4 All Memory Blog

Deciding you want a new digital camera is easy. But how do you decide what kind to get? There are different brands of cameras, but there are also different types for different purposes. And as we all know, there are different prices for different cameras. So how do you decide exactly what’s right for you? Read on to see what we found by searching Google.

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The Google 5

Topic: Choosing a Digital Camera
Query typed into Google: “How to pick the right digital camera”

Article #1 – Top Ten Reviews

http://digital-photo-printing-review.toptenreviews.com/how-to-pick-the-perfect-digital-camera.html

Top Ten Reviews has obviously made it their business to write good quality reviews of important topics to web searchers. This article manages to cover most of the relevant topics involved with choosing the right digital camera for your needs. Some of the topics covered include photo quality, zoom quality, and convenience vs professional options. The only downside to this article is a rather abrupt ending seemingly mid-sentence. However, it seems to be at the end of the article, so it’s not terrible.

Pros – Good length, interesting, covers many relevant topics
Cons – Some advertising distraction, does not cover everything, ends abruptly

Article #2 – FTPplanet

http://www.ftpplanet.com/digital_photo/getting_right_camera.htm

FTPplanet showed that it did its research before writing this article. It contained most of the same topics as the Top Ten article, but went on to discuss even more including shutter lag and a better treatment of viewfinders.

Pros – In depth discussion, advertising free, covers more relevant topics
Cons – May be slightly dated, but still mostly relevant

Article #3 – About.com

http://cameras.about.com/od/digitalcameratoppicks/Digital_Camera_Top_Picks_Recommendations.htm

This article is somewhat out of character for About.com which usually has great informational articles. However, if you feel you now know most of what you want in a digital camera, this can be a good shopping point as they have broken the types of categories down fairly well. Those categories are linked to lists of specific camera types and their pros and cons.

Pros – Good for shopping, discusses specific models
Cons – A lot of information to sort through, must already have an idea of general camera stats

Article #4 – PC Mag

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1970424,00.asp

This article is a brief overview of what to look for when picking the right digital camera. However, it is over a year old having been written in May of 2006. Most of the information is useful, but don’t pay much attention to the price levels as the technology for cameras has fallen since the time it was written. Also, PC Mag has a bad habit of over-saturating their pages with ads and subscription offers. All in all, while this article contains a convenient brief overview, it’s outdated and full of useless ads.

Pros – Brief, good overview
Cons – Outdated, full of ads, not very in depth

Article #5 –Photo.net

http://photo.net/equipment/digital/basics/

By far the best article in the bunch, photo.net delivers what it promises in the headline: A Beginner’s Guide. Here you’ll find everything in the other articles and more. Also, they include some practical tips when buying a camera, noting the high number of disreputable camera dealers out there.

Pros – Very in depth, informative, and well written, very few ads
Cons – Somewhat long

Pros - Very in depth, informative, and well written, very few ads
Cons – Somewhat long

In summary, article number 5 is probably the best bet for getting acquainted with photos and cameras in general. One thing the articles don’t mention is that when you purchase several digital memory cards to go with your camera, it is much easier to purchase a card reader that will hook up to your computer rather than rely on your camera. These card readers allow you to plug your card right up to your computer anytime you need, even when your camera isn’t around.

Check out our deal on a digital card reader here!