If you plan on buying a digital camera for Christmas, but have no clue what to get, here's the current scoop on compact consumer digital cameras:
1) Resolution hardly matters anymore as even the least expensive digicams now have 10 megapixel and more. At this point, anything between 8 and 12 megapixel or so is just fine.
2) Pricing has come waaaay down. You can now get a very nice compact digicam for little more than US$100.
3) Get the largest LCD you can afford. With optical viewfinders rapidly disappearing, having a good LCD is crucial. Go for at least 2.7 inches and at least 230k resolution.
4) For compatibility's sake, I always prefer cameras that can handle SD cards. The SD card format has won the war. SD cards are cheaper and fit into more computers than xD-Picture cards or the various Sony memory Sticks.
5) If you like to zoom in, go for a 4X or 5X optical zoom instead of the standard 3X. Digital zoom doesn't really count (it just magnifies). If you REALLY like zooming, there are special high-zoom cameras that cost more.
6) If you take a lot of pictures indoors or of people, get a camera with a zoom that starts "wide." A "normal" zoom is marked as approximately 35-105mm equivalent. One that starts at 28mm is slightly "wide" and I prefer that.
7) Don't agonize over the latest, greatest in-camera tricks. All that face recognition, smile and blink detection, color replacement, cutesy frame etc. stuff is nice but really not needed. Ditto for dozens of scene modes.
8) In terms of overall quality and reputation, you rarely go wrong with Canon, Sony (at the cost of not always being totally compatible), Panasonic, Pentax, Casio and Olympus.
9) Stuff like touchscreens, shake/tap operation, etc., is all gimmicky. It works, but isn't very useful.
The above applies to those sleek little compacts that cost anywhere from under $100 up to about $350 for premium models.
If you want a more powerful, high quality compact, you cannot go wrong with the Canon G10/G11.
Digital SLRs are a totally different ballgame. They cost more, are much larger, and the cost of good lenses often exceeds the cost of the camera. They do, however, take better pictures.
Oh, and if you buy one, get it through Amazon by clicking the Amazon banner on Dimensions. That way we get a little cut that helps with costs of running the site.
1) Resolution hardly matters anymore as even the least expensive digicams now have 10 megapixel and more. At this point, anything between 8 and 12 megapixel or so is just fine.
2) Pricing has come waaaay down. You can now get a very nice compact digicam for little more than US$100.
3) Get the largest LCD you can afford. With optical viewfinders rapidly disappearing, having a good LCD is crucial. Go for at least 2.7 inches and at least 230k resolution.
4) For compatibility's sake, I always prefer cameras that can handle SD cards. The SD card format has won the war. SD cards are cheaper and fit into more computers than xD-Picture cards or the various Sony memory Sticks.
5) If you like to zoom in, go for a 4X or 5X optical zoom instead of the standard 3X. Digital zoom doesn't really count (it just magnifies). If you REALLY like zooming, there are special high-zoom cameras that cost more.
6) If you take a lot of pictures indoors or of people, get a camera with a zoom that starts "wide." A "normal" zoom is marked as approximately 35-105mm equivalent. One that starts at 28mm is slightly "wide" and I prefer that.
7) Don't agonize over the latest, greatest in-camera tricks. All that face recognition, smile and blink detection, color replacement, cutesy frame etc. stuff is nice but really not needed. Ditto for dozens of scene modes.
8) In terms of overall quality and reputation, you rarely go wrong with Canon, Sony (at the cost of not always being totally compatible), Panasonic, Pentax, Casio and Olympus.
9) Stuff like touchscreens, shake/tap operation, etc., is all gimmicky. It works, but isn't very useful.
The above applies to those sleek little compacts that cost anywhere from under $100 up to about $350 for premium models.
If you want a more powerful, high quality compact, you cannot go wrong with the Canon G10/G11.
Digital SLRs are a totally different ballgame. They cost more, are much larger, and the cost of good lenses often exceeds the cost of the camera. They do, however, take better pictures.
Oh, and if you buy one, get it through Amazon by clicking the Amazon banner on Dimensions. That way we get a little cut that helps with costs of running the site.
