If the thought of buying your first digital camera seems confusing, don't worry, you are not alone. In this article I will simplify the process for you.

If you already know what model of camera you are looking for, you can probably find it now by browsing our pages of Digital Camera Deals.

Because digital photography has become an incredibly popular pastime, you will find that, as a buyer, there are thousands of camera models to choose from, offered by dozens of competing camera vendors. For a first time buyer, the selection of choices can be overwhelming. But by addressing your photographic aspirations first, you can quickly pare down your options and come up with a few competing models from which to make your final selection.

1. Digital Camera Introduction - The Things you Should Know

You only need to get yourself to a public gathering, like a school event, to appreciate how popular the use of digital cameras has become. Position yourself at the rear of the gathering and you will see cameras appear over the heads of their owners at every photographic opportunity.

You cannot help but notice the brightly lit LCD viewports on the back of the cameras displaying the exact scene the photographer is about to capture for their family records. It is clear that no one using point-and-shoot cameras is using their camera's viewfinder to frame their shots these days. This is worth keeping in mind when selecting a camera, as most compact models are sacrificing the viewfinder in favour of a larger LCD display.

One thing that you may also notice is that, held at arms-length from the photographer's eyes, today's compact digital cameras are operated a lot more like overt scanning devices than the snapshot stealing film cameras that I grew up with. In fact, many digital cameras also sport a video mode, so there is more to this observation than one might imagine at first glance. In a very real sense, our digital devices are converging.

Reusable Electronic Pixels. Today, instead of projecting the photographic image onto a sheet of light-sensitive film on the focal plane at the back of the camera, the digital camera uses a vast array of reusable light-sensitive electronic pixels to do the same job. The image is converted into a digital format and immediately transferred to a memory card that can be swapped out, and is itself reusable.

Low Cost Per Image. Younger photographers, who have little or no experience with film cameras, are unlikely to appreciate the huge savings afforded by recyclable memory cards, which have removed the need for expensive high quality rolls of film. Today, film cameras are on the wane and are unlikely to be of interest to anyone but professional photographers, many of whom who still appreciate the characteristics of film and its inherent long life independent of an electronic device.

As a digital photographer you do not have to "count the frames" as I once did when I started capturing images on film in the early nineteen eighties. Today you can swiftly capture 500 images in a single day, rather than a carefully executed 50, and immediately discard the ones that don't make the grade. Because physical memory drops in price yearly, the already low cost per image will continue to drop as well.

More Great Shots. In fact, this one advantage that digital photography provides is the secret to drastically improving your photographic record. If you can afford to shoot ten times the number of pictures you cannot help but double or triple the number of great shots you produce. Just be sure to load up on physical memory cards before you head out the door!

Sharper Images. If you have ever taken what you thought might be a fantastic photo, only to be disappointed when you see the blurred end result, you'll be pleased to discover that many of today's digital cameras have image stabilization built into the lens. The camera can actually detect image-blurring motion and compensate to produce sharp images that would otherwise not have been possible.

2. Digital Camera Brands - Which is Better?

If you had you asked me twenty five years ago which brand of camera you should consider going with, I would undoubtedly have shot back with Nikon. I really liked the look and feel of their cameras and I believed their Nikkor lenses were second to none.

However, today Canon is probably the most popular brand. For this reason, and because Canon cameras are every bit as good these days as Nikon and Canon's other competitors, I strongly recommend considering a Canon digital point-and-shoot if you are interested in a compact camera. When it comes to SLRs it's something of a toss up between a Canon digital SLR or a Nikon digital SLR for a first camera. But, if pressed, I would recommend you read these Nikon D40 reviews to see which economical but superb digital SLR gets my vote.

If you have cameras in the household, and SLRs in particular, then the brand of SLR lenses you have access to today probably determines the brand of your next SLR. For example, if someone in your home owns a Nikon SLR and you intend to use their lenses, then you'll need a Nikon SLR yourself to do that. Nikon lenses have a bayonet (insert and twist counter-clockwise) mount, while Canon lenses have their own mount design that twists clockwise.

Also, Canon made a major (forward thinking) change in design to their lens mount when they moved into digital photography. Unlike Nikon lens mounts which are always backwards compatible with every lens Nikon has ever produced, that is not the case with Canon. If you buy a modern Canon digital SLR you'll need to use a modern Canon lens with it. To Nikon's credit, they got the lens mount right when they started their lens line more than half a century ago.

You can read the other half of this article at Best Digital Camera Discounts.

Stephen Carter runs Best Digital Camera Discounts, where, if you find a great price on a camera, there is a very good chance that the offer represents the lowest price you are likely to find anywhere. If you are not inclined to follow one of the recommendations for a camera made on this page, try browsing our digital camera categories, or use our search engine to find currently available offers.

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