Understandably a DSLR ain’t your bag.  While they offer a myriad of options, controls and features, they often prove too daunting for the average photo enthusiast to tolerate.  Olympus’ newest digital camera, the SZ-31MR iHS, eschews just that.

In the image capture department the SZ-31MR appears to be somewhat of a power  house, capable of capturing 16 megapixel photos and full HD video simultaneously (or separately).  Zooming in on far objects most certainly won’t be a hurdle, as it boasts a 24x optical zoom, that Olympus says “double zoom magnification without sacrificing image quality” thanks to the “the camera’s 16-megapixel backlit CMOS sensor and two separate TruePic V image processors,” which mind you were originally developed for DSLR cameras. Up to 10 frames per second can be captured, which should come out blur free thanks to not only the SZ-31MR’s fast response time but dual image stabilization and high-speed autofocus.  Olympus has also included something called Multi Motion Movie IS for shake free video capture.  All of the above options can be controlled with the camera’s 3-inch touchscreen with a 920k dot resolution.  Last, but not least there is a mini-HDMI port for piping home movies and photos in full HD to your big screen when you “return from your adventure.”

The Olympus SZ-31MR iHS digital camera will in Black of Silver this April for $399.99.

Olympus has taken some cues from retro camera styling for its new OM-D E-M5 that sort of replicate the designs elements from the ’70s-era OM System. As the new, revolutionary mirrorless camera for Olympus, the OM-D E-M5 features an exceptionally light and compact body, measuring 4.8 inches wide and 1.8 inches deep. But the 16-megapixel Live MOS Micro Four Thirds sensor is the heart of the new camera and comes with the ability for five-axis image stabilization, which allows the sensor to shift a variety of ways to compensate for camera movement that acts as a built-in Steadycam. Its autofocus system is also pretty impressive and what the company calls the “world’s fastest autofocus” of any camera. It’s also packed with an ISO range of 200-25,600, and support for 1080p video.

The OM-D E-M5′s new electronic viewfinder (EVF), with 120 fps refresh rate, features a high-resolution 1.44-million dot LCD, 100% field-of-view coverage, and 1.15x maximum magnification so users can totally immerse themselves in their subject and actively control image creation. It also allows you to see the effect of Highlight & Shadow Control, White Balance, Exposure Compensation, Aspect Ratio, and a host of other settings and advanced digital image processing functions from the actual 3-inch viewfinder. The tilting OLED touchscreen is also supposed to respond instantly to your touch with fast operation, which makes it easy to maneuver to focus on subjects, play back images, and adjust settings such as exposure and white balance. IT’s also the first Micro Four Thirds camera from Olympus to have support for a battery grip. This relocates both control dials and the shutter release for shooting in portrait orientation.

The camera comes in two color options, either black or silver and will sell for $999.99 starting in April. You can also buy the E-M5 as part of a 12-50mm or 14-42mm kit, with pricing set at $1,300 and $1,100, respectively. Olympus has also announced new accessories for it, including HLD-6 Power Battery Grip, the FL-600R electronic flash, and the MMF-3 mount adapter, which will allow you to use Four Thirds lenses with the E-M5.

Nikon’s new D800 HD-SLR is built for that multimedia photographer who wants to capture the best images, while still getting amazing video footage at the same time. As Nikon’s D4’s smaller sibling, the 36.3-megapixel FX-format HD-SLR captures images rivaled only by those produced with a medium-format camera and is priced to do so at $2,999.95. But for that type of money, expect nothing but the best, including full HD 1080p video at 30/25/24p with stereo sound, class leading ISO range of 100-6400, expandable to 25,600, 4 fps burst rate and Advanced Scene Recognition System with 91,000-pixel RGB sensor. For cinematographers and multimedia professionals, 36.3 MP means true 1080p HD cinematic quality video and includes inputs for stereo microphones and headphones, peak audio meter display, DX crop mode to maximize NIKKOR lens selection and angle of view and much more.

The D800 only uses a CF and SD card, unlike the CompactFlash XQD the D4 takes, while its on-board flash can trigger multiple other flashes that have already been set up in a different setting like a studio. It doesn’t come with the lowpass filter, but those who want it can opt for the D800E that is the same camera but with the lowpass filter (it’ll be available in April).

It shares a lot of specs with the D4, like its 91k RGB 3D color metering, lightning-fast AF, 3-inch 921k-dot LCD screen, and uncompressed HDMI video output and QuickTime video recording in H.264 B-Frame format at 1080p30, 1080p24, 720p60, and 720p50. For its exterior, it’s smaller than a D4 without an integrated vertical grip and Ethernet connectivity. Its magnesium alloy body is a bit lighter than the D700, weighing only 1000g. It’ll be available in March.

