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Digital Camera Reviews and Buying Guide: Buying a digital camera is really more complicated than it needs to be. Almost all digital cameras have similar features which means you need to determine 2 things - what size do you want the camera to be and how many megapixels will be sufficient for your photographing needs. There are really 2 types of digital cameras, compact and subcompact models. Compact digital cameras are still the overall best choice for consumers and pricing on these models continue to fall with each month. The subcompact cameras will fit in your pocket, but often have limiting factors compared to their compact counterparts. Subcompacts have shorter battery life, controls that are smaller, often no viewfinder, and zoom ranges that are not that big. So although subcompacts are sleeker in appearance, you don't get anything different from the cheaper compact digital cameras. The buzz word with digital camera owners is - megapixels. Everyone is always asking me "How many megapixels does your camera have?". I try to tell them that more megapixels doesn't always equate to better photos. Six or 7 megapixels is more than enough picture resolution for most of us. Anything less and you may have some issues with clarity or quality when cropping your images. If you got a 10 or 12 megapixel camera and aren't a professional photographer, you probably wasted your money. Most of print our photos or keep them on our computers in JPEG format for others to view or use as wallpaper backgrounds. One other feature I suggest that people consider is the image stabilization(IS) function which helps keep those "blurred" photos to a minimum. If you have problems keeping the camera steady or shake when taking pictures look for the IS feature. We bought the Canon PowerShot A710 IS model and our pictures are crystal clear. Optical zoom of 3X is pretty much standard but if you can get 6X go for it. LCD screens are also standard on all digital cameras and most are between 2-3 inches which is plenty for onscreen display of images or menu choices. Some cameras do suck up batteries more than others and you will find that shutter lag can be downright slow in certain models. Consumer Reports notes that digital cameras have some of the best reliability records of all electronic goods in their surveys. Therefore, don't worry about extended warranties when buying one of these. What brands offer the best digital cameras? Year in and year out the folks at Canon are rated highest by Consumer Reports and Sony tops the list in the subcompact category. Other manufacturers include FujiFilm, HP, Kodak, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, and Samsung. Pricing? Expect to spend $150 to $600 on a digital camera depending on megapixels, zoom, size, and IS. Don't forget that you will need to buy memory cards to save your pictures on when you take the actual pictures. Transfer the photos to your computer for editing and printing. Best Digital Camera: When I looked at Consumer Reports digital camera guide last year I immediately went to try and find their recommendations at stores. I couldn't find anything they recommended online or in stores. As with much of technology, things change overnight it seems and many models are hard to find 6 months after they are released. I did, however, settle with the Canon PowerShot A710 IS ($270) and am very happy with the results. Many of the Canon digital cameras in their PowerShot line get great reviews, but the A710 IS gets great marks for picture quality, shutter lag, and next-shot delay. I light the image stabilization feature which allows for not so steady picture taking with clear results (pictures). It's a little bulkier than I would normally like in a digital camera, but it still easily fits in a jacket pocket or fits nicely around your wrist with the carrying case. The camera has 7 megapixels so I can drop down photos and keep the quality and the 6X optical zoom lets you get nice closeups. The biggest complaint on this camera is the flash delay that occurs between pictures, but my wife and I have not found this to be an issue. You can get this camera on Amazon or in your local photography store. CR rates the Canon PowerShot A630 and Fujifilm FinePix F31FD ($220) as "best buys" in the compact category. Best Subcompact Cameras: Sony digital cameras tend to dominate this category and it's no different this time. Reviews of the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-NZ ($310) are almost all positive and the camera has plenty of megapixels (10) and picture quality is said to be "superb". It does only offer 3X optical zoom, but consumers say the camera makes up for this drawback with easy to use controls and the ability to store it in your pocket when not in use. Sony also offers the Cyber-Shot DSC-W80 for $250 which also ranks high in most user ratings. Amazon has some excellent feedback from customers on all the Sony digital cameras. The CR Best Buy award goes to the Samsung L77 ($250) for picture quality and great shutter lag. Digital SLR Camera: Looking to get into the SLR cameras. The Canon Digital Rebel XTi ($800) gets great expert feedback and consumer reviews. It's easy to use, battery life is excellent, and image quality is good. The 10 megapixels will give you high resolution pictures. People like the fact you can shoot of bunches of pictures within seconds assuring yourself of getting the "perfect shot". Nikon also has the D80 and D40 (CR Best Buy) that rate high too. Cheap Digital Camera: The Canon Powershot A630 ($200) is probably the best camera for the cheapest price. By the time this article hits the Internet, the price will probably be below $200. At megapixels, you won't be lacking in resolution size which gives you the ability to crop down parts of images and get rid of unnecessary details. Picture quality is "fantastic" and battery life is more than adequate. If you don't already own a digital camera, this one is a great place to start for the budget minded. Available online through Amazon and other photo related e-tailers. © 1999-2007 Funskins.com - Product Reviews