BUYING A DIGITAL CAMERA
(First Published in the November 2002 Issue of  The Miser's Gazette)

With Christmas just around the corner, you may be thinking of purchasing a digital camera to record those special holiday moments. This month, we'll look at some of the options you'll have to consider when purchasing a digital camera.

Digital cameras have improved considerably over the past few years to the point where they are now almost equal in quality as their film-based counterparts (at least in the eyes of the ordinary user). Along with the convenience of reviewing your photos almost immediately, comes the cost savings of only printing the images you really want. Although the initial costs of a digital camera may be higher than your conventional camera, printing costs can save you a bundle in the long run. With all this in mind, you may want to consider a digital camera as your next camera purchase.

Before you head out to the store, you should first determine what you'll be using the camera for. If you simply want to take snapshots to send to friends and family via email or post on your web page, then a 1 megapixel digital camera will suffice. However, if you plan on printing your photos, you'll need a multi-megapixel digital camera to meet your needs. An image consists of tiny squares called pixels so the more pixels you have, the better photo quality you will have. The number of pixels your camera has also determines the maximum photo quality size of a print you can have.

Another thing to consider is the zoom capabilities of the digital camera. Here's where things get a little complicated thanks to the marketing departments of some of the camera manufacturers. Some companies only provide a single number for their camera's zoom rating (ie. 7.5x) while others give two numbers (ie.3x/2.5x). The difference between the two rating systems is straight-forward. One considers the total zoom of the camera while the other one differentiates between the optical and digital zooms. Since the optical zoom magnifies the image before it reaches the camera's imaging sensor, it can be considered the camera's true zoom value. On the other hand, the digital zoom enlarges the image after using the optical zoom and can be considered to be similar to that of zooming into a picture with your imaging software. Since this affects the quality of the image, it is preferable to have a larger optical zoom than the digital zoom.

You'll also have to consider the number of photos you'll be taking during a session. Unlike conventional cameras which use film, most of the latest digital cameras use memory cards to store images and usually come with at least one to get you snapping photos right out of the box. The two most popular types of memory today are CompactFlash and SmartMedia. Digital cameras accept one or the other, but usually not both. As a result, you should be careful when purchasing additional memory cards. These cards range in capacity from 8MB to 1GB. The size you'll need will depend on the number and size of photos you'll take during a single session. For most users, 8MB is the bare minimum with 16MB being a more comfortable minimum to work with. Once you have the photos on your memory card, you can either connect your camera to your computer or insert your card into a card reader to transfer the images to your computer. Once they're stored on the computer's hard drive, you can format your card and take more photos. So if you plan a long trip and won't have access to a computer, you should consider purchasing or borrowing additional memory before you leave. My tip is to try using the memory card that comes with your camera, and you can then decide if you'll need additional memory based on your trigger-happiness!

If your camera purchase didn't include rechargeable batteries and a charger, you should definitely get yourself a kit. Although they're improving, digital cameras still consume power like there's no tomorrow! If you're using the camera's LCD screen expect the alkaline batteries that came with the camera to die within a single session. There is a wide variety of rechargeable batteries and chargers available and this subject alone is worthy of an entire article. Luckily, there are several extensive research articles and comparisons readily available on the Internet that go into great detail into the constantly evolving world of rechargeable batteries. With this in mind, I'll just say that two sets of rechargeable NiMH batteries and a fast charger will quickly become your new best friends.

Once you've narrowed down your choices to a select few, you should search the Internet for comparison photos between the cameras. While the specifications may look good, what really matters is the quality of photos taken with the camera! So take your time searching for comparison photos and base at least a portion of your decision on the differences in photo quality. If you can't find a comparison between your two "favourite" cameras, you can always post a message on one of the many digital camera forums on the Internet requesting such a comparison. You may be surprised at the number of helpful responses you'll receive.

Although there are many other features dealing with digital cameras, I hope that this brief outline of some of the most major issues will wet your appetite to do a little research of your own before you go out and buy that nifty, state-of-the-art, $1,500 digital camera! Until next time, happy snapping!