Digital Camera Buying Guide

Which type of camera do you need?

By deciding which type of camera you need, you will make the buying decision a lot simpler.

Entry Level Digital Cameras

As technology has moved on even an entry level digital camera produces high quality pictures. Entry level digital cameras have no zoom lens and approximately 2 megapixels.

You should find these cameras for under R1500.

Suggested cameras: Fuji, Nikon, Sony, and Canon all have fine entry level digital cameras.

Standard Digital Cameras

Digital camera of at least 3 megapixels and with a 3x zoom lens.

Features that you should be able to find in this range include scene modes to help you take the best possible shots in difficult lighting conditions and movies in colour and with sound of at least three minutes duration.

Prices can start from around R1500 and as you add more megapixels the price rises to around R3000.

Suggested cameras: Canon Powershot A75, Canon Powershot A80, Fuji Finepix A330, Fuji Finepix A340, Nikon Coolpix 5200.

Digital Cameras with Extended Zoom Lenses

These cameras are usually similar in terms of feature sets and megapixels to the standard digital cameras. The difference is that they have a greatly increased zoom capacity. In this range you will find cameras with a zoom of between 6x and 10x. These digital cameras will be of interest to you if you are looking to take pictures from a distance on a regular basis.

Prices vary between R2000 and R4000 depending on the number of megapixels and length of zoom.

Fuji excel in this range.

Suggested cameras: Canon Powershot S1 IS, Fuji Finepix S3000, Fuji Finepix S5000, Fuji Finepix S7000 and Olympus C770.

Advanced Digital Cameras

A whole new batch of high powered cameras was launched early in 2004. The feature sets available on them are akin to those you would expect to find on a traditional SLR camera. Unlike SLRs they do not offer interchangeable lenses, but they do accept lens adaptors. Breaking new barriers they offer eight megapixels and also have extended zoom capabilities.

This cameras in this range offer a full set of manual controls.

Nikon have always had an excellent reputation for high specification cameras.

Suggested cameras: Nikon Coolpix 8700, Sony Cybershot DSC F828, Canon Powershot Pro1

Digital SLRs

The biggest breakthrough in the last year for digital cameras has been the introduction of a series of Digital SLRs that cost well under R10 000. For the first time Digital SLRs have become affordable for enthusiasts.

Canon lead the way in this field.

Suggested cameras: Canon Eos 300D and Nikon D70

Professional Digital SLRs

At the very top of the range are the professional Digital SLRs. In terms of megapixels sometimes they offer less than the cameras mentioned in the Advanced Cameras section above, but the interchangeable lenses and the manual control that they offer the professional photographer put them in a class of their own.

Suggested cameras: Canon EOS 10D and Canon EOS 1Ds