Complete How To Buy a Digital Camera Guide
7 must know digital camera buying tips - Updated for 2022

This free, complete, online, step-by-step, how to buy a digital camera guide will help you find an amazing camera at a rock bottom price! Okay, all joking aside, this post will help you make a good decision when choosing the best digital camera.

Finding just the right camera can be like finding just the right partner in life. There are a lot of okay choices out there, but you really want to find just the right fit.

I'll bet you might be wondering where to start.  It can be overwhelming. This article will give advice on buying a camera, tips on what to buy, and a simple, step-by-step strategy of choosing the best digital camera for your situation. The simple, step-by-step formula is called the SLAP System. 

It's kind of crazy, isn't it?  You have dozens of digital camera brands to choose from. And if that’s not enough, you have several different formats and sizes to pick from each of those different brands. Seriously, How do you know where to begin? Okay, so let's dive in right now.

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Today's digital camera buying advice

One of the separators for many photographers is the decision on whether or not to get a camera with interchangeable lens. If this article was strictly written as a camera buying guide for beginners, I'd say keep it simple and go with a digital camera that has a decent zoom lens and you'll have no need to ever change your camera's lens. That's a good option for some newbie photographers.

But before we get into that too deeply, I've got to tell you something that's much more important. It's a word of caution. There are 3 costly mistakes you want to avoid. It's easy to get drawn into making any one of these mistakes, but stay with me here.

The biggest mistake of all is falling for the Megapixel Comparison Trap. That's followed by the Shiny New Object Syndrome, and I call the third mistake The Michael Jordan Shoes Mistake. Avoid these 3 missteps and you're much more likely to find that perfect mate we talked about earlier. 

1. the megapixel myth

Some of the digital camera buying guides will do comparisons of each camera's mega-pixels number as the first comparison between different cameras. Now that all the sensors have plenty of pixels, they'll all give you decent quality photos.

You only need to look at megapixel count if you are doing high end, commercial photography for large print output. My first digital camera had a 4.0 megapixel sensor and it was plenty big enough for large wall portraits, provided I used the entire sensor and didn't have to crop the image before printing. 

The actual size of the sensor, not the number of pixels that have been squeezed onto it, is more important in determining image quality. I'm sure you'd agree that image quality is more important than boasting about the number of megapixels your camera has.

mistake #2 - Buying your camera as soon as it comes out

This will alert you if there are any problems with a newly released digital camera.

I wrote the original version of this article way back in the middle of July 2010, just after the release of the Apple iPhone 4. Do you remember all those unfortuneate problems surfaced. Think of all of people who waited in line to buy an iPhone because they just had to have it right away. To top it off, prices drop on a camera model as soon as its newer version is released. If you've done your research and it's what you want, you can save a lot of money.

Some digital camera buying guides will give you specifications for digital zoom. Digital zoom is worthless. It is a feature that has no value. Using digital zoom really means that you are only using part of your digital camera's sensor. It's the same as cropping your image after you take your pictures, when you do photo editing.

3rd mistake in chosing the best digital camera

We all know that. But we also know that having the right tool makes the job easier and a lot more fun, too. You'll need a little practice and a little instruction, but here's the good news. It's a great time to be interested in digital photography because of all of the technology and options we now have.

Your new digital camera is just a tool for you to use. Don't get me wrong here. I know what you're thinking. It is important. Just like when you get a high performance autombile, you've got to learn how to drive it right too.

digital camera buying tips

It is very tempting to buy a digital camera based only on a special sale or offer before considering what kind of camera you really want. To help you choose I came up with a simple system to follow. It's called the SLAP system and you can use it to choose your next camera.

The slap system of choosing a DIGITAL CAMERA
The Step by step formula to getting it right

Have you ever found yourself getting confused on where to start? You freeze in your tracks and don't take any action because you've been bombarded with advertisements and prices and features that you don't even know if you need. We've all been there.

Here's the good new. I came up with a system that's easy to remember and will get you where you want to go. It's called the SLAP System of Camera Selection, but just remember the S.L.A.P.

That stands for Size-Lens-Accessories-Price. These are the 4 critical features you focus on and you'll know how to buy a digital camera the right way. Remember to pay attention to these 4 factors when choosing your camera. It's that simple.

