What's The best camera?

Want to get the best pix for the holiday? Is it time to upgrade your digital camera? With prices coming down and the number of features going up it might be a perfect gift under the tree just for you.

But how to decide which is right for you? Start with the usual set of questions. What are you going to use it for? Is it just for web emailing? Will you print some larger shots for posters? If just for the web or small photo printing, a lower resolution is just fine. But if you are going for anything larger, go the distance to 8 or more megapixels.

Do you like to take closeups? Then make sure the camera is capable of focusing up close and personal, by checking the macro focus. Another option that can irk if it is not available…lag time. How long does it take between shots. If it is too long, you will miss the after flash smile that baby Tiffany invariably produces.

As for the innards, make sure it is a glass coated lens, not plastic, that is apt to easily scratch. Plan to take a lot of shots? Plan on a couple of high capacity memory cards along with the camera so you aren’t stuck deleting on the fly. One more thing. If you are planning to take a lot of shots outdoors, make sure there is a viewfinder as well as an LCD screen so you can see the photo even in high sun conditions.