1. Resolution is less important than you think
If you’re a casual shooter who won’t be printing pictures larger than 8×10″ or doing extensive computer editing, then a camera with 3- or 4-megapixel resolution will be sufficient.

2. Zoom is more important than you think
Whether you’re shooting distant wildlife or close-up portraits, you can never have too much zoom. The majority of digital cameras have 3-, or 4x optical zoom, but you will never regret choosing a model with more telephoto power.

3. Travelers should use cameras with AA Batteries
When a camera that uses AA-size batteries runs out of power on a trip, you can simply throw out the old batteries and drop in a new set of high-performance AAs like the Energizer E2 Lithium line. Two or three sets of such batteries can usually take you through a 10-day trip. If you’re out of high-performance batteries, you also have the option of using standard alkaline batteries, which are available anywhere in the world, and make a cheap and convenient source of backup power (though they only offer a fraction of the life of high performance batteries).

4. Small cameras get shots that big cameras don’t
While the photo quality produced by an ultra-compact does not equal that of a large SLR, the ability to whip it out and snap a shot while others are fumbling for their bulky cameras more than outweighs this drawback.

5. Canon makes great cameras
There have been some mistakes along the way—the Canon A70 was built with a design flaw that produces crippling error messages and black lines on the LCD, but newer models seem to be free of this problem. If you’re looking for a great combination of features, price, and performance, Canon will almost always deliver.

6. Kodak makes great, easy-to-use cameras
The results are just as impressive, with attractive, saturated colors and crisp definition. Don’t be fooled into thinking that Kodak digital cameras are just for beginners, however—their simplicity aside, many of the high-end EasyShare models offer a full suite of manual controls for ambitious photographers.

7. Digital cameras can and will break
Whether it’s due to accidental damage or simple wear and tear, digital cameras are not as durable as their film counterparts. Many photographers have film cameras that are ten or twenty years old—don’t expect this kind of longevity from your new digital toy. Some cameras suffer from design flaws (like black lines on the LCD screen of the Canon A70), while others fall victim to the kind of mechanical breakdowns that effect every kind of electronic gear.

8. Don’t put all your pictures on one card
Like any other technology, flash memory is not flawless. It is very rare to lose images, but it does happen, protects you from the possibility of losin irreplaceable vacation memories. Given the choice between choosing a single 1GB memory card, or four 256MB cards, always choose multiple cards.

9. Find & use a simple photo editing program
Most digital photographers will never take the time to master expensive and powerful photo editing programs like Adobe Photoshop or Jasc Paint Shop Pro—these programs are too complex and time-consuming for all but the most dedicated photographers.
A good program is Picasa, and it is absolutely free. With Picasa you can perform all the basic editing tasks like sharpening, contrast correction, cropping, and straightening—most with just the touch of a button.

10. Print and display your pictures
Far too many people take great digital images, only to have them languish in obscurity on their hard drive, never to be enjoyed by others. Don’t let this happen to you Online printing companies like Ofoto can turn your digital images into high-quality prints of any size.

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