Questions to ask the retailer

Why should I buy a digital stills camera over a digital video camera?

Apart from the fact that a digital video camera is sure to make a bigger dent in your pocket, digital video cameras do not offer the same resolution quality as digital still cameras. Despite having better and larger lenses, the actual quality of the pixels only compares to the lower end of the digital camera range.

In addition, most digital video cameras that boast of more than 1 megapixel image resolution are large and bulky, and suitable only for taking basic Web or e-mail images.

What sort of warranty do I get with this?

Generally, digital cameras come with a one-year limited warranty.

A question worth asking if you plan on spending a lot of time overseas is whether the product warranty covers international travel. Camera users who want to take their digital camera away on holidays may not be aware that this could void the warranty. In some cases, warranties are region-based, so if the camera breaks whilst you are overseas, you will have to pay for the repair yourself. In addition, an extended warranty on a digital camera, such as a two-year warranty, will usually cover Australia only.

What accessories do I get?

Besides software, digital cameras can also come bundled with a range of accessories, including camera bags, pouches and straps, printing consumables, storage media and batteries. Find out what extra accessories your camera comes with, as these items can be expensive when purchased separately. In particular, check the amount of storage memory included - while most come with 8MB cards, you may be lucky enough to find a 16MB or even 32MB card bundled with the camera.