Digital camera buyers' guide
When it comes to buying a digital camera, it's easy to get confused as there are so many options. Fear not. We're here to help. This guide will help you make a purchasing decision based on the specifications you'll need to examine closely (and the specs you can basically ignore) before you fork out your hard-earned cash.
LCD and Viewfinder
All digital cameras have an LCD screen; these vary in size from 1.8 to 3.5in. The smaller size limits your ability to review just-taken images on the camera. A good LCD is essential for knowing whether you got the shot you wanted, and can usually give you an indication of whether it was properly exposed. Some new cameras have touch-screen LCDs that allow you to tap on subjects in the frame to focus on, as well as to navigate menus. If you're thinking about getting a camera with a touch-screen LCD, make sure the screen is responsive--and account for the screen-smudge factor.
LCD quality varies widely: Many wash out in sunlight or become grainy in low light, or the image may change if you tilt the camera slightly. If you can, try a camera outside before you buy it. Some cameras also have an eye-level viewfinder, which is a convenient backup for framing your shots (and if you turn off the LCD when not using it, you'll save battery power). Perhaps the best way to ensure an accurate exposure is to view the photograph's histogram on the LCD (if the camera offers this feature). A histogram is a graph that will show you highlights that are overexposed to the point of being pure white, and shadows that are underexposed and show as pure black.
Wireless
Using Wi-Fi to transmit images to a PC, a printer, or a photo-sharing site may sound enticingly free of entanglements, but we recommend that you try this feature beforehand. In our reviewers' experience, sending Wi-Fi transmissions did not work seamlessly in some cases, and as a result this feature was not worth the extra money it added to the camera's cost. You don't have to buy a Wi-Fi-enabled camera to send photos directly from your camera, however. Eye-Fi cards enable any compatible camera to send photos wirelessly to your computer, to photo-sharing sites, and even directly to a mobile phone. And TransferJet wireless technology lets you transmit photos and video between compatible devices simply by holding them close to one another.
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Comments
NOEL HARGOOD said: This subject should really start with How much money do you want to spend and then do you want a pocketable instant camera to take candid shots or an SLR which makes the subject either hide or pose as you pick it up unless you have a big telephoto lens shooting at a distanceI do so hope that j acker is pessimistic when he says that movies on a still camera is not practicable I have just bought a Canon Powershot S95 which this magazine said that the video mode was better than some dedicated movie cameras and it does zoom while filmingBut I am talking at the budget end of the spectrumTo complement it or to give it a fighting chance I have bought a Sandisk Extreme Pro HC 45Mbs card also reviewed here so here goes I will be exercising it when I have assimilated a couple of hundred pages of instructions which only comes on the CDBut it will be Auto mode for a start
j.acker@virginmedia.com said: A lot of good advice as far as I am concerned but if you want video buy a video camera Do not think of using a camera that claims to do both One thing with this latter you have to view the scene through a screen which is virtually impossible in bright sunlight It is essential you are able to view through the camera for filming particularly country scenery Secondly you will find you cannot zoom while actually filming At least this has been my experience when I bought a Pentax K-x A mistake I am still bitterly regretting
Matt Egan - Editor said: Hi jayprime - Im not sure I entirely accept your criticism in this case What weve attempted to do is give you all the information you need to choose the right camera for your needs and budget - breaking down the all-important specifications so you can make a informed purchasing decision Im sorry you dont feel this is useful for you That said I really like your idea of interactive multiple choice questions and thats something we should look into doing Thanks for your comment
jayprime said: How to choose the right digital cameraSorry no More a case of What to look for in a digital cameraIf it really aimed to be How to choose the right digital camera it would have an interactive series of multiple option questions leading to a final list of two or three cameras that best fit the stated needs of the readerRepeatedly I find that PC ADVISOR does NOT do what it says on the tin rarely giving advice that I as a complete novice can act on without going to several other sources of information