by Chris Campbell
Anyone shopping for a digital camera these days, is absolutely entitled to being overwhelmed, confused and bewildered. There is such a wide range of cameras, manufacturers, and features available, it’s insane. It’s almost enough to make one hearken back to the days of the Model T, when Henry Ford offered his customers any color of car they wanted, as long as it was black. Well, I’m about to make things much simpler for you. Let’s take a look at arguably the best camera manufacturer today - Canon, and three of their best cameras. Don’t worry, these aren’t just the most expensive models. They range in price from $200 up to $1500, with one priced right in between.
Canon is the most prolific camera maker today. Part of that reason, is they cater to every level of photographer. From absolute novice to seasoned professional. That’s also why they sell more cameras and camera lenses than anyone else.
On the other hand, when you use a Canon, you never get that cheap feeling and the return rate is very small. Not to mention the better features that come with their digital cameras. Both my parents and a good friend of mine chose Canon cameras based on my advice and they absolutely love it and they’re happy with their choice.
Speaking of more money, lets talk about my second favorite choice for best canon digital camera. The Canon PowerShot G9 is designed for those amateurs who are getting a little more serious about the photographs they take, but don’t have the budget or inclination to move up to the more expensive and demanding world of SLR photography. The one big feature you get with the G9 that you won’t find on a simple point and shoot is RAW format. It basically saves your images without compressing them into jpg format and losing some picture quality. RAW is far more flexible when it comes to editing pictures later. You basically get more manual control of your picture taking, like a SLR, but without the added size and extra lenses. You can get a G9 for about $500 these days.
Another digital camera that was suggested to me was the Olympus SP-570UZ. After looking around for a bit, I think it’s a camera that can be carried easily when you want to take a photo without carrying a DSLR with you. The camera has a good sensor, very good zoom, image stabilization and a large aperture. The price is also OK, at a price around $400 - 500. This version is the third that was launched in this series.
Unless you plan on changing careers, and becoming a professional photographer, this should be the last camera you’ll ever buy. The only real limit to taking amazing pictures with this camera is the photographer and of course his/her budget for new lenses.
So there you go, a good starting base with three canon cameras that should suit the novice, semi-pro, or full blown professional categories. Once you’ve picked one as a reference point, a closer look at some similar digital cameras would be in order. The more informed you are, the happier you’ll be with your next camera, and the photographs you take with it.
