Choosing & Using a Digital Camera

No two people have the same tastes or requirements. The same size hands, the same eyesight, or the same preferences in what constitutes a good photo etc. And from the photography web forums that are run, the remarks posted, and the letters written to photography magazines, it is obvious that tastes in photography are extremely wide and varied.

We don't conduct digital camera tests, reviews of cameras as they are introduced, that is not what this website is about, there are already plenty of websites and magazines that do that. Our aim instead is to provide information and comment on features and products that might be of importance to you, one's that either get overlooked or ignored by others, to draw your attention to them when your considering buying a digital camera, or trying to get the best out of one you already have. 

To point out that some areas that might be considered crucial by many people might not actually be so, but that others that get overlooked often are. Because as we have said there are countless places where views and opinions on the latest digital equipment may be found. But in many cases these only repeat what each other say, and it is often the case that minor details are never mentioned yet can have a profound effect on the way a digital camera may perform or handle. And this is even more important in these days of mail order and online purchase where the product is not the subject of a physical examination prior to purchase.

First Steps

Before you begin to consider what type of camera would suit your needs best we would suggest you read our pages on the various subjects that could well affect your choice. There are a considerable number from which to choose and all have been written with the aim of bringing to your attention not only the basic specifications of the camera aspect under consideration but the consequences that may well arise with it when in use. The restrictions that might result. This is of particular importance when, as in so many cases, there is a decision to be made between alternatives.

Although the primary thought of most is undoubtedly that of, 'how many pixels do I need', there are other just as important areas, the type of batteries or memory card, the quality of the lenses. The design, size, weight, and means of basic operation. All of these impact to a large degree on how useful a camera can be. How easy or restrictive it may turn out in use. A camera that is both quick and easy to use, and reasonably light to carry around, will in all probability be used far more often, and repay it's purchase much more readily, than one that is slow and awkward to use, and heavy to carry, and thus tends not to be used nearly so often.

Once you've acquired a digital camera and start to use it other aspects then arise. What's the best way to store the images I take for the long term to ensure future access to them? How do I produce prints? What other options exist that I can take advantage of? And most importantly, how do I set up and use my camera to get the best use out of it?

Answers to these questions can be found both within our general pages, and in the comments we make on various digital camera aspects on a regular basis in the  'News & Views'  section on our  Home Page   and in the 

Topical Subjects  page.

Points to bear in mind

It is generally accepted that the main differences between digicams and DSLR's are size, speed of operation, image quality, and cost. This is partly a reflection of the different ways they work, and partly due to the components fitted, DSLR's using, generally, higher specification parts which account for their increased cost. Speed of operation is also slower with a digicam that has a motorized zoom lens, than with a DSLR using a manual one, whilst image quality is related not only on the number of pixels a sensor has, but their size, and this is dependent on the size of the sensor. DSLR's generally have sensors that are much larger and costlier than digicams, even if they have the same number of pixels. As the size of a sensor has a direct impact on the size of a camera and its lens it explains why as sensors get larger so do the cameras and lenses using them, and why DSLR's generally are larger than digicams.

Size and weight is a major consideration for many people and digicams have a distinct advantage here, along with the all in one solution they can offer to those who do not wish to be laden down with carrying spare/alternate parts around. A couple of spare lenses and a flashgun can be heavy and a bit of a pain to carry about, especially if you find you end up not needing them. The built in macro modes most digicams have mean you effectively have two lenses in one, and in some cases they rival the magnification if not the image quality which the DSLR macro lenses can achieve. Their only downfall is really the slow speed of operation they have, and the low image quality at high ISO's, but these are only important in certain situations, and can be overcome to some extent by careful use of the camera.

For many the ideal compromise between a small basic digicam and a large and heavy DSLR is one of the prosumer digicams, and they are deservedly popular. However they are reducing in quantity as a camera type due to the large number of lower-priced entry level DSLR's now available which can offer better image quality and quicker operation at the same cost. The main advantage a DSLR has is in speed of operation, the ability to be used with different equipment for a wide range of tasks, and image quality. All of these are important points, but for anyone used to a digicam who tries out a DSLR, the most often quoted remark is how much quicker they are to use. 

Two important differences between them are the ISO speeds they can be set to, and the depth of field they can give at any given aperture, and once again these result from the size of the sensors used. As noise is so degrading to image quality, a way of keeping it to the minimum is to ensure the sensor gets plenty of chance to collect the maximum amount of light information, and in the case of digicams with their small sensors and small pixel sizes this can only be achieved by longer exposure to light. So digicams usually have fairly low default ISO's, sometimes only ISO50 to ensure the best image quality. Use an ISO much over 100, say 200 or 400 and noise can turn out to be a big problem. The trouble is you need very good light levels to use ISO50 or ISO100, especially when combined with lenses that have slow maximum apertures, as most digicams have. With their much larger sensors DSLR's can, in comparison, collect plenty of light, and in many cases the lowest ISO setting is often ISO200. 

The depth-of-field a camera and lens can provide is vitally important to overall image quality. At any given aperture a digicam will exhibit a greater depth-of-field than a DSLR, and this is a direct result of the smaller sensors they use and the shorter focal length lenses that are used with them. The depth-of-field any lens provides is tied to it's focal length and the aperture used, so the longer the focal length, the shallower the depth-of-field will be, which is why telephoto lenses generally have very shallow depth-of-field, whilst with wide-angle lenses it can be quite deep. So with a digicam with a fast lens, say a f2.8, you may well find that the depth-of-field, even at this aperture, is greater than a DSLR lens can provide at F11 or F16. This gives digicams a significant advantage.

Today a new breed of digicam has appeared to try and offer the best of both worlds, high image quality in a small sized camera plus in some cases flexibility via interchangeable lenses. This is being undertaken by using the larger sensors found in most small sized DSLR's and omitting the optical viewfinders. They are being referred to in some quarters as 'Hybrids'. Like the larger 'bridge' type digicams it's really a question of swings and roundabouts, for as with most things gains made in one area are offset by losses in another. In this case lower noise levels at the higher ISO's are paid for with slower lenses with shorter focal ranges, and less depth-of-field. 

As with most things in life it really comes down to personal preference and what the individual needs and expects to get from the equipment they are using. Its important to know what a camera is capable of, but equally, how easy and comfortable it is to hold and reach the dials and buttons to operate it. We have never bought a camera without first handling it and trying it out. Reading reviews in magazines and on the web is interesting and useful for getting a basic idea of what any camera is like. But everyone's tastes and expectations are different and there is no substitute for seeing and handling a camera yourself. Several we have liked the specification of, have on testing, turned out to be a disappointment in one way or another, either in build quality, the way they actually worked, or in their performance. 

In a sense our camera recommendations are simple. Buy the one you think is best. Not what someone else thinks. Because your tastes aren't someone else's, they are yours, and yours alone. Only you can decide how much you can afford to pay, how important style, ease of use, weight and image quality are. And it is always a balance between the many factors. Because no camera is ever best at everything for everyone. Compromise is always required at some point. By everyone at every level, from the novice who has never used a camera before, to a photographer who has been taking photos all their lives.

So visit our pages and read about batteries, memory cards, sensors, lenses, photo printing, image file storage, and a host of other subjects. All the links are through the Homepage below.