S is for size

Second perhaps to price, the size of your camera is one of the first things camera shoppers should focus on. If it's too big and uncomfortable for you to carry, you've wasted your money if you're not taking it with you. Like Goldilocks who was looking for just the right size bed when she was looking for a place to sleep, you want to find the right size camera.

Similar to the automobile choices we have now, there are crossover features in different sizes, but here are the 8 basic kinds of cameras, shown approximately in order of size. 

 There are basically 8 different camera sizes.

Admittedly, if you want a bigger sensor, you need a bigger cameras and a bigger lens that will be large enough to cover the sensor.

The overall size of the camera is the important consideration. Are you comfortable carrying it with you when you are taking your pictures? Do you want something that can slip easily into your purse or pocket?

If you want the look and of an accomplished photographer, a DLSR is your best bet. Fact: you'll gain more respect automatically if you have a DSLR in your hands. Can you imagine the look on the bride's face if the hired pro was using a little point-N-shoot camera as she was walking down the aisle.

L is for camera lens

Zoom Zoom Zoom.

The biggest limitation is not the size of the sensor, but how well you can capture your subject with the lens focal length choices you have.

Here's the thing. The quality of the lens, its size and its zoom range are all important aspects of lens you want your camera to have, but the zoom range is likely the most important factor of all. Let's face it. All the light that hits your camera's sensor must travel through the lens to get there. 

Don't forget you can save money by buying a perfectly functional used lens too. Here's the How To. 

Maximum aperture is important too. Creative photos with intentional narrow depth of field are tougher to get when your lens only opens up to f/5.6. For more on zoom range and what it means, here is information on Camera Lens comparison.

A is for camera accessories

Let me be honest with you. If you're looking for something simple and you don't want to be able to add any camera accessories, you can skip this section. I'm a camera geek so I love testing out lots of accessories. Point and shoot cameras don't have many options at all if you want to expand your creativity with.

Mirrorless and DSLR cameras have some interesting options for accessories. Also consider whether you will be buying any standard accessories like extra memory, camera bag or camera case, batteries, or perhaps a tripod. See what comes with your new purchase and see what extras you may want to include when you invest in equipment. More on camera accessories.

P is for camera price

If you have a budget on what you can spend, it makes no sense to even look at cameras out of your price range. If you do not mind buying slightly used equipment, you can get more bang for your buck.

When the newest model comes out prices drop for two reason: 

1. Manufactures and sellers want to get rid of the "older models." 
2. Buyers who have the older models are willing to sell them so that they can buy the latest and greatest.

when to buy your digital camera

We all want to get a good deal on our cameras and knowing when to buy will help you save money. I dove deeply into this topic and wrote an entire detailed article about The Best Time of Year to Buy Your Camera.

Fact: You don't have to spend a fortune to get a digital camera that takes good pictures. Can you tell me how expensive the camera was that I used to take this photo in Northern Ireland?

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additional camera buying tips

CAMERAS DON'T LAST FOREVER

Less expensive, modern plastic cameras with auto-focus, zoom lenses and electronic shutters break easily even if you take good care of them. Rapid technology advances makes the newest fall out of favor rapidly.

The cheaper they are made, then the easier they break. It is not worth the expense to repair. It's better to buy new again.

MAKE IT EASY AND CONVENIENT

I read tons of articles on digital camera buying tips that focus on the technical features only. Get a digital camera that is easy to use and carry. Can you envision yourself carrying a big camera bag around with you?

It's convenient to carry extra lenses and accessories.  If not, maybe you want something lightweight and compact that will slip easily into your purse or pocket.

For a few people the cell phone really is the perfect solution. A zoom lens or a quick shutter may not matter to you.  Your camera should be easy to use- or if it is more complex, you should be able to know how to use it properly before an important photo is attempted.

where to buy a digital camera

There are so many opinions on the best place to buy a digital camera that I won't dive into that topic too deeply. This site gets some of its funding by being an affiliate of Amazon. That means if you click through from a link to a product and purchase it, I receive a small financial thank you from Amazon, which in turn helps me host and run this site.

There are plenty of other places to buy, mostly online, where you can get a good deal on a digital camera. I don't think there is any better place to get a variety of customer reviews than Amazon. Surely, a small number of reviews can be faked, but that is true on any review site.

