How to Buy a Digital Camera

Guide Note With the constant advance of technology, shopping for a digital camera can be as bewildering as choosing the right laptop. Even longtime photographers can have trouble grasping the specs and lingo surrounding these new machines. This page provides a simple step-by step explanation of How to Buy a Digital Camera, even if you've never met a megapixel.

Table of Contents

Technology How Tos

Introduction: How to Buy a Digital Camera

  • If you've never owned one, you may think a digital camera is a film camera without the film. In fact, it's a very different machine—more like an extension of your computer—that industrial designers have given a familiar skin. There's a whole new lexicon to know: you're familiar with film speed, but do you know megapixels? Now may be the time to bravely step into a landscape Ansel Adams never imagined.

Step 1: Assess Your Needs

Digital cameras look much like film cameras, but they're truly a different species. (Creative commons photo by Kellan)
Digital cameras look much like film cameras, but they're truly a different species. (Creative commons photo by Kellan)
  • What will you you be using your camera for? Taking pics of merchandise to post on eBay? Capturing lava flow from a hang glider? Making 4"x6" prints? Making poster-size prints? Know before you buy, so that you won't have to upgrade later.
  1. Write out a list of all the possible uses of your camera.
    • Think hard: Because of its convenience and versatility, you may find yourself using your digital every day, even if you haven't used a film camera in years.
  2. If the camera is a gift for someone else, consider their lifestyle and list their potential uses for the camera.


Step 2: Determine Your "Class"

  • Over the evolution of film cameras, they've split into an array of categories according to their design and purpose. Digital cameras fall into the same major categories, with one exception.
  1. Point and shoot cameras:
    • $75-$500
    • Low-cost, easily portable and compact.
    • Live-preview LCD-screen instead of traditional up-to-the-eye viewfinder.
    • Fixed-lens (non-interchangeable).
    • Require minimal photographic experienced and are meant for general use, family shots, scenic shots, or casual artistic experimentation.
  2. Bridge cameras:
    • The Nikon Coolpix 8800 is a "bridge" camera. (Creative commons photo by Martin Biskoping)
      The Nikon Coolpix 8800 is a "bridge" camera. (Creative commons photo by Martin Biskoping)
    • $400-$1,000
    • A category unique to digital cameras.
    • Combine the convenience of point and shoot models (live-preview, compactness, lower price) with some of the added quality of DSLRs (large, powerful lens and good quality traditional viewfinder).
    • Typically fixed-lens.
    • If you're a dedicated shutterbug in search of an effective alternative to a bulkier SLR, this may be the way to go.
  3. DSLRs:
    • $600-$8,000
    • Stands for digital single-lens reflex.
    • Exceptionally accurate "parallax-free" optical viewfinder.
      • Allows you to essentially see through the lens, rather than from a different angle.
    • High quality, interchangeable lenses.
    • Larger and higher quality image sensor (which a digital camera uses instead of film).
    • Lack of shutter lag.
    • Used mainly by dedicated amateurs and professionals. If you need to take professional quality portraits, action shots or night shots, you may want the extra versatility.
    • If you're in the market for a DSLR, finish reading this page and then check out How to Buy a Digital SLR.
  4. Digital camcorders: If you plan to use your camera mainly for movies, then you're in the wrong place.

Step 3: Set Your Budget

  • For $12, you can get an American Idol keychain camera, while an elegant Leica M8 will run $6000. With such a range, it's important to decide the maximum you're willing to spend. Ask yourself the following questions:
  1. Can I spend at least $75?
    • Most models beneath this figure are little better than the mechanism in a cameraphone, though refurbished items, closeouts and overstocks could be an exception.
  2. Have I tried a model in the $100-$300 range?
    • Many amateur photographers who have never used even a lower-end digital camera find themselves very impressed with baseline point and shoot models.
  3. If I'm only going to use it to take family snapshots, is it worth the added cost of a bridge camera or DSLR?
  4. Referring to Step 1, are the potential uses of my camera crucial to my career, or happiness?
  • Buying a camera is like buying a car, in the sense that there's always another feature to be had for a few more bucks; it's important that once you've set your budget, you don't stray from it on a whim.

Step 4: Size Up Megapixels

The graphics of early video games like Dig Dug had such low resolution that each pixel was readily visible. (Creative Commons photo by Terry Johnston)
The graphics of early video games like Dig Dug had such low resolution that each pixel was readily visible. (Creative Commons photo by Terry Johnston)
  • "Pixel" means "picture element." If you're old enough to remember Atari 2600, think of its grainy graphics, made up of little squares. Each of those squares was a pixel. A megapixel is a million pixels. A camera's resolution capabilities, measured in pixels, is one of the main indications of image quality. But how many will you really need?
    • 2 megapixels or less: Fine for emailing pics or posting them online, but prints will look grainy at larger than 4"x6".
    • 3-4 megapixels: Fine for high-resolution prints of 6"x9" or larger.
    • 5 megapixels: Fine for most uses, arguably even 11"x17" prints.
    • 6 or more megapixels: At this point, the naked eye may no longer be of much use. There is arguably no visual difference between 6 megapixels and 13 megapixels, even blown up to 16x24 inches.
      • This issue remains a subject of debate in the photography world.

Step 5: Focus on Zoom

  • When shopping for a fixed lens camera—either a "point and shoot" or "bridge" model—always look at the optical zoom range before digital zoom. The digital zoom feature does nothing more than crop out a piece of whatever's in the frame and make it bigger at the expense of resolution—you could do the same more effectively with image editing software—while optical zoom (from the lens itself) can produce a high-quality close-up image. How powerful a lens will you need?
    • 2x to 4x: Take pics of friends, family and any sizeable subject at close or medium range.
    • 5x to 6x: Frame a head-shot of player in little-league game or explore a landscape.
    • 7x to 12x: Go where your feet can't take you: a Peregrine Falcon in the canopy of a redwood, predators stalking a savanna, or a sidewalk scene from the 20th floor.

