In 2003, digital cameras outsold film cameras in the United States for the first time ever. While film sales are expected to decline by 36 percent by 2006, many major camera companies are unveiling affordable, easy-to-use digicams. That means photographing your vacation has never been so convenient, says Traveler senior editor Scott Stuckey, who wrote "21 Great Reasons to Go Digital Now" in the magazine's January/February 2004 issue. Here Stuckey and Traveler senior photo editor Dan Westergren talk about the advantages of digicams, how to find the right one for you, and more.
What are the advantages of going digital now?
Scott Stuckey: Digicams are more convenient. Airport x-rays don't damage digital images. You can buy one tiny 512-megabyte memory card that holds the equivalent of many rolls of film, so there's much less to lug around. You can see your images right away, so if you miss a shot you can keep trying until you get it. You never waste prints because you print only those images you really want. It's simple to share digital shots by e-mail. Even if you're an amateur photographer, digicams offer an easy way to crop images and sharpen the focus.
Dan Westergren: Digicams also let you take really nice pictures in mixed light. Say you're trying to take a picture inside of a cathedral. If you're using film, you're always thinking about how the lighting will affect the image, whether you'll get weird colors. Digicams eliminate that problem with their automatic white balance function.
Any tips for first-time digicam buyers?
Stuckey: It all depends on the kind of photographer you are. If you're an entry-level photographer, all you really need is a point-and-shoot camera with at least three megapixels, starting at about U.S. $250. The image quality will be good enough for you to make prints up to 8 by 10 inches [20 by 25 centimeters] in size. [Megapixel indicates a digicam's strength of resolution.] If you're a serious shutterbug then you may want to buy a five- or six-megapixel camera because the image quality will be comparable to photos taken on 35-mm film. The six-megapixel EOS Rebel by Canon, for example, is the first digital "SLR" with a list price under U.S. $1,000. Like its film counterparts, it accepts interchangeable lenses and allows through-the-lens viewing.
Westergren: A lot of manufacturers sell four-megapixel cameras that are nearly identical to their three-megapixel cameras but they cost U.S. $100 more. I would recommend buying the four-megapixel camera, especially if you want to make large prints. But if you don't have the money, you can buy the three-megapixel one and know that you're still getting a great camera. I like the three- and four-megapixel models from Olympus's digital Stylus line.
Do the credit card-size digicams work as well as the larger ones?
Westergren: The quality is questionable …
Stuckey: But if you typically leave your larger camera at home because you think it's too cumbersome, you might try one. Taking a small digicam traveling is no trouble at all, and at least you'll have some pictures of your trip, even if the quality isn't great.
What are some important things to consider before using your digicam for the first time?
Westergren: Even if your camera didn't come with rechargeable batteries, you need to buy some. Always treat your camera like you treat your cell phone, and charge it every night. The memory card that comes with a digicam is not sufficient. So you really need to buy a bigger one before you start to take pictures. For a three- or four-megapixel camera, a 128-megabyte card is sufficient. But it's even better to get a 256-megabyte one. You can justify the extra cost when you consider what the cost of film and picture developing would be if you were to take the same number of pictures on 35-mm film.
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