Selecting New Technological Tools

Considerations When Selecting a New Digital Camera

The key to buying the right digital camera for you is to select one that meets your needs, not someone else's idea of the perfect camera or an idealized brand name. However as you consider a new tool, here are 5 important questions to ask:

What will you use it for?
Ask yourself what you need a camera for, will it supplement the 35mm camera you already own, will it replace your 35mm and become your photographic device of choice? With the advent of the newer 6-8 megapixel cameras, it is possible to take and print 8x10, 11x17 and even larger images with amazing 35mm quality. As with all photography, much of the clarity of the reproduced image comes down to the quality of the lens, and now the quality of the printer. Carefully clarify what you envision using your camera for as a means of determining what capabilities you will need.

How much can you spend?
Once you clarify what you will use your camera for and how much you can spend, then it will significantly narrow the choices that you will have for optional components. Plan on spending about $50 -$100 per megapixel for a consumer quality camera and much more for a professional quality camera.

Where do you envision using it?
Digital cameras come in a variety of shapes and sizes and weights. Your choice of camera will depend on whether you plan on slipping your camera into your pocket for traveling or to be subtle, or whether size and shape are less important than other variable such as lens, grip, resolution or zoom capability. If you plan to use the camera inside or at night then you will want to pay particular attention to the flash capability or low light image quality.

What peripheral devices will you need?
What other accessories will you want or need to allow your camera to do the things you would like? There are at least 4 additional elements that you will want to consider 1) Memory. Depending on the resolution of the images that your camera will capture, you will almost certainly need an additional memory chip(s). The cost of these chips will depend on the type of memory, its speed and the size of the RAM. 2) It is a good idea to get a camera bag to protect your investment from the rain, dust, and impact. Make sure it can be comfortably carried and will hold all the accessories that you will have. 3) A printer. If you are planning on only posting your images on the web, sending them through email, or printing them at a photo developer then you will not need a printer. However if you want to have prints, you will either need to invest in a good ink jet printer or be willing to spend .25 - .50 per 4x6 photo to have them printed at a lab. Many color inkjet printers now come free with computers. A good one will cost $100 - $300. 4) It will cost a fair amount for ink and paper depending on how much printing you end up doing. Keep in mind that the better quality paper produces significantly better looking prints.

Anticipate spending:
- between $15 and $75 for a Memory chip
- between $15 and $50 for a good camera bag or strap
- between $100 and $300 for a printer ($50 - $100 a year for ink depending on quantity)
- between $2 and $8 for 20 4x6 pieces of photo quality paper

When selecting a new camera, here are 10 Variables to consider.

Resolution or Number of Megapixels
Digital cameras convert light into images containing a number of individual points or pixels. The more pixels, the greater the resolution of the images. For example, a 2 megapixel image measures roughly 1600 x 1200 pixels and contains about 2,000,000 pixels. When considering how your images will look on your computer, keep in mind that the resolution on a 17 inch monitor is 1280 x 1024 and of a 20 inch monitor is 1680 x 1050. In order to produce a good quality 4"x6" print, a camera should have at least 2 MPs. Prints upwards of 8x10 really need 3-4 MPs or more. For a nice guide to printing size and resolution see this Table from B&H Photo.

Lens capability
The lens is the critical element of the camera and one of the first questions concerns whether it will be a zoom. Let me start by saying that digital zoom is nothing but a facade and is a worthless dimension; pay no attention to it and never use it. If the lens does not have an optical zoom then you either have to physically move to frame images, or take them as they are. Most digital camera lenses start at about 35mm and can go as high as 10 power optical zoom. The typical lens is a 2 or 3 power optical zoom from 35-70 or 105. Optical zoom capacity typically comes at the price of a larger camera and housing so keep in mind that the larger the zoom, the heavier and larger the camera tends to be. Aperture is also important (as is total lens size) but that can be reviewed in a 35mm camera article. Macro focal distance is an important dimension if you are planning on taking close ups. Some cameras will focus as close as an inch, others require a number of feet.

