August 25, 2010
 How
to buy a digital camera – a guide for the rest of us
Revised August 25, 2010. Copyright © 2010 Dealhack.com. All Rights
Reserved.
Disclosure: Dealhack is a blog
that helps consumers to find the best deals online. Dealhack has no
financial
relationship and receives no compensation from any of the companies
and/or product manufacturers
mentioned in this article.
We’ll assume that you, dear reader, are not a professional
photographer. Because if you are, you should be on a specialized
website. If you are reading this guide, you are most likely an amateur
interested in a non-pro camera. But there is still a wide – and often
confusing – variety of features to consider, depending on what you need
the camera for. Are you looking for something small, cheap and easy to
use? Are you a power user shopping for a digital SLR? something
in-between? This is intended to be a short, simple, plain-English guide
that will not make you an expert but will help you learn the few main
considerations in a digital camera purchase decision.
If you are in a rush and/or not into reading geeky stuff, just jump to
recommendations.
Let’s go over some of digital camera’ jargon and features.
Size
For many, this is the most important consideration. If you want
something that you can easily keep in your pocket or handbag, you look
for a compact or even ultra-compact camera. Compact cameras typically
measure 3.5 to 4” wide, 2 to 2.5” high and 0.7 to 1.2” deep and weigh 4
to 6 oz. If you, on the other hand, want to look like a professional
walking around with a big camera hanging off your neck, you want a
digital SLR camera (of course, there are much better reasons to buy SLR
than looks – we’ll go into them later).
Resolution
A digital image is made up tiny dots called pixels. "Resolution” in
digital cameras refers to the size of the digital image the camera
produces, and is expressed in "megapixels" or how many million pixels
it can record in a single image. For example, a camera that captures
2560 x 1920 pixels produces an image with a resolution of 4.92 million
pixels and would be referred to as a 5 megapixel (MP) camera.
With the current generation of cameras even the entry level models
feature 10-12 MP resolutions, which should produce photo quality on
prints up to 20X30”. This is sufficient for vast majority of uses.
Power users may choose to spend a bit more and go for 14 MP. One thing
to remember is that the higher resolution, the larger the storage
needed for the picture. Without getting into gory details of bits,
storage formats and compressions, a high-resolution image taken with a
10 MP camera will take about 3-4 Mbytes (MB) of storage using typical
camera compression.
Zoom
Zoom is, well, ability to zoom in on something. E.g., 3X means the
ability to amplify 3 times. Camera descriptions talk about optical zoom
and digital zoom. Optical zoom uses the optical lens to “bring” the
object closer. It’s the real thing. It is also somewhat expensive
because you need a lens with the ability to vary its focal length.
Optical zooms used to be exclusive to digital SLR (dSLR) cameras but
now they are available on higher-end compact cameras as well, usually
3X, in some compacts 10X. Lenses on compact cameras are typically
fixed, while with SLRs you can usually change the lens depending on the
shooting needs. A typical variable focal length camera lens may be able
to change from wide-angle (28mm focal length) to telephoto (135mm focal
length). You can configure an SLR camera for up to 30 times
magnification.
Digital zoom is an illusion, invented by digital camera marketers. When
you zoom digitally, the camera crops a portion of the image and then
enlarges it back to size. You can do it yourself later with any image
editing software. But digital zoom is convenient and because of that
popular. It is also cheap because it’s implemented in software. You
probably should not give a lot of weight to a “digital zoom” in your
purchase decision. And make sure you are not being sold on a “combined”
zoom (optical times digital) that some advertisers quote.
How much zoom do you need? For landscape photos, for the most part you
don’t need to zoom. If you like to photograph people, 3X optical zoom
should be sufficient. You’ll need 10X or larger zoom if you want to
photograph people, animals, or objects from a large distance.
Storage options
Most of the cameras have built-in memory, typically on the order of
20MB to 128MB. Remember that a good quality 10MP image takes up about
3-4MB, so such storage is sufficient for only a few images. You should
plan on using separate flash memory cards for most of your storage
needs. Most cameras will use SD, SDHC and/or microSD cards, some use
CompactFlash or Memory Stick. SDHC cards also carry “Class”
designation, which refers to their writing speed – look for Class 4 or
6. Make sure you know which cards you camera takes – you can’t fit an
SD card into microSD slot, etc. Another reason to look at camera’s
storage is cost. SD/SDHC cards are more popular and cheaper – they now
cost only $10-30 for an 8GB card that would typically store about 2,000
pictures taken with a 10-12MP camera. CompactFlash and Memory Stick
cost about twice as much per GB. If you plan to upload pictures to your
computer and erase them from the card, it does not make much
difference. Some people like to keep photos on cards as a storage
backup. With many inexpensive online storage options this is probably
not necessary anymore, but if that’s your choice, you may want to stick
with SD card-compatible cameras to keep the costs down.
Video
Many cameras now offer ability to record video. For older models it’s a
lower quality 640 X 480 or 320 X 240 video (kind of what you find on
YouTube) that won’t look good on your HDTV. Many newer models now sport
720p resolution, which compares favorably with many camcorders. This
makes it possible for you to carry one compact camera (instead of a
camera and a camcorder) and be able to take good still pictures and
decent quality videos. You should also be mindful of the format and the
bitrate as video can gobble up your storage rather quickly. Many of
such cameras use Motion JPEG or similar type compression where video
can easily take up 8-12GB of storage in one hour. There are other
limitations as well: many cameras can record only up to 2GB of video at
a time (about 10-15 minutes), plus some of the compression formats
(such as Motion JPEG) may not be directly importable into popular
software programs such as iMovie. All of there can be overcome, but the
bottom line is that convenience of using your camera as a camcorder
comes with a price. At the very least, we would recommend buying a 16GB
memory card if you plan to record videos – this way you have room for
about 1 hr of video plus at least 1,000 images. And make sure that the
card can handle high data transfer rates - buy at least Class 4 and
preferably Class 6 cards.
