Father’s Day is this weekend, and what better gift to give than a digital camera. Here are some questions to ask about what kind of digital camera you need.
Is the technology current?
In other words, pick a camera that will be able to provide quality photos for a long time. Since digital cameras are updated every six months to a year, you want a model that is new but that will last. A 4 megapixel camera with a decent zoom lens will be good for now and in the future, for most people.
Will it work with my computer?
This is not an issue if you don’t have a computer, but most people do these days. So, it is important to be sure that it will work with the computer that you own, or the computer of the person you are buying the camera for. If you have no intentions of making prints on your own printer, then you won’t need the camera to be compatible with your computer. But new models work with most computers, and connect to the computer through a USB cable. Some newer models come with Wi-Fi, and allow you to upload photos to the internet anywhere wireless internet is available.
Does it cost more to get prints made?
It will cost you 20 – 30 cents per photo to have them printed from a kiosk at the local photo-processing place. Making prints from digital cameras is relatively inexpensive since the camera has done all the work already.
What about batteries?
Batteries in digital cameras are as important as film in traditional cameras, and most cameras use AA batteries. The LCD screen on digital models uses most of the batteries’ juice, and regular AAs will last about 15 minutes with continuos use. But do you go with regular AA batteries,or rechargeable? If you are somewhere, like on vacation, and you forget the battery charger, your camera is pretty useless. You may just want to buy camera-specific batteries and dispose of them when you are finished.
What is a megapixel anyway?
A megapixel, in simple terms, is a measure of how big a photo can be made from your camera, without losing image quality. 4 and 5 megapixel cameras are sufficient for making prints that are as large as 8 x 10. If you zoom in on an area that you want to crop in an image, and then try to enlarge it to 8 x 10, you may not get the results that you are looking for, and the picture may appear blurry.
How much zoom is enough?
A 3x or 5x zoom lens should suffice for most users. Avoid a camera with no zoom lens.
How many photos can I take?
Memory cards very in their capacities, but cards that come with cameras usually hold less than 20 pictures. Get as much memory as you can afford. A 256 MB card will hold about 100-200 photos, and a 1 GB card will hold a lot more. Keep your camera settings for the quality of the photos you are taking high, unless you don’t plan on printing them. If you are just going to use them online, you can get away with less quality photos, and more of them.
If you have any other questions, leave me a quick comment.