I did quite a bit of research on this topic after my SLR finally died. I take pictures for my work, creating both print and web based images. I used to scan the photos I took for web usage. Now, I just upload the images I take and print out the ones I want hardcopies of. Boy, how times change.<br><br>I'm not a photographer, per se, but I do use my images as part of my income generation. So, I felt my own needs were just short of true professional quality, and I purchased a much nicer camera than the average shutterbug needs... a Nikon CoolPix 990 with 3.34 megapixels. It cost near a thousand dollars. That's a lot, I know, but the good news is that it is far more camera than most people need, and far more money than most people need to spend.<br><br>Truth be told, the level of technology for digital cameras has advanced to such a degree that the casual picture taker almost can't lose. Here are some basic tips:<br><br>1. Picture resolution nowadays is typically measured in "megapixels". One megapixel is all the resolution the average person will likely ever need for the average shot. Professionals and "pro-sumers" may feel a need for more, but should also be aware that above one megapixel, night time and dim light shots will likely actually degrade in quality! The reason is that they become so extremely hypersensitive to exposure that even the average lone random stray photon registers on the "film" crystal lattice layer. Thus, areas that should be black end up with a faint gray glow, instead of actually being black. So, the rule of thumb is, if you actually do know why you need three megapixels, then go for it, but if you don't actually have a reason for it, you'll likely do just as well -- or better -- with just one.<br><br>2. Cameras that use actual floppy disks for their storage medium have to compress the image file down so far, in order to fit several on the disk, that they lose resolution badly. If convenience means so much to you that you're willing to trade away image quality in order to use floppies, then go for it. Anyone who cares about how their images look, though, should stick with any other form of storage medium. Different people have their preferences of media, of course, but they're all more than good enough to get the job done.<br><br>3. Don't worry about getting the latest and the greatest. Digital equipment, just like a computer, obsoletes too quickly to make it worth the expense. Any good quality, name brand digital camera from any reputable company will serve well for a long time to come.<br><br>4. If you don't know what brands to buy, go with any name brand that you would buy a film camera from. My personal favorites are Canon and Nikon, but any brand name you recognize will be sufficient. They all use the same technology, so don't be afraid to shop around for a bargain.