Selecting Your First Digital Camera

Purchasing a digital camera is a wise decision, particularly if you take a lot of pictures and you want to control how they are developed. Camera prices continue to plummet and Americans are exchanging their 35mm cameras for digital devices at a record pace. The choices for you can seem endless, but with careful comparison shopping you can bring home a bargain! The following online sites provide visitors with helpful information to make an informed decision:

BizRate.Com - Visitors to this site will find out all the information they need as the site offers excellent price comparison of the various camera models available. In addition, visitors submit their own product comments which can be a huge help as you decide which model to purchase. Detailed information about the various products available is also online to make your visit rich and informative. Finally, visitors rank the stores too!

PriceGrabber.Com - What was said of BizRate.Com can be said of Price Grabber. Plenty of site reviews for you to read too!

MySimon.Com - Another in a series of online comparison stores. You might not find it as user friendly since you may have to dig for some of the information. Still, they offer the same information as Biz Rate and Price Grabber. Certainly, My Simon is worth a closer look!

Maybe online purchasing is not your desire. Perhaps you would prefer to purchase your camera at a local store? If so, use the three sites above to do all your research and then go to your local Best Buy, Circuit City, or other digital camera retailer and see what they have to offer. Each of the big retailers has nice web sites and they run weekly specials that may or may not be picked up by the comparison sites. A big plus: you get to go to the store and get a "hands on" feel for the camera and talk to a knowledgeable salesperson. Returns are easier too if purchased at a local retailer.

Still, not sure you should purchase a digital camera? Let's look at three important advantages of owning a digital camera:

1. Pictures are available to you instantly. You can preview your picture; if you don't like the picture you took, you can erase it and take another picture.

2. Good resolution. If you are taking 3x5 or 4x6 pictures, your pictures will turn out to be sharp. If you are a photographer, you will still need the 35mm camera for 8x10 shots. Digital is improving, but the resolution isn't quite on par with 35mm cameras when it comes to larger pictures.

3. Eliminate development costs. No more running down to the local drugstore for picture development. You can do it all from your computer; there are now some excellent photo printing machines you can purchase that will print out crisp photos at a low cost to you.

All in all, the digital camera revolution is exploding. Join in by shopping the web for great bargains!

(c)2005; Matthew C Keegan, LLC

Matt Keegan is The Article Writer who writes on a variety of topics including aviation, business, customer service, product review, sales, and more. Visit http://www.thearticlewriter.com for additional samples of his work.