Best cheap digital cameras
Digital cameras are changing quickly so getting the best camera for your money is very important.
I use this excellent digital SLR camera and lens:
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Nikon D3000 Digital SLR Camera - Black (18-55mm Lens Kit)
I found Amazon as the cheapest place to buy it
This has been a dream camera to use. I confess I tend to shoot in Auto (no flash) almost all of the time as the camera is so intelligent. It's so fast and responsive and the picture quality is stunning - always - even in poor light.
I also bought the Nikkor 18-200mm zoom lens and with that combination I'm unstoppable! I can take a wide angle landscape shot, then zoom right in without changing lenses like my friends.
Other cheap digital SLR cameras I considered:
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Canon EOS 1000D Digital SLR Camera. This very popular DSLR from Canon is a higher spec than the Nikon but best for the photographer who knows what they're doing. | More details |
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Fujifilm FinePix S1500 Digital Camera - Black (10MP, 12x Optical Zoom). This small, light DSLR is more like a compact digital camera on steriods. A good choice for a traveller or those who are unsure about committing to a full DSLR. | More details |
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Sony Alpha A230L Digital SLR Camera (10.2MP, 18 - 55mm Lens Kit). This Sony camera produces some really sharp, crisp photos and is a great value digital SLR. It comes with a useful flip LCD. | More details |
I also use this compact digital camera:
Panasonic Lumix TZ7 Digital Camera
[10.1MP, 12x Optical Zoom
]
Available through Amazon
Fast start up, excellent picture quality and brilliant zoom.
Other cheap digital cameras I considered:
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Canon IXUS 95 Digital Camera Silver (10MP, 3 x Optical Zoom) 2.5" LCD. Excellent quality, cheap digital camera. |
More details |
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Sony Cyber-shot range of Digital Camera All the digital cameras in this range are reliable and compact. |
More details |
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Samsung ES63 Digital Camera Black (12MP, 3x Optical Zoom) 2.5" LCD. What a bargin! This is a very cheap digital camera that provides great quality photos - great for travelling. |
More details |
It is easily possible to get an extremely good compact digital camera for well under £200, and a digital SLR camera for upwards of £350.
Here's what to look for in a digital camera:
Megapixels
Do not get obsessed by how many mega pixels a digital camera has as many camera buyers do. It really depends on what you plan to do with your digital photos. If you are only going to keep your photos in an online gallery then a cheap 2Mp or 3Mp digital camera is adequate. However, if you plan to print them at 7"x5" size or larger you should look for digital cameras of 4Mp upwards. If you are going to crop into your photos then a 5Mp+ digital camera is best.
Start-up speed
Check online or magazine reviews of digital cameras, or get down your local camera shop to check how long each camera takes to start up. You don't want to miss those great spontaneous shots do you!
Picture taking delay / speed
For me, this is one of the most important consideration when buying a digital camera. I trawled through loads of reviews looking for the fastest digital camera as I didn't want miss the perfect wildlife or candid portrait shot.
Memory cards
My advice: get the largest memory card you can afford. I have a 4GB card in my compact digital camera and a 8MB in my SLR. On a recent trip to Morocco I was still taking pictures long after my jealous girlfriend's 1GB memory card became full.
Camera size
Digital cameras are getting smaller and smaller which is great for travelling in places where you do not want people to know you have a camera, but do watch whether the functionality has been reduced.
Scenes/Modes/Pre-set settings
Most digital cameras now include pre set modes for shooting which are great for beginners and professionals alike. Look for modes such as Night, Indoor, Sunset, Sport and Portrait for those great shots of people with blurred backgrounds!
Where to buy your digital camera
Amazon
I became obsessed with finding the best cheapest digital camera, and this is where I found it. Plus cheap digital camera accessories and memory cards.
Jessops
Jessops are a camera specialist often offering discounts - worth checking as well as Amazon.
Kelkoo's digital camera price checker
Scans prices from all the major digital camera specialists. Follow the links to read about each digital camera.
What next?
Photo books
Since I've had my digital camera I've stopped printing my photos - which is a shame.
However, I recently found MyPhotoBook. Download their wicked application and layout a professional book of your own photos. I've just done my Cuba trip and it looks amazing. Try it - it's free to download and try.
