Buying a Camera or Camcorder can be an overwhelming experience. There are so many different brands, components and options to take into consideration, it can be complicated knowing what to chose let alone how you to pay for it. The rapid pace of changes in the camera and camcorder industry mean that your old camera may still seem sharp and solid but the lens may not be as vivid as you think when you compare it to whats in the stores nowadays.
We at My411Family created this guide to help you, the consumer, with purchasing a digital camera or camcorder. It is designed to give you all the facts that you need to pick the perfect memory maker for you!
How to choose the right Camera or Camcorder for you!
You must understand the camera or camcorder before you decide. First determine whether you are ready to go digital or not. Do you find your pictures or home videos aren't turning out the way you had hoped? If that's often the case, you might benefit from a digital camera's / camcorder LCD screen, which immediately shows your photo right on the unit. If you've made a mistake, you won't have to wait until the film has been developed and the photo opportunity is gone to discover the problem. Additionally, even when you make a mistake, you can often correct it easily when you download the images to your computer with any of the variety of photo editing software programs. Are you also spending a fortune on processing film? If you shoot a lot of pictures, those processing costs can add up quickly. Digital cameras allow you to choose which pictures you want to print at home or have printed, saving you tons on processing costs!
If you already have a digital camera or camcorder, you may want to entertain upgrading. To determine if you need to do so ask yourself; is the image quality too low? Prices have gone down substantially on cameras/camcorders with higher mega pixels in the last few years, even in the last few months. You will probably be able to get a much better model now for less than you spent on your old camera/camcorder which is probably big and heavy. That's when you know you probably have an older of digital camera/camcorder and its time to upgrade.
Narrow Down Options
The next best thing to do is to narrow your options. Don't waste money on a camera/camcorder that is more powerful than you need. 4 Mega pixels is typically found on smaller, inexpensive cameras or cameras in combination with other devices (such as cell phones or PDAs). It will be hard to make a high-quality print of any size, but these are just fine for e-mailing photos or posting photos for a personal web site. Expect to pay around $50 for the camera alone, a bit more for a combo unit. For Camcorders, you can find deals starting at $150.
Key Component Selection
Be sure you understand what kind of zoom you are getting between Optical and Digital Zoom. Optical Zoom is something you would want to get over Digital Zoom because it makes a big impact on the clarity of the picture. You then figure out what features are most important to you and are a must. Key in on those features and the rest can be considered bonus if they're included. Be sure to select a model with a good LCD screen, even if you don't think you need one. Almost every camera has an LCD screen, so you shouldn't pay more to get it. It's a good idea to be sure it's large, easy to see and shows good detail. You can visit stores and look at displays to get a feel for the grip and look. Determine what type of batteries the camera uses. If you are a frequent shooter and it takes AAA batteries, you will blow through them. A rechargeable battery may be a better choice.
Homework
Once you know what's out there, take the time to read a few selected reviews on cameras / camcorders that you think can be a good prospect. Check out our review section on Cameras and Camcorders. Get some specialized advice and compare it to what you have seen and read about.
Final Decision
At the end of it all, you will make the ultimate decision of what camera is right for you. Shop around a bit and see what deal you can find!
