The quality of a digital camera is mainly defined by four quantities: resolution, lens aperture, lens zoom range, and lens quality.

Resolution
Nearly all digital cameras use CCD's as the sensing element. This is what takes the place of film. The resolution is the number of pixels in the captured image. Computer images are divided into little dots called pixels. The more pixels, the more detailed the image can be. Here is a guide to choosing resolution, estimating the size print you can make from each:

1.3 Megapixel = 1280 x 960: Great 4x6's, acceptable 5x7's.
2 Megapixel = 1600 x 1200: Pretty good 8x10's.
3 Megapixel = 2048 x 1536: Great 8x10's, good 11x14's.
4 Megapixel = 2272 x 1704: Great 11x14's, and acceptable 16x20's.
5 Megapixel = 2560 x 1920: Pretty good 16x20's.

Lens aperture
The aperture of a lens is its maximum opening. The bigger the aperture, the more light is gathered, and the less light you need to take a good photo. This is the most overlooked lens specification, but it very important, especially if you like to take photos indoors without flash or from a reasonable distance. Lens aperture is measured in f/numbers, such as f/2.0 or f/3.5. An aperture of f/2.0 literally means that the lens opening is half the focal length of the lens. Thus, smaller numbers mean bigger lens openings. You would rather have a lens that is f/2.0 than a lens that is f/4.0.

Lens zoom range
A zoom lens has a variable focal length. The focal length determines the magnification of the lens. A short focal length is a wide-angle lens, great for taking in large vistas. A long focal length is a telephoto lens, allowing you to get a tight photo of a distant object or person. A zoom lens lets you combine both of these and everything in between into a single adjustable lens. If a camera has a 3X zoom, it means that the longest focal length is 3 times the shortest. Important: ignore "digital zoom" specifications in ads. Only pay attention to optical zoom. Digital zoom is of no value. All it does is crop the image in the camera. You can always crop an image in software after you have transferred it to your computer, and you have more freedom at this time.

Lens quality
Lenses with the same focal length and aperture can differ substantially in quality. A poor lens is not as sharp, and it may exhibit chromatic aberration, which means that all colours are not brought to the same focus. This usually shows up as coloured fringes at high contrast edges. Unlike aperture and zoom range, you cannot read the lens quality of the camera box. The two best approaches to getting a good lens are (1) read reviews, and (2) stick with reputable camera companies.

Media type
Most digital cameras use Smartmedia, CompactFlash, or Secure Digital. The difference is not worth worrying about unless you already have a good supply of one type. Some Sony cameras use their own proprietary "memory sticks".

Contact Omnivision Technology Solutions and we can discuss you digital camera needs. We also stock a wide range of camera cases, memory cards and other accessories.