Snap decision
12 Nov 2013
When purchasing a digital camera, you need to strike a balance between what you want, what you need and what you can afford. Of course, there are so many different features to consider and prices vary enormously.
What are your options?
There are two types of cameras on the market to choose from – point and shoot or digital single-lens reflex (D-SLR). Point and shoot cameras are compact devices that offer users automatic settings, or at most, a selection of different modes, such as action, portrait and night mode. These cameras are extremely user-friendly, compact and affordable.
D-SLRs are best suited to users who want to have creative license and control over their images through the use of manual settings. D-SLRs offer a higher quality image and interchangeable lenses, which widen the camera’s versatility.
While D-SLRs produce the highest quality images, they are generally priced over $1000. So if you aren’t likely to utilise the manual settings, a quality point and shoot is best suited to you.
What determines image quality?
Two factors determine your image quality – megapixels and optical zoom. As a rule of thumb, the higher the number of megapixels, the larger the prints you can produce without sacrificing the quality of the image. The average camera features between 7-10 megapixels.
When it comes to zooms, there is no comparison between digital and optical zooms. Digital zooms simply enlarge the pixels in your shot, reducing the quality.
Optical zooms are available up to 12x.
Top tips
- If you lead an active lifestyle, then a waterproof and shockproof camera may be suited to you. Some of these cameras can be submerged up to 10 metres and dropped from two metres.
- If you are looking to capture action shots, then choose a camera with fast shutter speeds. A camera that also offers pre-focus, which is achieved by half-pressing the shoot button, will allow you to set up a shot in anticipation.
- If you tend to take the bulk of your photos in low light, look for a camera with a high ISO rating, which measures light sensitivity.
- If you worry about being steady of hand, rather than lugging around a tripod, invest in a camera with image stabilisation.
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