100 to $150 for the camera alone, more for a combo unit.

21. digitalcorner How Many Megapixels 3 megapixels • This is actually a good compromise between picture quality and low price for most casual photographers. • You can print lovely 4x6 images, decent 5x7s and, depending on the camera, might even knock out a good 6x9 or 8x10. • You will pay around $150 to $250.

22. digitalcorner How Many Megapixels 4 megapixels • You're getting nicer. These images make practically photo-lab quality 4x6s, and great 5x7s and 6x9s. • You can print a nice 8x10. • You'll typically pay about $250 to $350.

23. digitalcorner How Many Megapixels 5 megapixels • Hello, enlargements! This will produce beautiful 8x10s, and even a nice 11x14. • Now you are getting closer to professional photographer levels, and the quality shows it. • And you'll pay the price, around $350 to $450.

24. digitalcorner How Many Megapixels 6 megapixels and up (16 MP) • Wonderful image quality, but high price tags. You can print large photos, even 11x14 or perhaps more, with • satisfying results. • There are some high-megapixel cameras coming out with lower price tags than most, but they usually have very few • features. • Unless megapixels are the only thing you care about (it shouldn't be), don't get a camera that sounds outrageously • inexpensive for its megapixel range. • In this category, expect to pay $450 and up, up, up.

25. digitalcorner LensWhat kind of lens do you need Zoom • Optical • Digital

26. digitalcorner Zoom LensesWhat kind of lens do you need Optical Zoom • Definition: This is a type of zoom on digital cameras that replicates what a 35mm zoom does, by actually magnifying the subject of the photo. • Examples: The optical zoom lens produces a better quality image than the alternative digital zoom

27. digitalcorner Zoom LensesWhat kind of lens do you need Digital Zoom • Definition: Enlarging of an image that requires the camera to double the size of the pixels. Due to the doubling of pixels the image begins to become fuzzier and fuzzier as you enlarge. • Examples: I try to avoid using digital zoom because the image suffers. • Bottom Line: Avoid Using the Digital Zoom

28. digitalcorner LensWhat kind of lens do you need • Fixed-focal-length lenses • Retractable zoom lenses • Fixed zoom lenses • Interchangeable lenses

29. digitalcorner Fixed-focal-length lenses These lenses offer no optical zoom. Look for autofocus instead of fixed focus, as well as selectable macro and landscape focus modes.Best for: snapshooter, budget buyer

30. digitalcorner Fixed-focal-length lenses Advantages: • Allows compact or ultracompact camera designs.• Easy and quick camera operation.• Inexpensive.• Lenses usually offer relatively wide angle of view, which  is good for landscapes and group shots. Disadvantages: • Can't zoom in close to faraway subjects.• Lens doesn't usually accept converters for different focal lengths or filters.• Usually lowest optical quality available.

31. digitalcorner Retractable Lenses • These zoom lenses retract into the camera body when the camera is off and extend when it's on.Best for: snapshooter, budget buyer, undecided, trendsetter

32. digitalcorner Retractable Lenses • Advantages: • Allows very compact, portable camera design.• Lens is usually protected by a built-in cover. • Disadvantages: • Generally doesn't support lens converters or filters.• Zoom range is often limited to 2X or 3X magnification.• Lens extension may increase camera start-up time.• Limited manual-focus controls through buttons or switches.

33. digitalcorner Fixed Zoom Lens These zoom lenses are fixed to the camera body and do not retract into it when the camera is turned off.Best for: undecided, serious amateur, business user, trendsetter

34. digitalcorner Fixed Zoom Lens Advantages: • Zoom ranges up to 12X magnification.• Lens is usually threaded to accept lens converters (wide- angle, close-up, and so on), filters, and even ring flash units.• Cameras typically offer advanced controls.• May offer more precise zoom and manual focus control via rings on the lens instead of the bottoms.Disadvantages: • Camera design bulkier than with retractable lens.• Camera controls may be more complicated than what casual snapshot photographers want.