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and we’ve got the best gift to give to your sweetie (or yourself) with today’s Deal of the Day from TigerDirect.com. Score on a Canon PowerShot A2200 4944B001 Digital Camera that’s available in three color options (red, black or silver) for only $79.97. You’re be saving $60 from its original price of $139 PLUS get an additional $10 with a special coupon (use THZ54526 at checkout) and get free shipping, so really, you’ll only pay $69.97!

Canon’s PowerShot A2200 4944B001 Digital Camera proves that you can really have it all with its numerous features and compact sleek design. It’s loaded with fun and useful features that will help capture those special moments! The newly redesigned digital camera provides clear and crisp photos and is great for any newbie photographer or a pro looking to carry around something a bit more compact thanks to its Smart AUTO system that detects what’s going on in the scene, then automatically and intelligently selects proper settings for the camera based on 32 pre-defined shooting situations.

With 720p HD video capability, you’ll want to record everything on its bright 2.7-inch LCD screen, while its 14.1 Megapixels provide rich detail for all your still images. It also features a 4x Wide Angle (28mm) Optical Zoom gives you more room to compose your shot and comes with various modes that make taking pictures a whole lot easier. There’s Discreet Mode that lets you shoot in restrictive situations by operating noise – and flash-free, and Creative Filters for an easy way to add professional-looking artistry to your photography.

After some photos leaked of Pentax’s new K-01 mirrorless camera, they’ve provided full specs on it. Designed by Aussie Mark Newson, it features an aluminum body and features some impressive specs. The main thing about the new K-01 is that the K-lens mount is compatible with any Pentax lens out there, which means you don’t have to buy new lenses. It also packs a 16.28MP APS-C sensor, 920,000-dot 3-inch LCD, 1080p h.264 video at 30fps and 720p at 60fps, 6fps burst mode, and ISO from 100-25600.  Because the APS-C sensor features the same specs as Sony’s highly respected NEX-5N, the K-01 camera should provide good low light performance. You can pick one up starting in March for $750 (body only) or drop $900 for the body and the DA 40mm XS lens (by itself it’ll cost $250).

Today, Nikon announced the successor to the COOLPIX 300, the COOLPIX 310.  It’s a compact point and shoot camera that purportedly can deliver SLR like shots in a compact form factor.

Under the proverbial hood is a 16.1-megapixel sensor and a lens that offers the same fast maximum aperture of f/1.8 as found in the 300.  To ensure a blur free image, Nikon’s has also folded in their lens-shift vibration reduction, which they say is the equivalent to a four step increase in shutter speed, all presumably without the reduction in image quality.

The COOLPIX 310 also offers a variety of shooting and scene modes.  Thanks to the  backside illumination CMOS sensor, the 310 is able to utilizes automatic image overlay technology, which can be applied to shots taken in low light and effectively reduce image noise (these are active when Night Portrait, Backlighting, and Night Landscape scene modes are selected).  This is all in addition to Picture Control, which can be used to adjust the vividness of colors or degree of sharpening applied to images prior to shooting, the ability to capture full HD video and a 4.2x optical zoom.   And to round out the feature set, the rear of the COOLPIX 310 boasts a 3-inch  921k-dot TFT LCD with a wide viewing angle.

The COOLPIX 310 will hit store shelves in black this February for $330.

Nikon has released four new point-and-shoot cameras to its Coolpix S-Series that will be available later this month and in a limited range of colors. The S3300 is the cheapest of the four, going for $140 and featuring 16 megapixels, 6x zoom, 19 picture modes and 720p. Next up is the S4300 that will retail for $170 and adds a touchscreen control to the S3300’s features. Then there’s the S6300 priced at $200 that has 10x zoom, a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, 10880p video recording and an Easy Panorama mode. Finally, the S9300 is the highest model in the range, going for $350 and also has a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor as the S6300, but also features a GPS for geotagging, and 18x zoom.

Panasonic might have released some new point-and-shoot cameras at this year’s CES, but they waited a while to release new on four new Lumix camera models. Their new flagship camera is the Lumix ZS20, which the company says is its slimmest 20x zoom camera, coming in at only 1.11” thick. As the flagship model, it features impressive specs like 1080p video recording at 60 frames per second, a 14.1-megapixel MOS sensor, 10fps burst shooting, GPS and geotagging, a 20x optical zoom Leica lens that extends from 24-480mm and lots of manual control. It’s going for $349.99 and will be available come March. Panasonic also dropped its ZS15, which is $70 less than the ZS20 model and features 12.1-megapixels, 1080i60 video recording, 16x zoom while maintaining many of the ZS20’s advanced features.