Power
Most cameras use batteries: AA’s, AAA’s, NiMH, CRV3’s, in some cases
proprietary. CRV3’s are light but expensive. Proprietary batteries can
be even more expensive. Some cameras use rechargeable (typically Li-on)
batteries. Make sure you know how many shots you can take with one
charge. If you think you may find yourself without access to power for
prolonged time, make sure you have some spare and fully charged
batteries with you.
Interfaces
Most cameras now have a USB interface that you can use to upload your
pictures to a computer. Some cameras now offer an HDMI port and/or
composite video/audio output so you can connect them to a TV without
going through a computer.
Image Stabilization
Helps to eliminate blur. There are two types of image stabilization:
optical (done within the lens or sensor) and electronic (increases
speed of sensor when motion is detected). Optical stabilization is a
better approach.
LCD Display
All digital cameras have a display, typically ranging from 1.8” to
3.5”. Besides the size, focus on the resolution and whether there is a
viewfinder. For an average 2.7” display you want at least 230K pixels
resolution. Having a viewfinder is generally helpful.
SLR
SLR stands for single-lens reflex, a semi-automatic moving mirror
system that permits the photographer to see exactly what will be
captured by the camera. Most of the digital cameras now have similar
capabilities but interchangeable lenses, far less shutter lag, the
clarity and shadow detail of a direct-viewed optical SLR viewfinder
make SLR still the camera of choice in high-end and professional
applications.
Recommendations
There are other features to consider, but we have covered the most
important basics. Ultimately, the right camera for you depends on what
you plan to do. If you want to be able to take complex, art-quality
photos, you probably want an SLR. If you want something small and
simple, look for an ultra-compact.
We have divided our recommendations into three groups: ultra-compact,
compact point-and-shoot, and consumer dSLRs (if you are looking for a
“prosumer” or professional SLR, you should go to a specialized
website). The recommendations are based on reviews and ratings from
such sites as CNET, PC Reviews, DP Review, Digital Camera Info, Digital
Camera Review, etc. It’s a crowded field and there are many other good
cameras out there. Since prices at retailers change daily, we provide a
“good price” range guidance,
for a new product from a well-rated retailer. If you ar looking at a
quote higher than the range, you'll probably be paying too much. We’ll
update the list and the prices periodically.
Best Ultra-Compact Cameras
Panasonic Lumix F3: simple,
inexpensive, easy-to-use. 12MP, 4X optical zoom, 2.7” LCD, HD Video
capability. Size: 3.8” X 2.1” X 0.8”. Weight 4.6 oz (including battery
and SD card). Good price: $100-110.
Casio Exilim EX-S12: if you
want the thinnest and the lightest, you found it. 12MP, 3X optical
zoom, 2.7” LCD, HD Video capability. Size: 3.7” X 2.2” X 0.6”. Weight 4
oz. Good price: $115-125.
Canon Powershot SD1400: if you
want more capability in an ultra-small body, this might be your choice.
14MP, 4X optical zoom, 28mm wide-angle lens, 2.7” LCD, HD Video
capability. Size: 3.7” X 2.2” X 0.7”. Weight 4.7 oz. You’ll pay more
though: good price is $200-220.
Best Compact Cameras
Panasonic Lumix FH20: you get a
lot for your money. 14MP, 8X optical zoom with 28mm wide-angle lens,
2.7” LCD, HD Video capability. Size: 3.9” X 2.2” X 1.1”. Weight 5.6 oz.
Good price: $150-165.
Samsung DualView TL225: for
people who like to be in front of the camera. Has two LCDs: a 3.5”
touch-screen plus a front-facing 1.5” view for self-portraits. In
addition, it’s a good camera. 12MP, 4.6X optical, HD Video capability.
Size: 3.9” X 2.4” X 0.7”. Weight 5.8 oz. Good price: $200-220.
Canon Powershot S90: for
advanced amateurs that want a compact camera. Has most of the SLR
camera features except for the ones that only SLR technology can
currently provide (e.g., faster shutter speed). 10MP, 3.8X optical zoom
with 28mm wide-angle lens. Size: 3.9” X 2.3” X 1.2”. Weight 6.2 oz.
You’ll pay more though: good price is $330-350.
Sony Cybershot DSC-WX1: another
almost dSLR. Also almost an ultra-compact. Known for excellent
low-light performance. 10MP, 5X optical zoom, HD Video. Size: 3.7” X
2.1” X 0,8”. Weight 5.3 oz. Good price: $230-250.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1: if you
want a rugged camera, this is it. Waterproof, shockproof, dustproof.
And it takes good pictures too. 12MP, 4.6X optical zoom, 2.7” LCD, HD
Video. Size: 3.9” X 2.5” X 0,9”. Weight 6.7 oz. Good price: $250-270.
Best Budget dSLRs
Nikon D5000: 12MP, 2.7” LCD, HD
Video. Good price with 18-55mm lens: $640-670.
Canon Rebel T1i: 15MP, 3.0”
LCD, HD Video. Good price with 18-55mm lens: $670-700.
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