35. digitalcorner Interchangable Lens Digital SLRs use interchangeable lens systems, which means that you can detach the entire lens from the camera body and replace it with any other compatible lens. If you already own several lenses for a 35mm film camera, you might want to find out if there's a digital SLR body available that's compatible with them. For more on dSLRs, read our Digital SLR buying guide.Best for: serious amateur

36. digitalcorner Interchangable Lens Advantages: • Deliver the best quality optics.• Provide the most flexibility to handle a variety of scenes.• Don't have to buy a new camera to upgrade quality of lens.Disadvantages: • Expensive to implement and buy.• Lenses tend to be big and heavy.• Focal lengths generally differ for the same lens mounted on a film camera, which can be confusing and cause vignetting.

37. digitalcorner Memory Cards • Definition: A small electronic device that stores files. With digital photography, it is used to save images. The larger the storage capacity, the more images it holds. • Examples: I can save 200 images on my memory card.

38. digitalcorner Memory Cards Compact Flash (CF) – Type I & II Pros: Comes in very large capacities; fast; competitively priced Cons: Larger than other flash memory formats Supporting manufacturers: Canon, Fujifilm, Konica Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, and Sigma; used mainly in digital SLRs

39. digitalcorner Memory Cards Floppy Disk Pros: Works in older PCs; inexpensive Cons: Using floppy disk and drive makes cameras relatively large and bulky; very little storage space Supporting manufacturers: Sony

40. digitalcorner Memory Cards Memory Sticks Pros:Sony has unveiled a 8 GB card, but according to Sony the Memory Stick Pro has a maximum potential size of 32 GB. Cons: Preparatory to Sony products. Supporting manufacturers: Sony

41. digitalcorner Memory Cards MicroDrive Pros: Large capacities; fast Cons: Expensive; CompactFlash capacities are quickly catching up Supporting manufacturers: Canon, Fujifilm, Konica Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, and Sigma; used mainly in digital SLRs

42. digitalcorner Memory Cards Mini CD-R and CD-RW Pros: Readable by CD and DVD drives found on most current PCs; inexpensive; reasonably large capacities Cons: Using 8cm discs and drive makes cameras relatively large and bulky Supporting manufacturers: Sony

43. digitalcorner Memory Cards Secure Digital/MultiMediaCard (SD/MMC) Pros: Very popular across consumer electronics devices; small; fast; wide range of capacities; competitively priced; small size permits compact devices Cons: Not compatible with old MMC slots Supporting manufacturers: Canon, Casio, Concord, Contax, DXG, Epson, HP, Kodak, Konica Minolta, Kyocera, Leica, Nikon, Panasonic, Pentax, Samsung, and Toshiba

44. digitalcorner Memory Cards SmartMedia Pros: None Cons: Old format replaced by xD-Picture Cards; slow; limited capacities Supporting manufacturers: Older models from Fujifilm, Olympus, and Samsung

45. digitalcorner Memory Cards xD-Picture Card Pros: Smallest format means smaller devices Cons: Relatively new and still proprietary format; possibly too small; hasn't yet ramped up to the capacities of SD, CompactFlash, or Memory Stick Supporting manufacturers: Fujifilm, Olympus

46. digitalcorner Image Format • 44 different formats. www.htmlgoodies.com • What are the three major file format used today. • JPEG • RAW • TIF

47. digitalcorner Image Format • Definition: This is the manner in which digital images are stored. There are numerous ways to store an image, and the most popular are jpeg, gif, tiff, bitmap and the more complicated raw files. You can identify which format is used by looking at the end of the file name after the period. For example, picture.jpg is a jpeg file. • Examples: I store my images in jpeg because that image format is so widely used.

48. digitalcorner Image Format • JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group • Small and fast for capture but has file compression that may introduce artifacts that degrade image quality. 1% compression 23KB 50% compression 8.33KB 99% compression 1.22KB

49. digitalcorner Image Format • RAW – Raw files are so named because they are not yet processed • Small than TIFFs and more flexible for post capture retouching • Not offered on all cameras, and special software is required to read them

50. digitalcorner Image Format • TIFF – Tag Information Format • Large files that can slow down you shooting and fill up your media but have no compression artifacts • Best way to preserver you digital photos