Thanks to successful innovations in image processing, formatting, and memory storage, digital cameras are cheaper than ever. However, you don't want to simply choose the cheapest unit on the market. An overly slow processor, inadequate resolution mechanism, or poor color creation can render all or most of your photos blurred and unusable. Canon, Sony, and Nikon all produce digital cameras in the $200 to $400 price range. These models tend to be exceptionally good for most home users and indeed some advanced amateurs. You can also find quality models from Panasonic, Kodak, Pentax, Olympus, and Fuji. Features to look for include processing speed, zoom capacity, image sharpness, and battery life. Of course, you can always get accessories like nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries and CompactFlash memory cards to boost your camera's capacity. Be aware that just because the camera stuffs a huge amount of megapixels into an image doesn't mean that it is a superior model. After all, the camera's sensor must be able to organize and process the information that the camera takes in. If the camera only has a CCD sensor, for instance, and it's taking in five megapixels or more, the camera might get overwhelmed in certain non-static situations and produce very blurry pictures. Another factor you must consider is start up and shoot time. Cheap, poorly processing cameras will take a long time to turn on and activate. This can prove frustrating for a number of reasons. Slow speeds can annoy friends who have been asked to pose for photographs and can also cause you to miss exciting sports moments. If this is a concern, the Canon DIGIC I and II image processors tend to yield very quick action. |
