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.