Buyers' Guide to Digital Cameras

High resolution will help you print great photos, but to get great photos in the first place, look beyond the pixels.

With digital cameras, resolution remains the prime specification that vendors hype, and it's the most important buying criterion for customers. Relatively inexpensive 4-megapixel models are common, but only a couple of models reach 5 megapixels. Though experts predict the ascent will plateau at 6 megapixels, we doubt people will ever get enough.

However essential resolution is, other factors also matter: Cameras need more than just a high pixel count to make attractive pictures. For example, a lethargic camera that takes too much time between shots may miss the best action, and a big, heavy camera may spend more time on the shelf than in your carry-on bag.

Top 10 Digital Cameras (chart)

Key Features

Resolution: If you intend to take pictures only to e-mail to distant friends or to print at snapshot size, a camera of most any resolution will do. Even so, more pixels give you greater flexibility--you can print sharper pictures at larger sizes, or crop small pieces out of pictures. Our rules of thumb: A 2-megapixel camera can usually produce a pretty 5-by-7 print; a 3-megapixel camera, an 8-by-10; and a 4-megapixel model, an 11-by-17.

Size, weight, and design: To some users, how much a camera weighs and whether it fits in a pocket may be more important factors than resolution. PC World has tested cameras that weigh as much as 2.6 pounds and as little as 6.8 ounces. The heaviest, Olympus's sophisticated Camedia E-20N, has many features you'll never see on smaller cameras, but it's bigger than most single-lens reflex film cameras. The lightest, Kyocera's Finecam S3, is smaller than many PDAs. On the other hand, small cameras frequently have tiny dials and buttons that make changing settings somewhat trying.

Zoom lens: Inexpensive cameras often lack optical zoom lenses. If we had to choose between an optical zoom and a one-step-higher resolution, we'd take the zoom--you won't have to magnify and crop the image in software (and discard some of that resolution as a result).

Some cameras have a difficult time focusing in close-up or in dim settings. A few cameras offer external lamps or infrared emitters to aid in focusing; such attributes are highly valuable if you photograph subjects in dark settings.

Manual focus: For close-ups or situations in which the camera can't get a focus lock, switching to manual focusing can help you get the picture. Low-end cameras often omit manual focusing or allow only stepped focusing--you must choose from a few preset distances.

Storage: At its highest resolution, a typical 2-megapixel model can store eight to ten images on an 8MB "starter" memory card. CompactFlash and SmartMedia cards cost about $35 for 64MB, or $65 for 128MB. Secure Digital cards cost more: about $45 for 64MB, or $75 for 128MB. Some Sony cameras store images on floppy disks or compact discs. But floppy storage is slow, and the disks hold only one or two high-resolution images. CDs store more images, but the cameras that use them are both slow and bulky.

Batteries: Cameras use one or more of several battery types: AAs, either nonrechargeable alkaline ($6 for four) or rechargeable nickel metal hydride (about $14 for four); high-capacity disposable CRV3s (around $12); or proprietary rechargeable batteries that can cost $35 to $75 to replace. Some chargers are larger than the cameras their batteries plug into, but Canon's Digital Elph series features a charger whose prongs fold out of its body (so it has no cord for you to deal with). For cameras that take AAs but don't come with rechargeable batteries, consider buying rechargeable nickel metal hydrides ($35 for a set of four and a charger).

Movies and sound: Many cameras can capture video as well as still shots, though memory cards don't hold much video footage; the option is useful only for short clips. But some models don't capture sound--can you live without talkies?

Exposure settings: All digital cameras let you shoot in fully automatic mode--just press the shutter release and you get a picture. Better cameras offer aperture- and shutter-priority modes, in which you adjust, respectively, either the size of the lens opening or how long the shutter stays open; the camera automatically controls the other variable to give you the proper exposure. Usually the same cameras also offer full-manual exposure control, in which you set both variables. These modes make a camera adaptable to almost any situation.

Program modes let you select from presets that manage the exposure automatically--for example, choosing "Sports" will open the aperture to a wide setting and force a fast shutter speed. They're useful, but you may have to spend extra time deciding which mode fits your setting.

White balance: Almost all digital cameras let you choose a white-balance setting via presets. These settings tell the camera the color temperature of the light in a setting so that white comes out white and black comes out black--and, by inference, red comes out red. If you're finicky about color accuracy, look for a manual calibrator in which you press a button while aiming at a white object.

Usability: Good cameras can take pictures, display them, and let you scroll through menus quickly without having to stab buttons again and again to get something to work. Compare models side-by-side to gauge their speed.

LCD: Low-end models often omit an LCD screen--a feature necessary for macro (close-up) shooting, and for reviewing just-taken images. LCD quality varies widely: Many wash out in sunlight or become grainy in low light, or the image changes if you tilt the camera slightly.

Software: Few cameras come with truly valuable image editing software, such as Adobe Photoshop Elements or Ulead PhotoImpact. Canon includes panoramic stitching software.

Recommendations

Look for a model that has a zoom lens, operates quickly, and offers flexible exposure settings, such as the Olympus Camedia C-3020. If you expect to make large prints, opt for a 4-megapixel model, such as the Canon PowerShot G2. If size and portability matter, try out the diminutive models from Canon, Konica, and Kyocera.

Zooming In on Digital Cameras