Type of flash memory
Most cameras come with an inadequate amount of memory. The amount of memory you will need will depend on the size of the images and the number of photos you would like to take before downloading, I have included a table that displays this relation.

There are just about as many different types of memory as there are memory producers (I know, you are shocked). They include Compact Flash, Secure Digital, SmartMedia, Memory Stick, XD Picture Card and other new entries. They vary by size, speed, and price. Compact flash tends to be the lest expensive and Memory stick as tended to be the most expensive but recently all prices have seemed to level out at a similar level. It is now possible to find 128MB Compact flash and Secure Digital cards for about $15 and Memory stick for about $25. But a more typical price in the local stores remains about double these amounts. While this may not be a major element for buying a camera, you should consider this as a relevant variable. Outdoor Photographer has a nice discussion of these issues.

Flash capacity
Does this camera have a built in flash and what is its range? The less expensive cameras have a rudimentary flash with a short range of about 12 feet, the better cameras have a flash with auto metering, red eye reduction and have a greater range. If you will be taking many pictures outside or across large rooms, you might consider an external flash.

Type and Size of Viewfinder and LCD
While all cameras have a viewfinder, determine whether you will be needing a LCD screen exclusively, or whether to save battery life, an optical eyepiece viewfinder is also desirable. Look to see if the viewfinder is comfortable for you, if it works with your glasses. Size of the LCD screen is important as is the ability to see this screen in bright light. Ask to take the camera outside of the store and look at the screen in the bright light. Look at the LCD's ability to replay and display images and to zoom in on recorded images to check for quality. Some LCDs have the ability to swivel allowing you to hold your camera at unusual angles to view the image you want to capture.

Operating system compatibility
Most of today's digital cameras will operate with Macs and PCs, but not necessary all applications (e.g. iPhoto, Easy-PhotoPrint) or with all operating systems (eg OSX). Be sure to know your hardware and software capacity and make sure that the camera and software that you are considering are compatible.

Outputs to peripheral devices
All cameras have a means of outputting information. This can take the form of a floppy disk, mini CD, USB port, firewire, or Svideo out. You can also remove the flash memory and use a reader to input the information into your computer. Determine what will best match your needs and make sure that there will be a match between your computer's hardware and a new camera. Some of the new cameras can even plug directly to a printer bypassing the computer entirely. What is it that works best for you?

Ability to record video and audio clips
Many of today's digital cameras will also record short video clips and audio segments. If this is important to you note the recording format, then determine how long and in what resolution the camera will record. Note that some cameras will record video without audio.

Size and weight
If you plan to carry your camera all over the world then weight may be important, if you would like to be subtle in your picture taking then size may be important. Cameras vary from the size of a very small calculator up to the size of the biggest SLR with large lenses. Think about how and where you will want to use it and buy one that will meet your needs.

Battery issues
The battery is the critical element for providing your camera with power. No one likes to have a camera ready to use, and have no power for it. Batteries range from very accessible AA alkalines, to proprietary battery packs. Note how long the battery will last and consider a backup. If a camera uses AA batteries you will be able to find fresh alkaline batteries almost anywhere, but it will cost you a fortune and will be ecologically harmful. Instead it is critical to invest in at least one set of NiMH rechargable batteries.

Other features and issues
There are a host of other relevant considerations, the type of metering used for auto focus and speed/aperature, time to picture after pressing the shutter (there is always a delay with digital cameras), speed to record and prepare for the next image, speaker, shutter priority, aperture priority, special features like multiple exposures or rapid fire pictures.

Finally, keep in mind that no matter how great a deal you get on your camera, in a few months it will be cheaper and/or a newer model will be out that will have some great features. Recognizing this, you need to get what works best right now for you and that will allow you maximal flexibility for the cost you can afford. Then enjoy it and don't dwell on subsequent price reductions.