PC World: A buyer’s guide to Photography

Digital compacts

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Ok, so you want a camera small enough for to pop into your pocket or a handbag; a digital compact is the answer. With prices from £50 to £500 and with so many models to choose from it might feel like trying to find a needle in a haystack, but with a little research, you’ll be able to narrow the field and make a decision.

If you just want a very basic camera to take snaps of your holidays, friends and family, a modern budget compact will produce pretty good results. The picture quality, build and features won’t match the fancier models but it will take passable pictures and won’t cause too much heartache if it gets lost or damaged. However, once you pass the £100 mark the quality starts to increase considerably, and as with everything in life it seems, the more you spend the better it gets.

What to look for

• Resolution: A digital camera’s image resolution is measured in megapixels. The higher the number, the better the resolution. This is one of the main factors in determining image quality but it’s not the only consideration. Realistically, anything above 6 megapixels will produce superb images unless you want to blow them up to poster size. Anything above 10 megapixels will produce seriously huge images and processing them will require a powerful computer.
• Lens: A camera with relatively few megapixels can produce better images than one with more if it has a better lens. Most lenses produced by the big manufacturers are truly excellent these days, but it’s sensible to read impartial reviews once you’ve narrowed your choice down to a few models. Wide-angle lenses (22mm and under) are popular right now as they allow you to get more of your subject into the frame without that precarious backward shuffle.
• Zoom (optical and digital): Zoom lenses are either optical or digital. Optical is achieved in the traditional way – by moving an actual lens in and out to achieve the zoom effect. Digital zoom is a function of your camera’s electronics and will reduce image resolution and quality. Generally speaking, a wide optical zoom range will give you high quality results while digital zoom only really works on a camera with lots of megapixels to play with.
• Image stabilisation: Remember how shots were often ruined by camera shake.  Well thanks to modern image-stabilisation technology, blurry images are a thing of the past. The camera will automatically compensate for trembling or movement to ensure sharp images, no matter how unsteady your hand might be. If you’re shooting inside without a flash, a camera with image stabilisation might give three sharp shots out of every five you take. Without stabilisation, you’re looking at more like one in five.
• Screen: It’s obvious we know, but your camera’s screen lets you see what you’re shooting and is vital for those models without a traditional viewfinder (which are becoming more common). A good screen should be big enough and bright enough to let you see what you’re snapping even in bright sunlight or looking at it from an angle. Some modern models now have slick touch screens but it’s still unclear just how useful this is in practice.
• Modes and features: Higher-end compact cameras feature a lot of complex electronics into their tiny bodies that allow you to achieve the kind of results only professionals could previously reach. Where you once needed an to understand terms such as depth of field, exposure times and lens apertures, all you need now is the ability to twiddle a knob to select the right mode – such as indoor, portrait, night-time, fireworks etc. Some more complex models include manual options for photographic know alls to fiddle with, but the rest of us can ignore these.
• Sensitivity: Higher-end digital compacts have much more receptive sensors which capture more light and will produce much better quality results in low light situations without using the flash, particularly when movement is involved.
• Video: Most digital compacts offer video capture as standard now but quality varies. The top models can capture high-res HD moving pictures. But ask yourself if you want or need to pay for such high quality video if you’re just filming the family Christmas.

Memory Cards

• Memory card: If you want to store more than a handful of images you’re going to need a memory card. Formats vary model by model (CompactFlash, MSM, SD and XD) so make sure you choose the right one for your camera. The number of images you can store depends on the size of the card (usually measured in gigabytes) and the resolution setting on your camera. The one you need will depend on how you’re planning to use your camera, but most people will want one big enough to store all the pictures you’re likely to take during a two-week holiday – a couple of hundred maybe.

Digital SLRs

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If you’re more interested in creating really stunning professional standard images that will push your creative ideas to the max, you’ll need more control, better quality and flexibility than even the best compacts can offer.

A combination of a traditional SLR camera and digital technology, the digital SLR benefits from much bigger lenses that let in more light to produce better, clearer images. Crucially, SLR lenses can be swapped and changed to suit the specific shot you’re going for, be it a stunning mountain landscape or a fast-moving motorsport action shot.

What to look for

• Resolution: As with compacts, the number of megapixels is not the only factor that determines image quality, more so with SLRs than compacts.
  
• Size: While SLRs are certainly bigger than compact digitals, there are now smaller, more portable SLRs that are proving to be very capable and becoming more very popular. Think about how much size and weight matters, if it’s an issue you could miss out on numerous photo opportunities by leaving your camera behind.
  
• Technology: Like compacts, Digital SLRs feature a wide range of advanced functions designed to help you take better pictures – from movie modes and in-camera effects to high-quality image stabilisation and auto focus. Look out for functions that you’re really going to use and think about the kind of results you’re hoping to achieve. If you intend to get serious about photography, then choose a camera with enough functionality to allow your skills to grow.
• Accessories: Buying a Digital SLR opens up a whole new world of camera accessories. Some are genuine must-have items such as a proper flash, a bag, photo editing software and a tripod, while others might only be used occasionally such as lens filters, remote triggers and movement sensors
  

Camcorders

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Basic camcorders are now compact and affordable, making home video recording available to everyone. You can now record in HD quality to play on your HDTV, and if that wasn’t enough, the world’s first 3D camcorder has just been released (though you’ll need a 3D TV to view the pictures).

The latest pocket camcorders are also making a big impact. Inexpensive, fun and easy to use, these pocket sized cameras make it easier than ever to record your own footage and share it with friends on social networking sites like Facebook, YouTube and MySpace

What to look for

• Recording media: Now that tape has now been consigned to history, most modern camcorders record onto a memory card or an internal memory, allowing you to film hours of footage before you need to download it to your computer.
  
• HD: Many consumer cameras now record stunning high-definition pictures using ultra-high resolution sensors, the likes of which are seen in digital still cameras Around 9 megapixels is more than enough for a video camera as even the most advanced televisions can only cope with so much detail.
  
• Image size: Most camcorders on the market film in 16:9 widescreen which is now the standard aspect ratio. If you find a deal that looks too good to be true, check it out to make sure you’re not buying old technology with a 4:3 frame.
  
• Functions: Look out for some of the same functions a good digital stills camera would have such as image stabilisation, face recognition, optical and digital zoom and the ability to perform in low light conditions.
  
• Screen: A large, good-quality, non-reflective screen will make it much easier to shoot what you want.
  
• Connectivity: If you’re really serious about your filming, you might want to consider whether you need the option of plugging in an external microphone to make sure you capture the sound of what you’re shooting.