If you are in the market for a digital camera you've got a lot of choices. You may be overwhelmed by this.
Do you buy a regular digital camera or a digital single lens reflex (dSLR) camera with interchangeable lenses? If you have lenses for an old film camera you may want to use them on a new DSLR camera. Will they work?
There are many good digital cameras available at many different prices with lots of interesting features. Consider the following before you buy:
1. Do you like the way the digital camera feels when you hold it? Are the buttons easy to use? Is it easy to find and take out the memory card and battery? Try taking a few pictures.
2. Is the camera too big or too small for you? Some digital cameras are credit card size while others digital cameras are big-such as a dSLR camera. If you don't like the size of the camera you may be less inclined to use it. Make sure you will use it if you buy it.
3. Get the anti-shake feature. This allows you to take pictures that may normally require a tripod. It doesn't replace the tripod but may give you a clearer image if you are shooting in low light. Different companies have different names for this feature as it is copyrighted. Some dSLR cameras companies have this feature built into their lenses.
4. Camera should be 8 megapixel or higher. No less than this, but more is good too.
5. Use good photo editing software. Half of your digital camera is the ability to download and edit and resize photos. I recommend Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0. This software also will download your photos to your computer or external hard drive.
6. Make sure you can see the images on your LCD monitor outside on a sunny day. This is the small screen on the back of you digital camera. Some LCD monitors can't be seen in direct sunlight. Some can. You need to see the LCD monitor in any condition.
7. Do you like the size of the LCD monitor on the back of your digital camera? They come in all sizes. Don't confuse this with the view finder, which you look through to take a picture. Some cameras only have a view finder while others only have an LCD monitor. If your digital camera has both you can use both to take a picture. Although dSLR cameras have both an LCD monitor and view finder, you have to use the view finder to take the picture.
8. Don't buy the camera for the digital zoom. This distorts an image. Optical zoom is good and you can use it. You may see cameras with both options. You can buy a camera with digital zoom, it is almost unavoidable. Just don't use it.
9. My favorite camera test: take multiple action shots-very quickly-and take at least 15. Take pictures of the store clerk or a friend walking across the room (ask permission first). Did the camera take the pictures quickly or was there a lag time while the images downloaded to the camera? (I call a long lag time between one picture and the next the sweaty finger syndrome, which can be maddening when you are trying to take pictures quickly.) Make sure the camera does this fast enough for you. Not all cameras are created equal so try this with a couple different cameras. Each will behave differently.
10. Ask lots of questions at the store. A professional camera store may be the best for technical questions.
Michelle Drumheller
http://www.digitaltiff.com
http://skyfishing.wordpress.com
Buy HF10 Canon
Buy Canon XSi
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment