Digital cameras are rated in pixel size – that is the number of tiny dots that make up the picture, similar to television sets. Year by year, the pixel count is increasing, especially for lower end cameras. To make a big print not look grainy requires a big count.  For regular snapshot size photos 4 or 5 mega pixels are more than enough. The cameras have a setting inside for you choose lower density pixel counts- like for sending pics on the internet to sites.  Lower settings use less memory on the memory card that is inside the camera.  These cards can be changed to more megabite size cards rather cheaply (on sale) , the cards that come in the camera usually only can hold several shots and cannot do videos.( I think all the cameras except the very low priced ones can do videos.) Sony is the only maker (as far as I know ) that uses their own proprietary card and they are much more expensive.

I wanted a camera that takes AAA batteries and fewer and fewer makes go that direction, I just bought a Cannon A510 (the “A” designates the battery type) as it takes the inexpensive battery (rechargables are cheap too) and had a viewfinder like the old style cameras – for those bright days when you can hardly see the image on the screen (although I have yet to use it) and has a good size screen for viewing.

 Consumer reports listed cameras and their reliability- Sony and Cannon were up top.

You also can find last years models on sale marked down pretty good.

Umm, you’re thinking of a new camera, do you figure we will be here long?