What Specs Are Important on a Digital Camera?

If you are looking for a digital camera to buy, you will find a lot of specifications listed to tell you about the product.  But how do you know which information is important and what is just extra fluff?  While a lot of it will depend on how you use the camera, there are a few specs that always matter for high quality images.

Zoom

Digital zoom really doesn’t matter but optical zoom is important if you are trying to catch a close view of objects at a distance.  You can get the same effect of digital zoom with editing software.  Unless you are trying to get extreme detail from a far off object, a 4-6x zoom is a decent amount on a camera.

Continuous Shooting

When you see the specs for the burst mode or continuous shooting speed, it means how fast the camera can shoot in a continuum.  A lot of people don’t think about this spec, but it can be a great feature if you like to take photos where the subject is constantly moving, such as a busy toddler or hyper pet.

Megapixels

This spec gets a lot of attention, but it not as essential as one might think.  When digital cameras first came out, the MP told a lot about the kind of photo you could expect.  But with the advances in technology, today even low-end cameras have plenty of megapixels for a great image.  In fact, on small cameras, too many pixels can lead to a lower image quality.

In the end, the specs that matter most depend on how you will use the camera.  It’s important to research the different models to find the one that works best with the type of photos you plan to take.  This ensures you get a camera you will enjoy for years to come.

[Image via fireproofsafesandfiles]