10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Choosing a Digital Camera

The first spec listed on most digital cameras is the resolution, typically listed as the number of megapixels. Higher is better to a degree, but you could easily end up spending too much and getting "too much camera" if you simply go with the highest number. If you are primarily using the camera for small 5" by 7" prints or online slide shows, you don't need more than two or three megapixels, making for some really inexpensive options.

On the other hand, if you think you might turn those holiday snapshots into nice 11" by 14" display prints, anything less than five megapixels could turn out pretty grainy.

It's tempting to save some money and pick a cheap camera with 32MB of built-in memory. The box probably says you can take about 80 pictures. That's probably fine for capturing the kids' hockey games and downloading the photos each week. But it's not going to be enough for a two-week vacation. Better to upgrade to a camera with larger removable memory cards. That way, you can double the length of time between downloads.

Even low-end cameras often have a range of settings and options, allowing the user to decide among a small range of light and speed settings. This gives many photographers at least some control over their photos. However, if you can't remember what the settings all mean and don't want to keep testing and switching around, you might go with a really simple model that is truly just point-and-shoot, leaving all the decisions to the camera's "brain."

Your battery options are usually the basic AA or specifically designed rechargeable batteries. There are advantages and disadvantages to each.

AA batteries (or other common sizes) do not last as long, but can easily be replaced, especially during vacations where souvenir shops are more plentiful than compatible power outlets. Your camera will burn through rechargeable AA batteries particularly fast, especially because the batteries lose power with each charge.

Continue on to page two of this digital camera buying guide to learn more questions you should ask yourself before choosing a camera.