Spending Money on a Digital Camera

Spending Money on a Digital Camera

Decided to purchase a digital camera? Seven Insider Secrets to Help You Succeed

Do you want to acquire a digital camera now? Something could be your very first time doing this, or it could be your fourtht time doing this, or it could be your fourth. The process still has the potential to be daunting and bewildering. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer variety of digital cameras available today, with prices ranging from well under $100 to well over $7,000.

It is common practice for prospective buyers to start out by comparing the specifications of ten to twenty cameras that fall within "their price range," whatever that may be. Some folks would rather just buy the first digital camera that "looks" right rather than go through that procedure.

I want to break things down and figure out how they work from a high-level perspective. As a professional photographer, assessing digital cameras is like letting loose a sumo wrestler at an endless feast. Neither you nor anything else will be able to stop me.

However, for the average user, it is not enough to just be aware of the features and capabilities of the digital camera. People are concerned with WHAT THE FEATURE DOES FOR ME, not with HOW IT IS DONE.Whether you choose to base your decision on features and functions or not, here are seven insider suggestions that will help you save money and avoid purchasing an unsuitable digital camera.

The Number One Way to Save Money on a Digital Camera

No matter where you are in the research or purchasing process, you will ultimately reach this point. The cheapest places to get a digital camera are on the web. Whether or not you've ever made an online purchase, there are a few things you should know about Internet purchasing strategies.

When making an online purchase, the price of a "digital camera + tax + shipping" is more important than the price of a "digital camera." Only in this fashion can you truly make an "apples to apples" comparison.

Avoid making a hasty purchase from the cheapest seller just after you've found the total price to be the lowest. Answering some crucial questions posed by the Internet...

Is the digital camera currently available? The cheapest digital cameras are generally the ones that are mysteriously out of stock. If you order a digital camera today, it better not be on backorder for three months.

Fourth, is your Nikon (or Minolta, Canon, etc.) covered by a USA warranty, or are you purchasing "grey goods?" If you don't want to send it overseas for repairs, you need to make sure the warranty is valid in the United States. If it is gray goods, it CANNOT be serviced in the United States.

During this "special order promotion window," retailers may increase the price of optional accessories for your digital baby by as much as 200%.

Here's a second piece of advice: Pro or Prosumer. Which one best meets your requirements?

To start, let's define some concepts. The digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera is the professional standard for digital photography, while the prosumer category includes all other digital cameras. Digital single-lens reflex cameras were available for between $600 and $8,000 by the end of 2005. (Canon and Nikon, at least). Here are the main considerations:

Many prosumer digital cameras can capture high-quality images at ISO 100 or 200, making them ideal for low-light photography. However, a digital SLR is usually necessary for capturing quality images at ISO 400 or 800 in low-light conditions. If not, the digital "noise" will probably detract too much from the image.

To take flash photos from further away than 10 to 12 feet, an external flash device is required. A digital camera's "hot shoe" is required for use of any external flash unit. A hot shoe is standard on all digital SLR cameras. Not all prosumers do so, but many do.

Third, salespeople often try to persuade customers to buy prosumer models instead of professional digital SLRs by claiming that the latter are too sophisticated for casual photographers to operate. That's partially true. Most digital SLRs are made so that users can produce great photos with the camera's automated settings or, if they're more experienced, with the camera's more advanced functions.

Thirdly, define what you mean by "cheap digital camera."

You can make your bank account happy with an "affordable" digital camera, but your inner photographer will likely be disappointed.

Consider the camera's ergonomics first. Is it simple to operate? Comfortable? How many knobs or dials must be turned at once before the desired effect takes effect?

Second, if you're looking to upgrade from a cheaper digital camera, don't assume that paying more or getting more features will make you happier. Try out the camera before you use it. Even if it's inexpensive, a digital camera that you don't use is a waste of money.

Third, you can expect some functional differences between your old film camera and the new digital one. Is it the case that the new camera has controls that defy common sense? Something like that could make someone so frustrated that they stop using their digital camera altogether. It's preferable to learn information like this prior to making a purchase rather than later.

Fourthly, you shouldn't fall for optical and digital zoom. Just one will do.

Let's sum up what we've learned: Only optical zoom matters. My advice when shopping for a digital camera is to pay no attention whatsoever to the zoom range advertised by the store.

There is no effect of digital zoom on the ability to photograph an object in the distance by zooming in on it.

The "zoom factor" of digital cameras is often emphasized in advertisements, which is why salespeople often mention optical zoom. A 15X zoom factor is calculated by multiplying a 3X digital zoom by a 5X optical zoom, a wholly useless and misleading figure!

Fifth Piece of Advice: Should You Buy a Cheap Digital Camera?

If you're looking for a cheap digital camera (or any other electronic gadget), the most crucial question to ask yourself is, "What is my goal?"

Many buyers fall in love with their digital cameras before evaluating their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the device's features (usually after they buy it). To completely upend the norm, I propose doing things backwards. Before anything else, you should ask yourself these fundamental questions:

First, other than taking images, what am I planning to do with the digital camera? Do you prefer to take the occasional family photo, shoot landscapes, get up close and personal with your subjects, use a lot of flash, or do all of the above?

What is the anticipated volume of usage? How often do you update your website? once a week, or twice a year?)

Thirdly, which features such as image quality, compactness, durability, zoom range, field of view, etc. am I most interested in?

The answers to these questions will determine whether or not a cheap digital camera is the right investment for you.

Depending on what you want to do with your photos, a "no-name" budget digital camera may be the best option. However, you shouldn't expect to pay $49.95 for a camera from Brand X. You should also include in the price of the camera a backpack, a lens cover, extra batteries, and memory.

To what extent can you benefit from a compact digital camera?

Despite widespread belief to the contrary, smaller digital cameras (or simply "small digital cameras") are a hot commodity among photography enthusiasts. They take passable pictures, can be carried around easily, and are packed with functions.

We must keep in mind that "little" is not synonymous with "weak." There are a number of benefits to using a compact camera, including being less cumbersome, more portable, less noticeable (less likely to "walk off"), and cheaper than their larger counterparts.

Smaller cameras may be more difficult to use, may not be able to use an external flash, and may have fewer capabilities, such as those for manipulating images, simply because of their size.

Seventh Piece of Advice: Megapixels: Fact or Fiction?

In the realm of digital cameras, one of the most frequently discussed (and frequently misunderstood) concepts is megapixels. Let's separate the truth from the fiction so you can make an educated purchase.

Although you wouldn't know it from talking to digital camera salespeople, having a high-resolution camera is only part of what makes for good digital photography. Improved digital photography relies on a number of factors beyond simply increasing the number of megapixels available. Additionally, you must not view it in isolation. 

There are a lot of options available to you with digital cameras.

The ability to set the shutter speed quickly or slowly is crucial. Improving your digital photography skills requires the use of a tripod, the ability to manually change the white-balance settings, and the presence of pre-programmed modes to aid in challenging lighting situations.

Don't assume that megapixels are useless or harmful. Contrary to popular belief, this is not the case. In one particular situation, increasing the number of megapixels will improve digital photographycase. In one particular situation, increasing the number of megapixels will improve digital photography. Assuming all else is equal, a higher megapixel count will allow for more creative freedom when cropping a shot without sacrificing image quality. Adding a crop to a photograph can also dramatically alter its appearance. Digitally, cropping functions as an eraser.

The purchase of a digital camera might be a quick choice or a long-term endeavor, depending on the individual. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the variety of options available nowadays. You will never have access to ALL THE FACTS in order to make the "best decision," but if you follow these seven guidelines, you will discover what matters most to YOU.