The company also revamped their rugged camera line with the new Lumix TS4 and TS20. The Lumix TS4 will go for $399.99 and is waterproof to 40 feet, shockproof to 6.6, freezeproof, and dustproof. It comes loaded with 1080i60 video recording, a 28mm, 4.6x zoom lens and a 12.1-megapixel CCD sensor, as well as some cool travel features like GPS, a compass and altimeter. The TS20 is a bit cheaper and priced at $199.99 and features 720p video, 4x zoom, and lots of filters and effects. It’ll be available in February, while the TS4 comes out in March.

Kodak was a big dog in the camera industry in the 20^th century, promoting photography for hobbyists while providing innovative camera technology like its popular Instamatic cameras and even creating the world’s first digital camera in 1975. Basically, Kodak could have been the Apple of photography, but somehow down the line, their focus on new and innovative products ceased to be the focus of their attention and it was all down hill from there. Stuck in the mindset of being a “film” company, Kodak failed at keeping up with the times and wasn’t prepared to face the digital age as well as its competitors (who churn out digital cameras what seems like every month).

Apple was once a company in peril, but thanks to many innovations and a constant eye on the future, they’ve become the company everyone else wants to be and can learn from.

Here’s a look at the history of a what used to be a great American company (they’re 133 years old), who had a promising future only to fall behind the times and become a thing of the past.

The Beginning

1888: The name “Kodak” originates eight years after George Eastman begins commercial production of dry plate for photography. It’s also the year that the Kodak camera is marketed with the slogan, “You press the button, we do the rest.”

1892: Eastman Kodak Company of New York is officially formed

1900: Hobby photography is officially within financial reach for many as Kodak releases the first Brownie camera that sells for $1 and uses film that costs 15 cents a roll.

1929: Kodak takes to Hollywood and releases its first motion picture film.

1935: Kodak introduces its Kodachrome film and is the first commercially successful amateur color film.

1951: Kodak releases a new low-priced Brownie 8mm movie camera, followed by the Brownie movie projector the following year.

1962: Kodak’s work force reaches 75,000 and has U.S. consolidated sales that are more than $1 billion for the first time. Things are looking good for the camera company!

The Golden Years

1963: The popular easy-to-use Instamatic cameras with cartridge-loading film are first introduced.

1969: A Kodak camera was used in by US astronauts on the Apollo 11 mission in 1969 to film the lunar soil from only inches away.

1972: Instamatic cameras are so popular that Kodak releases five new pocket-sized ones that use smaller cartridges.

1975: The year that Kodak invents the first digital camera; a pivotal moment in the evolution of film. The prototype is the size of about a toaster and captures black-and-white images at a resolution of 10,000 pixels (.01 megapixels). Kodak executives will sit on this new revolutionary technology scared it will take away sales from its core business of selling films.

1979: Larry Matteson, a Kodak executive, produces a report that predicted the switch from film to digital all by 2010, he was about five years off, but was still pretty spot-on in his predictions.

1984: Kodak enters the video market with their Kodavision Series 2000 8mm video system and introduces Kodak videotape cassettes in 8mm, Beta and VHS formats, along with a line of floppy disks for computers. It seems they’re innovators of their time, providing consumers with at-the-time current technology, but not entirely focusing on the future of their niche industry and paying any attention or focus to what Larry Matteson predicted for the future. They also pass up being the offer to be the main sponsor of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, which the relatively unknown Fujifilm takes and introduced them as a major competitor to Kodak.

The Beginning of the End

Mid-to-Late 1990s: Digital camera sales increase, competitors look to enhancing the digital future of the camera, while Kodak sits back and doesn’t do much. Film is slowly becoming a thing of the past. Kodak also starts to patent much of the technology used in today’s digital and cell phone cameras. They fail to really market to a youth-driven consumer who, as Apple has experienced, can make or break a product.

Early-2000s: With film sales down, Kodak tried to make money in other markets like drugs to chemicals, with mixed success.

2003: Kodak launches its Easyshare printer dock 6000 that prints durable, boarderless 4” x 6” prints. Digital cameras has exploded in the industry and Kodak now faces many competitors. It seems the Easyshare’s easy-to-use concept would be used and perfected by other companies instead of Kodak building upon its success for better and newer products. Instead of trying to create cell phones using their patents, they focus on printers.

2004: Kodak is ejected from the Dow Jones, begins its digital makeover years too late and cuts thousands of jobs and factories. It’s the wake-up call they needed a few years back.

Mid-2000s: Despite Kodak’s transition to rebrand itself, it can’t compete or assimilate into the digital age and create compelling digital cameras for the market.

