Camera valuation and endowment depend on your needs.
The number of digital cameras for sale today can be overwhelming. However, most cameras can be reduced to a few core attributes, which makes them easy to compare.
Core Features
All cameras have a few things in common. Each camera will have a megapixel (MP) size, which describes how many pixels are in each picture. As of 2010, the lowest number you'd want is 8MP. Professional cameras run between 12MP and 18MP. Most buyers prefer an LCD display on the camera to instantly view their photographs. An LCD display that's 2.5 to 3 inches will suffice. Most point-and-shoot cameras shoot digital video. Check the quality of a video before buying the camera. You won't want anything that is less than 30 frames per second. Each camera should come with a digital media storage. Many use memory cards like Compact Flash or an SD card. Be sure that these are at least 1Gb in size. Finally, if a camera has a zoom, optical is better than digital.If you must buy a new camera, most electronics retailers sell every type of digital camera. Places like Best Buy, Walmart and Amazon will meet your needs perfectly. For a true professional with cash to spend, the B&H Photo website carries most top shelf equipment.
A basic camera (10MP) that does a decent job of everything mentioned will be from $70 to $100. If you increase in megapixels or video quality, the price jumps to $100 to $150.
More passionate users may want to try out a digital single-reflex lens (DSLR). These are professional cameras and are finally cheap enough to be bought by consumers. A reasonable price may be from $400 to $1,000. Their advantage over point-and-shoot cameras is lens selection and other accessories.
Places to Look
Unless you're extremely wealthy, a used digital camera is the best recommendation. They will be 50 to 25 percent cheaper, and you won't notice a difference. Websites like Amazon and Craigslist are excellent sources. Make sure a camera works before buying.
All other features are probably luxury or gimmicks.
