Buying Your First Digital Camera, Part 3

Part 2 can be found at Buying Your First Digital Camera.

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As camera resolution and capacity grows, the amount of data that must be transfered to your computer can grow.

You want to be able to quickly and easily get your pictures on your computer. Several technologies have evolved to assist in this process.

Originally, USB was the stardard way to connect a camera. USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. It gave manufactures of cameras a standard port to connect devices to, but was relatively slow.

USB2 was introduced to solve that problem. Most new computers include USB2 ports. USB2 devices can typically connect to USB1 ports, but transfer will be at USB1 speeds.

Another port with blazingly fast transfer rates is Firewire. It can easily transfer high resolution video as well.

Before making a purchase, make sure that your computer has a USB2 or Firewire port to match the transfer method your camera will use.

Storage Capacity

A camera's storage capacity determines how many pictures you can take at a particular resolution. As resolution goes up, the number photos that you can take at that resolution goes down.

Typically, you want the ability to take many photos, but you do not want to compromise on quality. Look for cameras with significant storage capabilities, and the ability to add memory sticks to increase that capacity.

Camera Size and Weight

Like cell phones, lightweight cameras can be very desirable if you want to be able to get that shot anytime and anywhere. You do not necessarily need to buy a camera that is all-purpose, but a comfortable camera should be part of the criteria you use to make your decision.

Manual Features

While automatic focusing, exposure, and flash settings can be convenient, you will find that being able to manually override these features is extremely valuable. This should be considered a must-have.

Finally

Only you know what your desired use for your camera will be. This guide should help you put together a prioritized list of what you will look for when making your purchase.

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