2010: Kodak sues Apple and Research in Motion, claiming the smartphone makers are infringing its 2001 patent for technology that lets a camera preview low-resolution versions of a moving image while being able to record still images at higher resolutions. Kodak should have used their own technology and developed their own phone and if they did, they might be sitting happily next to Apple on stock charts instead of becoming a long-lost thought in history.

July 2011: Kodak starts to shop around its 1,100 digital-imaging patents to see if anyone will bite.

September 2011: Kodak hires Jones Day, a law firm that lists bankruptcies and restructuring among its stop specialties.

January 2012: Kodak files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. It has 18 months to turn itself around and get back into shape after being given some credit from Citigroup. The future of Kodak is unclear.

Lessons Learned

Companies, especially those in tech-related industries, can certainly walk away with how not to become obsolete, as Kodak has done.

The biggest lesson to be learned from Kodak’s demise is no matter how big of a company you are, you can never be comfortable in your niche. Companies need to be and stay innovative to stay relevant an in business. Just take a look at Apple who keeps innovating its most popular products into better iterations of themselves. Apple is always working on new projects and looking to release game-changing devise…that it will then perfect with various editions.

In essence, even though Kodak was first at releasing the digital camera, they didn’t follow through with their technology and was left behind. When they didn’t take advantage of what they had, they stopped trying. Unlike them, Apple continues to lead the market because they’re not resting on their laurels and are continuing to think as innovators and leaders.

Sony’s newest point and shoot camera, the TX-200V, is not only the toughest that they’ve ever released, but perhaps the most beautiful (a word we don’t use lightly).  It was announced along with two new W series shooters, the DSC-WX70 and DSC-WX50, over the weekend.

So what makes the TX-200V so damn special?  Well, first off it rocks a massive 18 megapixel sensor, the biggest to date in the point and shoot marketplace.  To complement the TX-200V’s extra larger picture taking abilities, Sony has outfitted the rear of the camera with an Xtra Fine TruBlack OLED wide touch-screen measuring 3.3-inches.  Furthermore, it can swim to a depth of up to 5m, is dust proof, freeze proof up to 14 F degrees and when faced with a tumble down the stairs, can probably survive despite being covered in some sort of all glass facade.

Some other notable features included full HD video, a super fast auto focus (0.13 seconds in daytime and 0.25 seconds in low-light situations), dual record mode (13mp stills with video), a 5x optical zoom that boasts Sony’s magical 2x digital zoom that supposedly doesn’t reduce image quality, optical steady shot, background defocus (it captures the foreground and background and blurs out the rear creating a DSLR like image), smile shutter tech, GPS and compass record, anti-blink feature, intelligent scene recognition and 9 picture effects for video and photo capture.

Sony’s TX-200V will commence shipping 3/23/2012.  You can preorder it now for $499.99.

Digital cameras these days are about as interesting as watching paint dry.  So as you can imagine we skip over a fair bit of the new models announced that fall into the point and shoot category.  The Pentax’s Optio VS20, while far from a ground breaking product, does offer a few features we haven’t seen in this category of camera before.

Unlike most point and fire cameras of this ilk, the VS20 sports two shutter release buttons; one on the top for landscape shots and one on the side for those portrait snaps.  That said, don’t mistake the VS20 as a one trick pony.  It boasts a massive 20x optical zoom, which is very unorthodox for a camera of this size, along with a 3-inch LCD, triple shake reduction and the ability to capture 720p HD video.  Last but not least, Pentax has also included two tripod mounts, mimicking the extra shutter trigger placement.

The Pentax Optio VS20 will be available in black and white for $249.95 this February.

Pull a gnarly trick on the slopes and you’ll probably regret not having a camera running to record your performance.   That’s where Liquid Image steps in, who has been producing goggles for all types of terrain, even Scuba diving and snorkeling, for sometime now.  At CES 2012 the company added their product line up and introduced Apex HD snow goggles, which boast built-in WiFi and a full HD camera.

Now, to be clear we’ve seen the same camera on their Impact Series cameras.  It’s capable of capturing full HD video at 30 fps, 720p video at 60fps for those who don’t want to miss a frame of action as well as a 12-megapixel shooter.  Now, from what we’ve understood, before this iteration, controlling the built-in camera required skiers to fumble around with a set of buttons directly on the mask.  Hardly ideal when you’re all suited up and ready to go.

As a result, Liquid Image has now outfitted their goggles with built-in WiFi, allowing you to administer settings as well as obtain a live preview of the camera directly on your smartphone.  Alternatively, a fellow skier could follow and change the settings, increasing the frame rate or activating the continuous still shooting mode.  For those without a compatible smartphone there will also be an available remote, though no preview from our understanding.  Last, but not least, the camera’s angle will be adjustable by tightening and loosening a hidden screw in the frame of the mask.  Like previous Liquid Image masks, video and photos are recorded to a microSD card slot and can be uploaded via a USB connection to a computer at a later time.

