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Choosing the right camera can be an extremely difficult task. There are literally hundreds of cameras to choose from, and making the wrong choice is the last thing you would want to do. Choosing the right type of camera for your needs would probably be the most important decision you will have to make before completing that purchase.

Digital cameras are generally categorized into three types; the digital point & shoot camera, the digital bridge camera, and the digital SLR camera. Each camera type has its advantages and disadvantages. It is now up to you to determine which type of camera fits your photography needs and budget.

Digital Point & Shoot Cameras

A Typical Point And Shoot Digital Camera

The digital point & shoot camera is the smallest of the three types and is usually the simplest to use. They are designed to be very handy. They can be easily placed in a purse or a briefcase, and some are even small enough to fit into a shirt pocket. Today’s digital point & shoot cameras feature bright LCD screens which also double as digital viewfinders which allow the user to frame their pictures perfectly without the fear of cutting off someone’s head in the photo. Most digital point & shoot cameras also feature multiple program modes that tackle specific situations or lighting conditions adding creativity and fun to photography.

Although digital point & shoot cameras are basically easy-to-use cameras that don’t require the user to have any formal training in photography, choosing the right camera for the right needs may call for a little more thought. Things to look out for when choosing a digital point & shoot camera are its maximum resolution, its optical and digital zoom range, and the type of battery it uses.

The megapixel rating in the form “MP” usually denotes the maximum resolution of each digital point & shoot camera. The higher the “MP” rating, the higher the resolution gets which allows you to print larger photos without sacrificing sharpness or quality. Choosing a camera with a good mix of optical and digital zoom may also be a good idea. Be reminded though that images taken with an optical zoom lens will always be better in quality when compared to those taken with the digital zoom feature of a digital point & shoot camera.

Most digital point & shoot cameras today are powered by proprietary rechargeable batteries that require a special AC charger. If you intend to do a lot of traveling where an AC outlet may be hard to find, look for a digital point & shoot camera that is powered by AA batteries. This type of battery can be found almost anywhere around the world.

If you intend to use the camera for shooting people in parties or small gatherings, look for a camera with a zoom lens that has it widest setting at no more than 36mm (equivalent focal length in 35mm film).

If you shoot a lot of sports and portraits, you will find that digital point & shoot cameras that offer lenses that have a zoom setting of 85mm (equivalent focal length in 35mm film) and above can give you flattering photos. At this focal length though, camera shake may occur resulting in blurred photos. To avoid camera shake, look for a digital point & shoot camera equipped with an image-stabilizing feature.

Zoom lenses are labeled from its widest setting to its longest setting in terms of focal length. An example would be 4.5-17.3mm f/2.8-4.9 (35mm film equivalent: 35-105mm). Some digital point & shoot cameras state the 35mm equivalent on the lens itself while others state it only in the technical specifications of the users’ manual.

Another feature found on many point and shoot cameras is Face Detection, which finds individual or multiple faces in the frame and sets the most suitable focus point, when the shutter button is pressed halfway. And an additional feature, Face Detection on some models adjusts the flash, based on a person's face on the screen. Exposure and flash are controlled to ensure proper illumination of both the faces and the overall scene, eliminating the common problem of darkened or overexposed faces.

Digital Bridge Cameras

The Nikon Coolpix P5100 - A Digital Bridge Camera
Almost A Digital SLR

The digital bridge camera, as its term implies, bridges the gap between the digital point & shoot camera and the digital SLR camera. Built larger than the digital point & shoot camera, it usually comes equipped with a larger lens that looks almost like those found on digital SLR cameras. It also uses a larger imaging sensor, which means it can produce better quality images when compared to digital point & shoot cameras. The controls and functions of the digital bridge camera are very similar to those found on digital SLR cameras making them ideal for advanced users and for those who are looking for the best all around performance in an all-in-one camera. Most digital bridge cameras also come with an accessory shoe, also referred to as a hot shoe, for attaching auxiliary flash units or triggering devices that can be used to control studio flash systems.

Some digital bridge cameras are equipped with superzoom lenses in the 12X range. An example is the Canon PowerShot S5 IS, which has a 6.0-72.0mm f/2.7-3.5 (36-432mm equivalent focal length in 35mm film) zoom lens that offers a versatile 12X wide angle to super telephoto coverage. Other digital bridge cameras utilize a moderate 3.5X zoom lens but can be supplemented with add-on wide angle or telephoto converter lenses to extend its zoom range.

