Choose the Correct Digital Camera
by Michelle Drumheller
If you are in the market for a digital camera you have got a lot of choices. You may be overwhelmed by this.
There are many good digital cameras available at many different prices with lots of interesting features. Consider the
following before you buy:
1. Do you like the way the digital camera feels when you hold it? Are the buttons easy to use? Is it easy to find and
take out the memory card and battery? Try taking a few pictures.
2. Is the camera too big or too small for you? Some digital cameras are credit card size while others digital cameras
are big—such as a dSLR camera. If you don’t like the size of the camera you may be less inclined to use it. Make sure
you will use it if you buy it.
3. Get the anti-shake feature. This allows you to take pictures that may normally require a tripod. It doesn’t replace
the tripod but may give you a clearer image if you are shooting in low light. Different companies have different names for
this feature as it is copyrighted. Some dSLR cameras companies have this feature built into their lenses.
4. Camera should be 8 megapixel or higher. No less than this, but more is good too.
5. Use good photo editing software. Half of your digital camera is the ability to download and edit and resize photos.
I recommend Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0. This software also will download your photos to your computer or external
hard drive.
6. Make sure you can see the images on your LCD monitor outside on a sunny day. This is the small screen on the
back of you digital camera. Some LCD monitors can’t be seen in direct sunlight. Some can. You need to see the LCD
monitor in any condition.
7. Do you like the size of the LCD monitor on the back of your digital camera? They come in all sizes. Don’t confuse
this with the view finder, which you look through to take a picture. Some cameras only have a view finder while others
only have an LCD monitor. If your digital camera has both you can use both to take a picture. Although dSLR cameras
have both an LCD monitor and view finder, you have to use the view finder to take the picture.
8. Don’t buy the camera for the digital zoom. This distorts an image. Optical zoom is good and you can use it. You
may see cameras with both options. You can buy a camera with digital zoom, it is almost unavoidable. Just don’t use it.
9. My favorite camera test: take multiple action shots—very quickly—and take at least 15. Take pictures of the store
clerk or a friend walking across the room (ask permission first). Did the camera take the pictures quickly or was there a
lag time while the images downloaded to the camera? (I call a long lag time between one picture and the next the sweaty
finger syndrome, which can be maddening when you are trying to take pictures quickly.) Make sure the camera does
this fast enough for you. Not all cameras are created equal so try this with a couple different cameras. Each will behave
differently.
10. Ask lots of questions at the store. A professional camera store may be the best for technical questions.
More on Buying a Digital Camera and Computer Requirements
by Michelle Drumheller
I needed a camera upgrade! Here are some good tips from before purchasing or organizing yourself.
The quantity of digital cameras a person can buy today is huge. Knowing what to buy extra to the camera is important as
well as a good camera class. And remember, using a digital camera can be an expensive hobby
External hard drive at least 300 Gigabyte–place to store your digital files in one place separate from your main
computer. You will be storing your original digital files, print files, and files for sending to family and friends which takes
up space especially with a camera with lots of megapixels. Right now I can find one like this for a little over $100.
A Computer 4 years old or newer–has to be able to process Photoshop and your camera
A 19 inch monitor — 21 inch is better–so you can see and work with your photos on your computer
CD or DVD burner (DVD recommended)–a backup system for your files
Computer desk with a computer that is easily accessible to you–need to be able to get at USB ports to connect your
camera and external hard drive easily
Digital Camera Features and Accessories
Which do you want-a digital SLR or a digital camera? Go to the store and look at the difference. The primary difference
is the digital SLR has interchangeable lenses you can buy and behaves similarly to a traditional film camera. A digital
camera can be less bulky if you don’t want to carry something big around but you are limited to the lens on the camera
• 8.0 megapixel digital camera or higher
• Camera that takes pictures quickly (test it at the store you don’t want something that takes 20 seconds to
download a photo to the memory card)
• Anti-shake feature so you do not need a tripod in most situations
• An LCD monitor on the back of your camera that is big enough to look at and works in bright sunlight
• At least 2-4 extra batteries for your camera
• A camera bag to protect your camera and equipment
• At least 2 memory cards of extreme 3 (or other technology like that which allows your camera to download your
photos to your camera faster) and 1-2-3 Gigabyte of space on the memory card
• Digital camera manual. Have you read your manual? Do you know where it is? Find it. Go through it line by line.
Invite anyone who may also use your camera to go through the manual with you
Go try a bunch of digital cameras before you buy. Keep these things in mind when shopping.
You should be able to:
• Read the fine print in the LCD monitor on the back of the camera, can you read it easily?
• Take the memory card and battery in and out of the camera
• Press the buttons to select certain features on your camera, are they easy to use? Example, if you try to take a
picture and keep turning off the camera instead, look at a different camera
• Look at the LCD monitor inside a room and outside in bright sunlight. If you cannot see the LCD monitor in the
sunlight you may want to consider a different camera
Photo Editing Software
• Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0 (or at least 3.0 or higher)
• Adobe Lightroom–industry standard that allows you to easily resize images to archive, for print, and for the Web
and to send to family and friends
• The industry standard is CS3. If you have the money for that go ahead but Adobe Photoshop Elements is
probably all that you need
by Michelle Drumheller
If you are in the market for a digital camera you have got a lot of choices. You may be overwhelmed by this.
