Choose the Best Digital Camera For Your Needs

Over the last ten years or so there has been a creative revolution in photography brought to by the invention and sale of the digital camera to the masses. In 2007 some 50 billion images were taken compared to a few million ten years previously. It would appear that everybody has one these days along with most governments who seem to watch us constantly as we go about our everyday business.

The basis of choosing a digital camera will ultimately fall down to what you actually want it for and what you can or are willing to pay for it. Price these days is not as restricting as it used to be only a few years ago when top end SLR cameras were priced in the thousands, demand and more efficient production methods have brought some of the more professional cameras within reach of the ordinary man in the street. The choice these days is between three main types, compact, superzoom and the DSLR.

The entry level for most people these days is the aptly named digital compact camera. This as it’s name suggests is a small camera designed to be taken and used virtually anywhere. They are fully self contained and are normally sold ready to go with battery, charger, software and instruction manual. You may have to purchase a memory card, but like everything else these have reduce significantly in price over the last few years.

With a fully automated operation coupled to a built in zoom lens they will do what most people require from a camera, and these days will do it very well. They are also easily carried in a pocket or ladies handbag. As each year passes they become smaller and more powerful with regard to their ability to take larger pictures due to increases in pixel rate. Five years ago a decent compact would have a pixel rate of about 4 to 6 mega pixels whereas today they are anything from 10 to 14 mega pixels. One point to be aware of is that as they get smaller is they become less easy to hold steady whilst taking photos. Try to always use two hands regardless of their small size.

These days nearly all compacts will offer a video recording function which will enable you to take near TV quality video clips with sound. The higher end and expensive compacts tend to allow you more manual control over the cameras operation for the more serious photographer.

Next in line come the superzoom models. As their name suggests these cameras have much longer zoom lenses. They tend to look similar to DSLR cameras though their internal organs are more akin to a compact. One of their basic problems is that they have rather small image sensor design along with compacts which translates to poorer image quality than a DSLR. They do however offer more manual control over settings such as aperture and and shutter speed. They are a stepping stone between compact and DSLR cameras.

The DSLR is the camera to aspire to. They allow you to take the finest of photographs either using their automatic settings or using the many manual functions they come with. The main difference is that a DSLR has interchangeable lenses. This enables you to choose the best lens for the job. It is the lens that ultimately gives a DSLR the edge over compacts coupled with their larger image sensors. This produces much better quality images with more tonal variation and less noise. They have a better autofocus system which will keep a moving object in focus far better than a compact. They also utilise bigger batteries enabling them to take hundreds of shots before requiring recharging. The newer models also have video function up to HD standard, though how useful this will be is yet to be seen. If you’re frustrated by the quality of your photos, then a DSLR is the camera for you.

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