How to Compare Digital Video Cameras

You should never buy a digital camera on an impulse. They are complicated and rather expensive pieces of equipment. Today’s cameras no longer simply take pictures, but allow you to photograph, edit and alter your pictures either directly with the camera or through the use of computer software. This opens up a whole new spectrum of digital cameras, offering features that give more advanced photographers options that others may not need.

Step 1

Decide on what you will be using your camera for. Will you be using it simply to take photos for yourself? Will you be using it to upload albums to a public location for your family to view? Once you how you will be using your camera you can start filtering out cameras that have features you don’t need.

Step 2

Pick out the cameras with photo viewing systems you like. Most digital cameras have an LCD screen that allows you to instantly view the picture you’ve just taken. Try taking a few pictures with each camera and cycle through the pictures. If any of the cameras seem difficult to navigate or their screens are hard to see, then eliminate those cameras.

Step 3

Determine what kind of storage you would like. The most common type of storage is a memory card made specifically for that camera. This will determine how many pictures you can store, but normally the more storage you get the more the card is going to cost. Do a little research on the storage types for the cameras you are considering and make sure that you can purchase additional memory cards for a reasonable price. Eliminate the cameras that have too little or more storage than you need.

Step 4

Determine how you want the lenses to work on your camera. If you’re just looking for a nice camera to have with no real serious project in mind, then you’ll probably be fine with the standard lenses. However if you’re planning on using the camera in a job or anything that requires different types of high-quality pictures you should make sure that the camera make and model has different lenses that you can purchase. Eliminate the cameras that don’t have the lens capabilities you need. See reference.

Step 5

Figure out what kind of batteries you would like to have. Some cameras have battery packs that need to be recharged every so often, and other cameras run off of standard AA batteries. If you are going to be using your camera for long periods of time, then you would probably be better off with a more standard battery compared to one that requires being charged every couple of hours. Eliminate the cameras with batteries that you do not like.

Step 6

Explore the special features of the remaining cameras. Once you have gone through the basic functions of a camera, go through the different special features. Find something that has a lot of features you like and will use. Paying extra for features that you later realize you will never use can be quite frustrating. Once you have determined what camera offers the most use for its price then you’ll be ready to make your purchase.