The APEX HD will be available October, though another version, not designed for the slopes will arrive June.  Expect them to start at about $300.

Achieving the perfect shot takes more than a good camera.  You’ll not only need an abundance of raw talent, but an apparatus or two to accomplish this.  You could always opt for an expensive tripod or steadicam, but that’ll put you in the hole before you complete and sell your first vignette; they often cost at least a few hundred dollars.

The Cam Caddie Video Stabilizer effectively converts any DLSR into a professional grade camcorder.  It utilizes the weight of the camera to stabilize shots, reducing if not removing shakes and jolts without the usual myriad of counter weights and complicated adjusters.  The curved handled is designed to mimic that of a scropion and leaves enough room (6-inches of space) for even the most obtuses lenses.  And Mounting it is as simple as screwing a standard tripod thumb screw.

Our friends at Photojojo sell it for $39.99.

Suffice to say, we were impressed with Kogeto’s DOT and the olloclip.  They’re both fantastic options when it comes to capturing images and video with the iPhone 4/s.  But what good does that do you if you own a  Nokia, Android, or god forbid a Windows phone.  Not much from where we stand.

Nipping at the heels of all the aforementioned companies, especially Kogeto, is Tamaggo.  They’ve built a device agnostic camera that can capture a 360 degree image in a single shot.  And unlike the DOT and olloclip which are as only as good as the camera’s they’re attached to (currently limited at 8MP thanks to the iPhone 4s), the Tamaggo 360-imager boasts a 14-megapixel sensor, which is by our accounts unparalleled.

To capture an image with the device, you simple hold it center to what you’re capturing and snap away.  A 2-inch touchscreen allows you to review your handy work as well as tweak the camera’s settings, though we don’t know what those are at this time. Upload the photo to what we assume is their site (containing their proprietary software), and you can navigate the image from left to right and even pan up and down – total field of view will vary with how you hold the camera.

To add to the wow factor, the Tamaggo 360-imager boasts Wifi and Bluetooth, allowing you to wirelessly control the device from afar and hopefully upload images in the field.  The haven’t said how many images the camera can hold, though it would seem that there isn’t a memory card slot.

The Tamaggo 360-imager will go on sale Q2 of 2012 for $200.

Update: Looks like they’re using Kolor‘s software to create the panaroma.

Polaroid’s new SC1630 Smart Camera is practically a smartphone but without the phone. Stealing its looks and many of its features from smartphones, the SC1630 Smart Camera is powered by Android and provides everything you’d expect from a digital camera…and more! You’ll be able to capture photos like a pro with the ultra-portable camera’s 3X optical zoom and 16-megapixel sensor that has 18 scene modes. View your photos on its 3.2-inch touchscreen display and store all your favorite pics on its 32GB of memory via a microSD card.

The SC1630 Smart Camera also includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Geo-tagging (so you can add longitude and latitude coordinates to your photos), red-eye removal and automatic face and smile detection.You can also access various apps via Google’s Android Market, so there’s no need to dig, search or use your mobile phone to upload pics or get edit photos on a computer later. You can take photos, edit them and then upload them to your Facebook and Twitter accounts with one device. No prices or release date has been announced yet.

Today’s Amazon Deal of the Day is a Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera the provides users with excellent pictures at an even better price! The Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera is originally listed for $649.99, but with today’s discounts, you only pay $399.99, which is a savings of $250 (or 38%).

With Canon’s new EOS Rebel XS, you’ll achieve perfect photos fast and simple thanks to its powerful features that include: including a 10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, Canon’s DIGIC III processor, fast shooting and more! This camera is a digital powerhouse that’s simple to use with its easy-to-use control and compact design, not to mention its 2.5-inch LCD monitor, Live View Function and so much more. For beginners, this camera rocks and will have you snapping photos everywhere you go!

Its 10.1-megappixel CMOS sensor offers the most pixels in its class, while Canon’s  DIGIC III Image Processor dramatically enhances image quality and speeds up all camera operations for intuitive operation. Both work together to achieve even high levels of performance. Another image quality tool is the camera’s Auto Lighting Optimizer that helps in tricky lighting conditions. It can also increase contrast in “flat” lighting, such as overcast days. It’s now available in all shooting modes, including P, Tv, Av, and Manual.

