How to Choose a Digital Camera (updated 01/11/07)
Aug 23 '00 (Updated Jan 11 '07)
The Bottom Line Considering a Digital Camera Purchase? Here's some basic information that may help you make a better purchasing decision.
When I first became interested in photography (about thirty years ago) choices were much simpler. Thirty five millimeter cameras came in three basic flavors, professional cameras like the Nikon "F" & F2, The Canon F1, and the Pentax LX, amateur level cameras like the Pentax Spotmatic, the Nikkormat "FT" series, and the Minolta SRT models, and finally the compact cameras (in not only 35mm, but in 126 and 110 film formats) that are called Point & Shoots today.
The ongoing technology revolution is rapidly changing the social and cultural landscape of America and the world. Cell phones are everywhere, more than half the homes in the U. S. have personal computers, and millions of folks won't leave home without their iPod. During the last thirty years camera technology has changed dramatically and digital cameras have essentially replaced traditional 35mm film cameras in popularity (and sales). Features like auto exposure, auto focus, auto flash, and program modes have made taking good pictures much simpler and provided photographers with options that we old-timers never dreamed were possible.
There is so much to learn and understand that many potential purchasers get bogged down in research. More people every year are buying digital cameras and for many consumers the search for the "right" digi-cam may seem a little intimidating. Don't be discouraged, it really isn't as confusing as it may seem.
Manufacturers are continually introducing newer more feature rich digital cameras. Competition for consumer dollars is really stiff and that benefits consumers in some very important ways. Digicams are now much cheaper and have many more features than their predecessors. Four years ago an average 3 megapixel digital camera cost over $500. Today a very good 4-5 megapixel digital camera can be had for between $150 and $200.
Let's try and put this whole business in perspective and see if we can find a less perilous path through the swamp of claims, hype, and glory that make this Brave New digital World so daunting for some digicam neophytes. First, don't worry about staying ahead of the development curve, whatever you buy today, is already obsolete---its replacement is probably in the final stages of R&D, and the next generation is currently evolving on the digital camera drawing boards.
Let's take a quick look at the "pros and cons" of buying a digital camera
PROS
No film purchases or film developing costs, you can instantly review whether or not the picture "came out" on the LCD, included software will generally allow manipulation/enhancement of images (which means you are can correct some of your mistakes and overcome some minor environmental factors), most digital cameras can capture short movies, most digital cameras will allow you to produce slide shows that can be shown on your TV (won't your friends be thrilled the next time they drop by for a visit).
CONS
In order to maximize your digital camera investment you'll need a PC with a big hard drive and lots of RAM, a photo capable printer, and a large color accurate monitor, Digital cameras typically cost twice (to five times) as much as an equivalent film camera. Problems like rapid obsolescence, menus that are often confusing and difficult to use, shutter lag and image write time can be frustrating. Digital cameras are not environmentally friendly. Power consumption is high and batteries require fifty times as much energy to manufacture as they are able to store. Big polluters like petroleum, mining, and other extractive industries provide most of the components used in PC's, printers, peripherals, and digital cameras. To date there is no serious/concerted effort in place to properly dispose of or re-use obsolete computer components. The typical home PC contains over twenty pounds of plastic and almost one pound of heavy metals (mercury, gold, silver, cadmium, etc.) and the typical monitor contains about five pounds of lead.
What follows is a basic primer on choosing a digital camera
The first question that you’ll need to answer is what is the camera going to be used for. There are several categories of digital camera, and knowing exactly what the camera is intended to do is going to make the search and selection process much simpler. Digital cameras range in price from less than $100 dollars for a bare bones entry level 1 – 2 megapixel digicam to over six grand for Canon's EOS 1Ds Mark II. Their capabilities vary just as dramatically as their prices. The entry level digicam will produce images that are acceptable for email and home page use; while the Canon Pro dSLR is the darling of a new breed of digital photojournalists who need a camera that is tough enough to go into combat and sophisticated enough to send back stunning “real time” images of the battles.
What are you going to do with the camera? Here is a list of how digital cameras are most commonly used
E-Mail/Home Pages/Personal & Family sites/Web Cam
This marketing niche is the most common and fastest growing segment of the digital photography revolution. Very simple and inexpensive digital cameras are usually quite adequate for sending email JPEGS. Cameras designed/optimized for this type of use typically cost between $100.00 and $200.00 and fall into the 3-4 megapixel range. Basic digital cameras generally offer resolution that is acceptable for email (320x240 or 640x480). Uploading images to a computer is pretty simple now that fast USB connections are almost universal. Included software usually provides only limited options for image manipulation/modification.
