Compact Cameras: Make An Informed Choice

The digital compact camera. A small electronic imaging device, designed to faithfully capture your moments in time. At least we hope. The vast array of compact cameras on the market make for a mixed bag of style and performance, each with the common goal of making sure you get that shot.

While the skills of the photographer will obviously play a part, you want the best tool for the task. Each company excells in some areas of technology and may lack in others. Fuji is leading the way in sensor design with thier Super CCD, Panasonic is known for the use of high quality Leica lenses, Canon for excellent stabilization and autofocus systems ect. One of my goals in future articles will be to exploit these strengths and some weaknesses too. One constant in this ever changing evolution in digital compact camera design, is the fact that most of these companies offer a great range of compacts to fit every budget and skill level. This gives the consumer alot of choice.

A camera is much more than how many megapixels it has. This has been a long time misconception about digital cameras, I will address the issue of camera resolution in an upcoming article. The quality of the lense, imaging sensor and autofocus system all play an integral part in the final product. Not to mention underrated features such as a wide angle lense, manual controls and build quality.

You may already be looking for a compact camera for an upcoming holiday, to snap beach or party shots, or maybe you have a new baby in your family. As you probably already know, when you enter an electronics store you are faced with a daunting selection of cameras, all different sizes, shapes and features. Megapixels, sensors, focal lengths, stabilizers...one salesperson tells you this, another tells you that. You may end up buying more camera than you need or maybe not enough, but worst of all, one that is not suited for your lifestyle or application.

The two most important factors in making your decision should be your BUDGET and your APPLICATION. With so many different kinds of photography, it is wise to think about what kind of pictures you enjoy taking. For example, a camera you would use mainly for sports or other fast action should have a different core feature set than one that would be more suited for family snapshots or landscapes. It's all about getting the best possible features for your application.

In future articles you will read about specific features to look for when choosing a camera for your application. Travel, sports, street photography, nature and landscape and party and social situations will all be covered. Not only that, there are amazing accessories available for your camera that will make your picture taking experience even more fun! Stay tuned....