Wanting to buy a camera for long? Bamboozled by the cameras around you? However, not sure how to go about hunting, what to look for? What features and how many megapixels?
You need some help in choosing your perfect one. Take a shot...
With digital cameras, it does. The overall quality of the image depends mainly on three things; quality of lens, quality & size of image sensor and image processing circuitry.
Stick to better known brands only; preferably Canon & Nikon. Both these companies do only imaging and they’re good at it too!
Millions of dollars spent by companies on advertising the ‘megapixel myth’ have brainwashed many. The fact is megapixels have nothing to do with image quality. Cramming more megapixels into a smaller image sensor can even lead to reduced picture quality.
Before buying, check out the optical zoom (more the better), LCD (size, quality), optical viewfinder (useful to frame photos in bright sunlight) and video recording (should be at least VGA quality @ 30 fps).
Also take note of the battery type, accessories (lens, flash, remote), optical viewfinder and manual modes. Some smaller cameras have really tiny and hard-to-use buttons; see if the camera fits your hand before you buy.
Cameras with touchscreen LCDs reduce the number of buttons, but attract a lot of fingerprints. Also check if the responsiveness of the screen is good enough for you.
Rechargeable batteries are convenient, but offer no means of recharging while on the move. If you’re worried about running out of power while travelling, you can go for a camera that uses standard AA size batteries.
Use high-power Ni-MH batteries, but in a pinch, you can also switch to alkaline batteries.
Prosumer refers to a class of camera that is intermediate between basic point-and-shoot and digital SLRs. They offer features suited to the more advanced user like full manual control, high optical zoom, image stabilisation (usually), high quality video and ability to attach an external flash.
But they are also usually more expensive and larger than their basic counterparts.
CCD/CMOS (charge coupled device/complementary metal oxide semiconductor): The type of image sensor used in a digital camera.
Digital zoom: This type of zoom digitally enlarges a portion of the image to make it appear bigger/closer.
Image stabiliser: A technology/mechanism by which camera shake is automatically countered (to a certain degree). It can be electronic or optical. Electronic is cheaper, not as effective.
ISO/ASA (Industry Standards Organization or American Standards Association): Denotes sensitivity to light, assigned to a number. Higher ISO/ASA means greater sensitivity and vice versa. It can help reduce camera shake, and can also lead to increased image noise.
Optical zoom: Refers to the use of movable lens elements to bring an object closer. Look for optical zoom figure, not the digital zoom.
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