There are many good digital cameras available at many different prices with lots of interesting features. Consider the
following before you buy:
1. Do you like the way the digital camera feels when you hold it? Are the buttons easy to use? Is it easy to find and
take out the memory card and battery? Try taking a few pictures.
2. Is the camera too big or too small for you? Some digital cameras are credit card size while others digital cameras
are big—such as a dSLR camera. If you don’t like the size of the camera you may be less inclined to use it. Make sure
you will use it if you buy it.
3. Get the anti-shake feature. This allows you to take pictures that may normally require a tripod. It doesn’t replace
the tripod but may give you a clearer image if you are shooting in low light. Different companies have different names for
this feature as it is copyrighted. Some dSLR cameras companies have this feature built into their lenses.
4. Camera should be 8 megapixel or higher. No less than this, but more is good too.
5. Use good photo editing software. Half of your digital camera is the ability to download and edit and resize photos.
I recommend Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0. This software also will download your photos to your computer or external
hard drive.
6. Make sure you can see the images on your LCD monitor outside on a sunny day. This is the small screen on the
back of you digital camera. Some LCD monitors can’t be seen in direct sunlight. Some can. You need to see the LCD
monitor in any condition.
7. Do you like the size of the LCD monitor on the back of your digital camera? They come in all sizes. Don’t confuse
this with the view finder, which you look through to take a picture. Some cameras only have a view finder while others
only have an LCD monitor. If your digital camera has both you can use both to take a picture. Although dSLR cameras
have both an LCD monitor and view finder, you have to use the view finder to take the picture.
8. Don’t buy the camera for the digital zoom. This distorts an image. Optical zoom is good and you can use it. You
may see cameras with both options. You can buy a camera with digital zoom, it is almost unavoidable. Just don’t use it.
9. My favorite camera test: take multiple action shots—very quickly—and take at least 15. Take pictures of the store
clerk or a friend walking across the room (ask permission first). Did the camera take the pictures quickly or was there a
lag time while the images downloaded to the camera? (I call a long lag time between one picture and the next the sweaty
finger syndrome, which can be maddening when you are trying to take pictures quickly.) Make sure the camera does
this fast enough for you. Not all cameras are created equal so try this with a couple different cameras. Each will behave
differently.
10. Ask lots of questions at the store. A professional camera store may be the best for technical questions.
More on Buying a Digital Camera and Computer Requirements
by Michelle Drumheller
I needed a camera upgrade! Here are some good tips from before purchasing or organizing yourself.
The quantity of digital cameras a person can buy today is huge. Knowing what to buy extra to the camera is important as
well as a good camera class. And remember, using a digital camera can be an expensive hobby
External hard drive at least 300 Gigabyte–place to store your digital files in one place separate from your main
computer. You will be storing your original digital files, print files, and files for sending to family and friends which takes
up space especially with a camera with lots of megapixels. Right now I can find one like this for a little over $100.
A Computer 4 years old or newer–has to be able to process Photoshop and your camera
A 19 inch monitor — 21 inch is better–so you can see and work with your photos on your computer
CD or DVD burner (DVD recommended)–a backup system for your files
Computer desk with a computer that is easily accessible to you–need to be able to get at USB ports to connect your
camera and external hard drive easily
Digital Camera Features and Accessories
Which do you want-a digital SLR or a digital camera? Go to the store and look at the difference. The primary difference
is the digital SLR has interchangeable lenses you can buy and behaves similarly to a traditional film camera. A digital
camera can be less bulky if you don’t want to carry something big around but you are limited to the lens on the camera
• 8.0 megapixel digital camera or higher
• Camera that takes pictures quickly (test it at the store you don’t want something that takes 20 seconds to
download a photo to the memory card)
• Anti-shake feature so you do not need a tripod in most situations
• An LCD monitor on the back of your camera that is big enough to look at and works in bright sunlight
• At least 2-4 extra batteries for your camera
• A camera bag to protect your camera and equipment
• At least 2 memory cards of extreme 3 (or other technology like that which allows your camera to download your
photos to your camera faster) and 1-2-3 Gigabyte of space on the memory card
• Digital camera manual. Have you read your manual? Do you know where it is? Find it. Go through it line by line.
Invite anyone who may also use your camera to go through the manual with you
Go try a bunch of digital cameras before you buy. Keep these things in mind when shopping.
You should be able to:
• Read the fine print in the LCD monitor on the back of the camera, can you read it easily?
• Take the memory card and battery in and out of the camera
• Press the buttons to select certain features on your camera, are they easy to use? Example, if you try to take a
picture and keep turning off the camera instead, look at a different camera
• Look at the LCD monitor inside a room and outside in bright sunlight. If you cannot see the LCD monitor in the
sunlight you may want to consider a different camera
Photo Editing Software
• Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0 (or at least 3.0 or higher)
• Adobe Lightroom–industry standard that allows you to easily resize images to archive, for print, and for the Web
and to send to family and friends
• The industry standard is CS3. If you have the money for that go ahead but Adobe Photoshop Elements is
probably all that you need
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