What Digicam

Best Digital Cameras & Digital SLR Cameras for the beginner

Digital cameras & Digital SLRs for Beginners


For the beginner in digital photography, I suggest a digital camera which has both automatic and manual modes to allow the individual to grow as he or she learns more about photography. Manual controls can seem daunting in the beginning but once the relationship between shutter speed and aperture is understood, a world of creative possibilities can open up. Other features to look out for include:

Speed - the ideal camera must have minimal shutter lag to allow fast picture taking. This helps the beginner to feel more at ease with taking photographs rather than concentrating on the slowness of the camera.

Manual controls - aperture priority, shutter priority and full manual control can be useful in achieving creative results, controlling depth of field, action shots and for macro photography.

Zoom lens - the zoom lens must be 3x or longer and must be capable of producing sharp high quality photos.

Size - except for some people with larger hands, a small pocketable camera is more likely to be taken out and about than a larger camera which often gets left behind.

Battery Life - the camera battery must be able to last for a reasonable time before recharging is required.

Large LCD - the LCD viewfinder must be 2" or larger to accurately view and compose the picture.

Except where otherwise stated, all the digital cameras recommended for the beginner in digital photography have the above features.


Best Beginner Digital Cameras & Digital SLRs

Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-FX33-tn

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX33
For: 8 megapixels. 28-100mm Leica zoom lens. Small & compact. Fast operation. 2.5" high resolution TFT.
Against: Limited manual controls. Noise at higher ISOs.

Buy from Amazon
Fujifilm-Finepix-F100fd

Fujifilm FinePix F100fd
For: 12 megapixel super CCD. Fast operation. 28-140mm (35mm equiv) zoom. VGA movies. Compact size. Face detection. XD & SD/SDHC cards. 2.7" TFT. Wide dynamic range. Low noise upto 1600 ISO. Image stabilization.
Against: Limited manual control.

Buy from Amazon
Canon-Powershot-A720IS-tn

Canon PowerShot A720 IS
For: 8 megapixels. Optically stabilized 35-210 zoom lens. Manual controls. Digic III for fast operation. VGA movies. Optical viewfinder. Face detection.
Against: Noise at higher ISO settings. Low resolution 2.5" TFT. Poor in low light.

Buy from Amazon
Canon-Powershot-A650IS-tn

Canon PowerShot A650 IS
For: 12 megapixels. Optically stabilized 35-210 zoom lens. Manual controls. Vari-angle 2.5" TFT. VGA movies. Digic III for fast operation. Face detection. Optical viewfinder.
Against: Noise at higher ISOs. Bulky.

Buy from Amazon
panasonic-lumic-dmc-tz3-tn

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3
For: 7 megapixels. Sharp Optically stabilized Leica 28-280 zoom lens. Fast operation. Widescreen and VGA movies. High resolution 3" TFT. Small size.
Against: Heavy noise reduction at higher ISOs . No manual controls.

Buy from Amazon
nikon-d40x-tn

Nikon D40X Digital SLR Camera
For: 10 megapixels. Small & lightweight. Interchangeable lenses. High quality images. Bright viewfinder. 2.5" TFT. Best in class resolution. Raw format. Fast operation. 3 fps continuous shooting. Low or no noise upto 800 ISO.
Against: No autofocus with non-AF-S/AF-I lenses.

Buy from Amazon
Olympus-Evolt-E420 Olympus Evolt E-420 Digital SLR
For: 10 megapixels. World's smallest DSLR. Fast operation. Shadow adjustment. Live view through 2.7" TFT. Wireless flash. Manual controls. RAW format. Hotshoe. Supersonic wave filter for dust reduction. Low noise upto 800 ISO. Improved grip.
Against: Small viewfinder.
Buy from Amazon
Beginner Digital Cameras & Digital SLR Cameras Archive 2007
Beginner Digital Camera Archives for 2006
Digital camera reviews edited from many varied sources.
       
Copyright © 2005-2008 Lalit Rastogi Ltd, All rights reserved.
No portions of What Digicam Digital Photography Guide may be used without expressed, written permission.