You decided to make the switch from film and buy a digital camera. It can be quite confusing, with so many options and features and a clerk that wants you to buy up. It is hard to decide what you really need so it is important that you know what your needs are and how best to fill them BEFORE you walk through those doors to make the purchase..

Cost

You might want to buy the finest digital medium format camera with the best German lenses but your credit card company might not agree with your choice. The first question you have to ask yourself is what are you prepared to spend. That will determine your choices. Even if you are prepared to spend more, check out the other points because it could be that buying bigger and more expensive will not necessarily get you better photos.

Megapixels
Pixels are the little tiny elements that make up your sensor. They are all lined up in nice neat rows and when they are counted and the total reaches 1 million pixels, you have a megapixel. If your camera has 4 million pixels, then your camera has 4 megapixels. It is just an easier way of calling the large number without using the word millions. If your sensor is made up of 3040 x 2016 pixels, you have a total of 6,128,640 or 6.1 megapixels. So how many megapixels do you need to take a great photos? Not as many as you may think. Today, in the race to sell more digital cameras, the pixel count is a handy way for consumes to distinguish between resolutions of various cameras. The problem is that the numbers are deceiving (see: Experiencing Megapixel Envy) since most consumers can’t distinguish between a 4” x 6” print made with a 5 MP camera or one made with a 7 MP camera. Come to think of it, I doubt a pro could tell the difference as well.

Battery

You find yourself in Paris, looking at the Eiffel Tower with your new digital camera. Your battery has dies and you are not in the habit of carrying around yourcharger with you (who is?). You would like to go to th ecorner store and buy some fresh batteries but your camera can only take a proprietary battery. Stick to the standards. Buy a camera that allows you to use regular rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride batteries whcih can be switched with regular alkelines in a pinch. Digita cameras use a lot of power and you need to use rechargable batteries such as Nickel metal Hydride batteries to keep costs down and not have to switch batteries all day.

Size of Camera

Think about taking a trip and what you will carry with you. If your camera is too large and heavy then it is less likely you will take it with you. Leaving the camera at home is like not having a camera. Buy the postcards instead and save the money. But, if you choose a camera that is light, small and easy to use you are more likely to use it and capture those important shots.

Pro DSLR

Along the same lines as size of camera (see above) is how easy the camera is to use. Don't get in over your head with complicated equipment because you want to have that famous name around your neck. If a camera is too complicated to use it won't be used. I know of a top professional photographer who keeps a simple point and shoot camera availablle to capture the shots of the kids and dog. It is a lot faster and easier picking up the point an dshoot camera that getting the camera and flash out and setting up for a shot that i slong gone.

Digital SLR

You capture your photos on to small memory disks inside the camera. Stick to the well known memory card formats. There are many types of memory card formats and manufacturers sometimes sell cameras made with different memory card requirements. Think about other people at home or at work. If might be useful to buy a camera that uses the same memory card format as people around yiu so you can borrow or lend cards when the need arrives. You also have to consider the way your computer connects to the card. Do you need a card reader or can your computer connect up to the card via the camera. Do you have the necessary cables and is your computer compatible with camera.

Software

Some camera manufacturers provide free software for your camera. Applications for enhancing photos, stitching them together to make panoramic photos or can be expensive. If your camera comes with free software it might save you s ome money. Make sure the software is not just th e"light" versions of th ereal software that allows you to try it out but not really use it.