Digital cameras have revolutionized the world of photography. They have made photography accessible to a much larger audience, meaning there are more photographers -- and more photography clients -- than ever before.

Are you considering going digital? You may find digital cameras to be more affordable and easier to use than their film counterparts. Here’s everything you need to know about entering the world of digital photography.

Key Things to Understand About Digital Photography

1. Endless Images. One of digital photography’s most prominent advantages over film is the sheer amount of space on a memory card (versus a roll of film). If you don’t like a photo, you can delete it immediately from your camera and take another.
   However, the downside to this is that digital photographers now come home with 360 photos instead of 36. No matter how cute your neighbor’s puppy is, you don’t need 300 photos of someone else’s labrador. Don’t take hundreds of pictures just because you can. Instead, ask yourself: why am I taking this photo? When you import your photos, be merciless with your delete button. For your hard drive and your sanity, it’s better to have several amazing images than 100 mediocre ones. You may also want to reduce the file size of your images.
2. Photo-editing Software. The rise of digital photography brought the rise of photo-editing software along with it. Editing shouldn’t make or break a photo -- your pictures should be strong shots without needing an editing crutch. However, editing software can really take your shots over the top. Most users will find basic photo-editing software pre-installed on their computers.
   If you’re looking to buy more advanced software, Adobe Lightroom is a budget-friendly program with an abundance of editing tools. Beginners may find themselves intimidated by the sheer amount of tools in Adobe Photoshop.
3. Back Up Your Photos. This can’t be stressed enough. Though fires or water damages may destroy your printed photos, a digital library is far easier to lose completely. Hard drives fail. Computers crash. Files get corrupted. Back up your images -- those memories are too important to lose.
4. Photo Sharing and Printing. Digital photos are much easier to share than their film predecessors. Unlike one-hour photos, there are no wait times to upload your pictures and share them with friends and family via albums on Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket, etc. Sites like Shutterfly give you easy and economical printing options, including a print-to-store option perfect for impatient photographers.

Things to Consider When Buying a Digital Camera

• What’s your price range? Even if you have the cash, don’t be tempted to run out and buy a top-of-the-line camera. There are plenty of budget-friendly mid-line cameras that are fine for everyone except professional photographers. On the other hand, be wary of too-cheap models; you may be unsatisfied with a budget camera’s pictures and performance.
• How often do you think you’ll use your camera? At parties or on special occasions? Every day? The more often you use your camera, the quicker you’ll grow. If you plan on using it often, you might want to choose a camera that will ”grow with you” as you learn -- a camera boasting great automatic settings with the option for manual, for example.
• How small do you need your camera to be? If you need to throw your camera in a clutch or a beach bag, a smaller, pocket-sized camera is your best bet. Remember, camera bags get heavy in a hurry. Don’t buy a ridiculously heavy camera unless you’re serious about photography.

Camera Features Explained

1. Pixel Count. A pixel count is like the thread count of your sheets. The higher the count, the more pixels comprise the camera’s images.
   Cameras are measured in megapixels. The more megapixels your camera has, the richer your images... in theory. Unfortunately, megapixels have become more of a selling point than a real way to tell if your camera is a good one. Most beginners will have no need for extreme high-resolution images; in fact, the large file sizes will only bog down your computer and your camera.
2. Optical vs. Digital Zoom. Pictures taken with a digital zoom come out grainy and unfinished. Pay no attention to a camera’s digital zoom, no matter how impressive -- the optical zoom is the only important factor.
3. Battery Options. Cameras that use disposable batteries are heavier than other cameras, but they’re available universally -- if you run out of batteries, simply stop at a store and grab some more. Note that lithium batteries last longer than alkaline. If your camera takes disposables, consider getting rechargeable batteries: they last longer and are more eco-friendly than disposables. Camera-specific batteries last the longest, but you may run into trouble if you run out of battery power on the go.

Other Features and Purchases

Modern cameras carry thousands of cool features for digital photographers. Look for fun features like in-camera video recording, red-eye reducers, or multiple settings for special situations like fireworks, indoor shots, or beaches.

Finally, please remember to get a case for your camera -- it’s an extra expense, true, but it’s worth it to protect your new purchase.