The Best Digital Compact Camera for Your Needs

Not everyone wants to carry around a large SLR camera so a digital compact camera will be ideal for carrying around in a pocket or handbag so that, when the moment arises for a perfect picture you have a camera ready. What is the best digital compact camera to buy and what should you be looking for in terms of features, megapixels and other specifications? We'll try to answer some of your questions in this and subsequent articles.

Megapixels - what are they and how many do I need?

One mega pixel is a million pixels, which are tiny squares which make up a digital image. The more megapixels the camera is rated for the better quality image you can produce. However higher rated digital compact cameras are more expensive so you need to consider what size of image you will need and buy a camera that will produce good quality images for that size.

Most compact digital cameras have a pixel count of between 1 million (1MP) and 14 million (14Mp. The pixel range of the most popular is usually between 2MP and 7MP. In order to make prints of 4"x6" a 3MP will be adequate. For 5"x7" you will need a 4Mp or 5MP camera. A poster size image can be made with reasonable quality from a 7MP camera.

Optical or Zoom lenses - which is best?

Digital zoom give poorer quality than optical zoom. Digital zoom works in much the same way as zooming n image on a computer. Software fills in the detail between pixels so the result can be a fuzzy image that lacks fine detail. Optical lenses work in the same way as the lens on an SLR camera an produce superior images. Most of the compact digital cameras on the market have 3x zoom lenses which are adequate for most shots. Some of the best compact digital cameras have up to 12x zoom lenses. an example is the Canon PowerShot S5 IS which also features an image stabilisation system.

More features

Most compact digital cameras work well by 'point and shoot' without you having to change settings. If you want to produce more specialised effects you can choose a camera that lets you change lens aperture, shutter speed, white balance etc. The no of features varies and increases, of course, with the price of the camera. The best compact digital camera to choose depends on how familiar you are with these features and how much time you are willing to spend learning how to use them properly.

Sensitivity

Sensitivity ratings are similar to the familiar ISO rating used on film cameras. Settings of most compact digital cameras range from ISO 100 to ISO 200 with the more expensive cameras having a higher settings. Below ISO 100 noise becomes a problem and in general there is really no advantage in going below ISO 100. The best compact digital cameras are very efficient at automatically choosing the ISO level suitable for the lighting conditions.

LCD Screens

A bright LCD screen that is usable in all lighting conditions is preferable although some are poor when it comes to use in dim conditions. A separate viewfinder would then be required.