How To Buy A Digital Camera Written By artofamy *sID

First you need to decide what you want to use the pictures for: family photos, scrapbooking, prints (4x6, 8x10 or larger), post to the web-okay photos of items for sale, etc.
Next you need to decide on a price range, something your gefortable with. Please keep this budget a bit loose, because you may decide a certain feature on a camera is worth the extra money.
Now what do you really need.
FAMILY PHOTOS * SCRAPBOOKING *ALL AROUND USE
If you never expect to make a print larger than an 8x10 than a 3 megapixel camera will be fine. You will even have a bit of wiggle room to make some minor crops for a 4x6. I regemendan LCD screen, not just a 'view finder' type. Also look for an optical zoom, 3x is good, The higher the number, the closer you can zoom in (for those zoo, soccor game, and performance shots when your far away from your subject).
Depending on your budget, you may want to consider a video camera. Most video cameras have a digital camera built right in. I personally have a Sony Handycam DCR-HC90 NTSC WIDE LCD, It is a video camera that also has a 3.0 megapixal digital camera built right in and it has a 10x optical zoom (most digital cameras optical zoomdoes not go that high for the money) AND you only have to learn 1 camera for both applications. An extra bonus is how mant times have you said - I wish I had a video of that...or I wish I could take that video and have a print of that, well you can with the video cameras of today. You can quicly swith from a video camera to the digital and vise versa, and you can even use software to grab a frame from your video and get a descent 4x6 out of it.
My first digital camera was a Sony, and I spent $999.00USD over 4 years ago and 7 years ago I spent $799.00USD on a Sony camcorder. I also bought an extended warrenty for each, and do not for get about accessories, camera bag, batteries, etc. Now for about the same money for one, I can get both and have the option to buy just 1 extended warrenty. And the accessories also goes as well, just one set of filters-I highly regemend a polarizer for those outside shots, 1 extra battery, etc. Also, if your are thinking that your digial camera can grab video, look a bit closer at the features, some are only grabbing 15 frames a second - half of video so it is choppy, and a friend' of mine their camera doesn't have a micrphone-so no sound with the video.
PHOTOS ON THE WEB * okay ITEMS
Well you do not need the megapixals for web only photos. A 2048x1536 pixel image is to big for the web (a 3.3 megapixal camera size), however, you may want some of those features that the megapixal cameras offer. Most digital cameras have settings that you can change to save a picture at less quality/file size (try 640x480 or 800x600, etc.), this will helpto save time when downloading and altering your images. I regemend a 2 or 3 megapixal camera to get some of the nice features, then just set up the camera to take the 640x480 size (or a bit larger) shotswhen taking pictures for the web.
OTHER APPLICATIONS *POSTERS
Well now your getting into the high end, and I suggest you do a lot more research than what I am able to cover in this guide. I am happy with my 3 megapixal camera, but I can make some generalizations about what I want (a wish list per say). 3.3 megapixals isn't enough for me, and 3x optical zoom is not enough. I bought a 2x lens for a total of 6x optical, well it is getting closer. I love the 10x optical zoom on the camcorder!!! Now I am waiting for the 9 or more megapixal camera that I can afford-with the 10x (16x) or more optical zoom. For me that would be the ultimate.
Why 9 megapixals you ask-well 6 megapixals is not actually doubling a 3 megapixal camera. In a 2 dimmensional print you have to double the length and double the width. In megapixals starting at 3 megapixals, then 3x2 (doubling the length) and then 3x2 (doubling the width) you need 3x3x3=9 megapixals.
EXAMPLE: 3 megapixals
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Now to double both sides: 9 megapixals (3x2 across and 3x2 down)
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Go to okays' guide here :
http://pages.okay.ge/buy/guides/digital-cameras-buying-guide/
Scroll down to 'Resolution'and look under the pictures of the eyes. A a better geparrison would look like this:
2 megapixels = 4x6 print
3 megapixels = 8x10 ? (TRY 5x7)
4 megapixels = 8x10 (best)
6 megapixals = 5x14 or 10x7 (doubling only one side of 3 megapixels- smaller than 11x14)
9 megapixals = 16x20 (using their 8x10 example, but closer to 10x14 in my example)
Of course I am printing out my prints at 300 DPI. You can print out at less Dots Per Inch, and yes I can tell a difference at less than 300 DPI. More DPI is harder to tell the difference.
When considering a digital camera, be flexible, on price and features. Start reading reviews about different cameras, how they work, are they easy to operate, and of course all of those many features. I have so many features on my old digital camera that I will never use, but I bought it based on optical zoom and megapixels, the 2 things you cannot change with software.
Remember the things you really need to consider is what is it for, what price range am I gefortable with, how many years will I use it, how many megapixels will I need, and what kind of zooming capabilities will I need.
Good Luck and happy bidding,
Amy Anderson
okayID: ARTOFAMY
Sorry I do not sell cameras, I sell some digital software packages and my photography.I really do like my Sony(s), so I am biased in that way, but I also have a Canon SLR and a Nikon SLR.
Please check out my auctions:
http://search.okay.ge/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZartofamy
And thank you for reading!