Buying a new digital camera
A whole new photography experience
If you’re about to start or even if you’re already attending Hampshire College, having a digital camera to record images of all those wonderful memories you’ll want to look back on is almost a necessity rather than an option. There are so many things to see around Hampshire that you can take a picture of and in the holidays you might go on vacation and take your digital camera with you.
There is of course a bewildering array of digital camera options out there to choose from so you might appreciate a bit of guidance in making your choice. There are different digital camera buying guides out there, but I will tell you what are the most important things to think about from my experience.
First and foremost you need to establish one of three things:
- Do I just want a camera to take ‘snaps’ of things I do and people I meet?
- Do I really want to get into photography and take interesting/creative pictures?
- Is having a digital camera important/integral to my course of study, like the visual arts courses at Hampshire College?
If you fall into category two or three, you’ll probably already know about choosing a digital camera and might want to skip this article. However, if not ….. read on.
Starting to look online for a digital camera
Dependant on which of those three categories you think you fall into the single most important factor in buying a digital camera is - how much can I afford? Following from that it does not necessarily follow that a $200 camera is inferior to a $300. Shopping around, especially on the internet, you’ll find some great deals on digital cameras. So be prepared to take some time over looking at what’s on offer and comparing ‘how many bangs per buck’ you can get.
Mega Pixels
When comparing the relative merits of different digital cameras it’s very easy to get too focused on the amount of mega pixels the camera has. Whilst the greater the number of mega pixels the higher the resolution of the image taken, mega pixels are not the sole arbiter of the quality of a digital camera.
The build of the digital camera, the material used in that build, the lens and the settings that you can control all contribute to how good, overall, a digital camera is. A 4 mega pixel camera with a top class lens will give you much better pictures than a 10 mega pixel one with a shoddy lens.
If you’re buying a camera just to take ‘snaps’ their really isn’t any point in spending money on a digital camera above 4 mega pixels. Cameras that operate above 4 mega pixels really are for people who want to produce poster size images and/or enjoy spending time cropping images.
The 10 mega pixel cameras that are becoming the standard in SLR digital cameras (single lens reflex) really are for serious/professional photographers. You’ll be much better starting with a simple and cheaper camera, which can still have plenty of features to explore.
What else should I look for in a digital camera?
Deciding on a digital camera should not mean you already need a degree in electronics to understand it but it will have many more features than a non-digital camera.
On most digital cameras many of the features are automated and you can, if you want to, simply point the camera at the object to be photographed and click the ‘shutter’. These automated digital camera features can be selected and altered by using a menu system on the screen at the back of the camera.
The larger and brighter this screen is - the easier it will be to operate. Also a large and bright screen means you will more easily be able to see the images you have taken with the camera, without having to download them onto your computer.
However, please be aware that large and bright screens will drain the battery of the camera more quickly than a smaller/duller screen. A great advantage of digital cameras is being able to delete a shot if you decide that don’t want to keep it. On the camera you’re considering buying, is that an easy and quick operation to carry out?
Storage cards and your computer.
When buying your digital camera online you might as well also buy a storage card for it. The pictures you take will be stored on a memory card inside the camera.
Whilst the camera will have some ’built-in’ storage capacity, it‘s a good idea and easy to upgrade the amount of memory available. Many cameras use SD digital cards (Secure Digital), a 1 GB SD card will store at least 250 images taken on a 4 mega pixel camera, so buying the latest 32 GB card really isn’t necessary - just yet!
Finally, without getting too technical, make sure your camera has the appropriate lead to download your pictures onto your computer and that your computer is compatible with and can manage your chosen digital camera. There is also different software available for managing or editing your photos. But this is something that you should think about only when you have become a digital photography pro!
If you have decided on the type of digital camera you like the next step is to go to a local camera shop and get it. However, if you are too lazy to find out where to find the next camera store you can as well search for one online. There you can compare and select your digital camera within the convenience of your home and pay via credit card. A few days later the parcel with your camera will arive and it is your turn to take your first digital pictures! Enjoy!