How to Compare Specifications on Digital Cameras
The decision on which digital camera to purchase can be a difficult one. When most go out to look for a digital camera, they compare the specifications of many cameras before choosing the one that best suits them. Some specifications on digital cameras may not matter to you, but there are also some that you may not be aware of exactly what they are and how they affect your picture taking.
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Instructions
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Determine the quality of photos you want. Most cameras offer from 1-5 megapixels, which affects the print quality of your photos. Anything with 3+ megapixels has very good print quality.
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2
Know how much memory you want. Some digital cameras have an internal memory but most also allow you to take pictures and store them on a memory card. A good rule of thumb to use is for 3 megapixels 128MB card is the best and for 4 megapixels 256MB card is the best.
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3
Know the difference between Optical and Digital zoom and which you'd prefer. Optical zoom is when you use the optics of the camera to bring the subject into focus like you would with a non-digital camera. Digital zoom enlarges the photo and tends to reduce the overall quality of the photo.
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4
Research shutter speed. Shutter speeds on digital cameras help to determine proper exposure. Make sure the camera you chose offers a wide range of shutter speeds to ensure proper exposure for you photos. This range should be from 1/1,000 of a second (fast) to about 1 second or more (slow).
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Compare Panorama (stitch assist) to Wide Angle. Panorama allows you to take number of shots and "stitch" them together to make a panoramic picture. Wide Angle allows you to include more of the picture within the same frame.
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Tips & Warnings
If you want to enlarge and crop any of your pictures either on the computer or while you're printing them off, to keep the best quality of picture it is best to have higher megapixels.
You can buy as many extra memory cards as you'd like if you like to have one in case you lose one. They come in different sizes so be sure to find one that will hold the amount of photos you'd like.
When comparing cameras always use optical zoom and not digital zoom. Digital is something to consider, but optical gives you better photo quality.
White balance may affect the colors in your pictures so check to see if your camera has an automatic white balance or not.
