Nowadays, anyone can take pictures that look as though they were done by a
professional. As with so many things, technology has decreased the gap between
the professional and the amateur when it comes to picture taking. Just because
you can take high end pictures with a digital camera does not mean that you
will be dropping off business cards right away though. Most of us will still want cameras strictly for amateur purposes; let's
take a look at some things to consider when you are buying a camera for such
a use.
By far the top consideration for any camera buyer today is the zoom capabilities.
If you are anything like me, you will probably want your camera for taking pictures
of everything from your kids to wildlife, and a great zoom that's built
in can really come in handy. Keep in mind many of the 'facts'
posted by retail outlets in regards to the zoom on your camera can be misleading;
they often combine the digital and the optical zoom numbers to make it look
like you have whopping zoom capabilities. It's the optical zoom that is
most important for your purposes; digital zoom numbers will be higher, but it
results in lower quality pictures.
You will also want to take a look at what kind of batteries the digital camera
you are looking at takes. The last thing you want is to be participating in
one of those art tours where you can actually take pictures, and have
your batteries run out with your replacements sitting on the kitchen counter. Digital cameras go through batteries
incredibly quickly, so look for a camera that takes rechargeable batteries.
Even better, look for a camera which comes with a recharger!
Jargon can be a big problem when it comes to the average camera buyer. Megapixels
are the range of sensors a camera has, as well as the number of pixels in an
image. Generally we believe the higher the number the better, and if you plan
on really delving into photography this will hold true. However, if you will
be shooting regular 11 by 14 inch prints,
5 megapixels is going to be sufficient. Expect to pay more for a higher number
of pixels, and for most people the price is not worth it.
You should also consider the ways in which the camera can assist an amateur
photographer. Most of us have trouble shooting consistently great pictures indoors,
and a digital camera with a low light focusing aid can help when you are shooting inside.
Finally, consider what kind of software package is included with your digital
camera purchase. Packages that offer good editing, sharing, and organizing tools
are preferable and can really help you get the most out of your new camera. You may find it helpful to go to a large retail site like Amazon and read the customer product reviews.
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