Buying guide

     When purchasing a digital camera, there are several things you should keep in mind to avoid buying a camera that won't meet your needs. Here are some of the most common things to be aware of:

• Make sure the camera has the right resolution for your needs.
  If you are going to take snapshots and e-mail them to friends, then you don't need anything more than 640x480 pixel resolution. Buying the resolution that you need lets you save money (and hard disk space). On the other hand, if you want to print enlarged versions of your photos, you'll need a 2-megapixel or 3-megapixel camera.
• Make sure the camera has enough memory.
  There is nothing more frustrating that "running out of film" when there is a great picture sitting in your viewfinder! The "film" for a digital camera is Flash memory, floppy disks, small hard disks, etc. Most cameras let you download pictures from the camera so that you can take more, but if you go on a week-long vacation you will be away from your computer and won't be able to download. So make sure you pick up enough extra memory when you buy your camera so you won't run out when you need it. CompactFlash cards now come with up to 1 GB of space, so it's definitely possible to get all the memory you'll need for a long trip.
• Make sure the lens will handle the pictures you plan to take.
  If you don't have the right lens, it can be hard to take the best pictures. For example, if your camera does not have a macro setting, you won't be able to take close-ups. If very crisp detail is important in your pictures, you'll probably want a high optical zoom number. Be sure to try out the lens system on a camera before you purchase it. Digital cameras come with a huge variety of lenses, so be sure to shop around.
• Do not confuse digital zoom with optical zoom.
  Many cameras advertise things like "100X zoom," but that is often misleading because only part of it is in the lens. The only part of a zoom lens that really matters is the "optical" part -- the part made out of glass lenses. This is the "zoom" that will increase the quality of the image. Any form of "digital zoom" is something you can do yourself outside of the camera. If you use your camera's software to crop out a small inner portion of a picture and blow it up, you are doing the same thing a digital zoom is doing. In most cases, the digital zoom simply makes the image fuzzy.
• Do not confuse actual resolution with interpolated resolution.
  Many cameras advertise that they have, for example, 1000x600 pixel resolution and 1200x800 interpolated resolution. Like digital zoom, interpolated resolution is an illusion. You can do the same thing yourself with the camera's software, and all it really does is make the image larger and slightly fuzzy.
• See how long the batteries will last.
  Many digital cameras eat batteries because they have to power an image sensor, an LCD panel and a microprocessor all at the same time, and sometimes there's a flash as well! See how long the batteries will really last in your camera. See if the camera will accept normal alkaline batteries in a pinch. If you plan on using your camera for long periods of time, think about purchasing an extra battery for it -- and be sure to check prices ahead of time. Some manufacturers charge an arm and a leg for their batteries, and if this is the case, you may want to consider a different manufacturer.