Digital cameras offer the convenience of immediate viewing, computer connectivity, easy online picture sharing, and image storage. Best of all, there is no film to develop! Choosing a digital camera for the first time can be very intimidating. There seem to be countless models with a dizzying array of features. You must consider everything from zoom to pixels to memory cards. All the choices can be a bit scary, but never fear, here is a guide to choosing the right digital camera.

Resolution

How much resolution you need depends on how you plan to use your digital camera. Obviously you plan to take pictures, but what you plan to do with the pictures is what matters. If you plan to take pictures only for online use, such as to e-mail to friends and family or to place on a web page, most any amount of resolution will accomplish this. However, if you plan to print large photos or need clearer pictures for business use, you will need more pixels. A good rule of thumb is to choose a digital camera with the highest resolution you can afford. At the very least, buy a camera with a minimum of 2 to 3 megapixels. Beware of sales hype, which tends to emphasize high resolution over all other features. While resolution is important, there are many other features, which influence a camera's output. Make sure the camera you choose has a combination of features important to you, not just high resolution.

Lens

A glass lens is preferable to a plastic lens. Do not skimp on the lens. It is best to choose an optical zoom lens over digital zoom. Many lower cost cameras do not have optical zoom lenses. Optical zoom is essential for better quality pictures. Optical zoom actually moves the lens to capture the image, while digital zoom captures fewer pixels and magnifies the captured image. Pictures taken with digital zoom are often blurry and look digitized.