| How long does it take to become completely | | | | a few simple considerations. Any camera guide |
| confused and overwhelmed when shopping for a | | | | (sentient or otherwise) that tells you different should be |
| digital camera? I think the Guinness record is around | | | | promptly ignored. First of all pick up the camera with |
| three and a half minutes, but for most consumers I'd | | | | your own two hands and shoot a bunch of pictures. |
| estimate around two or three hours. Digital technology | | | | Shopping online for cameras can be great for finding |
| has done some really great things in the realm of | | | | the right price, but it's not going to tell you how the |
| photography, but simplifying buying decisions is not one | | | | camera feels in your own mitts. The camera weight |
| of them. There's really no need for the confusion, and | | | | should feel right for you, and all controls should be with |
| here are a few good reasons why. | | | | easy reach of your fingers. Be sure to navigate |
| What most digital camera consumers want, is simply | | | | through the menu options, and see how intuitive they |
| to take great pictures with relative ease, and without | | | | are. There's no substitute for hands on research. |
| having to read a 300 page manual. The good news, is | | | | Image quality is probably THE most import |
| that given the quality of cameras available, that's a | | | | consideration Take a few pictures (preferably before |
| very achievable goal. The bad news is, that by the | | | | purchasing . . . see above) and see what they look like. |
| time many would be purchasers have waded through | | | | Now don't just look at the pictures on the cameras |
| a plethora of techno-bable and marketing hype, they | | | | LCD screen. Print some, and upload some to a |
| just give up and throw themselves at the mercy of | | | | computer. LCD screens can be very low resolution, |
| the nearest salesperson. In some cases that works | | | | and either hide image flaws, or obscure a truly great |
| out great. But, you could just end up buying the | | | | picture. You can read volumes about ISO settings, and |
| camera with the best commission for John/Jane Doe | | | | image noise at those various settings. But really, what |
| Salesperson. | | | | matters most, is how does the image look to your |
| Getting the right digital camera really just boils down to | | | | own two eyes. It's that simple. |