The EOS Rebel XS is compatible with all Canon lenses in the EF and EF-S lineup, ranging from ultra-wide angle to super telephoto lenses. It also incorporates 7-point wide-area autofocus (AF) sensor and 3.0 frames per second continuous JPEG burst rate where the number of consecutive shots in a burst is only limited by the capacity of the flash memory card in the camera.

Whether you desire to be a pro, want to explore photography as a new hobby or just want to capture those “Kodak Moments,” sooner or later, you’re going to be faced with the need to buy a camera. But with so many options out there, the process of choosing the right camera can be a daunting one. And all too often, shutterbugs either spend too much and get too big a camera, or return a camera disappointed because it didn’t take the pictures they expected. But with a few questions, a dabbling of definitions, and some solid research, even a first time digital camera shopper can get the perfect camera for their needs. Here’s a few tips …

Summary:

• Ask Questions
• Know your lingo
• More MP is not necessarily better
• Don’t fall for digital zoom
• Go Hands On
• Don’t forget the extras

1. Ask yourself a few questions

Before you head to the Internet, or go to Best Buy to look at cameras, it’s important to ask yourself a few questions to help clear the picture:

• What is your budget? Knowing how much you are willing to spend will prevent buying a camera you don’t need, or really want.
• What do you need the camera for? Is it to capture the moment or to get a Pulitzer in photography?
• What type of photography will you be doing? (portraits, landscapes, macro, sports)
• What conditions will you be shooting pictures in? (indoors, outdoors, low light, bright light)
• What experience level do you have with cameras?
• What type of features are you looking for? (long zoom, image stabilization, large LCD display etc)
• How important is size and portability to you?

2. Know the lingo

When you head to the store, you’ll hear a bunch of buzz words which will muddy up the waters. So here’s a few quick definitions to help keep things straight:

• MegaPixels:This is the number of pixels each camera sensor uses to process the camera information. It is essentially the resolution of your camera and how sharp your images can get. And it’s measured in millions and is multiplied by the amount of pixels in rows and columns. For instance, 10 MegaPixels equals 10,000,000 pixels. A pixel is the smallest unit that light is exposed to.
• ISO:ISO is the speed of your camera’s light sensitivity at a particular setting. During the film days, this was referred to as ASA and had to do with how fast film soaked up light when you took a picture. The faster the film, the higher the ASA. It also meant, though that the film would be grainier, less sharp. In the digital world, its ISO, and the higher the ISO setting, the faster the light can be imaged. But like film, the faster the light gets imaged, the more noise gets invited to the party.
• Aperture: Aperture is the size of the hole that the light travels through on its way to the sensor.
• Shutter speed: This is the duration of the light being cast on the sensor as the shutter opens and closes. This is quite literal in digital SLRs, but for point and shoots it’s a time value for imaging the light as point and shoots don’t have literal shutters.
• CCD: CCD stands for “Charged Coupling Device” and is the sensor that point and shoot cameras use to capture the image in the camera. It then processes it. CCDs tend to be VERY small, about the size of your fingernail and as such, can cause a lot of noise if stuffed with too many megapixels. But they are ideal for the compact nature of point and shoot cameras.
• CMOS: CMOS stands for “Complementary Metal-oxide Semiconductor.”  This sensor design is primarily used by digital SLRS and can be as large as a full frame 35mm negative. The benefits to CMOS sensors are obvious – greater size equals more light captured for the image and greater resolution. The downside has been that when shooting moving video that the image can get a bit skewed, referred to the rolling shutter issue.
• Focal Length: Focal Length is essentially the range of your lens. Whether 3x or 35x it is the ability of the camera to zoom from its widest point to its farthest. And the further you can zoom, the slower the lens gets. So it’s important to keep that in mind.

3. DSLR or Point and Shoot? Which should you buy.

There are two categories of cameras … digital SLR (single lens reflex) and point and shoots (which are divided into compact and MegaZooms). When looking at cameras, it largely depends on the kind of camera you want and how you’re going to use it. DSLRs have the advantage of being able to swap out lenses, full 1080p HD video on most models, and provide splendid depth of field. But they are require quite an investment. Point and shoots are inexpensive and offer great capability for capturing the moment. And the HD video they shoot has gotten pretty darn good by comparison to its DSLR cousins. And they have the advantage of fitting in your shirt pocket. But they tend to have smaller zoom lenses. In the middle are the MEGA zooms, which offer up to 40x zoom (equivalent of 600mm) and are cheaper than DSLRs. But they tend to be heavy and do not fit in your pocket. There is one other category that is fairly new and that’s the Micro 4/3s camera. These cameras have electronic shutters (like a point and shoot) but give you the ability to change lenses. So you get the best of both worlds. But they can be pricey.

