In today’s world, when regular leaps in the fields of technology have made the whole world seem just like a global village, people are travelling and taking peek into unknown, never charted corners more than ever. This tendency coupled with the good old practices of family parties and get together as well as traditional events, have given rise to the demand of cameras more than ever. Now, we started the talk with the hint at technological advancements not without purpose; and this has bearing to our topic of discussion as well. Like our daily entertainment gadgets where simple stereo systems have given way to the high end iPods, or we have got the whole package of TV, CD players, DVD players in our desktops or laptops, trend has given wind to the high end wings of Digital Cameras more and more. With the innovation of consumer friendly Digital Cameras that can be handled even by the novices, the range for Digital Cameras are spreading at a supersonic pace.

If you are already feeling the itch to be one with this crowd, you better know a few points to make sure you have got the right Camera for yourself. This is in fact a headache with most of the consumers going to buy a Digital Camera for the first time – the problem of deciding what type of camera you need. So, here we, at TopDigitalCameras.com will give you some information based on which you can easily decide what type of Digital Camera you are going for.

There can be several types of Digital Cameras depending on megapixel counts, lens variations and several other aspects. But broadly we can divide Digital Cameras into three major categories. These are.

• Point and Shoot
• Digital SLR and
• Semi-professional or ‘Prosumer’ cameras.

Now, let us see in which group you fit into.

Point and Shoot: As the name carries the sense itself, a Point and Shoot Digital Camera is very simple to operate. These are made mainly in order to bring Digital Camera closer to the common consumers who have very little or almost no ideas about the intricacies of digital photography. In Point and Shoot cameras you will find amazingly striking and sleek designs rather than the use of high end features. People looking for a Digital Camera to simply capture the memorable moments, should go for this type of Digital Cameras. The lens of this type of camera is generally fixed and the modes are set automatically keeping very little or no space at all for manual controls. In recent times, the demand and sale of Point and Shoot cameras has increased considerably. Sony and Fujifilm, two of the giants in the Digital Camera market, are producing more and more Point and Shoot cameras with captivating design to make good impact on the general consumers.

Digital SLR: SLR stands for the Single Lens Reflex Cameras. DSLR or Digital Single Lens Reflex Cameras are completely meant for the professional photographers. These cameras have a number of high end features. There are several manually controlled options which allow for more flexibility and consequently offer high quality of picture. Lenses of DSLR cameras are generally interchangeable. These cameras also have ‘Through the lens viewfinder’ and larger image sensors. Moreover, due to more number of pixels the picture resolution is very high and the print can be of poster size without the megapixel problem. Apart from these, there are several other features that can help taking a wide variety and range of pictures with Digital SLR cameras. But then just like the high quality of the features, the costs of DSLR cameras are also generally very high.

Semi-professional or 'Prosumer' cameras: This is the relatively new type of Digital Camera which is making its way slowly upward in the graph of consumer demands. “Prosumers” as this type of cameras are called, is typical Digital Cameras that are geared to capture the consumers who are looking for point and shoot cameras with some high end features. The term is a ‘mix n match’ of ‘professional’ and ‘consumers’ which delivers the general idea properly. It can be defined properly as entry level DSLR cameras and are good for people willing to take their photography skill to the next level. Two major brands, Nikon and Canon are making more and more semi-professional cameras to capture the market with these photography enthusiasts.

So, now you know what the main types of Digital Cameras are that you will come across in the market. If you are one of those consumers looking for a simple and easy to operate Digital Camera, right away select from the models and brands on Point and Shoot range. But if you want to explore the world of photography but is at the very entry level, then the semi-professional Digital Cameras are right for you. SLR cameras are made entirely for professional photography purposes. Unless you absolutely need them, investing a huge sum on it would be more like wastage.