Digital SLR Cameras

Digital SLR cameras are system cameras that offer a wide selection of lenses. They feature the most advanced focusing and metering systems and are the most versatile of the three types of digital cameras. Another advantage of digital SLR cameras is that it offers reflex viewing where you see exactly what the lens sees real-time. This leaves no mistake of missing that important shot.

Lenses for digital SLR cameras can range from special fish-eye lenses that cover a 180° picture angle, to super-telephoto lenses with a focal length of 1200mm. A 1200mm super-telephoto lens is powerful enough to fill up the frame of a digital SLR camera with the image of the moon. Digital SLR cameras can also be fitted with special application lenses such as those used for architectural photography called perspective control lenses or those used for macrophotography called macro lenses.

landscape shot taken with a wide angle lens

bird in the wild shot with a telephoto lens

A good moderate zoom can be a handy choice as an all around lens for a digital SLR camera. Some digital SLR cameras even come bundled with a moderate zoom lens commonly referred to as a kit lens. But if more versatility is needed, a lens having a 10X zoom range may be a better choice.

Weatherproof Cameras

If you spend a lot of time in the weather outdoors, especially rain, then another option for you is a Weatherproof or Waterproof submergable camera.

Digital Weather/Waterproof Cameras
Are Available In Point And Shoot And SLR

Digital Still/Video Camcorders

Yet another category of digital cameras are Digital Camcorders, that offer the ability to take both still photos and digital video.

A Typical Digital Camcorder

This class of cameras come with a huge range of features and capabilities.  However, it the Digital Camcorders flexibility that sets them apart.  The offer storage on Hard Drives, DVDs, and DV tapes.

In Summary

If you are looking for a camera that offers the best image quality, the versatility of handling different shooting situations, and the ability to use interchangeable lenses and accessories, then the SLR is the best camera for you.

If you are looking for an all-in-one camera which offers digital SLR-like performance with the ease of use of a point-and-shoot, then a digital bridge camera may suit your needs better. But, if ease of use is most important to you and the ability to bring your camera anywhere without weighing you down, then get a digital point & shoot camera.

Camera Selection Check List

• Buy the camera with the highest resolution you can afford, at least 4 to 6 megapixels (4 million to 6 million pixels), if possible.

• Look for a 100 percent glass lens as opposed to a plastic one - With the exception of Fluorite lenses which have been used in pro-quality equipment. Fluorite is technically not glass but a crystal.

• Buy a camera with as much built in memory as you can afford. More built-in memory means the camera can store more pictures so you won't need to download or erase them as often. But also look at the removable memory technology supported by the camera, so that you have the maximum capacity you will need.

• Expect zoom to be the feature you will use most. Compare optical, as opposed to digital, zoom capabilities.

• Compare flash modes, if any.  Other than the basic flash modes, some cameras have slow-sync flash, and some go even further by adding rear curtain sync flash.

• Recognition modes, such as Face Recognition.

• Investigate viewfinders: Look for an optical (through-the-lens) viewfinder as well as an LCD display. Through-the-lens(TTL) is a term associated with SLR cameras. No point & shoot camera features a Through-the-lens optical viewfinder. Some may offer optical viewfinders but are not free from paralax errors. Bridge cameras may feature TTL electronic viewfinders.

• Consider autofocus and macro features, shutter-release lag times, camera start-up time, and bundled software.

• Compare additional features you might want: interchangeable lenses, steady-shot, burst mode, auto and manual exposure modes, automatic white balance, voice memo, variable shutter speeds, manual focus and self-timer.

• Compare removable media of various types (if you need more storage space for your photos).

• Investigate batteries, chargers and battery-saving features.  For DSLRs and Bridge cameras, other power accessories are frequently available, these include AC power supplies to power the unit indefinitely

• Look for additional features you might need, such as USB or IEEE 1394 (FireWire) connectivity (to connect the camera to the appropriate port on your computer), a battery-time-remaining indicator, an AC adapter or video-out connections for outputting to a television, and WiFi.