More Digital Camera Choosing Basics: Viewfinders, Memory, Battery, Compact Flash, Secure Digital, Memory Stick, SD-HC, Pro, Duo, xD, AA, EVF | NeoCamera.com

More Choosing Basics

Memory

	Compact flash is the second cheapest kind of memory and is available in the largest sizes.
	Some cameras only accept Type 1 Compact Flash cards (meaning no Microdrives).
	SD is quite common and is the cheapest type of memoy available.
	SD-HC cards are high-capacity SD cards which are generally not compatible with SD devices. SD cards can always be used where SD-HC cards are accepted.
	xD can be found in Olympus and Fuji cameras, it is one of the most expensive memories.
	Memory Stick are used by Sony cameras and are also quite expensive. The Pro version is faster but otherwise identical.
	Memory Stick Duo is simply a smaller version of the Memory Stick. There is also a faster Pro version.

Viewfinder

	Prefer a camera with a viewfinder. LCDs can be hard to seen in bright light.
	An optical viewfinder is highly recommended for night photography and continuous shooting. EVFs can be very accurate but most are hard to see in low-light. Precise manual focusing is best with a DSLR, otherwise an EVF with magnification is a must.
	Viewfinder coverage is the visible percentage of the final picture, the closer to 100% the better.
	A higher magnification viewfinder shows a larger view and is preferable.

Batteries

	Regular size batteries such as "AA" are preferable. They're cheap, can easily be replaced by disposable ones, keep getting better and solar-chargers are even available.
	Avoid cameras that charge in docks, you can't use those cameras while recharging them unless the dock can charge a spare too. Charger docks are an extra thing to carry while traveling.
	Custom lithium-ion batteries may last longer than a single set of "AA" but you can afford several sets of "AA" for the same price as one lithium-ion battery.

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