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Well, you can start by checking out this comprehensive review site. Some model numbers may be different in the UK, but the basics are all the same.
As Ignatius says, resolution isn't going to be as big a deal for you, since you're not looking to print. But will you be frustrated with being locked into lower-res possibilities in 18 months, after you've decided that the pixel is your muse?
Lenswise, many feature optics (some glass, some plastic) with Carl Zeiss' name on them, which is always good. Those will probably run you 300 quid and up, though. So get a real-time demo of shooting photos and displying them on a computer, checking the color calibration of the monitor when you do so (go to a web page you recognize or bring along a few photos on disc), to make sure its displaying color as you're used to seeing it. Digital cameras are, by and large, good enough now that you'll get decent color reproduction from most major models.
Those things out of the way, I always look for manual features. Many cheaper cameras will have very limited manual options, or none at all. If you want to control exposure, shutter speed, white balance, ISO setting or anything else that emulates a film camera, explicitly check to make sure what you've got in yer hands will do it. If you don't want manual features, yer price range will be much lower, but it depends on what you want out of the camera.
Also, there are a few different types of storage media used now, so if you develop a preference for one or the other, make sure the camera supports it, and make sure you're clear on which on you'll need to have around.
As I said earlier, try to predict what you're going to want the thing to do down the line, if there's a chance you'll want to do more than take snaps at the pub. If you can afford it, buy up to that level. |
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