Digital Point and Shoot Camera

Many photography enthusiasts love digital point and shoot cameras. They tend to be quite small, very lightweight, inexpensive, and easy to use.

There are still a large variety of point and shoot cameras to choose from though, and you may find that some have advantages over others. The type of point and shoot camera you buy will depend a lot on your own preferences and the features that you are looking for, but here are the most common things you will find available in most digital cameras.

High Megapixels

Without going into technical details, a higher megapixel camera will create a better quality picture. It also tends to create a larger picture. So if you want to take pictures of Grandma and Grandpa with your digital camera, then print them out as a large picture to hang on your wall, the printed version will look better if the camera you use has at least five or six megapixel capacity.

Many of the newer cameras today sport ten or more megapixels and it is rare to find digital cameras that have only two or three these days. So most can take photos that will print nicely for you. It is worth bearing in mind that the more megapixels, the more computer space you will need. Also higher megapixels does not automatically mean that the camera is better.

Scenic modes

These are preset modes on the camera, that allow you to customize things a little bit for the type of pictures you plan to take. For instance, there is a sports mode, that is normally signified by a little running man icon. When you change your camera to this mode, it automatically changes some settings internally that will help you take better pictures of fast action.

Other commonly seen scenic modes include -

• Night time mode - For taking pictures in the dark
• People or Portrait - For taking pictures of people
• Scenic mode - For taking pictures of landscapes
• Macro mode - Shown as a small flower icon, which helps you take close up detailed shots of things like flower petals and insects.

Many point and shoot cameras also come with full or partial manual mode as well. These modes allow you, as the photographer, to over ride some or all of the camera's default settings. These are usually used by more advanced or experienced photographers, but they are also fun to use just because they are there. If you are feeling adventurous, or you want to learn more about how your camera does with different settings, you should try these out.

The best way to experiment with your camera's features and settings is to read the manual first, and learn what each button, dial and setting is for. Then you can start trying out each one to see the differences in your pictures.

If you are not used to using a camera manually, be sure to put it back into automatic mode before you take any important pictures. Exploring and experimenting can be fun, but you would not want to ruin important pictures before you have learned more about the functionality.