The influx of new models and brands of cameras in the market, as well as the widespread popularity of photo-sharing sites, has put photography back in the forefront of popular hobbies today. Indeed, many people, both young and old alike, are getting more and more interested in pursuing digital photography as a hobby as evidenced by the growth of the digital photography market, not to mention the increasing unit sales of camera phones.

Digital camera is the camera of choice for budding photographers for a number of reasons. One, while your average digital camera might be a tad more expensive than your average film camera, a digital camera is actually cheaper in the long run because you do not have to spend money buying films and developing them. Two, you spend less time worrying if you have a good shoot because you can see the pictures you took right away. Three, you don’t have to go to a camera store and have your pictures developed. Since pictures are saved on a memory card, it is so easy to save them into your computer and print them yourself. In the same manner, it is so easy to upload them on your preferred photo-sharing web site and share it with your family, friends and the rest of the world.

While new models and brands of digital cameras actually are always welcome, the sheer number of options available can be overwhelming for the novice photographer who is looking for his or her first digital camera. To help the novice photographer, here are some considerations in choosing your first digital camera.

oBudget – How much are you willing to shell out for your first digital camera? There are models from lesser known brands available for under $200.

oSize and weight – Do you want a camera that you can carry around in your pocket? Choose a compact digital camera.

oResolution – What kind of pictures are you planning to take? If you plan to take pictures of landscapes, sports movements, and nature, you are better off choosing a digital camera with a high mega pixel because it will produce clearer pictures. If you are just planning to take shots of your family, choose a camera with low mega pixels.

oOptical zoom. Many retailers emphasize the digital zoom of a digital camera when making a sale. Yet, digital zoom compromises the clarity of the picture. Choose a digital camera with a higher optical zoom because it will allow you to enlarge your pictures without sacrificing clarity.

oCameras modes — Digital cameras come with options for shooting pictures, including Night Mode, Portrait Mode, or Sports Mode. Ideally, you should choose one that offers many such modes so you do not have to adjust lighting and shutter settings.

oExtra features — Almost all digital cameras allow you to shoot videos and record audio to accompany pictures. However, some do not allow you to edit or crop pictures using the camera, or add caption to pictures. Decide which features you want.

Use the abovementioned criteria when buying your first digital camera. Happy shooting!