Sarah Latour

I remember my first digital camera I bought lots of years ago. It was a Mustek and so, a piece of garbage. But back then, this was the best you could get. From the beginning of the early digital days we have come a long way though. Once in a while, some of my friends, because they know I am a photography enthusiast, are asking me what they should look for when buying a digital camera, what the most important features are and how to take quality digital pictures. This is a very hard question that you can answer and thats partly because, honestly, there are a lot of things which can go into the process of taking quality digital pictures. But, I have chosen top three deal breakers, the way I call them, so I will use this article to discuss them in detail.

Unbelievably, unless you have a really high end camera, most important to taking quality digital pictures is lighting. Did you ever took pictures using a poor or fair camera yet still with using such great conditions for lighting, your pictures came out great? Well I have. Actually, with my Mustek, I found out that by setting up good lighting conditions made the camera work like a charm. However, take this light away and your camera will produce the most color washed and grainy pictures that you could ever imagine. Lighting makes all the difference. This puts it on the top in my preference list, above even the camera itself. Hence, if you are on a tight budget and can’t buy a great camera, you should make sure that you have sufficient light.

Next is the camera itself. Basically, the better is the camera, the better is the quality for the pictures. However, there is a problem, and that is how to decide whats a great camera? You can’t go only by mega pixels as each producer has different methods by which they are represented. So a camera that has 8 mega pixels could actually not be such as good for quality as one camera produced by other manufacturer and which has only 6 mega pixels. So, read as much unbiased reviews for each camera you are thinking to buy. How could you tell which review is unbiased? Thats one where there is no link to the camera.

Finally, theres the photographers skill. Unfortunately, this you cant buy out of a box. Skill is something that I picked up with time, but, its something that you could learn and develop.

Alex Don
http://www.articlesbase.com/digital-photography-articles/tips-for-digital-photography-3-most-critical-things-for-quality-digital-pictures-722979.html

In a quandary as to what kind of digital camera to invest in? Should you buy the cheap one first or go straight for the Rolls Royce of digital cameras? Digital cameras can be extremely notorious for making you regret the “buy cheap first” decision. Getting an understanding of what digital cameras can and probably cannot do will go a long way in guiding you to buy that first one. Here are seven things to look out for:

1. Categories of a camera
• ultra compact–by far, the lowest of the low-end, no flash, no zoom, no nothing; just aim and shoot;
• compact–for the hobbyist, basic features;
• digital SLR cameras–single-lens reflex cameras, for the serious photographer.
2. Mega pixels
• 2 mega pixels–for basic snapshots; small prints are okay but pixelation occurs when the photos are enlarged;
• between 3 and 5 mega pixels–you can count on good quality prints;
• 5 mega pixels and above–aside from producing excellent quality large prints, you can easily do image manipulation.
3. Zoom
• optical zoom factor–by magnifying the light entering the main lens, distant objects appear close; this produces good quality photos;
• digital zoom factor–magnifies the resulting image.
4. Carrying case and tripod

Most reasonably priced cameras will bundle these two items in the same package but very likely, the case will only be a pouch, which is just enough for the camera itself. If you have decided to “soup up” your digital camera, then you should also invest in a more spacious carrying case.

The same can be said about the tripod, the bundled one will very likely be one of those 3-inch table top tripods which may also be wobbly. The tripod helps keep the shots stable and also to take advantage of the timer. The serious shutterbug will want to invest in a much taller and more stable tripod.

5. Storage media

Most digital cameras have some built in memory but do not count on this to store your photos because the memory size is very small. You will find that the built-in memory easily runs out when taking pictures of 5 mega pixels and above. Invest in a compact flash or secure digital flash card. 256 Kb will give you good enough storage when taking high mega pixel shots. But if you are an avid clicker, consider getting at least a 1 Gb card.

6. Battery

One of the most overlooked accessories is by far the battery. Most lower priced cameras will come bundled with a no-name battery which is almost tantamount to no reliability. People will tell you that these batteries should last at least a year but do not be surprised if these kinds of batteries breaks down in less than a year. The good news is that these batteries have model numbers and you can find a suitable replacement from a reputable manufacturer.

7. Lenses and filters

Just like traditional cameras, there are digital cameras that allow additional lenses to be attached or completely changeable. Three basic lens types are:

• macro lens–allows you to take close-ups of objects like insects and flowers;
• wide-angle lens–self-explanatory, used to capture large and wide sceneries;
• telephoto lens–can you say paparazzi?

Filters can be used to soften or enhance images, which means adding more drama some shots.

It also helps to talk to your relatives or friends who have already owned a digital camera for some time. Their input plus the tips that you have just read will go a long way in helping you invest in a gadget that will give you hours of fun and capture moments that you will cherish.

Simon Wu
http://www.articlesbase.com/gadgets-and-gizmos-articles/a-quick-checklist-before-buying-a-digital-camera-108083.html

There are so many different types, brands, and features to consider when buying a digital camera you may not know where to start. There are some top brands such as Canon, Kodak, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic, and Olympus. Now this is just to name a few of the top brands, there are many brands nowadays that sell great quality cameras. Since technology has really improved, you can’t go wrong lately with any brand of digital camera. What you really need to consider before purchasing your digital camera is what you plan on doing with it. Do you need a more professional zoom or just a few megapixels to print out quality photos? Here is a list of some top digital cameras that are point and shoot and under $250:

1. Canon Powershot A590IS has 8 megapixels, a 4X optical zoom, an optical image stabilizer, and a 2.5 inch LCD screen. A range of shooting modes from manual to automatic including Canon’s new Easy Mode which makes picture taking carefree. Once you choose Easy Mode the camera automatically sets every camera control including the flash to reduce blur and improve image quality.

For more information on top best digital camera click here

There are so many different types, brands, and features to consider when buying a digital camera you may not know where to start. There are some top brands such as Canon, Kodak, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic, and Olympus. Now this is just to name a few of the top brands, there are many brands nowadays that sell great quality cameras. Since technology has really improved, you can’t go wrong lately with any brand of digital camera. What you really need to consider before purchasing your digital camera is what you plan on doing with it. Do you need a more professional zoom or just a few megapixels to print out quality photos? Here is a list of some top digital cameras that are point and shoot and under $250:

1. Canon Powershot A590IS has 8 megapixels, a 4X optical zoom, an optical image stabilizer, and a 2.5 inch LCD screen. A range of shooting modes from manual to automatic including Canon’s new Easy Mode which makes picture taking carefree. Once you choose Easy Mode the camera automatically sets every camera control including the flash to reduce blur and improve image quality.

For more information on top kodak digital camera click here