Digital cameras: we all want one, but many of us aren’t sure what to look for when buying one. Our buyers guide for digital compact cameras is here to help.

Digital cameras: compact v dSLR

Once you hit the shops to find a new camera, it isn’t as straight forward as asking someone what the best digital camera is then handing over your cash. There are different types that will suit different users depending on their experience, skill level and what they are intending to use the camera for.

This buying guide looks at compact digital cameras, also known as “point-and-shoot” models. As the name suggests, these cameras are best suited for beginners and also for casual users. They tend to be small and easy to use with lots of automatic settings and minimal manual settings. On the other hand, digital SLR (dSLR) cameras are bigger but feature more manual settings and also tend to produce better images than compacts. However, you’ll pay more for a dSLR and they can be tricky to use for a beginner.

Megapixels

First and foremost, the one term you hear used in association with any digital camera, compact or dSLR, is resolution. Without getting too technical, this figure is measured in megapixels (sometimes called MP) and refers to the number of pixels (described in millions) the camera can record per image. Obviously, the higher the resolution, the clearer and more details the image will be. These days you don’t really see digital cameras below 7- or 8- megapixels, both of which still produce decent images.

If you are planning on printing your pictures out to large sizes then you will need a camera with a higher resolution.

Zoom

Another term you will hear frequently is zoom. All compact digital cameras have optical zoom, which is considered “real” zoom – the kind you’d see on a film camera. In other words, you can zoom in on something without the quality of the image deteriorating. Some compacts also feature digital zoom, which zooms in on the image by cropping and enlarging the target area. This type of zoom may result in some loss in image quality.

Features

What features can you expect to find on today’s digital compact cameras? Once again, it all depends on the camera and how much you’ve spent on it. At the most basic, a point-and-shoot model should feature the likes of face detection and image stabilisation as well as automatic scene modes, red-eye reduction and the ability to record movies in standard definition. The more advanced digital cameras may feature anything from high-definition movie recording (which is becoming more and more common) to blink detection. Some compact digital cameras can even be taken into extreme weather situations like the snow or rain, or can be dropped from a distance and still survive.

Best digital camera

Some of the most popular brands of compacts today include Canon Ixus and PowerShot, Nikon Coolpix (pictured here is the Nikon Coolpix S8000) and Olympus Mju and Mju Tough digital cameras.

Buy a cheap digital camera on sale

Guide originally published June 4, 2009; updated April 4, 2010.

By Caroline Warnes