So when choosing a camera, go back to the questions you asked above and consider which category answers most of them and appeals to your particular picture taking habits.

4. Beware the “more Megapixels is better” myth

Contrary to popular belief, more megapixels isn’t always better. In fact, it can be worse if the increase in megapixels isn’t accompanied by an increase in size of the sensor. What can happen when cameras are stuffed with more megapixels is that a sensor can become less sensitive to light, not more and that means more noise in a picture. And according to a recent study, the “butter zone” for taking snapshots is 6mp. Anything above that for prints up to 8×10 is largely overkill. And considering that only 1 in 5 actually print their pictures, looking at cameras with 14 MP and above is akin to buying a Ferrari for a trip to the supermarket. Sure, it looks good, but you may never use it to its full potential.

5. Beware of the more zoom ploy

Many manufacturers try to lure customers in with large zooms up to 45x and above – especially with megazoom cameras. But the trick with these large focal length cameras is that the camera will suffer from camera shake that becomes more pronounced at the extreme ends. Even with image stabilization, a slight movement can be exponentially larger when taking a picture. And the longer the focal length, the slower the lens. Which can cause a lot of blurry images due to movement. So if you’re thinking about buying a mega-zoom camera, plan on buying a monopod or tripod as well.

Additionally, cameras have a digital zoom feature. This is where a camera can go beyond the physical focal length of the camera by essentially magnifying the image digitally. The downside of this is that the resolution starts to break down and become “artifacty.” And it’ll also become darker as the lens speed drops. And again, camera shake becomes more pronounced. And while some cameras have improved their digital zooms, it’s really more beneficial to the photographer to simply ignore the feature or turn it off altogether.  Then, if you want to take your footage and zoom further, you can just do it in a video editor like Adobe Premiere or with After Effects and get a far better result.

6. Read reviews

When you’re honing in on a particular camera, it’s important to take a look at reviews to get an overall impression of designs. You can go to photo magazines and look on websites like here at GadgetReview. But another valuable review resource is Amazon.com. Go to the product page of the camera you’re thinking of buying and read the user reviews. Toss out the highs and lows (to eliminate the fan boys and the haters) and you’ll have a pretty good grasp of how well a camera performs under real world, daily conditions from people like yourself who have bought them.

7. Go Hands On

While most people are now buying their cameras from online sources like Amazon, do not underestimate the importance of going to a local “brick and mortar” store to try out a camera. Holding a camera in your hand and feeling the weight and form factor will pretty much sell you on one model over another.

Additionally, if you’re thinking of investing in a DSLR system, it may be beneficial to rent a camera from a local “mom and pop” camera store. And many will deduct that rental fee from the purchase price if you buy from them.

8. Think about ‘extras’

When looking for a camera, and making your budget, you’ll want to set aside some money for the extras. Cameras will come with a recharger for the batteries, or will include a USB cable to connect to your computer to recharge (which we don’t recommend). But unless bundled in a kit at the time of sale, they won’t include a camera case, memory cards, or a spare battery. So it’s important to keep those expenses in mind when making your budget. Another consideration is a flash. Most point and shoot camera flashes are designed to shoot a portrait of small group. As such, they flash will dissipate and become largely useless outside of about 10 feet. So if your camera has a top flash attachment (called a “hot shoe) and you’re planning on doing some distance shooting in limited light, then an external flash is a good investment.

9. Shop around

When you’re ready to pull the trigger, go to pricegrabber.com. This is an excellent site for finding the best deal on the camera (or anything for that matter), that you’re looking to buy. You want to pay attention to feedback ratings. This is important. And sometimes the cheapest price may not always be the best bottom line deal (if one is charging more for shipping, for instance). And some online sources will also offer a dirt cheap price to get you to order and then will try and upsell you on extras. And when you don’t, they’ll simply cancel your order. So always remember the old adage – let the buyer beware. But if you stick to the main sources like Amazon, Best Buy,  Costco (which has a nice 90 day return policy) and other mainstream dealers, you should be able to steer clear of that scam.

10. Extended Warranties

Many will want to sell you and extended warranty, and for a big ticket item like a Digital SLR they’re a good idea – but only if they come from a reputable source like the manufacturer. For smaller items like a point and shoot they’re just a cash cow for the retailer. That’s because if a camera is going to go bad, it’ll do it within the regular warranty of a camera (or sometimes immediately after). The older a camera gets, the less likely it will fail. And so the retailer is banking that it’ll be able to pocket the entire cost of an extended warranty and not have to make good on a repair as the camera gets older. And salesmen are encouraged to sell them because they can make up to half the cost as a commission.  Additionally, if you’re paying by Credit Card factor, chances are your credit card company may offer extended warranty protection as a perk of membership.  American Express is one such company, which automatically tacks on an additional year.  And CitiBank Cards theft and drop protection during the first 90 days.

