Compact and ultra compact cameras often fit in your pocket and are highly portable. Advanced digital cameras are slightly larger and will require a camera bag or container of some sort when you take them on the road. SLR cameras are generally even larger and require a dedicated camera case to carry both them and the lenses that you purchase.
Camera Menus and Controls
Each manufacturer has their own idea of where buttons should be placed, how menus should be handled, and how big or small the controls should be. Make sure that you are happy with the size and location of the main control buttons. Also make sure that the menu system is understandable and easy-to-use.
Storage Media
While some digital cameras have some internal memory, most of your picture storage will be on removable media. These very from the slightly larger flash memory cards to the small SD-picture cards. When investigating the type of memory card that the camera uses you should consider:
The highest amount of memory that the largest storage card of this type can hold
The price
Compatibility with other devices that you may already own, like cell phones and MP3 players
Battery Type
Battery life is of prime importance.
Replaceable stock batteries are more costly over the time of ownership, but you can purchase new ones anywhere in the world.
Rechargeable batteries are more cost effective, but you have to remember to recharge them before you need them.
Viewfinder
Some compact cameras do not have viewfinders. All the set up is done through the LCD screen. While the screen provides a way to see what you are shooting, a viewfinder is generally more accurate.
View finders can be very useful in bright sunlight when the screen is washed out by the sunlight.
Optical viewfinders found in SLR cameras are the most accurate.
Electronic viewfinders mimic the optical viewfinders, usually quite well.
Automatic and User Controls
An SLR will give you full control over the focus, shutter and aperture priorities, and other controls.
Non-SLRs may give you the ability to change certain settings, but each camera will vary on how much control you have.
Presets, often called Scene Modes can be used to make quick preset adjustments for different situations. For instance, there may be a Fireworks, Beach, and/or Portrait settings. Make sure the camera you choose gives you Scene Modes that you will use.
LCD
Cameras with larger screens are generally easier to see.
Good clarity of the screen is also important.
Make sure that the screen is viewable in bright sunlight.
Some cameras are now coming with touch screens that make changing settings easier.
Flash
Some cameras have built-in flash.
Some let you adjust the flash levels.
Some cameras give you a hot shoe so you can add an external flash.
Software
Most digital camera come with software that will allow you to edit the pictures that you take. While it is nice to get a good program that you will use, it is not essential since there are many free and inexpensive programs available today.
File Formats
Most digital cameras take pictures in a format called JPEG. This is the generally accepted format and is widely used. JPEG photos are compressed to make them smaller, with some loss of accuracy. Many cameras allow you to choose the amount of compression by giving you a choice of quality.
Another popular file format is called RAW. This is an uncompressed format that captures everything that the camera sees, with no processing added. This allows for much greater manipulation after the picture is taken when using the computer to edit the pictures. The RAW format is usually only available in advanced and SLR cameras.
