For many people the whole idea of buying a digital camera is confusing with so many to choose from. For someone who is dedicated then they may spend quite some time researching consumer reports to find the best digital camera. Eventually saving enough money to buy that eye-popping, 10 megapixel, 10x optical zoom with up to a sixteen gigabyte expandable memory using super hi-speed SD memory card and of course, very compact; which we hope be the envy of almost everyone we know. By the time we actually go to the mall armed with our life savings, we pass by a new display with an all new model that has even more mega pixels, and larger expandable memory, with built it microphone and video playback with stereo sound and 22 scenic modes.

We sigh because the manufacturer of this amazing gadget claims that this is the best digital camera yet out in the market. But this dilemma is very short lived because you promised yourself the best digital camera and that is what you are going to have. Don’t worry though if you are not sure what to do; just follow the guide below and you shouldn’t go to far wrong. First off try and search out a model with a higher number of pixels, referred to megapixels; you ideally need over 5 although with today’s cameras it would be hard to find one under that anyway.

As digital photo printing costs have reduced over the last few years more and more people are taking advantage of this so the higher the number of pixels you have, the larger you can print your images. Superior color definition and the chance to print off larger than normal images are usually the main reasons for buying a model with high megapixel resolution. The advantage of larger LCD screens on the cameras means you have more control over the composition of the finished image and it is much easier to see the shots you have taken afterwards. The best digital cameras are able to touch up and edit the images this is an excellent feature to have as standard.

The only downside to this great feature is it uses more battery power so always keep a fresh set with you at all times if you don’t want to be caught out. More and more digital cameras are coming equipped with an optical zoom and this is the sort to try for even if it is only a three times power. However, the lower price range cameras rarely come with an optical zoom and where fitted, optical zooms range between 3x to 12x power. Images on these cameras are stored on small storage cards that can have a huge memory capacity but be sure to buy the right type.

There are different types of memory card: like the xD, SD, Compact Flash, Memory Stick being the main ones. As the large megapixel cameras use a large amount of memory then purchase the largest capacity card your camera can use within your budget. Whereas a few years ago a large storage card would be somewhere in the region of 128mb to 256mb, it is not uncommon to use cards with 4 gigabytes or more of storage now. After all is said and done, the best digital camera you choose should match your lifestyle as much as it should your pocket. If you enjoy taking shots with your new toy and use it regularly then that is all you can ask from a camera isn’t it?