New to Digital Cameras?

Some things to consider when buying a Digital Camera…

How will you use your new Camera?

Whether you are buying a point and shoot digital camera or an SLR camera you need to consider the following questions: Do you want it go in your handbag, your coat pocket, your shirt pocket or your back pack? Do you require an ultra-compact camera? Is it for a beach holiday - does it need to be splash and sand proof? Will you be taking a lot of indoor shots, night time parties, or tall buildings, speeding racing cars? Do you want a camera that can take wide angle or telephoto lenses? Will you only ever want to take point and shoot shots? Do you want to take creative shots with special effects using the popular SLR or CSC format cameras?

Manual Controls

The lower-priced cameras are usually simple, point-and-shoot models, with no manual controls. As the megapixels and price increase, so does the sophistication of the camera. The higher-end cameras may feature adjustable focus and exposure settings, several flash modes, hot shoes for external flash units, and lens adapters for add-on zoom and wide angle lenses. Decide if you need manual controls. All digital cameras offer point and shoot simplicity - sufficient for the needs of the majority of 'weekend camera warriors' and 'happy snappers'.

Quality

The quality of digital cameras is improving rapidly; even an entry level 10 megapixel (mp) camera will give beautiful A3 prints. More megapixels means a higher resolution, and therefore better quality, but the amount of storage needed to save high quality shots needs to be considered. Most cameras are now offering more than enough megapixels.

Memory

Digital Cameras store photos on Memory Cards, such as Compact Flash (CF) and Secure Digital (SD) Cards or Micro SD. Most cameras come with the bare minimum of memory and it is a good idea to purchase extra memory. We can help you get the most out of your equipment with memory card upgrades and Fast Card Readers.

Computers

Your computer should have at least 2GB RAM and a hard disk drive with some at least a few gigabytes available. You will also want a USB port compatible with your camera, for quick and easy downloading of photos, and a cd burner for archiving your photos. You may wish to consider purchasing a card reader that plugs into your computer to speed up your downloading. Some printers also come with card readers.

A computer is useful (but not essential) for digital photography. Many cameras and printers allow direct print connection, either via cable or infrared between the camera and printer. There are also many printers that have memory card slots and allow you to print directly from your memory cards. Or you can take your memory card to a photo shop and have them print the photos and burn a copy to CD. When travelling, you can download to a portable hard-drive.

Software

Basic software is usually included with each camera, but once you get started, purchasing a good quality program for photo editing, organising and printing can save a lot of time and trouble.

Warranty

Make sure you buy a camera with the manufacturer's Australian warranty.

Cameras from some stores may come through so called "grey market" or "parallel import" channels without a valid Australian manufacturer’s warranty (also referred to by such stores as "international versions"). Such cameras may be factory seconds. "Grey market" cameras are less expensive upfront, but may cost you a lot more if you have any problems. Also, if you purchase your camera overseas, if you have a warranty issue, you will need to return it to the country of purchase, at your expense.

All cameras from Digital Camera Warehouse come with a genuine local warranty from the Australian manufacturer.

Extended Warranty

When you buy your new camera, or before the standard manufacturer's Australian warranty expires, consider protecting your investment by extending your warranty. To find out how this works, have a look at our Extended Camera Warranties.