Digi Buy Guide

Digital Cameras come with multiple features, some we need and use regularly and some we don’t. But, these features set the price, along with the quality of different Digital Camera components. We need to see which features are nice to have and which are an extra load for us.

Optical Zoom

This is a must feature that needs to be researched. Normally every small and slim camera comes with 3x Optical Zoom. But, the more the optical zoom the merrier we can be about the camera. Some have Wide Angle Zoom, which helps in taking scenery pictures and group photos. Having a bigger zoom and also having wide angle zoom is the most useful feature. But, either of those if present also will be good. This will definitely add to price. But, if you think you need bigger zoom, go for it and don’t compromise. There are cameras with bargain price and still having bigger or wide angle zoom (check out Wide Angle Zoom Cameras and Mega Zoom Cameras).

Digital Zoom

This is a feature that is least used. It is helpful only if you are taking a convocation or sports shot and are far away from the event. Go into digital zoom and take a snap and check if you captured the right moment or need to take more shots. With optical zoom you may or may not cover the event that well that you can check if you have taken the photo properly or not, unless you blow up the picture in your computer.

Megapixels

Don’t go by the advertisements or the manufacturers boastings. You won’t need more than 5 Megapixels. Even 5 MP is to allow you to do little bit of enlarging and cropping. Still you won’t loose any data. If you want big posters to paste on the wall, then you will require high megapixel numbers. But, you would normally will be going for Digital SLR’s or high end cameras that have better circuits that can handle those big numbers. For simple point-and-shoot photographer, megapixels are not that important. Sometimes those big megapixel cameras give lot of noise to your photographs. So, be careful. You can compromise on megapixels for cutting the price of the camera.

Flash and Flash Modes

Flash is again very important component of a camera. Normally most of the low end cameras don’t have very powerful flash. It won’t cover long distance. That is a major problem. Don’t compromise on the flash. But, more powerful flash might not give very natural looking photos. So, you also need to check that there are multiple modes for flash, when the flash is powerful. Most commonly used modes are: Automatic, Filler Flash, Red Eye Reduction, No Flash. These flash modes let you control the amount of flash for different scenarios and let you take good pictures.

Image Stabilization

Image stabilization is of two types: Mechanical Image Stabilization and Digital Image Stabilization. Having a Mechanical Image Stabilization or otherwise called Optical Image Stabilization, is much better than Digital Image Stabilization. Nowadays, Mechanical or Optical Image Stabilization is becoming common in all types of digital cameras. If it is not present, don’t go for the camera. This feature will help you in taking blur-free photographs. It compensates for hand-shake and also in low-light any subtle movement will be compensated. This is a must have feature. If you can’t get Optical Image Stabilization, then at the least go for Digital Image Stabilization.

Face Detection

Another of the most recent and advanced feature that is again becoming common in almost all the cameras that are being released now. Don’t go for a camera without this. This helps a lot in taking good portrait pictures. This will focus on a face that is in the scene, wherever it is located in the scene. This helps in taking a quick portrait pictures without any gimmicks from your side. More details you can find in Photography guides about the gimmick to be applied. This comes with extra Smile Detection feature in Sony CyberShot cameras. This is again a good to have feature.

Battery Life

The most important and never to compromise feature is battery life. You want to change the batteries as less frequently as possible. For Lithium Ion Batteris, always buy a spare battery. If you want to save on it, search on Ebay for a second hand battery.

You need to see what your needs are and based on that what features you require. The features set the price. Hopefully this article will help you in taking a good decision.