This Holidays

Writen by Lewis Leake

From your grandmother to your three year old niece, it seems like everyone wants a digital camera for Christmas. Yes, they have digital cameras for three year olds!

However, buying a digital camera for someone can be quite an experience so I'm going to give you a few tips.

When it comes to megapixels, most amateur photographers won't be able to see the difference between a 4 megapixel camera and a 6 megapixel camera. But there can be a huge difference in the price. Also, normally higher megapixel cameras require more memory. So if the Christmas gift is for an amateur or someone who is new to digital photography then a 4 megapixel camera should work just fine.

If your purchasing a digital camera for an older person, say your grandparents, then make sure that the display and menu commands are large enough for them to read. Your Christmas gift won't be of much use to them if they can't see the display or find the buttons.

If you're giving a digital camera to some who has never had a digital camera or who is upgrading to a more advanced model, then take some time to make sure that they know how to operate the camera. For example:

* how to turn it on and off
* how to make basic menu selections
* how to take a picture
* explain what kind of memory card the camera has
* where the memory card is located
* how to download pictures
* how to clear the memory card so that they can take more pictures
* how to charge and/or replace the batteries
* accessories that they may want to get

Make sure that your Christmas gift is used and appreciated. Consider how the digital camera will be used and who will be using it. Do your research and shop around to get the perfect digital camera for that person on your Christmas list.