Some people think that hand held cameras are becoming a thing of the past thanks to mobile phone cameras. After all, there are now phones that have a 13 mega pixel camera on them. Thirteen mega pixels is more than some digital cameras, which is why people think they are on their way into oblivion. But, there is more to a digital camera than just the mega pixel value.
The camera lens is a big factor, as it the focusing software within the camera. A handheld digital camera may have more internal memory and may have a far bigger and longer lasting battery. The flash function on a digital camera is far bigger and brighter. A digital camera is going to have far more settings than a mobile phone, and will be capable of a far better zoom function. You must also remember that some digital cameras are better optimized for outdoor pictures as well as indoor pictures. Here are five good ones that you should consider for taking pictures when you are traveling or are outdoors. The list is in order of ranking.
1 – The Sony DSC-RX100
This is a pocket sized camera that uses some very sophisticated technology to ensure that it is still of the highest quality. They have tried to shrink the technology as far as they can without losing picture quality. A Smartphone uses very small technology but has to reduce photo quality levels in order to do it. The Sony DSC-RX100 has minimized the size without compromising the quality too much.
If you do not want to pay the high cost of the Sony DSC-RX100, you could try the Canon PowerShot which is a pocket sized camera of fairly good quality. Or you can try the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 which is also a good camera.
2 – Sony Alpha NEX
The Sony Alpha NEX cameras win points for being good all rounder cameras. They have a rounded mix of form and function that makes them great for traveling and getting outdoor and indoor shots. You should try the Sony Alpha NEX-6 or the NEX-7 with the Sony 18-200mm OSS lens and the APS-C sensor. They are good for people who want the option of taking more professional photos when on holiday.
3 – Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200
If you want a super zoom but you do not want to pay thousands of dollars, then the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 is the camera for you. It is ideal for those wildlife shots where they animals and birds will not let you get close. You can gaze up at cliffs and take close up shots of the birds nesting on them. This is a 21 oz camera (with lens), it has a 24x zoom range, has 25-600mm equiv, and bright f/2.8. This camera is economically priced if you consider the zoom function, but the images you take can sometimes be quite noisy.
4 – Sony Alpha SLT-A65V
As travel cameras go, this one is hard to beat. It is great for quickly finding a shot and taking it without needing to wait for it to warm up or focus the shot. It has a sharp Zeiss Vario-Sonnar at T* 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5 ZA DT lens. It is a good all-round camera, but really makes its mark as a fast use/quick focus camera. It even takes good shots if you are moving when you take the shot. It also stands up to the sun pretty well too.
5 – The Nikon D3200 DSLR
You may not be the world’s best photographer, but you will not need to be if you have this camera. It has a very fast auto-focus function so that you can catch those once in a lifetime shots as they happen. The focus also has tracking to help you take cleaner picture and for you to use during the “Live View”. The Live View may be used with the LCD display, which uses a translucent mirror. Even though this camera is at the bottom of the list, it is still a fantastic camera that is going to beat the socks off of hundreds of other models. It also has the added benefit of being a little more cheaply priced that most of the other DSLR cameras.
Bio: Kate Funk is passionate about different technology topics. She coaches individuals in writing and networking skills at Rushtutor .