Buying a Digital Camera

If you have been thinking about buying a digital camera, now is a great time. There are dozens of cameras to choose from with a wide variety of features. There are two basic categories of digital cameras: point-and-shoot and D-SLRs (digital single-lens reflex). D-SLRs are generally more expensive, higher end cameras aimed at aspiring professionals and professional photographers. I am going to assume that if you are at the D-SLR level, then you probably know a little bit about digital cameras already, so this article is for the point-and-shooters

First, let’s gets some terminology down. You may have heard the term megapixel (a million pixels or 1 MP) thrown around and it is the most common form of comparing cameras. Most point-and-shoot cameras have at least 3MP and up to 10MP. Digital photos are made up of pixels (picture elements) arranged horizontally and vertically. Pixel count, usually expressed as megapixels, is the number of horizontal pixels multiplied by vertical pixels (just like calculating area). For instance, a 3 MP camera has 2,048 (horizontal) pixels x 1,536 (vertical) pixels, or 3,145,728 pixels. While you would think more MP equals better photos, this is not always the case. Although there is a lot more information on the web about this myth, that is not in the scope of this article. In general, most consumers will be pleased with a 4 - 6MP camera

Megapixels aside, there are several other factors you want to consider when buying a digital camera: pocketability, zoom length, video capability, and screen size. Let’s tackle these one at a time.

Pocketability. This could also be called “wow factor.” Several models, such as Kodak’s v705, Canon’s digital elph line, and Sony’s DSC-T10, are all less than 1 inch thick and slip almost unnoticed into your pocket. While smaller is in undeniably cool, be warned that smaller cameras have to squeeze the buttons and features into a smaller space, so if you have big fingers, or have a long list of feature requirements, this might present an extra challenge.

Zoom length. Typical zoom length in digital point-and-shoot cameras is 3x optical zoom (or approximately 110mm). This is usually adequate for most people, so this is not a problem. If you find yourself longing for more though, it is not difficult to find 4x or even 10x zoom on several models, such as the Olympus SP-510 UZ. Manufactures also include digital zoom of 10x to 50x zoom. Digital zoom is worthless and actually degrades your image quality, so this should not only be ignored, but unused.

Video. One of the bonuses of digital point-and-shoots is their ability to take video clips. Some limit the length of the video to 30 seconds, while others allow you to shoot until you fill up your memory card. Be sure to look at a camera’s feature list to see how it stacks up. Few cameras allow you to zoom during video, but if you are that particular about your video, you might consider buying a video camera instead.

Screen size. This is the digital screen on the back of the camera that you have no doubt seen when someone shows you the picture they just took. A 2 inch screen is nice, 2.5 even better, and 3 is about as much as you could want. Some newer models are getting rid of the viewfinder, assuming that people will just use the screen on the back. In my opinion, this is a bad move, as there are often times you are shooting in bright sunlight where the screen is all but useless and a viewfinder becomes indispensable.

There are, of course, many other features that cameras offer, such as shooting RAW files in addition to JPEG, the ability to shoot in a manual mode, and specialized image modes. Some cameras have built-in panorama photo stitching, extra wide angle lenses, slow-sync flashes and water-proof housings. Of course, price is the other factor to consider. You can get a decent camera for $200, but can spend up to $600 easily.

And don’t forget the memory card. Most cameras come with a tiny memory card, so you will most likely have to purchase a new one. This will add about $50 depending on which type your camera requires as well as how much space need. If you tend to take a lot of photos before off-loading them to your computer, buy a 1 or 2 BG memory card.

You need to look over the above features and decide which are important to you. This will dictate which camera you ultimately decide upon. Here are a few of my favorites, though, to get you started: Canon’s SD 800 IS, Kodak’s V705, Sony’s DSC-T10, Pentax Optio S7, and Fuji’s E900.

Get Your eGroove On

There are many options out there today to legally download music online. Some services, such as iTunes, offer buying songs or albums, while others, such as Napster, offer subscription services. Both have their pros and cons, and it is up to you to decide which type of service makes the best fit.

Let’s start with the traditional method, purchasing music. Naturally you can still go to a music store and buy an album. Online music stores, however, offer you the ability to download a single song or the entire album. The advantage of this is clear, if you want just one song, there is no need to purchase the entire album just to get it. Not to mention the difference in price. Purchasing songs online cost $1 or less, whereas the typical album costs about $18. In addition, you can almost always preview any song online, so you can decide if you indeed like the song or album before making your purchase.

There are several online stores that offer downloading music such as iTunes, Rhapsody and eMusic. iTunes, although most popular, uses a special format that cannot be played on all MP3 players. If you want to transfer your purchased music to your MP3 player, it better be an iPod, otherwise, you might not be able to listen to it. eMusic offers MP3 downloads which can be played on virtually any computer or portable music device.

The new alternative to purchasing music is renting it. Subscription services usually offer an enormous catalog of music that you can listen to for about $10/month. You can usually listen to any artist in the vendor’s library at any time. Different vendors, though, offer variations on this theme. Some of the more popular vendors are Yahoo Music, Rhapsody to Go, Napster and eMusic. Yahoo and eMusic also allow you to purchase an individual song if you want to own it. You can also develop “playlists” of you favorite songs or different genres of music.

The advantage to subscription services is that you have about 2 million songs ready to go at any time. Throwing a dinner party and want to set the right mood? You can use Rhapsody or Yahoo’s radio station, say Martini Lounge, to delight your guests. The advantages of one subscription service over another are less pronounced. All offer large libraries of music, but some offer radio stations (Rhapsody and Yahoo), while others (Napster) offer browsing by Billboard chart and staff recommendations.

While you have to decide for yourself which service suits your needs best, I thought I’d include my favorites as a starting point. I love iTunes and at 99 cents a song, or $10 for an album, it is quite affordable. I do have an iPod, so compatibility issues are not a problem. In addition to purchasing music, though, I do enjoy discovering new music and have a subscription to Yahoo’s LaunchCast. LaunchCast has over 100 Radio Stations that I can listen to at home or work for only $3/month. You can also create your own station by rating artists, songs and genres. The more you rate, the more LaunchCast learns what you like, and what you might like. Best of all it has a skip feature, so if you don’t like a song, you don’t have to suffer through it and wait for the next song. Get started by visiting the vendors’ websites and seeing what services are right for you.