By Jessica McCurdy Crooks
With Father's Day a month, away I'm sure many of you will be thinking of getting dad a nice digital camera. However, before you step out and purchase the first camera you saw being advertised or, even worse, the one the sales person tells you is the best, go prepared. That's right, go buy that special man his camera like an expert.
The steps below will guide you on selecting the perfect camera for dad whether he is a shutterbug or just wants to have a camera on hand for those special moments.
What type of photographer is dad?
The first step towards knowing what type of digital camera to buy dad is to determine what type of photographer he is. The camera you would buy a hobbyist would be totally different from the type you would buy a professional photographer or "pro-sumer".
Also important is whether dad is an outdoorsy type, or water lover who goes fishing or boating. I know these seem simple but they will help determine what type of camera to choose.
For the dad who is an amateur photographer consider getting him a nice point-and-shoot camera. These are easy to use and, as the description says, you just point and shoot. These cameras are great for capturing those family moments you don't want to forget.
There are two types of point-and-shoot cameras, however, the first is automatic, the other manual. The manual is a good buy for the dad who will want a little more; it gives the flexibility of experimentation. The automatic point-and-shoot camera is the choice for the dad who is "a little techno" or who is a little more than an amateur.
The professional photographer will want a digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera. These gems come with both automatic and manual controls.
One great midrange cameras has been the Canon Powershot SD40, shown in Figure A. It's a nice, little 7.4 megapixel wonder, and even though it's been around for a few years, it's still selling for about $350 -- although it's available in a lot of colors.
FIGURE A
If you're dad's into designer colors, this might be the camera for him. (click for larger image)
But one of the reasons you might want to shop around is that newer cameras often do more and cost less. A good example of this is the Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital ELPH, shown in Figure B, is brand new, out only since February, and it's got 7.4 megapixels. It's got a bigger screen and a better optical zoom. Best of all, you can generally get the SD1000 for even less than the SD40. We've seen prices under $250.
FIGURE B
If you dad likes function over style, this might be the camera for him. More features, less money, but not as many colors. (click for larger image)
Size matters
Luckily, these days size does not equal quality, therefore some really great cameras are small. If dad uses his hands a lot, you should look for a small camera that can easily fit into his pocket. Yes, these can still take great digital shots.
If you go for the SLR cameras remember that these are larger and heavier, especially if you want one with better zooming capabilities. There are lots of sizes in between tiny and large cameras so you will have lots of choices.
Understanding megapixels
This is the hardest part to understand when buying a camera. However, deciding on how many megapixels you need in a camera depends on two things:
- How much you can afford to spend, and
- What dad will be using his camera for?
Now what is this megapixel?
As you may know, the word pixel is shorthand for picture element. Megapixel refers to all the dots on a digital image or a computer screen. Each of those dots holds one color and when they come together they form the picture or image. By the way, one megapixel is one million pixels, so a four megapixel camera will have four million pixels. The more megapixel the digital camera, the better quality picture the camera can take.
For more information, you can read our article series on megapixels or buy What the Heck is a Megapixel?, an ebook that's basically a compilation of these articles.
With prices trending down, looking for a camera starting at around four megapixels is good. However, if cost is really a factor there are some great three megapixel cameras out there.
A lower megapixel cameras will be OK for most purposes, especially if dad will only be using his new gift to take pictures to send by email or print out as a snapshot. However, a camera with five to seven megapixels is better for large prints that are over 8 inches by 10 inches.
For the nature-loving dad, go for anything over seven megapixels. Cameras with this type of resolution allows for dad's creativity to come forth. He can do just about anything he wants to, such as print extra large prints for posters.
Zoom, zoom
Cameras with zooming capabilities are fun to have because they allow for close-ups from a distance. There are two types of zooms available on digital cameras, digital zoom and optical zoom. Remember that with digital zoom, quality can be compromised, and all it does is crop the image which can be done using the right software on a computer.
Optical zoom on the other hand gives much better detail and clarity and is the zoom you should be most interested in. Deciding on the size zoom needed for dad's camera will again depend on the type of pictures he will be taking, but the higher the optical zoom, the further away from the object you are filming you can be.
For most purposes, an optical zoom of 3x to 6x is more than adequate, especially when you bear in mind that optical zooms range in size from 2x to 12x.
Zoom, in case you are wondering refers to magnification of the picture.
Accessories
No camera is complete without some accessories. First on your list should be a carrying case or, at the very least, a strong carrying strap. Make sure to get one that is suitable for the camera you have purchased.
Digital cameras can use a lot of power so add some rechargeable batteries to the gift bag this Father's Day.
Finally, memory cards are a great added accessory for any camera. A rule of thumb when buying a memory card is to buy based on the megapixel of the camera, for example, for a five to six megapixel camera go for a 512 MB card.
Go get it!
Now that you know what are the most important features in a digital camera, getting that ideal Father's Day gift should be a little easier. Be sure to ask questions as you seek the best camera within your price range and for dad's lifestyle, but do so feeling more confident that you know what you're talking about.
Jessica McCurdy Crooks is a freelance writer/editor, researcher, indexer and information consultant/Librarian. A native of Jamaica, she is a trained librarian/records manager. Today she spends her time consulting on establishing libraries and record management programmes, writes on various topics, focusing on lifestyle issues, health, cooking, travel, and her hobby -- photography.