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| Tips On Buying A Camera |
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| Lifestyle Close-up | |
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November 1, 2005
• Vol.2 Issue 10 Page(s) 34 in print issue | |
Tips On Buying A Camera | |
 1. Megapixels Base this number on what you want to do with your prints. To produce high-quality 4- x 6-inch prints, look for 3 to 4MP. For 8 x 10s, 5 or 6MP will serve you better. Wall posters? Better go with 8 to 10MP. Warning: A high megapixel count is a memory and storage vampire, and your friends with dial-up will have trouble downloading the picture files. 2. Zoom In An optical zoom lens, meaning the camera’s lens extends and retracts, is a key feature. Don’t confuse this with digital zoom, which simply precrops photos to appear closer. A 3X to 4X optical zoom is adequate, but for frequent landscape or portrait shooting, 6X or more is ideal. 3. Size It Up A camera is like a pair of shoes; the cutest can compromise comfort. Handle it at the store to see how it feels before you buy it. If it’s too small, buttons and menus may be tricky to operate; too bulky, and you may need a backpack to haul it. Keep in mind, a purse-friendly size reduces some vacation stress. 4. Control Freak For serious shooting look for cameras with some (or full) manual control, which lets you adjust shutter speed, aperture, or zoom. You can’t expect perfect shooting scenarios, and manual controls let you adapt to the unexpected. 5. Batteries Here, you’ll likely have two options: rechargeable AA cells or a rechargeable battery pack. If your camera is out of juice while miles away from an electrical outlet, the AA option lets you substitute disposables. A high-end camera, in other words the fully-loaded crème de la crème, handles about 300 shots a charge. 6. Keep It Steady Unless you often carry a tripod, consider a camera with an image stabilizer, which compensates for camera, not subject, movement. This high-end feature reduces the blurriness caused by shaky hands or a slow shutter speed. 7. Memory You don’t want to hit your memory’s limit at the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Removable memory media is a must, so avoid models that have only built-in memory. Also, expect to buy an additional memory card, as most cameras only include cards with a 10-picture capacity. 8. Shutterbug To really do justice to Junior’s soccer games this fall, look for a camera with controllable, wide-range shutter speed. Increasing your shutter speed lets you freeze fast-moving subjects, while slowing it down lets you capture high quality images in low light situations—perfect as the sun starts to set. 9. LCD An LCD of 2 or 3 inches makes for easier viewing. Just remember, a larger screen increases the drain on batteries and could increase the overall weight, making the camera cumbersome to hold while shooting. Look for an antiglare LCD, which makes it easier to see the screen outside. 10. Bells & Whistles Some bonus features make life easier or just more fun. If you want a camera with the works, we’d recommend in-camera red-eye removal, PictBridge compatibility so you can print without a computer, water resistance, a self-timer, and the ability to capture video.  by Angie Zmarzly |
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