Step 6: Consider Image Stabilization

Image stabilization can prevent blurriness in situations like rock concerts, where you're likely to be jostled. (Creative commons photo by Jeremy Shields)
Image stabilization can prevent blurriness in situations like rock concerts, where you're likely to be jostled. (Creative commons photo by Jeremy Shields)
  • Among all the photographic innovations of the digital age, this may be the most useful. By either optical or electromagnetic means, image stabilization (IS) corrects the blurriness that plagues hand-held photography (as opposed to tripod-mounted).
  • Dual stabilization modes, which some higher-end cameras have, add extra protection against wobbles.
  • Vibration reduction is a term used by some brands to refer to image stabilization.
  • Anti-shake, a feature advertised on some lower-end cameras, does nothing more than accelerate the shutter speed and is not to be confused with image stabilization.
    • Many lower priced cameras do not contain IS.
    • If you plan to take your camera on the go, or do any kind of sports photography, IS can be a tremendous advantage.

Step 7: Think About Special Effects

  • Most digital cameras feature built-in editing tools like basic cropping and red eye removal. Generally speaking, most such adjustments can be made with greater quality and versatility on your computer. If you prefer to keep things simple, though, the following are just a few of many exotic effects available for your convenience:
  • Facial recognition, the most useful and revolutionary of these features, zeros in on human faces and adjusts focus and exposure for maximum clarity.
  • Slimify, available on some Hewlett-Packard models, stretches the image to make subjects appear thinner, while another HP feature removes freckles.
  • Skin-tone adjustments can give sun-deprived subjects a tan.
  • D-lighting from Nikon brightens up underexposed portions of a shot without affecting the whole photo.

Step 8: Just Browsing

  • Merely marvelling at all the brilliant features available on digital cameras can be the most enjoyable part of buying one. Before making any decisions, you should browse the array of new machines that you could have in your hands.
  1. Overviews of a wide range of models can be found on shopbots.
  2. Browse according to your price range. All of these sights have a category menu that allows you to search by price.
  3. For each model in your price range that interests you, note the specifications listed on Steps 4 through 7:
    • Number of megapixels
    • Range of the optical zoom.
    • Presence of image stabilization.
    • Special modes and editing tools.
  4. Note other features, such as controls (some have iPhone-like touchscreen navigation) and LCD screen size.
  5. Note the lowest price available (and the location of the offer) for each model.
  6. Narrow your choices to the five models most appealing to you across the full range of criteria.

Step 9: Check Camera Reviews

  • There are aspects of camera quality that can't be measured in megapixels. Many a consumer has been mesmerized by sleek design and up-to-the-minute technology, only to be disappointed one way or another. Before that happens to you, check what other consumers and professional reviewers have had to say about a particular model.
  1. Go to Mahalo's digital Camera reviews page and select one of the review sites listed there.
  2. Search for reviews of the cameras on your list from Step 8.
  3. Pay attention to the positive reviews of any given camera, but especially note the specifics of the negative ones.
  4. Browse the other review sites to get a variety of opinions on each camera.
    • Keep in mind that a single negative review could be the work of a cranky or inexperienced reviewer, but if the same criticism about a specific model keeps cropping up, there may be some truth to it.

Step 10: Meet in Person

Some digital cameras are elegantly designed. Just don't ignore specs in favor of aesthetics. (Creative Commons photo by Steve Jurvetson)
Some digital cameras are elegantly designed. Just don't ignore specs in favor of aesthetics. (Creative Commons photo by Steve Jurvetson)
  • Even if you intend to buy online, online pics and specs are no substitute for physical contact with the models that interest you. Visit a camera or electronics store before making a final decision.
  1. Search the yellow pages for "photographic equipment" and "electronics" and call several retailers to determine which one stocks the models on your list.
  2. Take your list of five cameras on a trip to the store.
  3. Don't be shy about asking to handle each of the various models that interest you, even if it's on the high-end in terms of price.
    • Do you like the way it looks? Digital cameras come in a variety of shapes and colors.
    • Is it thin and lightweight enough for your needs?
    • Are the controls easy to access and operate?

Step 11: Accessorize

  • There are two items crucial to your digital adventure that won't be included with your new camera. Rather than take home your new toy and be underwhelmed by its performance, make sure to get plenty of power and plenty of memory.
    • NiHM batteries: Some cameras will only stay alive for as little as 20 minutes on the off-brand alkaline batteries that usually come in the package.
      • Spend an extra $30 or so for a charger and long-lasting nickel-metal hydride rechargeables.
      • Get an extra set so that you won't be left with a dead camera when you spot Bigfoot or Elvis.
    • Memory cards: Your old film camera could take as many photos as you fed it in film exposures, but your new digital is a little more complex in that department.
      • The number of pics you can take at once with your digital will depend not only on the storage capacity of the memory cards you buy, but also your camera's megapixel count and the size of each image file.
      • To learn exactly which cards you'll need, see How to Buy Memory Cards for a Digital Camera.

Conclusion

  • You've done your homework and you're ready to buy. Be sure to check the warranty and return policy; digital cameras might all look alike at first glance, but as you now know they have widely varying specs. You might just find yourself coveting a different model before you've filled a single memory card. Happy snapping... and welcome to the Digital Age.

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