Choosing a digital camera can be a very frustrating and time consuming experience with so many makes and models to choose from including Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Sony, Panasonic and others. Although the most significant feature when choosing a digital camera is the number of megapixels, which determines the quality of your photos, it is not the only consideration when choosing a digital camera. Items to take into consideration when choosing a camera are cost, resolution, exposure control, type of memory card, and batteries.

The first thing to do is to determine how much you are willing to spend on your camera. You will more than likely find what you are looking for within almost any budget minus certain features, of course.

The hardest decision to make is that of the resolution to choose. A digital photograph is made up of thousands of pixels (little squares); the more pixels per inch, the better quality the photograph. A megapixel is the term used for a million pixels - and the more megapixels an imaging sensor has, the higher the camera’s potential resolution. Your budget will be a consideration when choosing the resolution of your camera. Generally, the more you spend the higher resolution camera you can buy.

After considering cost and resolution, exposure control is the next big decision when purchasing a digital camera. Exposure values (and meter modes) may seem a little intimidating, but you can pretty much assume you’ll have the basic assortment of meter modes. Most extended zoom cameras offer full exposure controls, so you can customize settings to fit your preferences. These modes help the camera determine the correct exposure (or best compromise) for tricky compositions, such as a backlit subject.

The next item to consider is the type of media card your camera will use. Media Cards are (in most cameras) the storage or memory card that holds the images until they are loaded onto your computer. Those that use proprietary card formats are often more expensive and less available than more standard card types such as Compact Flash or SD/MMD cards. If your digital camcorder and PDA all use the Secure Digital memory card, this may be a major deciding factor when purchasing a digital camera. Why buy a digital camera with a different format when you can switch the card with electronics you already own? When considering memory cards, you should buy the largest capacity you can afford: the higher capacity cards, while expensive, are cheaper than buying two cards of the next-lower capacity.

If you are a frequent shooter and your camera takes AAA batteries, you will blow through them. Digital cameras use a lot of power, so get rechargeable batteries. Finally, you’ll definitely want to buy a battery charger and a couple of sets of batteries to go with it.

The basics of choosing a digital camera are to know your budget, know what type of pictures you want to take and how you intend to use the pictures. Consider the type of memory card your new camera will use and the type of battery. If you follow these simple rules you should have a much more pleasant buying experience.

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