Auction sites/Real Estate/Business web sites & Traditional "Snapshot" photography
The growth of the ebay phenomenon has created a new niche for digital photography, buyers want to see what they are bidding on making it necessary for sellers to display images of their "on line" wares. Entry-level Digital Cameras, are usually perfect for this type of use. Make sure the model you buy has a "macro" or close up mode that allows close focusing at 12 inches or less. Selling your bass boat or Airstream Travel Trailer will be easy with the killer images you can get with cameras in this range. Selling the "occupied Japan" figurines your Dad/Uncle/Grandfather brought back from the orient after the war will be much tougher, unless your camera can focus close enough to fill the frame with the item(s) you are putting up for auction.
Digital cameras designed/optimized for this type of use are generally in the 4-6 megapixel range. Some exceptional deals can be found on general use cameras if you are willing to invest some time in research. Typical Snapshot friendly "point & shoot" digital cameras also fall into this category. If you don't need enlargements bigger than 5X7 inches, then a 5-7 megapixel digital camera like Nikon's Coolpix L6 will work fine as your primary family camera. For those who need larger prints check out the new Canon Powershot A640. Prints are easy make at home with a good photo quality printer or you can upload your digital negatives to one of the on line printers or have them printed (directly from your memory card) at Walmart or the local drugstore (just like your folks did).
On Line Photo albums/home slide shows, "pro" quality web pages, Desktop publishing, Web site design/development, and Printing/enlargement of images from your digital darkroom
Cameras in this group are mid level to pro quality offering the best resolution (typically 6-10 megapixels), the most features, and the heftiest price tags. Cameras range from the Canon Powershot S3 IS, the Canon Digital Rebel XTi, or soon to appear EOS 40D, and Nikon's D50, D80s or D200. Photographers who purchase cameras of this type are looking for the "best" in terms of resolution, features, and creative options.
To further clarify the choices listed above, here is a short glossary of Digital Camera terms
Megapixel
Pixel is an acronym for "picture elements" (each pixel is like the individual dots that make up the pictures that you see on a TV or monitor screen), and basically the more pixels, the sharper the image. Megapixels equal "millions of picture elements". The resolution range, in currently available digital cameras, is from about 1.3 megapixels (1,300,000 picture elements) to 22 megapixels (22,000,000 picture elements)
Digital/Optical Zooms
Most digital cameras provide both an optical zoom and a digital zoom. The optical zooms are just like those used in 35mm cameras. Digital zooms magnify (digitally "zoom" in on) a small central sector of the image area which causes pixelation (individual picture elements start to become visible), noise (the edges of the pixels fuzz out, causing color to fade and contrast and overall image quality to drop), and a general loss of sharpness and color saturation.
The camera's imaging capability is only as good as the lens mounted in front of the sensor. Digital cameras have an inherent problem, the image sensor array (because of its small size) uses only the center portion of the zoom lens, this causes distortion and image degradation. Many of these problems can be overcome with well designed and well built lenses. Do some research on the lens quality of your chosen model, most consumers overlook this very important component in the equation when researching digital cameras. Don't be guided by cost and resolution numbers alone, check out everything you can find out before you lay down those hard earned dollars. A 10 megapixel camera with a mediocre lens is no better than a 6 megapixel camera with a good lens.
The most exciting options currently available to consumers are the "long Zoom" (10x to 12x) lenses, many with image stabilizaton. Optical Image Stabilization is practically ubiquitous in today's long zoom prosumer digicams. OIS allows photographers to shoot at shutter speeds up to three stops slower than would have been possible without OIS. For example, if a shutter speed of 1/500th of a second is required to avoid the effects of camera shake (without OIS) a digicam with OIS can capture a reasonably sharp image of the same subject, everything else being equal, at 1/60th of a second.
OIS provides an especially important benefit outdoors (when shooting handheld) at full telephoto in good light (where even the slightest camera movement is magnified exponentially). Image stabilization can also be a very useful asset when shooting indoors where higher shutter speeds may not be possible or would result in dark images with poor shadow/highlight detail. In addition, Image stabilization combined with higher sensitivity dramatically increases exposure options in low/natural light and dimly lit indoor venues where flash is prohibited.
Optical viewfinder vs Electronic Viewfinder vs LCD viewfinder
Optical viewfinders are like those in 35mm cameras -- you look through a small optical tunnel and see pretty much the same image the camera sees (SLR type Optical viewfinders like those offered on the Nikon D80 or Canon Digital Rebel XTi show exactly what the lens sees) Serious photographers like this feature.
An Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) is just a smaller version of the LCD screen found on the rear deck of most digital cameras. The Electronic Viewfinder neither shows as much detail as an optical viewfinder nor is that detail rendered sharply enough for the photographer to ensure that the image is in tack sharp focus.
LCD viewfinders are like a small TV screen. They are fine unless you are outside in bright light or under bright light inside (both of which make the image dim and hard to see).
