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Choose the Right Digital Camera
by Michelle Drumheller
If you are in the market for a digital camera you have got a lot of choices. You may be
overwhelmed by this.
There are many good digital cameras available at many different prices with lots of interesting
features. Consider the following before you buy:
1. Do you like the way the digital camera feels when you hold it? Are the buttons easy to use?
Is it easy to find and take out the memory card and battery? Try taking a few pictures.
2. Is the camera too big or too small for you? Some digital cameras are credit card size while
others digital cameras are big—such as a dSLR camera. If you don’t like the size of the camera
you may be less inclined to use it. Make sure you will use it if you buy it.
3. Get the anti-shake feature. This allows you to take pictures that may normally require a
tripod. It doesn’t replace the tripod but may give you a clearer image if you are shooting in low
light. Different companies have different names for this feature as it is copyrighted. Some dSLR
cameras companies have this feature built into their lenses.
4. Camera should be 8 megapixel or higher. No less than this, but more is good too.
5. Use good photo editing software. Half of your digital camera is the ability to download and
edit and resize photos. I recommend Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0. This software also will
download your photos to your computer or external hard drive.
6. Make sure you can see the images on your LCD monitor outside on a sunny day. This is
the small screen on the back of you digital camera. Some LCD monitors can’t be seen in direct
sunlight. Some can. You need to see the LCD monitor in any condition.
7. Do you like the size of the LCD monitor on the back of your digital camera? They come in
all sizes. Don’t confuse this with the view finder, which you look through to take a picture. Some
cameras only have a view finder while others only have an LCD monitor. If your digital camera has
both you can use both to take a picture. Although dSLR cameras have both an LCD monitor and
view finder, you have to use the view finder to take the picture.
8. Don’t buy the camera for the digital zoom. This distorts an image. Optical zoom is good and
you can use it. You may see cameras with both options. You can buy a camera with digital zoom, it
is almost unavoidable. Just don’t use it.
9. My favorite camera test: take multiple action shots—very quickly—and take at least 15.
Take pictures of the store clerk or a friend walking across the room (ask permission first). Did the
camera take the pictures quickly or was there a lag time while the images downloaded to the
camera? (I call a long lag time between one picture and the next the sweaty finger syndrome,
which can be maddening when you are trying to take pictures quickly.) Make sure the camera
does this fast enough for you. Not all cameras are created equal so try this with a couple different
cameras. Each will behave differently.
10. Ask lots of questions at the store. A professional camera store may be the best for
technical questions.
More on Buying a Digital Camera and Computer
Requirements
by Michelle Drumheller
I needed a camera upgrade! Here are some good tips from before purchasing or organizing
yourself.
The quantity of digital cameras a person can buy today is huge. Knowing what to buy extra to the
camera is important as well as a good camera class. And remember, using a digital camera can be
an expensive hobby
External hard drive at least 300 Gigabyte–place to store your digital files in one place separate
from your main computer. You will be storing your original digital files, print files, and files for
sending to family and friends which takes up space especially with a camera with lots of
megapixels. Right now I can find one like this for a little over $100.
A Computer 4 years old or newer–has to be able to process Photoshop and your camera
A 19 inch monitor — 21 inch is better–so you can see and work with your photos on your computer
CD or DVD burner (DVD recommended)–a backup system for your files
Computer desk with a computer that is easily accessible to you–need to be able to get at USB
ports to connect your camera and external hard drive easily
Digital Camera Features and Accessories
Which do you want-a digital SLR or a digital camera? Go to the store and look at the difference.
The primary difference is the digital SLR has interchangeable lenses you can buy and behaves
similarly to a traditional film camera. A digital camera can be less bulky if you don’t want to carry
something big around but you are limited to the lens on the camera
• 8.0 megapixel digital camera or higher
• Camera that takes pictures quickly (test it at the store you don’t want something that takes
20 seconds to download a photo to the memory card)
• Anti-shake feature so you do not need a tripod in most situations
• An LCD monitor on the back of your camera that is big enough to look at and works in bright
sunlight
• At least 2-4 extra batteries for your camera
• A camera bag to protect your camera and equipment
• At least 2 memory cards of extreme 3 (or other technology like that which allows your
camera to download your photos to your camera faster) and 1-2-3 Gigabyte of space on the
memory card
• Digital camera manual. Have you read your manual? Do you know where it is? Find it. Go
through it line by line. Invite anyone who may also use your camera to go through the manual with
you
Go try a bunch of digital cameras before you buy. Keep these things in mind when shopping.
You should be able to:
• Read the fine print in the LCD monitor on the back of the camera, can you read it easily?
• Take the memory card and battery in and out of the camera
• Press the buttons to select certain features on your camera, are they easy to use? Example,
if you try to take a picture and keep turning off the camera instead, look at a different camera
• Look at the LCD monitor inside a room and outside in bright sunlight. If you cannot see the
LCD monitor in the sunlight you may want to consider a different camera
Photo Editing Software
• Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0 (or at least 3.0 or higher)
• Adobe Lightroom–industry standard that allows you to easily resize images to archive, for
print, and for the Web and to send to family and friends.
