Getting started

Buying a digital camera can be disorienting. There are hundreds of cameras available at many different types of retail outlets (online and in traditional stores), with prices ranging from $75 to several thousand dollars. Some cameras are small enough to fit in a shirt pocket. Others are large and can weigh up to two pounds. Some are easy to use. Others look like you need an engineering degree to operate them. And almost all are advertised with abbreviations that can be cryptic and confusing for the novice. In this digital camera guide, we aim to help you overcome some of this confusion.

What is a digital camera?

The first step is to understand what a digital camera is. With a film camera, an image is formed by collecting light from a particular scene or subject and focusing on film, which reacts chemically when struck by light and is said to “capture” the image. What makes a camera “digital” is that, instead of film, it has an image sensor that reacts to light by sending out electrical signals.

The camera takes the information from the image sensor and processes and stores it as a collection of pixels in a digital file, usually on a memory card inside the camera. Although the actual process is more complex than this, in essence this is how a digital photo image is made. It’s essentially made up of thousands and thousands of tiny dots, or pixels.

What are megapixels?

When you collect a million pixels, you have a megapixel. The number of megapixels tells you how many pixels the image file has. A camera that captures 8 million pixels, for example, is called an 8-megapixel camera. The number of megapixels a camera features can also help to determine the size photos you can print or the amount of cropping you can do. For example, a 4-megapixel camera may be enough for snapshots, but if you want to print poster-size images or crop heavily, 8 megapixels (or greater) is more suitable.

A 6-megapixel camera might be all you’ll need because higher resolution doesn’t necessarily produce better prints. Lenses and other factors affect quality, too. The size of the sensor, and the size of each individual image sensor element, which corresponds to pixels, can affect photo quality. But remember, the number of megapixels alone doesn’t determine the quality of a digital camera’s images.

Types of digital cameras

Our Ratings are divided into several categories and subcategories, which approximately correspond to size factors, although we also consider other features. The point-and-shoot category includes all cameras with lenses built into the camera (that is, non-removable). The smallest cameras among them are in our Subcompact and Compact subcategories. They are generally easy to use and lightweight. They vary in the number of options and features they include, but generally they don’t have a lot of manual controls. Compacts are often the least-expensive cameras available.

The Super-zoom subcategory includes cameras with wide zoom ranges, from wide angle to telephoto. In fact, a camera must have at least a 10x optical zoom lens for us to consider it a super-zoom. These types of cameras often, though not always, include manual controls. And because they have wide zoom ranges, they’re often larger and more expensive than compacts and subcompacts.

The largest cameras are single-lens reflex models, which use interchangeable lenses. SLRs are usually the most expensive, although recently some have dropped significantly in price. They offer the highest quality, greatest number of manual controls, and features, and are generally more complicated to use than point-and-shoot cameras. We break this category into two subcategories: Basic SLRs, which are simpler to use and Advanced SLRs, which are more complex.

Next steps

After you consider the type of a camera you want and the number of megapixels you need, but before you dive into specific models, be sure to check out our brand profiles, which outline many of the most popular camera product lines and their respective character traits.

Next, look to our Ratings and Recommendations (available to subscribers) for the  models that have the best performance, quality, ease of use, and other important features. Many new point-and-shoots have made progress on a number of performance problems, including sluggish shooting and excessive power consumption. In most cases, our Ratings found that point-and-shoot cameras take decent snapshots. So, look through our Ratings for specific features that are important to you. For example, if you want enough control to set precise exposures, such as shutter speed and aperture (lens opening), choose a model with manual controls.

What you’ll spend

For many, price is a major factor when buying a camera. In general, look to pay the following for the type of camera you’re looking to buy:

• For point-and-shoots (subcompacts, compacts, and super-zooms), expect to spend $100 to $400.
• For basic SLRs, expect to spend $450 to $1,500.
• For advanced SLRs, expect to spend $900 to $1,800.

When you’re ready to buy, consider where you will make your purchase. Although some walk-in stores, such as photo-specialty camera shops, might have knowledgeable salespeople, you can’t rely entirely on the staff of walk-in stores to assist you in your purchase. Use the internet and our Ratings for information before buying. Also, if you decide to purchase at a traditional retail store, forgo the extended warranty because digital cameras have been among the most reliable products in our surveys.

Many respondents in our surveys found online shopping to be a more satisfying shopping experience than walk-in-store shopping. Most walk-in retailers offer either low prices or wide selection. But some online retailers offer both. But be cautious of very low prices and verify that the camera isn’t refurbished or gray market (diverted from other retailers or not meant for sale in the U.S.).

For more information

For more on retail outlets, check out our where to buy electronics article. If you’ve already bought a digital camera, check out our beginner's guide to getting started with a digital camera. And if you’ve recently “upgraded” your family with a new baby, take a look at our digital cameras for parents guide.

See also:

Digital picture frames

SLR lenses

Scanners

Printers