The top 10 Digital Cameras

There are plenty of top 10 digital camera listings existing on the world wide web. You will find that each one is different from the other and they are all made based on a various sets of conditions on the basis of which they are formulated.

Even so, it is not mandatory that the top 10 digital cameras listed put be a certain website has to be the top 10 for you. Each user of digital cameras has how or her own individual tastes and preferences so it is not necessary that the same list works well for everyone. Or you look at the top 10 digital camera lists that match your criteria. Then it makes sense. Alternatively, you can set up your own set of 10 top digital cameras.

Firstly you need to know the basic reason as to why you want to purchase a digital camera. What are you going to use the camera for? Is it for taking photos of the family at home and while on holiday? And most important of all how much are you ready to spend on it? If you answer these questions, you can get closer to finding yourself the best digital camera for you. If you intend using the digital camera while on holiday, then you must take into account the battery life of the digital camera as you will not be able to charge your camera too often. Besides you will need sufficient storage as you cannot be transferring your images every now and then.

Your digital camera should have a zoom but whether it is a digital zoom or an optical zoom will depend on your budget. If you will be taking family photos indoors then you will require a flash. Besides it will help if your digital camera is user-friendly as well as rugged so that kids in your family can also use it. Carrying bulky digital cameras while on travel can be a bother so it you find one that is light-weight and compact, it will help. If you want to use the photos on a website or a calendar then you need to have a resolution of at least 300 dpi (dots per inch).

If you intend using your camera while holidaying at the beach, then you might want to consider a water-proof digital camera. However, if you find that this does not fit into your budget, then you can opt for a water-proof digital camera case which works out much cheaper. You can also buy a digital camera which can record mini videos if you do not have a video camera.

Trying out a Digital Camera

Here is a list of things to do while checking out a digital camera:

• Handling the digital camera: You should ensure that the camera is comfy in your hands – it should neither be too light nor too bulky. If you have pretty large hands, a tiny camera won’t be very comfortable for you.

• Controls: You should be able to use the controls easily and intuitively.

• LCD : The LCD screen should be big enough to display clear images of your shoots and the colors should be realistic.

• Zoom: The zoom should operate promptly and effortlessly.

• Take a picture: See if you can find out the shutter lag. If you are not happy, try a different digital camera. Same goes for the autofocus, if it does not happen instantly, check other models.

• Flash: Check the flash – whether it is too feeble or extra strong and if there’s an option to adjust its power. Also see what options related to flash are available like reduction of red eye.

Shopping for a Digital Camera

The digital camera market is extremely competitive, so it is better that you take a look around first to find the lowest price. You can start by reading digital camera reviews on several sites on the Net. Here you can search for cameras by manufacturer, price, ratings by users, etc. You will also find online stores providing you with digital cameras that you are interested in along with the price, charges for shipping and taxes, if any.

You can also compare digital cameras and read digital camera reviews by going through several issues if magazines in digital photography. Besides, you could visit the digital camera store or electronics shop in your locality and check out the digital cameras yourself or ask for advice from the sales person.

Where and how to Buy a Camera

Now that you have zeroed in on the digital camera model that you have decide to buy, you have to now think of where to buy it from. Despite the fact that you are almost sure of finding a better price at an online store, buying a digital camera from a store in your locality has a few benefits:

• You can ask the sales person all the questions you want to remove all your doubts and then see and check out the camera yourself which you obviously cannot do online. However, it is ok if you have a friend or relative who has the same model and you can take a look at theirs.

• You can take home the digital camera immediately without having to wait for it to be shipped and bear the shipping charges.

• If you happen to have any problem with the camera, you just take it back directly to the store for replacement or repair.

How to select a Digital Camera

Buying a digital camera entails making up your mind about the kind of digital camera you require, researching some by going through the ads in magazines and newspapers or on the Net and comparing models, then finally buying the digital camera from a store in your neighborhood or an online store. What kind of camera do you need? To choose a digital camera that satisfies your requirements, you nee to take the following into consideration:

Price: If you are looking for a digital camera in the entry level, then you could get one in the price range of $150 to $300.

Subject: Decide what it is you are going to take pictures of most of the time. If you are going to take pictures everyday, a compact point and shoot should suffice. But if you are looking to take breath-taking sceneries or portraits, then you should consider a medium sized point and shoot or digital SLR.

Size: How small or big would you prefer your digital camera to be? If you think it should fit in your pocket or perhaps in your purse, then you might want to buy an ultra compact digital camera.

Printing: If you intend making prints of your pictures up to size 8" × 10", then a 5 megapixel digital camera should be good enough. If you want to make bigger prints, then you might want to explore the option of going in for a medium sized point and shoot digital SLR that takes 6 megapixel photos at the least.

Brand: It is considered to be a good idea to opt for a particular brand in digital cameras and then continue with the same as you move on to newer models introduced over the years. This gives you the familiarity with the standard controls and features of the particular brand. If you already have lenses for a film camera that can be used on a digital SLR, you might think of buying a digital SLR of the same brand that can use the lenses.

Printing digital photos at a good price

Nearly all digital cameras are accompanied by software on a CD which allows you to download the pictures to your PC for printing, e-mailing or putting up on the Net. Some digital cameras even come with software that allows you to edit and optimize your pictures. But if editing your pictures is critical for you, you could purchase a good software to edit your pictures like Photoshop Elements from Adobe or Paint Shop Pro from Corel.

If you intend printing your own pictures, you need to invest in a good digital camera printer that will give you the best in photo images as well as special photographic paper. Or better still, if you don't want to buy a digital camera printer, you may want to upload your pictures online to be printed by a professional photo finisher. There are quite a few which let you upload your photos on the web and share them with your friends and family. You can share your photos with everybody by making your albums public or only with certain people by sending them a link to your albums. Some of these photo finishing companies give you very good rates but charge you delivery charges. Some of them include Shutterfly, Snapfish and the Kodak EasyShare Gallery.