• The industry standard is CS3. If you have the money for that go ahead but Adobe
Photoshop Elements is probably all that you need.
by Michelle Drumheller
If you are in the market for a digital camera you have got a lot of choices. You may be
overwhelmed by this.
There are many good digital cameras available at many different prices with lots of interesting
features. Consider the following before you buy:
1. Do you like the way the digital camera feels when you hold it? Are the buttons easy to use?
Is it easy to find and take out the memory card and battery? Try taking a few pictures.
2. Is the camera too big or too small for you? Some digital cameras are credit card size while
others digital cameras are big—such as a dSLR camera. If you don’t like the size of the camera
you may be less inclined to use it. Make sure you will use it if you buy it.
3. Get the anti-shake feature. This allows you to take pictures that may normally require a
tripod. It doesn’t replace the tripod but may give you a clearer image if you are shooting in low
light. Different companies have different names for this feature as it is copyrighted. Some dSLR
cameras companies have this feature built into their lenses.
4. Camera should be 8 megapixel or higher. No less than this, but more is good too.
5. Use good photo editing software. Half of your digital camera is the ability to download and
edit and resize photos. I recommend Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0. This software also will
download your photos to your computer or external hard drive.
6. Make sure you can see the images on your LCD monitor outside on a sunny day. This is
the small screen on the back of you digital camera. Some LCD monitors can’t be seen in direct
sunlight. Some can. You need to see the LCD monitor in any condition.
7. Do you like the size of the LCD monitor on the back of your digital camera? They come in
all sizes. Don’t confuse this with the view finder, which you look through to take a picture. Some
cameras only have a view finder while others only have an LCD monitor. If your digital camera has
both you can use both to take a picture. Although dSLR cameras have both an LCD monitor and
view finder, you have to use the view finder to take the picture.
8. Don’t buy the camera for the digital zoom. This distorts an image. Optical zoom is good and
you can use it. You may see cameras with both options. You can buy a camera with digital zoom, it
is almost unavoidable. Just don’t use it.
9. My favorite camera test: take multiple action shots—very quickly—and take at least 15.
Take pictures of the store clerk or a friend walking across the room (ask permission first). Did the
camera take the pictures quickly or was there a lag time while the images downloaded to the
camera? (I call a long lag time between one picture and the next the sweaty finger syndrome,
which can be maddening when you are trying to take pictures quickly.) Make sure the camera
does this fast enough for you. Not all cameras are created equal so try this with a couple different
cameras. Each will behave differently.
10. Ask lots of questions at the store. A professional camera store may be the best for
technical questions.
More on Buying a Digital Camera and Computer
Requirements
by Michelle Drumheller
I needed a camera upgrade! Here are some good tips from before purchasing or organizing
yourself.
The quantity of digital cameras a person can buy today is huge. Knowing what to buy extra to the
camera is important as well as a good camera class. And remember, using a digital camera can be
an expensive hobby
External hard drive at least 300 Gigabyte–place to store your digital files in one place separate
from your main computer. You will be storing your original digital files, print files, and files for
sending to family and friends which takes up space especially with a camera with lots of
megapixels. Right now I can find one like this for a little over $100.
A Computer 4 years old or newer–has to be able to process Photoshop and your camera
A 19 inch monitor — 21 inch is better–so you can see and work with your photos on your computer
CD or DVD burner (DVD recommended)–a backup system for your files
Computer desk with a computer that is easily accessible to you–need to be able to get at USB
ports to connect your camera and external hard drive easily
Digital Camera Features and Accessories
Which do you want-a digital SLR or a digital camera? Go to the store and look at the difference.
The primary difference is the digital SLR has interchangeable lenses you can buy and behaves
similarly to a traditional film camera. A digital camera can be less bulky if you don’t want to carry
something big around but you are limited to the lens on the camera
• 8.0 megapixel digital camera or higher
• Camera that takes pictures quickly (test it at the store you don’t want something that takes
20 seconds to download a photo to the memory card)
• Anti-shake feature so you do not need a tripod in most situations
• An LCD monitor on the back of your camera that is big enough to look at and works in bright
sunlight
• At least 2-4 extra batteries for your camera
• A camera bag to protect your camera and equipment
• At least 2 memory cards of extreme 3 (or other technology like that which allows your
camera to download your photos to your camera faster) and 1-2-3 Gigabyte of space on the
memory card
• Digital camera manual. Have you read your manual? Do you know where it is? Find it. Go
through it line by line. Invite anyone who may also use your camera to go through the manual with
you
Go try a bunch of digital cameras before you buy. Keep these things in mind when shopping.
You should be able to:
• Read the fine print in the LCD monitor on the back of the camera, can you read it easily?
• Take the memory card and battery in and out of the camera
• Press the buttons to select certain features on your camera, are they easy to use? Example,
if you try to take a picture and keep turning off the camera instead, look at a different camera
• Look at the LCD monitor inside a room and outside in bright sunlight. If you cannot see the
LCD monitor in the sunlight you may want to consider a different camera
Photo Editing Software
• Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0 (or at least 3.0 or higher)
• Adobe Lightroom–industry standard that allows you to easily resize images to archive, for
print, and for the Web and to send to family and friends.
• The industry standard is CS3. If you have the money for that go ahead but Adobe
Photoshop Elements is probably all that you need.
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