Features to consider Digital cameras

Camera size. Virtually all digital cameras take decent pictures these days. First decide if your priority is small size or extra photographic power and flexibility. Compacts are the mainstream cameras, and have the capabilities most people need, for as little as $150 for a fine performer. However, select, high-end compacts provide lots of control over exposure, but are pricey. Choose a subcompact if you’re willing to pay extra, and can accept a few compromises, to be able to carry it in your pocket. Go for a super-zoom if you want to shoot closeups of distant subjects. Spring for an SLR if you must have it all, are willing to lug around that much weight, and can afford separate lenses.

Resolution. Most cameras now offer at least 7 megapixels of resolution, though a few older, 6-megapixel models may linger in stores. More megapixels usually translate into more picture detail. But beyond 5 megapixels, you’re unlikely to see the difference unless you crop images heavily or make poster-size prints. Even in the 8x10 prints we use for our tests, high resolution doesn’t assure high overall print quality, since other factors, such as lens quality, affect the score.

A 6- or 7-megapixel camera should provide all the resolution most people need. If you want to crop or blow up your images into posters, get at least 7 megapixels. If you need both high resolution (greater than 5 megapixels) and impeccable quality, focus on SLRs.

Zoom range. Another feature to consider carefully is a zoom range that’s greater than the 3x found on most cameras. (A zoom lens’ range is the ratio of its highest, telephoto focal length to its lowest, wide-angle length. For example, a zoom lens that’s considered equivalent to a film camera’s 35-mm to 105-mm lens has a range of 3x.) The wider the range, the greater the flexibility you have for composing shots. A few compacts and subcompacts now feature ranges as high as 7x, enough to make a distant figure fill the frame. But you shouldn’t pay extra—financially or in size and weight—for a zoom range greater than 3x unless you often shoot distant subjects, such as wildlife and sporting events.

Reliability. Overall, digital cameras have been among the most reliable products in our subscriber surveys; fewer than 10 percent of those purchased needed repair or had a serious problem. That said, our latest survey found small differences in reliability between point-and-shoot cameras and same-brand SLRs. And reliability by brand differs somewhat and might help you fine-tune your buying decision. Olympus has been among the more repair-prone brands of SLR. Overall, it doesn’t pay to buy an extended warranty for a digital camera. Check whether your credit card provides coverage. Such plans, often found on gold and platinum cards, may lengthen the original warranty by up to one year.