Optical viewfinders and Electronic viewfinders (EVFs) narrow the photographer's vision of the world (by eliminating everything except the field of view of the camera's lens) and that’s a good thing - because it forces shooters to see photographically. Arms length LCD screen composition causes shooters to see their images as a picture within a picture, a smaller part of the whole rather than as a completely self-contained mini-environment and that is a very important distinction, in creative terms.
dSLRs
dSLRs are for more serious photographers or shooters who already have a bag of OEM (Nikon, Canon, Pentax, or Olympus) lenses and accessories. With the newest digital SLR's like the Nikon D80 or the Digital Rebel XTi or the Nikon D200 photographers can digitally complement their creativity.
There are a few important facts first time dSLR Buyers should keep in mind. dSLR image sensors are (usually) smaller than a frame of 35mm film so there’s a 1.5X -1.6X magnification (crop) factor with 35mm format lenses----the good news is that telephoto lenses magically grow longer (a 200 mm telephoto becomes a 320 mm telephoto). The bad news is that the same thing happens to wide-angle lenses (a 28 mm wide-angle lens becomes a 43 mm normal lens). Digital photographers who like to shoot grand vistas or expansive interior shots will have to buy very expensive ultra wide-angle lenses.
dSLR LCD screens can’t be used as viewfinders (like they are with Point & Shoot digital cameras) because the mirror used to reflect the image up to the TTL optical viewfinder blocks the light path. Digital SLR LCD’s are used for menu navigation and image review.
Digital SLRs don’t feature movie modes, so if the video feature is an important selling point check out an upscale P&S model like the Canon Powershot G7 or the Canon Powershot S3 IS.
Digital SLRs do not generally include a starter memory card (like many P&S digitcams) so dSLR purchasers must factor the cost of a large capacity memory card into their price calculations.
Image Storage
Digital cameras don’t use film, instead they store images on digital flash memory media. The most popular types of memory media for digital images are Compact Flash Cards (types I & II), xD picture Cards, SD cards, and Sony Memory Stick cards. Digital flash memory media provide capacity in MB (megabytes) usually 8-16-32-64-128-256-512 MB, 1 Gigabyte, 2 Gigabytes, etc.
Many upper tier and pro level digital cameras accept Compact Flash type II cards, which also allows them to use Microdrives (in essence a small hard drive) which provide massive storage capability.
Power
All digital cameras use batteries for power (although many digicams are also able to plug right into house current with an optional AC adapter). There are more varieties of batteries available than there are excuses for FEMA’s slow response to Hurricane Katrina. Batteries and chargers are included with most P&S digicams. Having to buy re-chargeable batteries and a charger will typically add from $20 to $100 to the cost of your digital camera.
SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE
Digital Cameras usually come packed with enough software to allow you to import images to your computer and send them as email attachments. Some software packages provide substantially more sophistication in the manipulation and management of images. For instance many software packages will allow you to stitch images together to make panoramas. Research carefully if this sort of capability is important to you. Hardware options available for many digital cameras will allow the use of external flashes, and add on lens converters that provide enhanced wide angle, macro, and telephoto capabilities.
ERGONOMICS
Some digital cameras are very compact, like Canon's pocketable SD700 IS. Larger digital cameras like the Canon S3-IS or the Sony H5 are about the size of a compact 35mm SLR. Make sure the camera you decide to buy is going to be comfortable for you to use and that the weight and size are not going to be a deterrent to getting out and shooting pictures.
Tweakability Quotient
How responsive is the digicam you are considering? Will it keep pace with you as your photographic abilities grow and your creative skills evolve? Will it allow users to make truly personal images via aperture & shutter speed selection, exposure compensation, flash compensation, exposure bracketing, AF bracketing, in-camera image adjustment (saturation, contrast, sharpening), manually selecting ISO sensitivity, or fine tuning white balance?
If you think you might get serious (at some point) about photography you should look for a digital camera that provides a broad range of exposure control, creative flexibility, and lots of user input into the picture making process. Full auto digicams limit input into the image making process and many purchasers will eventually grow frustrated with those limitations.
Size REALLY does matter
Tiny cameras can't be expected to compete on an equal footing with full sized units in terms of image quality, features, battery life, or cost. Consumers who value compact size must be prepared to accept certain trade offs because tiny batteries can't hold as much power as larger batteries. Lens aberrations will show more clearly in tiny zoom lenses than they would in larger units and the output power from a flash unit that is half the size of a standard postage stamp obviously can't equal the output power of a unit that is twice or three times as large.
A few Important Caveats
One of the major disappointments more advanced photographers face when they switch from film cameras to digital format cameras is loss of the ability to use selective focus (a blurred or out of focus background is used to dramatize a sharply focused foreground and thereby accentuate the subject --- especially useful in portraiture) due to the very short focal lengths of fixed digicam lenses. Depth of field (how far the plane of focus extends in front of and behind the point of focus) is a property of the focal length of the lens, and to a lesser degree the aperture setting. The shorter the focal length of the lens the further the plane of sharp focus extends. Digicam format lenses (both zooms and primes) have very short focal lengths which create deep depth of field even at wide apertures and long telephoto settings; areas where 35mm (and larger format) lenses provide very shallow depth of field. What this means practically is, if you like to shoot portraits with the subject in focus and the background blurred, you'll have to buy a digital SLR.
