| The question of what is the best digital camera to buy, | | | | intuitive and easy to use? Are they single or multi |
| is an easy question to answer. The short answer is | | | | purpose. Single purpose buttons control only one |
| the camera that allows you to take the best picture | | | | function. I prefer single, as your more likely to |
| possible, while staying within your budget. Simple | | | | remember what they're for in the heat of the moment, |
| enough yes, but the answer also begs several other | | | | or a year after you've bought the camera and have |
| questions. How do you take pictures? And secondly, | | | | no idea where the manual is. |
| what's the best camera for the way you take | | | | Next, try navigating through the cameras menu |
| pictures? | | | | system. This once again, should be easy and intuitive. |
| Amongst professional and semi professional | | | | Junior at his cutest moment, won't wait for you to flip |
| photographers you'll find many heated debates about | | | | through the manual for a specific setting. The picture |
| different camera makes, models, and designs. Where | | | | and moment will be lost. An ergonomically intelligent |
| you will find no argument whatsoever, is in the | | | | camera should have all the major settings controlled by |
| statement that "The single most important factor in | | | | physical buttons or knobs. Not buried within three levels |
| determining the quality of your photographs, is the | | | | of menu selections. |
| abilities and styles of the person taking the picture". In | | | | Finally take as many pictures with the cameras on |
| other words, the camera is secondary, you the | | | | your short list as possible. Indoor pictures, outdoor |
| photographer are what really matters in the whole | | | | pictures, portrait pictures, landscape pictures, macro |
| process. | | | | pictures. Run the whole gamut! |
| So, let's then focus on determining how to get the best | | | | If the store is flexible, see if you can take a demo |
| camera for you into your hands. How do we do that? | | | | home for a few days to try out. The more expensive |
| First and most importantly you need to get off the | | | | the camera, the more likely they'll allow this. If not, just |
| internet ;) What you should be doing is trying out | | | | make sure the store has a good return policy (no |
| cameras with your own bare hands. Play with the | | | | restocking fee), buy the camera, take it home, try it out, |
| myriad array of controls, sliders, and buttons on the | | | | and then return it. After you've done this with a few |
| camera. Every single one of them. If it's not obvious | | | | cameras (maybe a few stores), you should have a |
| what they mean, then ask. Try them all out. Are they | | | | nice collection of images to compare. |