In the capitalist world of 21’st century, we are spoilt for choice in almost everything we buy. With an unlimited number of options available while purchasing anything from eggs to a car, electronics market is not the one to be left behind. Currently, numerous companies have zillions of models in their point and shoot range of digital cameras, leaving an average buyer a bit confused on what to buy. We try to unravel the mysteries of various specifications and components of the digital camera to aid in deciding the product of your choice in this article.

The very first thing to consider while buying a digital camera is your budget. A range of price tags come attached to these little objects of desire depending largely on the mega-pixel count, zoom, L.C.D, battery life and lastly the size of the model in question. All these factors are also the ones that matter the most in a digital camera. We discuss these one by one to de-myth them for an average layman.

Mega-pixels:

A pixel is the smallest element of a photograph, whereby millions of them combine to give us the actual picture. A mega-pixel consists of one million pixels. The number of mega-pixels on a camera directly translates into the size of the prints you can generate and what maximum potions you can crop in an image. A standard 8X10 print requires only 3 mega-pixels so mega-pixel count is not as big an issue as propagated buy manufacturers.

Zoom:

There are two types of zooms available on digital cameras; optical and digital. While optical zoom corresponds to the physical capability of the lens to zoom into an object, the digital zoom, a less important component is the measure of camera’s capability to digitally zoom into an image after the photograph has been taken. 80% of point and shoot cameras available in the market come with 3X digital and 3X optical zoom. A higher optical zoom may be required if you plan to shoot objects at a distance from you.

L.C.D:

The screen size and quality on a digital camera has gained importance as an essential consideration while buying a digital camera. A bigger screen size is always better, as you can preview your images and see the host of other features and modes available on the camera easily. The viewfinder, though excluded in some models is still an essential tool that is desirable in a new camera.

Battery Life and Size:

With portability being of utmost important with a digital camera, the time available on a camera’s battery in between two subsequent recharges is a factor to look out for. Also, in the age of Ipod nanos and micro drives, a huge camera doesn’t fits the bill, unless of course you are a professional photographer. With a plethora of sleek cameras available in the market, and healthy competition between manufacturers to make a smaller one every day, a good amount of options are available to choose the size that you are comfortable with.

In the end, reading reviews of the model you are deciding on buying is an essential task before actually investing in it. All these factors combined with your requirements will help you choose the camera that suits you the best. So go out and buy and click!