Choosing a digital camera
Our chart helps you decide the type that is most appropriate for your photo-taking style.
| > | BEGINNER | INTERMEDIATE | ADVANCED |
| Your Style | Snapshooter - don't want to fuss a lot | Enjoy taking and tweaking photos | Passionate about photography |
| Camera | Point-and-shoot | Compact | SLR-like or DSLR |
| Camera cost | Under $200 | $250 - $400 | $450 - thousands |
| Features | - +/- 5 megapixels
- 3X optical zoom
- Automatic exposure
- Scene modes
- PictBridge compatible
- Optional camera dock to transfer, save & print photos at a touch of a button. Charges the camera batteries.
| - 6+ megapixels
- 4X optical zoom or higher
- Semi-automatic controls
- Scene modes
- Adjustable settings such as ISO, white balance, exposure compensation
- Face-recognition
| - 10+ megapixels
- JPEG, TIFF, RAW
- Zoom width & length to meet shooting style
- Semi-automatic and full manual control
- Variety of metering and focus modes including manual focus
- Flash compensation
- Save custom settings
- Hot shoe
|
| Pros & Cons | - Lightweight, compact
- Easier to use
- Do best in bright light but may do poorly in low light
- Noise at high ISO
| - Advanced features
- Have some of the performance of dSLRs
- May produce noise at high ISO.
| - High quality lens
- Little or no noise shooting at high ISO
- Accept a variety of accessories and converter or interchangeable lens
- Bulky to carry
|
| Extras | - 256MB+ memory card
- Memory card reader
- Lithium or rechargeable batteries
- PictBridge compatible printer
- Camera case
| - 512MB+ memory card
- Memory card reader
- Extra batteries; Battery charger, if not included
- Photo printer
- Mid-sized camera bag
| - High capacity, high speed memory cards
- Memory card reader
- Extra batteries; Battery charger
- External flash
- Lenses or converter lens kits
- Filters
- Tripod
- Wide format photo printer
- Portable backup drive
- Large camera bag
|
| Photo editing software | - Program that came with your camera
- Free photo editing & organizing program such as Picasa.
| - Photoshop Elements or PaintShop Pro
- Photo Impact
| - Photoshop CS
- Fireworks
- GIMP (free)
|
| Printing & sharing | | - Photo quality printer
- Photo hosting such as Flickr
| - Top notch photo printer, perhaps wide format
- Photo hosting such as Pbase
|
