Digital Cameras

New Zealand Digital Cameras

Your guide to buying a digital camera in New Zealand, including where to shop and what to look for in a digital camera.

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Before you hand over the cash for a pricy digital camera, you'll want to make sure that you're going to buy a digital camera that's right for you. With a multitude of everchanging makes and models on the shelves, deciding on a camera can be daunting. Follow this guide for a simple, no-fuss camera purchase.

Don't step foot in a photography supplies store without brushing up on all the technical terms. There's nothing more off-putting than a salesperson throwing confusing jargon at you:

• Megapixels: the unit of measurement for a digital image. The number of megapixels will determine the quality of image; the higher the number, the better the quality of the end result.
• Zoom: when you enlarge an image using digital zoom, the camera doubles the size of the pixels in the image, creating a blurred or fuzzy outline. Optical zoom, on the other hand, magnifies the subject of the photo, producing an image of better quality than digital zoom.
• Memory: a memory card is an electronic device which is used to store the images captured on your digital camera. The larger the capacity, the more photos you can store on the card. A memory stick serves the same purpose.
• Aperture: as the name suggests, this is the lens opening of the camera, which controls how much light passes through the lens. The size of the aperture is measured in f-stops: the higher the number, the smaller the amount of light that enters. Some cameras allow manual adjustment of the aperture setting.
• LCD screen: most digital cameras include a screen on which you can view the image immediately after capturing it. It also means there's no need to hold the camera up, to line up your shot through the traditional viewfinder.

Learn about the benefits of digital cameras. It's generally agreed that digital cameras are fantastic, but what encourages people to make the leap from conventional camera to digital?

• Many disappointing photographs: one of the major benefits of digital is that you can see the image you've captured immediately – it's easy to take a better shot if you're disappointed with the result.
• Cost of processing: the cost of printing rolls of film can be avoided by switching to digital. Choose a select few to print and save money in the long term.
• Family and friends far away: digital images don't need to be printed and they can be easily sent via email to friends and family around the world.Pick the digital camera that's right for you. Once you've decided to go digital, it's a matter of deciding on the camera that will best suit your needs. Don't let a salesperson talk you into buying a professional's camera, if all you're wanting is a small, easy-to-use camera to get some great holiday snapshots. Follow these steps to decide which camera is best for you:

1. Decide how many megapixels you need
This is an important feature to consider, as the number of megapixels will affect the quality of your images. Expect to pay more for a camera with a higher number of megapixels. Generally:

• One or two megapixels will give you a small and inexpensive camera. While they’re great for emailing photos, they won’t allow you to get prints of any quality.
• Three megapixels is ideal for the amateur photographer. You’ll get a good balance between picture quality and price, and great 4x6 and 5x7 images.
• Four megapixels will be an improvement on three, meaning you’ll have greater quality of image in 4x6 and 5x7 sizes, and good 6x9 prints.
• Five megapixels allows you to enlarge your images without losing too much quality (usually up to 11x14).
• Six megapixels or more provides excellent image quality with a price tag to match.

2. Decide on digital or optical zoom
As outlined in the glossary of camera terms, optical zoom is far superior to digital zoom, producing clearer, less fuzzy images. Even though you may not be able to zoom as much, the quality will be better and you can always crop the photograph later using Photoshop or a similar image editing program.

3. Set your budget
Think about how much you will be using the camera – this should come into the equation when deciding how much to spend. A larger amount of money will buy you quality, but if you're a camera novice, you might want to avoid buying a camera which is better suited to a professional photographer or one with numerous features that you are unlikely to use.

4. Shop around
Have a browse in New Zealand digital camera shops to see what is around and the kind of camera you can expect to purchase with the amount set aside in your budget. Take notes of camera make and model, price, megapixels, zoom, memory card and any other relevant details. This is handy to keep track of what you’ve been looking at and also makes for an easy means of weighing up your options.

5. Check out user reviews
Once you've selected a few possible camera models, jump online and read the numerous digital camera reviews. This might give you an insight into the strengths and flaws of a camera, as well as giving you extra information you may not find in a camera store.

6. Buy!
Once you're fully informed and ready to buy the perfect digital camera, decide on where you will do your shopping. Prices for the same camera will vary considerably, so you may want to compare prices. Remember, as well as retail camera stores, there are online sites (which often buy and sell direct, saving you money) and Internet auction sites.

And final words of advice once you've purchased your camera: check for valid warranty and read your camera manual to get the most out of your new gadget. Learn how to take great photographs by enrolling in a photography course or buying a DIY photography book. Most of all, though, have fun with your camera, capturing images of friends, family, pets, stunning scenery, action-packed events, beautiful things, interesting sights and whatever else takes your fancy!

Looking for more information? Find New Zealand digital cameras in the NZS.com directory.

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Arts images from Flickr: Sony Cybershot, Maori Carving and Wellington Sculpture.