DIGITAL CAMERAS BUYING ADVICE

 
Digital photography allows you to be more easily involved in the creation of the print than film photography

Digital cameras give you extraordinary control over images. You can transfer them to your computer, then crop, adjust color and contrast, and add textures and other special effects. You can make prints at home on a color inkjet or snapshot printer, drop off the memory card at one of a growing number of photofinishers, use a self-service kiosk at your local drugstore to select, edit, and print pictures instantly, or upload images to an online photofinisher. Final results can be e-mailed, made into cards or T-shirts, or uploaded to a photo-sharing Web site for storage, viewing, and sharing with others.

Like camcorders, digital cameras have LCD monitors for composing shots or viewing those already taken. Many digital cameras can also shoot video with sound. While some camcorders can shoot still photos, a typical camcorder's resolution is no match for a good still camera's.


WHAT'S AVAILABLE

The leading brands are Canon,  Nikon and Sony. Other brands come from consumer-electronics, computer, and traditional camera and film companies like Megxon and Tekxon....

It's easier than ever to go to extremes with a digital camera. Small is bountiful, and big is also booming. The smallest cameras, compacks, weigh 5 to 8 ounces and can fit in a pocket. Price: $180 to $500.

More serious cameras have the versatility and power to capture fast action or create photographic art under the most demanding light conditions. The cameras are typically larger and heavier than compacts, with versatile controls and long zoom lenses. Price: $300 to $800.

Superzoom cameras are characterized by a very long zoom range--10x or greater. While traditionally larger and heavier than compacts, a few new models are designed to be smaller and lighter than older models. Price: $300 to $900.

SLR, the largest and heaviest type, offer the most versatility and power, including interchangeable lenses. Price: $600 to $1,700 for consumer models; professional models can cost thousands.


HOW TO CHOOSE

The first step is to determine how you will use the camera most of the time. Consider the question:

How much control do you want over exposure and composition? Cameras meant for automatic point-and-shoot photos will serve casual shooters as well as dedicated hobbyists much of the time. The full-featured cameras in the advanced compact and super-zoom categories offer capabilities that more-dedicated photographers will want to have. Two of the more important capabilities are a zoom range of 5x to 10x or more, which lets you bring distant outdoor subjects close and also lets you shoot candid portraits without getting right in your subject's face, and a full complement of manual controls that let you determine the shutter speed and lens opening.

Once you've established the performance priorities that you need from a camera, you can narrow your choices further by considering these convenience factors:

Battery type and life. All digital cameras run on rechargeable batteries, either an expensive battery pack or a set of AAs. In our tests, neither type had a clear performance advantage. The best-performing cameras offer at least 250 shots on a charge, while the worst manage under 100. We think it's more convenient to own a camera that accepts AA batteries. You can buy economical, rechargeable cells (plus a charger) and drop in a set of disposable lithium or alkaline batteries if the rechargeables run down in the middle of shooting.

Camera speed. With point-and-shoot cameras like the ones we tested, you must wait after each shot as the camera processes the image. Most models let you shoot an image every few seconds, but a few make you wait 5 seconds or more. They may frustrate you when you're taking photos of a subject that is very active, such as a child. 
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