Buying a camera can be a big investment, so to ensure you get the best value for your money you should do some research, shop around, check reviews, web sites and go to different camera shops to ask questions and look at the different types of cameras.

When choosing a camera the web is an invaluable resource. Many websites provides detailed reviews and reports on digital cameras.

Points to consider:

  • What are the key types of photos you want to take?

  • Can the camera shoot in RAW format? RAW is a protocol in which the settings are stored separately from the raw data, allowing for far more adjustment and fine-tuning than the traditional JPEG format once your picture is in your computer.

  • Do you want to be able to use many different lenses?

  • Does it matter if the lenses if plastic or glass?

  • What type of batteries does the camera take and how long can they last? If you are on holidays or in remote location this is an important consideration. Or if you are planning to take your camera underwater you need long life batteries.

  • What type of weather conditions are you planning to use your camera in?

  • Can you get accessories for your camera that you might require?

  • How long is the warranty?

  • What type of memory cards can the camera use?

  • The weight and size of the camera?

  • Do you have a big memory buffer? If you plan to shoot a specific number of frames in rapid sequence your memory buffer will need to have enough space to allow this.

Here is a list of some of the websites we recommend for camera information and reviews: