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Buying a camera?

Do you want a new camera but are unsure about what type of camera you need? With all the jargon surrounding camera's its easy to understand how some people may buy a camera they didn't want or need! Choosing the right camera isn't as tricky as it seems, providing you have the right knowledge and understanding of what you want and what to look out for, so Artful Lodger Liverpool have decided to help you with your purchase buy sharing some of our camera expertise with you!

The first decision you need to make is choosing the type of camera you need, and this all depends on what you will be using it for. There are camera's out there for every purpose including "point-and-click" - which do exactly what it says on the tin! "Sleek-Compact" - which are small, slim, stylish camera's with large LCD screens, "Super Zoom" - used more for things like wildlife or sport etc... "all-weather compact" - these cameras are made resistant to the more extreme environments and weather conditions, "Compact-Enthusiast" - are very high quality cameras, usually bought to replace or as backup to the... "SLR (Single Lens Reflex)" - The best choice for versitility and image quality, one for real enthusiasts, and finally, "Electronic View Finders" - are as big as Single Lens Reflex cameras however don't have the ability to change lenses, making them less versitile.

Now, depending on which type of camera you want, will effect how many mega-pixels you need. Most people get caught up on buying cameras with as many mega pixels as possible, as the thinking is "more mega pixels = better camera". This isn't true. If you simply want to take snap shots of your familly, friends or things like holidays, even the £100 (and under) bracket have enough megapixels (3 to 5) to take a quality photo for standard photo sized prints. It's only if you need an image to be blown up for a bigger photo, high-resolution images for design purposes, or if your a real photographic enthusiast that you will need more megapixels than 5 or 6.

Zoom is a BIG issue when it comes to cameras. When it comes to buying a digital camera there are two main types; "Optical Zoom" and "Digital Zoom". The difference is with Optical Zoom you can zoom in on the "subject" you are taking a photo of whereas digital zoom can only zoom in on the "image" once it's taken. Depending on what you plan to use your camera for will effect the type and ammount of zoom you will need. most "point and click" cameras have low ammounts of both types of zoom, whereas more expensive cameras tend to have higher ammounts of both. Zoom is usually measured in "2's" (2x, 4x etc...). Just think of it this way, the more you will need to zoom in, the higher Optical Zoom you will need. This doesn't apply to cameras which have interchangable lenses, as the ammount of zoom can be adjusted by the photographer personally. Only real entusiasts and people who know exactly what they are doing tend to use these types of camera though.

Alot of cameras have special features equipped these days, like most "Super-Zoom" and some of the smaller types have "image stabalization" feature, which takes a clearer picture (and reduces blurring) if you're not so steady with your hands. Other models (more predominantly with the "Sleek-Compact" and "Compact Enthusiast" types) have a feature which "frames" a subject before taking the photo, so as to automatically assess the best way to capture the image, for example; if taking a photo of a person, it would recognise and frame the face as the most dominant part of the picture and assess which settings would take a better picture of it. (Please note: the frame dissapears once the picture is taken - in case there are any doubts!). Some cameras come with a wide variety of features like these however this adds to the price, if you don't feel you need a camera with all these features then DON'T PAY FOR IT!

Another thing to consider is storage. With most digital cameras you will get a small "memory card" with it. This is fine if you don't plan to take many pictures. However if you plan to be snapping your every move (or want a camera with lots of megapixels) then you will have to buy something significantly bigger. Obviously the bigger the memory card, the higher the price. A standard card would be around 128mb (megabytes), but these can be upgraded to 512mb, 1GB(Gigabyte - 1000 megabytes), 2GB and even up to around 8GB! (Depending on the type of memory card). Any sales assistant will be able to assist you in deciding how big a card you need. Just remember what you will be using the camera for and how many pictures you will take with it.

The best advice to give when purchasing a camera is to physically go into a shop and try a few out. This way you will know which one you are most comfortable with, taking everything into account; appearence (because to some people appearences matter) weight, features, megapixel count (bearing in mind EXACTLY what you will use it for, don't be tempted into paying extra for something you don't need!), zoom, memory size (even if purchased seperately) and price! BUY TO YOUR BUDGET. If you are unsure about what your money can buy you compared to what you actually need, ASK! Camera Shop assistants should know what they are talking about, and will be able to explain to you anything you are unsure about. Just be confident in what you need your camera for and you should have no problems finding the perfect camera for you!