Selecting a digital camera is definitely not an easy task with hundreds of brands available in the market. Before you decide to buy, you should take a look at the many features like optical quality, zoom, storage media and etc. These are only a few features among the many digital camera models to be compared. In terms of image quality, the amount of mega pixel resolution and the quality of the lens are the main factors that determine the sharpness of the pictures. And one of the best ways to know the quality and crispness of pictures is to see a printed picture.

As for image storage, there are many different kinds of storage media or flash memory cards available for digital cameras, which are rewritable chips that do not require power in order to retain the content. This makes it possible to take many photos without the fear of losing them before they are stored in CD-ROM or hard disk of the computer.

Surely, choosing a digital camera is not an easy task with so many models and range of mega pixels, features and different prices. Some of major brands available in the market are Argus, BenQ, Canon, Casio, Disney, Epson, Fujifilm, HP, JVC America, Kodak, Konica Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Polaroid, Ricoh, Samsung, Sanyo, Sony and Toshiba. However the most popular among them are Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, and Kodak.

Sony`s digital cameras are among the most innovative and popular in the industry. The cameras range from tiny 2 mega pixel point & shoots to bulky 8+ mega pixel units. Some of Sony digital cameras that are selling fast are Cybershot N2, Cybershot S700, and

Cybershot T20.

Canon is also ruling the market with its amazing array of models. They receive high ratings from consumers because of their impressive construction and top quality images. Canon produces a wide variety of cameras, ranging from small point and shoot ELPH series to the professional range of SLRs. The most popular ones are Canon PowerShot A460, PowerShot A710 IS and PowerShot A640.

Nikon is not far behind in the consumer digital market where it is one of the major players.The Coolpix line of cameras with its impressive D-series SLRs has made a splash in the camera scene. Take a look at the fast selling ones: Nikon D40, Coolpix S50 and Coolpix L12.

Kodak digital cameras are known for their simplicity and quality. The easiest to operate when compared to its competitors. The one-touch image downloading, emailing, and printing features have made this brand even more popular in the market. Take a look at few of the models in the market: Kodak EasyShare V1003, EasyShare V803 and Easyshare C653.

Among the other major brands is the Olympus that offers innovative features like the 10x optical zoom on the Ultra Zoom models and the weather-proof body of the Stylus series. Some of the popular ones are Olympus Stylus 550UZ, Stylus 760 and Stylus 770 SW.

Before you start shopping for a digital camera, it will be helpful to know the lingo. Understand what the salespeople are talking about when they drop these digital camera terms - Borderless, CCD, Compact Flash, Digital Zoom, DPI, Firmware, F-stop, Image Format, Grayscale, LCD Screen, Mega pixel, Memory Card, Memory Stick, Optical Zoom, Secure Digital, SLR and xD Picture Card. So, to be on the safer side, it is better to have the knowledge of these terms so that you don`t get cheated.

There is so much that goes into buying a digital camera. Wrestle all the details under control with the various brochures provided by the manufacturers before deciding to buy one for yourself.