always take blurry photos, and don't want to lug around a tripod, you might want to look for a feature called image stabilization or vibration reduction, where the camera seems to float and has sensors that adjust the camera back to where it should be when tilted off course.

 

Each camera seems to do one specific thing well. If you want a video camera, great still picture quality may not come from a camcorder. If you've noticed a video feature on your still shot camera, the frames per second and video size may be smaller. The videos are also limited to so many minutes so the sensor doesn't get too hot. So you have to determine your need and how long you want to take video. If you want a hidden spy camera, the quality always lacks. Underwater cameras usually don't give great shots above water. Travel waterproof cameras will always lack quality. So get a camera you have one main use for. If your one main use is the best of everything, you will end up with a lot of cameras.

Some camera features to Avoid:

• *Digital zooms that get blurry when you zoom in to the picture already taken. Pay more attention to optical zoom that has a mechanical part and lens to get close to your subject "before" you take the picture.

• *Slow to turn on. This makes you lose the moment of the shot. Cheap cameras will do this. Even the best of consumer cameras will too, until you really get yourself a professional SLR (Single Lens Reflex, which is a detachable lens).

• *Slow to take the photo. Especially if you move the camera by the time it takes the photo, the results will be blurry. 

• *Boasted MP size does not always mean the quality is actually there. Reading reviews solves this.

• *No Automatic Gain Control. Pictures will turn out dark without this every time.

 

Some key points to look for or think about are:

 

*OPTICAL zoom
This is different than DIGITAL zoom. Optical zoom is where the lens of the camera actually brings the subject closer optically, or mechanically drawing the lenses out to get the eye physically closer. Digital zoom is where the photo ALREADY TAKEN is zoomed in more, and here is where you lose quality each time you blow the image up more, because the pixels separate and render a bigger (yes) but blurry image. The digital zoom seems to be a useless feature, unless wanting to look closer at a smaller object in the picture you took. A good zoom to find is 10X or more zoom.

 

*Image-brightening feature
More cameras have this now, but you used to have to ask for a camera with Automatic Gain Control (AGC). This is an invaluable function that brightens images not only under low light conditions, but where you don't think it's dark. With this feature, your images will turn out "as you see them", rather than "darker than you see them," which is how every other normal camera seems to work. I personally would not get a camera without this special image-brightening feature.

 

*Megapixel size
Bigger is not always better. It depends on your need. Sales people will try to sell you the highest top going MP camera, but then you will have to get a higher capacity camera storage card, and transferring all these high resolution photos to your computer, will take forever, unless you have high computer processors for all this high definition. Also, over a shorter amount of time, your computer will fill up faster with photos. You will then have to consider external hard drives or alternate storage solutions. This should be done always as a good practice for saving photos you don't want to lose, should your computer malfunction.

 

A camera that can be adjusted to use less than 5 MP will keep file sizes low and still give good quality. If you want it for print uses, you will need the highest MP always.

 

*Photo storage
Check what type of photo memory card the camera uses and if it will fit what slot your computer has. If there's no slot for it, check into what external card readers would fit the camera and your computer.

 

*Extra Accessories

• Camera case (to protect your camera)

• Memory cards (you don't want to run out of space when you're on vacation)

• Spare batteries/recharger (a few times of being function-less in the field will cure this)

• Tripod (for steady shots to avoid blur)

• Lens cleaner kit (grabbing the camera and fingerprints resulting, always happens. Be prepared.)

 

*Quality & Size
For years I pondered the greatest question of all: how to get professional quality, but small in size without looking like you're a whole camera crew coming in to take a cool picture of just that bird nearby. The gap between professional/quality and consumer/compact was just too large. There MUST be BOTH quality AND small size, not one or the other.

 

Then the smartphones came out with better cameras. I have been really amazed at some of these cameras, capabilities to record quality videos up close on artwork, still shot ability to be sharp when zoomed, and the most difficult challenge of all: taking good blacklight photos that no one could tell me how to get.

REVIEWS!
It's important to check reviews on any electronic item before buying it. Better to have your heart set on something and check the reality of other's experiences before buying, than waste your time, money, and much stress getting something that doesn't live up to the standards it claims. Type in the camera you want in Amazon and read the reviews. Then go to YouTube and type in the camera to see how the actual quality looks "being" used.

 

Then go to the electronic store near you and get the item with a warranty (a big store chain is best to go to, so they don't go out of business, and will be there to honor your purchase over time). Most warranties online will offer only current replacement value, rather than the value at what you bought the item at. If you buy it in the store with warranty and it breaks within that period, they have been more likely to fix or replace your same product, or give the next model up if they don't have your model in stock.

 

A good cameras for photographers is a professional camera. This is the next step up after a consumer camera, where you might pay for just the camera body, and buy lenses separate, that would meet your needs. After using a consumer camera for awhile, you will know more of your needs and what you like and don't like about what you've been using.