When thinking of purchasing a digital camera it is easy to become confused when faced with the myriad choices available on the market today. The best way to face this decision is to ask yourself what features or functions of the digital camera are important to you for basic digital photography.

Knowing what your needs are and what types of photographs you wish to take will narrow your choices down considerable. When you begin your search for a digital camera you may be surprised at the variety of cameras, not to mention manufacturers, which are available on the market today.

The varieties you will be faced with include SLR Digital Cameras, Digital Compacts, Film Compacts, Direct Vision, etc. Features available vary anywhere from built in camcorders to camera phones. You will undoubtedly be amazed at the choices available to you when you begin your search.

You can find a lot of help through various web sites which offer reviews and ratings of those cameras that are available but you won’t find too many reviews out there on Direct Vision Cams or a few other models so I want to focus my attention on them. Direct Vision Cams, manufactured by Leica, are great cameras that will meet nearly everyone’s needs. These cameras offer high quality pictures with very little noise.

Most photographers in basic digital photography use the 35mm camera and Rangefinders have a wonderful one that includes great features. Features include a viewfinder, battery compartment, self-timer, rangefinder, rewind crank, rewind button, lens, PC socket, film speed dial, and so on.

The Rangefinder has a focusing mechanism which allows the photographer to measure the subject distance and take photographs that are in sharp focus. Self-timers are another useful feature when you want to set a delay on when a photo is taken. If you plan on including yourself in a few photos you may want to check into this feature as there are some cameras that only allow a few seconds before a photo is taken.

Features available on some of the direct vision cameras include hot-shoes, shutter speed dial, wind-on levers, frame counters, and shutter release buttons. Depending on your needs there are a variety of features and functions that are available.

More options include Mega-Pixel Camcorders, Large Formatting Cams, Instant Cams, Imaging Phones, and Hasselblad XPans 2, etc. If you plan on purchasing a camera phone you need to understand that the included camera is not necessarily the best for photography even though you should be able to transfer your photos to your computer. Camera phones are great when you are on the road taking photos and want to put them on your computer quickly. Blue tooth phones make it easy to transfer your photos directly to your computer.

Another option is mega-pixel phone camcorders which are great if you want to create web pages or home movies. Unfortunately these produce lower quality videos which takes them out of the running for creating high productions. It is still quite handy for making movies and playing them back. Most are the size of an Ipod which is incredible when you think of the built in features.

Today you will not find too many professional photographers using instant cameras. At one time most professional photographers used the familiar Polaroid camera which was one of the most popular cameras on the market. Since there were no photo developing costs there were quite popular with professional as well as amateur photographers. This factor alone was my primary reason for using Polaroid. Enthusiasts of instant cameras can use Fuji’s Instax camera which has taken the place of Polaroid.

We can’t forget about Hasselblad which has a 35mm camera that is incredibly popular with professional photographers. This camera easily switches between standard and panorama modes. Hasselblad is one of those cameras that defies history as it puts you in mind of old technology with a modern flair. Hopefully you should have an indication of which cameras are out there and which might meet your needs.

What will you use your camera for in basic digital photography? What are your plans for the photos? Will you want larger or smaller prints? Is it your desire to become a professional photographer or will you be happy to stay in the amateur arena?