Very small cameras have one serious design flaw, due to size constraints the flash must be placed very close to the lens – and this results in continuous problems with red-eye. If you like to shoot portraits (environmental, formal, or informal) and you don’t want your subjects showing the old red-eye, opt for a larger camera.
One final note on resolution. Be careful of resolution claims when researching digital cameras. Some manufacturers make top resolution claims, based on image interpolation. Interpolation is a software process that adds pixels to the image file. Interpolation can produce better looking prints, so it is not necessarily a bad thing, just be sure to base your buying decisions on the actual resolution of the imaging device, rather than the punched up numbers.
Do You Really Need a 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 Megapixel Digital Camera?
Probably not, unless you are a serious amateur or working Pro photographer. If you've been using a 35mm SLR and pro quality zoom or prime (fixed focal length) lenses and shooting slow slide or fine grain B&W film, then you are probably going to need an 8 or 10 megapixel dSLR (and a couple of good quality lenses) to give you image quality that is comparable to what you are used to. If you've been shooting with amateur SLRs (or Point & Shoot digicams), consumer level zooms, and color print film then you probably won't need anything more than a good quality 5 or 6 megapixel Point &Shoot (or if you occasionally want good 8X10 enlargements) a 6-8 megapixel P&S model with a good quality lens.
Why buy a Prosumer Point & Shoot (P&S) digicam like the S3 IS or G7 when you can get a Canon Digital Rebel XTi for about the same price. SLR cameras appeal to a completely different breed of photographer, they are modular by nature (meaning that users can add lenses, battery grips, flash units and numerous other components to create a versatile and customized imaging tool)> Interchangeable lenses are also (generally) much better optically than the fixed zooms on P&S digicams.
However, prosumer P&S digicams provide users with a wide range of easily accessed features, much simpler operation, LCD viewfinders, amazing convenience, more compact size, and lighter weight than dSLRs. While the initial purchase prices may be comparable---over time a dSLR is going to end up being a substantially larger investment for most shooters, making Prosumer digicams a worthwhile and affordable alternative for many photographers.
A Final Word
Photography (digital or film) has always been about compromises, so purchasers should start with realistic expectations -- there are no perfect cameras. Once you've determined what you are going to use the camera for, and which features/options you want/need/expect, the next step is to read everything that you can find on the models that meet your requirements.
Read lots of reviews and look for knowledgeable reviewers who generously share their personal experiences with the camera, not just their personal assessments. Then base your final buying decision on your opinion of the camera and the consensus opinions of those reviewers you’ve come to trust. If possible, go to a local camera store and handle your top two or three choices since subjective camera "feel" and perceived usability are very important factors in consumer satisfaction with digital camera purchases.
During the early years of the digital imaging revolution, camera cost and pixel count rose together, but over the past couple of years prices have actually (in real terms) been falling dramatically. Digital SLR prices have dropped so far (and so fast) that interchangeable lens cameras are in direct competition with top of the line prosumer P&S models. There’s never been a better time to buy a digital camera.
Links
If you would like to see a selection of images that are very similar to and typical of the sort of test pictures I shoot for my epinions digital camera reviews, click on the first link under Favorite Links on my profile page (to get to my EPS profile page from this review, just click on my name under about the author). The Favorite Links link will take you to my forum page at DCR. Click on the “find all posts by Howard Creech (under Forum Info). My DCR reviews each feature a selection of my images.
The observations, opinions, recommendations, and conclusions provided in my digital camera reviews are based on more than 30 years experience as a photographer and extensive hands on testing of each of the cameras reviewed. I receive no compensation from DCR.com for your visit or any subsequent purchase you may make. You can return to epinions at any time (either open the link in a new window or hit your back button).
For more information about some of the Digital Camera models mentioned in this review (and others you may find interesting) the reviews listed below may be informative. To read my most recent digital camera reviews please check out my Epinions profile page http://www.epinions.com/user-howard_creech
dSLR cameras
Canon Digital Rebel XTi / EOS 400D
http://www.epinions.com/content_257380814468
Prosumer Digital Cameras
Canon Powershot S3 IS
http://www.epinions.com/content_232394624644
General Use / Point & Shoot Digital Cameras
Canon Powershot A640
http://www.epinions.com/content_265901870724
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Member: Howard Creech
Location: Louisville, KY
Reviews written: 333
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Photographer/Writer fascinated by Movies, Music, Books, American Diner Food, History, "Popular Culture", and Travel.
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