Getting A Camera - What To Look For When Choosing A New Digital Camera

If you’re looking to buy a new point-and-shoot digital camera, then this article is aimed at you. This article will start by taking a look at most important features of the majority of digital cameras. After that, we will then take a look at some additional features that you may want to have on your camera, and then I will take a quick look at the main camera makes on the market these days.

Main Features of a Digital Camera

Certainly, each camera has its own unique set of features, but there are some fundamental features that a modern digital camera cannot possibly be without, such as:

• LCD Screen: Enables you to see your photos after you have shot them.
• Various Automatic Modes: Makes it easy to quickly take photographs using roughly the correct exposure settings for the particular situation.
• Zoom: Allows you to get in closer to your object of focus.
• Image Stabilizer: Many cameras these days have this feature, which helps make your images sharper when your hand is a bit shaky.

Additional Features of a Camera

In addition to the main features mentioned in the previous section, there are also various additional features that you may want:

• Smart Automation: As well as the various automatic modes mentioned earlier, some cameras now have the ability to actually automatically select the appropriate scene setting for you.
• Intelligent Portrait Setting: This is a feature of some Nikon cameras, which detects faces and can even automatically take a photo whenever a person smiles.
• Automatic Panorama: Some cameras are able to automatically take multiple photos and then stitch them together to create an ultra-wide photo.
• Face Retouching: Some higher end cameras have the ability to make certain edits within the camera, such as smoothing the skin or removing blemishes.
• Built-in GPS: Easily find locations to shoot and record your location for each shot.

The Most important Companies and their Product Ranges

• Canon: $89-$900. Number 1 camera company, with a very big series of cameras (almost 400 of them) to suit all requirements and budgets.
• Olympus: $73-$1,049. As with Canon, another major digital camera brand with a big range of products available (over 350 of them).
• Sony: $80-$700. As with Olympus, there are more than 350 products available here for a wide range of budgets and requirements.
• Nikon: $75-700. Also, as with Sony, more than 350 digital cameras spread across a large price range.
• Kodak: $60-$450. More than 300 digital cameras, covering everything from simple slim point-and-shoots up to more sophisticated fully-featured cameras with full-size lenses.
• Panasonic: $89-$586. Similar to Kodak, all kinds of cameras across a large range.
• Fuji: $80-$1,000. Also a decent brand with a large number of different cameras.
• Samsung: $80-$850. Again, another good brand that will be sure to have a camera to suit your needs and/or budget.
• Pentax: $75-$400. A good choice of cameras to suit most photographic requirements.
• Casio: $80-350. A decent range of cameras at very good prices, even for the ones with larger lenses and more features.
• Vivitar: $20-$120. A good assortment of low priced compact cameras. Great if you’re really low on cash.
• General Electric: $60-$195. Not a very big assortment (about 70), these cameras are mostly of the compact type.
• Polaroid: $24-180. Like General Electric, not a very big range, and mostly compacts. However, if you're struggling money-wise, there are some extremely low budget ones here.

More Information:

Still not sure which camera to get? Take a look at Digital Camera Best Buys where we review all the top cameras, such as the Lumix DMC ZS7