I do recommend you read several reviews, both postivie and negative on any product you are considering purchasing. It's a great resource of information. Just remember that the percentage of people who take the time to write a review is a small perscentage of the number of people who have actually purchased a product.

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final comment on how to buy a digital camera

Don't sweat it, baby. The techology is so good now that you'll enjoy just about any decent camera, provided it was made in the last 3 years. Things change rapidly in the world of digital camera buying. If you keep on waiting, you're just gonna miss out on more fun.

There is no such thing as the best time to buy a digital camera. Just read this article from PC magazine on point and shoot cameras: Choosing a point and shoot camera in 2012. Cheap point and shoot cameras are perhaps good for those few people who don't have a smartphone with a camera. Other than that....well.

Have a blast when you buy a digital camera, but more importantly remember to enjoy your camera, use it a lot, and use those photos for something right away!

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8 camera types

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Cell phone cameras have certainly taken over the basic point and shoot camera market. Virutally no modes and setting to adjust, the sensors are tiny and the image quality in low light situations is pretty poor.

You can't achieve shallow depth of field which limits your creativity in controlling focus.

The biggest liability: you cannot optically zoom your lens. Their biggest asset: you pretty much will always have it with you and ready to use.

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Ultra compact digital camera is the cheapest avenue to take. The higher rated ultra compacts are mostly priced in the $200-$300 range. They do come with decent LCD screens and have a few camera settings to adjust. The sensors are quite small.

They come with at least some optical zoom, a big advantage over cell phone cameras. One of the best features is that their lenses retract completely into the camera body when they are turned off.

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Regular compact point-N-shoot cameras are a step up in quality features over the ultra compacts. There's still no option to change lenses, but some come with a decent zoom range. You can't use an external flash or modify the tiny built-in flash, but that's usually not a big deal for the casual snapshot shooter.

Lenses retract completely or almost completely into the camera body.

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Price, image quality, and camera setting options all go way up when you move into this category of camera. These cameras are more suited for the advanced photo enthusiast who really want solid image quality, combined with advanced camera settings, in a convenieint take anywhere size.

The larger sensors give you more depth of field control. The lenses are  naturally bigger to accomodate the larger sensors and do not retract into the camera body. This is my own favorite type of travel camera.

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These camears are the stepping stone between compact cameras and DSLR cameras. That's why they've been labled "bridge" cameras. Bridge cameras are great for photographers who don't want to spend a lot, but still want the experience of handling a DSLR.

You still get the ergonomic and secure hand grip of a real camera and the optical viewfinder to compose your photos without blowing your entire piggy bank.

You get a much cheaper price by compromising a bit on sensor size. Biggest bonus: Most bridge cameras have "super zooms" with a great range of wide angle to telephoto zoom lens settings. Consequently, they don't need to have interchanceable lenses.

There are superzooms in other sizes, including compact cameras, so they are not a separate category by themselves.

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Mirrorless cameras  are the new kid on the block. They don't need to have a prism on top, so you're saving weight and space. You see the image directly as the light strikes the sensor. some mirrorless cameras do have a prism-like bump to give it a kind of retro feel.

Since they're relatively new, there is a limited number of lenses available, but you can buy adapters to use your mirrorless camera with a lens that you already have.

The introduction of mirrorless cameras has caused a bigger committment to much better video capabilites in DSLR cameras. If you considering a mirrorless camera, get one with a hybrid focusing sytem to give you good continuous focusing when shooting video.

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Both standard and pro DSLR cameras blow away the competition in terms of available camera accessories. DLSRs are for photographers who want to maximize their photography experience and want the best photo quality.

Unlike the bridge cameras, you get a huge array of lenses to choose from, particularly when you stay with one of the big DSLR brands like Canon or Nikon. Like other digital camera types, there are size variations within this category.

Generally, these cameras have a sensor that is about 2/3 the size of a full-frame (35mm) sensored camera. Bigger sensors means better quality, bigger lenses, and bigger prices.

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For the ultimate in performance, you can own a pro DSLR. If you have the financial means to buy one, you can't beat the fun that can come from investing in technology at this level.

The pro DSLRs come with an extended camera body that gives you double the battery power and extra controls for camera functions when you are shooting with your camera in a vertical orientation.

search for your favorite digital camera format

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