Buying a Digital Camera

In digital photography, like any technological field, the pace of change is rapid and digital camera models constantly come and go. Discussions about specific camera hardware tend to quickly become outdated, however there are some general questions it is useful to ask when thinking about a new purchase:

Image Size

How big will the printed images be? While the lowest acceptable dpi for a photo depends on the paper, the inks, the printer, the image, and the tastes of the photographer, a good rule of thumb for printing images on high quality photo paper is to assume the minimum dpi for quality is around 200 dpi. Photographers with experience printing may find that number too high or too low, but it's a useful place for an inexperienced person to start.

Choosing a minimum dpi and a maximum image size allows the calculation of the minimum resolution of the camera, using the formula dpi = pixels/inches, or dpi x inches = pixels. For example, if a minimum dpi of 200 is chosen and the maximum image size is chosen to be 9 x 12, then the camera will have to have a resolution of 1800 x 2400, which falls between 4 - 5 MP, so a 5 MP camera is the minimum.

Subjects

What will the primary subjects be? Every camera brand has both strong and weak points. A good camera will do a reasonable job with any subject, but a photographer who frequently shoots a specific subject needs to be sure that the chosen camera is above average in that subject. Sports photographers need a camera with very little lag time between photos, but probably don't care much if the macro capabilities of the camera are poor. Landscape photographers need a camera with low noise, but probably don't care much if the flash on the camera is subpar.

Building a list of standard concerns (speed, flash, macro, noise, ability to change lenses, etc.) and ranking their importance can keep the buyer focused on getting the right features in a camera while settling for compromises that are livable.

Level of Control

What level of control is needed? On one end of the scale are the digital point and shoot cameras, where the photographer can leave everything on auto. On the other end are the advanced professional cameras that give the photographer an enormous number of options for controlling all aspects of the camera. Most cameras fall somewhere in the middle. One of the most useful trends in midrange cameras is giving the photographer the best of both words - "scene modes" that quickly set the camera up for certain types of shooting (such as indoor night shots at a party) as well as modes where the photographer has more control.

A list divided into necessary, desirable, and optional control features can help when looking at the pros and cons of individual cameras.

Camera Size

How portable does the camera need to be? Some photographers happily cart a backpack full of equipment. Some want something that can be thrown in a pocket and carried everywhere. The trade-off here is often between level of control or quality and portability. Finding an object of a similar bulk and weight as a camera being considered and carrying that object around for a day or two can help decide this question.

Another consideration is how well the camera fits in the photographer's hand. A too large or too small camera, or one that can't comfortably be held one handed while allowing at least some of the controls to be operated, can become annoying to use.

Existing Equipment

What existing equipment does the photographer have? If there is already a large investment in lenses, memory cards, batteries, etc., it can cost more to switch brands that to buy something that can use all (or at least much of) the existing equipment. On the other hand, if the photographer is willing to upgrade to new equipment, this becomes less of an issue.

For new photographers, the important thing is to avoid getting started with something that will limit future options. A camera model that uses a proprietary battery format (so that replacement batteries can't be bought quickly in a pinch) or an obscure form of digital memory might restrict choices in the next round of upgrading.

Price

Digital cameras can now be found for less than the cost of a pair of music CDs, more than the cost of a typical car, and everywhere in between. Budget is primarily determined by factors such as desired features, the length of time before the camera will be replaced, and, of course, the means of the buyer.

The list of features available at a given price point will change over time, and specific advice on today's camera features will be amusingly dated in a year or two, but the basics on this page can be used to determine a list of requirements for a camera and to decide between the trade-offs involved.