Digital cameras: Buying the best digital camera
Once you've used the Which? digital camera reviews to find the best digital camera for you, check out the digital camera buying guide for expert advice on where to buy your digital camera and the essential things you should consider.
Choosing the best digital camera type
One of the first decisions you'll make is which type of digital camera to go for. The Which? digital camera reviews include small, basic and advanced digital cameras, so you can compare models to find the best digital camera for you.
Some digital cameras are really slim nowadays and can easily be hidden away in a pocket. Some of them have useful features too like face detection - small doesn't have to be basic.
More advanced digital cameras often have the edge on image quality and usually have far more powerful zooms. They're bigger though, so you might have to sacrifice some convenience.
If you want ultimate versatility, choose a digital SLR (DSLR).
If you have an old digital camera and want to trade up, some camera shops (usually independent shops) accept trade-ins on your new digital camera. Alternatively, selling your digital camera on eBay is a good way of getting a better price for it.
See our http://www.which.co.uk/advice/choosing-a-camera/index.jsp for more.
Where to buy your digital camera
Try out the digital camera
It’s sensible to try out any digital camera you're thinking of buying in the shop to make sure it really is the best digital camera for you. Is it too big, too small or too heavy? Will it fit in your pocket? Are the buttons in a comfortable position? Only you can tell.
Buying on the internet is cheaper
Saying that, buying a digital camera on the internet is usually significantly cheaper than buying it from the high street. The Which? digital camera reviews include a handy price comparison service to help you find the best deal - simply click the 'compare prices' tab for the digital camera you're interested in.
Digital camera memory and batteries
Digital cameras often come with a small internal memory, or a small memory card to store pictures. This is usually only sufficient to store a handful of pictures, so budget for a larger memory card for your digital camera. A 1Gb card will cost under £10 if you shop around.
If your digital camera comes with alkaline batteries, you'll probably be better off in the long term buy buying rechargeable ones. See our battery reviews for Best Buys.
Most digital cameras come with basic photo editing software
Photo editing software for digital cameras
Nearly all the digital cameras in the Which? digital camera reviews come with basic photo editing software in the box.
Packages you can buy, such as Corel Paint Shop Pro and Adobe Photoshop Elements, perform better and have a wider range of features.
You can also get decent free software online, such as Photofiltre and Gimp. For more information and current Best Buys, see our reviews of photo editing software.
Other digital camera accessories
There are other useful digital camera accessories that can add to the digital photography experiences, from tripods to spare batteries. See our Digital cameras accessories guide for a round-up.
Insurance for your digital camera
Digital camera insurance is also worth considering for piece of mind on the move. Most home contents insurance policies don't cover expensive items outside the home, but you can usually add cover for items such as a digital camera as an optional extra.
If you're taking your digital camera abroad on holiday, ensure that you carry your digital camera equipment in your hand luggage – some travel insurance policies may stipulate this. 90% of policies we looked at have a single item limit of £300 or less.
Extended warranties for digital cameras
Digital cameras are very reliable products (see Digital camera reviews: reliability), so consider carefully whether you need an extended warranty.