11. Patience is a virtue

Finally, whatever camera you decide on, give yourself time to get used to the camera.  Don’t just take it out of the box, shoot some pictures and expect them to be the quality of Life magazine.   I have talked to a lot of people who returned a camera saying they were disappointed with it, but if you ask a few questions to get deeper behind it, it’s usually because they’re expectations were high, but their patience level was low.  In short, user error often causes most problems with lackluster images.

So, give the manual a cover to cover read to familiarize yourself with the features of the camera.  Shoot a LOT of pictures.  And experiment.  And read up on techniques like the rule of thirds and prefocusing.  The rule of thirds is where you divide the image with an imaginary tic-tac-toe grid.  Place your subject where two lines intersect and your pictures will look much better than sticking them in the middle.  Also, get in the habit of prefocusing.  This is where you place your subject right in the middle and press your shutter half way.  This locks in the focus.  Then recompose and shoot the shot.  Doing this will  virtually insure your subject will stay in focus.

GoPro has released its most advanced camera yet with their HD HERO2: Surf Edition that’s both wearable and surfboard mountable. As a great way to capture that big wave, the HD HERO2: Surf Edition camera is waterproof to 197′ (60m) and is capable of capturing professional full 170º wide angle 1080p video and 11 megapixel photos at a rate of 10 photos per second. Other camera specs include: 2X Sharper Professional Glass Lens and f/2.8 Fixed Focus.

Touted as the most versatile camera in the world, it’s all the smallest and lightest. Not only will it allow you to capture your surfing adventures, but it also acts as a great tool to film your style and study how you should improve. The HD HERO2: Surf Edition will retail for $299.99 and includes 2 adhesive surfboard mounts and an FCS-compatible mount for plugging your camera onto the deck of your board as if it were a FCS fin. It’s also compatible with all GoPro expansion accessories and BacPacs, including the Wi-Fi BacPac and Wi-Fi Remote that’s coming out soon.

Olympus has released three new compact cameras to its arsenal of products, the VG-160, VR-340 and Tough TG-320, and all offer point-and-shoot capabilities as well as 720p HD video recording.

The VR-340 model features a3 -inch LCD preview display its backside, a 16-megapixel sensor and a 10x super wide optical zoom lens. There’s also nine Magic Art Filters and one-touch video recording.

The Olympus VG-160 packs a 5x optical zoom and a wide-angle lens, 14-megapixel sensor, HD video, Magic Art Filters and 3-inch LCD screen. Beginners will appreciate the intelligent iAuto mode, while AG Tracking, Shadow Adjustment Technology and Face Detection all enhance the quality of your photos.

Finally, Olympus’ Tough TG-320 is meant for those who plan to use the camera for heavy outdoor use since it features a waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof and dustproof casing. Features include a 14-megapixel sensor, 3.6x wide-angle optical zoom lens, 3D photo mode (it works underwater) and an HDMI port so that you can easily connect it to your TV.

Sony is taking its MP4 camera line to the next level with their latest releases, including the new Bloggie Live MHS-TS55 HD Camera that features some impressive specs like 12.8 megapixel stills, has a stereo microphone, 3-inch wide capacitive touch screen, an LED light, and live streaming thanks to built-in Wi-Fi capability, a first in a full HD pocket camera. Users can now share special moments in real-time with Qik Video, a mobile video sharing service from Skype. Sharing is easy since all footage can automatically be uploaded to various sites like Facebook, YouTube and Sony’s PlayMemories Online  (a free app that can be downloaded from the Android market and iTunes app store) that will be available come Spring, which allows users to view their content from other devices anytime.

The Bloggie Live MHS-TS55 HD Camera’s design is slim and stylish coupled with its innovative hardware, software and abilities to seamlessly integrate with Internet social network sites provides easy, intuitive shooting and sharing. Other cool features include: Sensitive Exmor CMOS sensor to achieve high resolution video and crisply-detailed still photos; Dual Record to enable photo capture while shooting video; SteadyShot image stabilization; Face Detection technology; Auto Focus/Auto Macro; built-in USB arm for easy charging and uploading; and compatibility with both PC and Mac computers.

As a bonus for users, Sony has partnered with Verizon Wireless to offer a $50 debit card by mail to those who buy a Bloggie Live camera, as well as a Verizon Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot device with a 2-year contract, by April 9 (but hotspot device must be purchased from Verizon within 30 days after buying the camera). The Bloggie Live MHS-TS55 camera with 8GB of internal memory will see for about $250 and be available next month.