How to choose the best camera

This is the typical question in everybody's mind who are looking to buy a new cam. Before buying camera or any gadget we want to make sure that its best value for our money and meets all our requirements.

There are mane-many sites available these days where reviews and user experiences can be found. But finding the best available option is not that easy due to heap of information on Net.

So we have to finally take decision ourselves.
Lets see what are the basic things to keep in mind before arriving at any conclusion.

What is Camera's basic function:

What a camera does while capturing the scene? If we know the answer then we can better judge the camera, how far it justifies with its basic function.
The basic function of camera is to record the light on digital sensor.
So what camera does is, it judges the light and stores the reflected data accurately. In photography world this process is exposure and metering. Both these words have a different meaning. So we need to understand whats it means and how much it can effect our photographic journey.

How to analyze Exposure/Metering
When you read reviews; read carefully what reviewer has to say about its exposure and metering. Camera is exposing over or under or just accurately? Although that exposure can be adjusted while shooting; with Exposure adjustment settings, but it can be cumbersome to adjust for each shot when there are difference lighting situations. So best thing is to choose the camera that accurately exposes the shot.

Metering : To explain Metering we can say that what part of the final image should be properly exposed and other remaining area can be over or under exposed. Like at night portrait shots, if we want to just expose the face of our subject and background can be under exposed then we may use Spot metering. There only the area under focus point will be given more weightage.
And in Matrix metering whole area is averaged and exposed properly, but there also more weightage is on focus point.

Most of the cameras from reputed brands, measure accurate exposure.

Noise at high ISO
We are seeing small digicams displaying ISO settings at as high as ISO 1600 or even ISO 3200.
at such high sensitivity settings only DSLR's can give respectable image quality and many such SLRs are available in market. For digicams its tough task, although they claim that pictures can be taken on these settings but images are horrible. Due to too much noise reduction, images looks like water color effect. Small sensors of digicams can not handle too much pixels and if they are charged beyond their limit to gain light then you will see too much noise.

To be frank if you are going to shoot in deep dark then pls opt for going to DSLR. Digicams can perform better upto 400 ISO range and some of new ones can even give good image quality upto ISO 800 or so.

So the lesson is to see the high ISO performance of Cams before finalizing, but that is not critical as nobody shoots at that much high ISO anyways, its just marketing gimmick.

Lens min/max aperture
Other thing to note here is what is the minimum and maximum aperture or F number of the lens used in digicams. If maximum aperture at wide angle can be wide open to 2.8 or even 2 then it will be better to take shot in low light. And if maximum aperture at Tele end (long end) is around 4.5 or below then it will be fine. Else at long tele end if F number cant open beyond 5.6 then there will be very less light that will reach sensor and camera will boost ISO for proper exposure, which is not good as high ISO will reduce image quality. So look for camera whose lens aperture can open wide.

Higher the F number lower the light passes through to the sensor so look for camera which has smaller F numbers.

Solution can be to use flash in dim light but that also restricts photography is some situtations as we can use flash every time or distant subjects cant be lit fully by flash.

View Finder (OVF or EVF)
Cameras have two types of view finders, Either Optical or Electronic. Most digicam/pocket cams have EVF. If ur selected camera has EVF then look the resolution of it. Resolution should be adequate to see the image clearly in bright and low light.
Optical viewfinders are great to shoot with. In DSLRs we have always Optical VF. We see through the lens and it is live as it is so no motion delay or flickering in VF. Now we are having Live view features too in DSLRs, but that is too slow to be used for any action shots as its in initial stages and may improve in future.

View finders should cover maximum image area, normally VF covers 95 % to 100 % image area.

Image Stabilization
This is another important feature which is must for digicams. This Image stabilization or Vibration reduction or shock reduction whatever is said by different brands, is must for low light shooting. As with help of this feature we can hand hold camera even in very low shutter speeds. Other wise if we are holding camera without Image stabilization then there will be blur in our images or you can say images will be not at all sharp due to shaking of our hands. So this is a must feature in every cam.

Battery Life
Look cameras that have enough battery life for your single day shooting. Like most cams take 200-300 images in single charge which is very less in normal usage so advised to keep one spare battery. DSLRs can shoot upto 500 to 1100 images in single charge and even battery grip can also be used to double the battery life by putting extra battery there.

Budget
We need to arrive how much money we can spend. As from personal experiences I know that enthusiast photographers (not Pros) do not have fixed budget. They tend to increase the budget gradually, as they will earn from camera. But we amateur hobbiest need to decide our range and look cameras in that range. Most decent digicams are available in $200-$500 range

Lot of fine cameras available in mid to low ranges from brands like Canon,Fuji,Nikon, Panasonic & Sony.

If ur budget allows go for DSLR, You can find excellent value from DSLRs around $600-$800 range.

I hope of covering all points which I normally checks in any new cam. If this article is useful to you in any sense pls put a comment here.