The field of digital photography is literally exploding, and now you want to join in. So you go to the store to look for a beginner digital camera and quickly become overwhelmed. There are just so many choices and perhaps even a few terms that you really don't understand. Do you need a 3 megapixel camera? How about one with a whopping 12 megapixels? Maybe one of the newer compacts will be exactly what you are looking for. The problem is you really don't know how to choose. We're here to help.

Let's start by determining what you plan to do with your new camera. For most people, that means family photos and pictures at various events. You probably want one as automatic as possible. A beginner digital camera like this will probably be about 5 megapixels. It will set you back less than $200 and do everything you need. You'll have a zoom that will be about 3X (higher numbers will allow you to get closer pics from a distance). And it will have presets for different situations like outdoors, beach, action, close ups and others. Turn the dial to the proper setting, point, and click. It's both simple and effective.

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You'll also have a built in flash (99.9% of digital cameras do) which can be turned off if you want to set a low light mood. Fuji makes CCD cameras that are great for this.

If you think you'll be using this more than most, and you are really hyped about becoming a skilled digital photographer, then you'll probably want something a little more advanced. That means getting a camera with some manual settings so you are not bound by the preset modes. Now you'll be able to experiment a bit and get creative. These cameras will let you adjust aperature and shutter speed. If this is Greek to you, then stay away from this in the beginning. If however you want this freedom, the Canon Powershot A series is ideal. You'll get full manual control and a slightly more powerful zoom. Going with 6 to 8 megapixels will give you all the quality you could need.

Now if this camera is going to be used for travel photography, nature photography, or anything else where you want to get a close up shot and will still be far away, then a large zoom becomes necessary. The 3X we talked about earlier just won't do. Here's something to remember; it's tough to keep the camera steady when you are zoomed way in. There are two ways around this. The first is to use a tripod. The second is to make sure whatever camera you get has image stabilization.

We know there is a huge amount of choices available, but for a beginner digital camera you'll just need the basica that come on most camera. Things like a 3X zoom, 5 to 8 megapixels, a built in flash, preset modes, a 2 1/2 inch LCD screen are all pretty much standard. Just find one that meets your needs and start taking pictures. It won't cost you too much, and as you continue to use it you'll discover a wealth of other features you feel you'd like to have or even need. Then you can more up, paying for only the features you need without breaking the bank for a camera with a bunch of features you'll never use. Remember a great camera is nice, but it's the photographer who creates great pictures.

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