Camera Buying Tips

I've written a lot of camera tips, but I've decided not to recycle old ones. I'm freshening them and making updates. Here's one that's a little late in coming but still valuable for this time of the year.

Buying a digital still camera is high on people's list this Christmas. Here are a few random things to consider. I'll add to this list soon. But also, do your own research by using independent reviewers like Consumer Reports or some other authority.

I've preached this before, but don't be fooled by big numbers and low price tags. Just because a camera features a lot of megapixels, bunches of zoom and loads of internal memory doesn't necessarily make it a great camera.

Avoid camera brands you're not familiar with. When in doubt, stick with traditional camera manufacturers. Sure, some off-brand cameras are great. But they are few and far between. I love Canon and Kodak for inexpensive point and shoots. Olympus and Nikon are great if you want to spend a little more on a point and shoot or middle-of-the-road camera. I'm no shill for any of these companies, I just know what I've seen and liked. I still carry around a 4 mp Fuji from six years ago that's an awesome little point and shoot.

Also, remember that upgrading to a new digital camera means you'll probably be making images that have larger file sizes. That means your computer might slow down while grinding on these new photos. You'll need more memory to store these images (via internal or external hard drives; more on this later) and you might need to add more RAM to your computer. You might even consider buying a newer machine if you're not happy with your computer's performance.

If you're upgrading cameras for someone, you might be careful what kind of memory device the new camera uses. If it's got a slot for some sort of memory card, you might consider buying a camera that uses the same type of card as the old camera. This keeps the camera's owner from having to buy new cards immediately. Again, if this new camera makes larger file sizes, the old cards won't hold as many photos as before and the cards will eventually need to be replaced with ones that hold more data.

Video is a big feature on many digital cameras. Be aware that on most digital SLRs, you CANNOT use the autofocus when shooting video.

Again, video takes up a lot of space on the computer--especially if you start shooting high definition video.

Oh, you'll need software for that video. Sure your new camera might come with some freebie software. It'll be OK, but your inner Orson Welles will compel you to go get a beefier software which might require some upgrade to your existing computer like the addition of a video or sound card, etc.

That's a lot for now. I'll add to this in a day or two.