How to Find the Best Compact Camera For You

10 ways to find the best compact digital cameras

Looking for the best compact camera? Here is some clear information and advice, along with compact digital camera reviews, to help you make a good choice.

Scanning the market for the best compact digital cameras is pretty overwhelming! Pages and pages of different models, compact camera reviews brimming with meaningless jargon, buckets of 'sales-talk' and so on!

Generally you're left thinking the person selling this to me knows a lot more about it than I do, so I might just get ripped off! I want this guide to quickly and simply show you how to make a good choice of camera. How to sniff out the best buy cameras and make sense of compact camera reviews!

Then you can check out my reviews of 5 compacts that I think really stand out from the pack! So first up, a quick introduction...

Prefer to listen? This brilliant little video talks you through some of the best compact cameras on the market!

What is a compact camera?

A compact camera is camera that makes photography simple and convenient.
There are no detachable lenses to contend with! Although lots of the best compact cameras do have a decent zoom.
They're little - easily slipping into pockets and bags.
They let you take lots of photos (stored on a memory card) that can be printed at a decent size.
They're affordable. The best buy cameras have a great balance of quality and cost.
They have a video mode. Make little films you can watch on your computer.

Reviews of my favourite compact cameras!

Jargon overload! How to make sense of compact digital camera reviews

Why does there have to be so much jargon!? I've written 5 reviews of some best buy cameras, giving information on 10 key specifications.

But how can you find the best compact camera if you don't know what this all means? How does it actually relate to your needs?

Here are explanations of those 10 specifications, which will enable you to make more sense of my reviews and make a good choice of camera.

1. Sensor: The more megapixels (MP's) the better the detail of your photos and so the larger you can print them successfully.

If you like to print out good quality pictures - perhaps even produce a poster for your wall - this is important for you.

2. Lens: The range of focal length determines both how wide an angle of view you can have, as well as how close up on your subject you can get.

Do you like to take pictures of landscapes? Make sure you have a wide angle of view (small first number). Will you take your camera to sports games? Make sure you can get in on the action with a large focal length (high second number).

3. LCD Screen: The bigger the better! A nice clear screen helps in composing a shot, reviewing it after it’s been taken and also reading the menus.

4. ISO: The higher the ISO number goes the better the camera will be able to produce shots in low light. (It's a measure of sensitivity to light).

Bit of a party animal!? You'll need a nice high ISO for those after dark snaps! Maybe you like shooting indoors but aren't a fan of flash? ISO's important for you too.

5. Material: The best compact cameras have a strong metal build. Plastic is a bit vulnerable and can easily break when dropped.

If you like to be able to take your camera with you everywhere, or are a bit of an adventurer, look out for a strong metal camera body.

Bitten by the bug!? Which magazine...?

Read these reviews of my personal favourite digital photography magazines!

6. Manual Modes: There's more to cameras than just the auto mode! Some compacts offer various degrees of control over aperture and shutter speed. 'Manual' mode gives full control over both. 'Aperture Priority' lets you specify the aperture and 'Shutter Priority' lets you choose the shutter speed.

If you like to experiment with different effects - like motion blur and depth of field - it's essential to have some manual control. So if you want the chance to get a bit creative, this is an important specification for you to look out for.

7. Video Mode: The best compact camera for most people would feature a video mode. Fortunately most models do provide this. It's incredibly easy to use and lets you take fun little videos.

So if lots of funny, memorable or exciting stuff happens when you've got your camera with you, make sure you're able to film it!

8. Weight: The major benefit of compact cameras over DSLR's is their convenient size and weight.

Frankly, unless you're stupendously weak, no compact will be a problem to carry around! But it's handy to have an idea of the actual weight, so my compact digital camera reviews will provide this information.

9. Rechargeable Batteries: I would always recommend choosing a camera with a rechargeable battery. Using disposable double A's simply ends up being way more expensive and quite infuriating!

10. Flash: Most people have need for using a flash at some point. The best compact cameras have a built in flash that can be switched on or off. This is an important specification for everyone!

Now check out these reviews of my favourite compact cameras!

Hopefully now you'll find it a bit easier to work out what the best compact camera for you would be.

When choosing, simply bear in mind a handful of specifications you need, and search the cameras within your budget. The many customer reviews at Amazon are a great way to see what people think of the cameras they have bought.

I've reviewed 5 models that really stand out for me. If you're searching for the best buy cameras view my suggestions.

Not sure whether you need the best compact camera or a DSLR? Here are some reviews of Canon and Nikon cameras.