When you are in the market for a digital camera, and your budget allows, you may want to consider looking into the highest rated digital cameras on the market. Not that all of the highest rated digital cameras are going to be expensive, rater it depends on what you are looking for in a camera, and certain features will cost more.

Today's highest rated digital cameras all offer about a five mega-pixel resolution with some smaller and less expensive models offering three-mega-pixels. The number of pixels determines the resolution of the picture. To put it into perspective a typical three mega-pixel picture will look better than pictures on your computer screen. On average, for every mega-pixel you add on a camera, count on adding from $30 to $50, depending on the brand.

The average zoom capabilities of today's highest rated digital cameras are 3X using optics to bring images up closer. Some offer super zoom capabilities of 30x or 40x, which lets you take photos of objects extremely far away. Trouble with super zoom lenses is that they tend to allow less light into the lens, rendering the photos with less clarity and may appear out of focus.

Choosing SLR Or Compact Size

As digital photography becomes more popular, the size of the cameras has also become smaller. View finders also have a liquid Crystal Display to view the photo without the viewfinder, even on the highest rated digital cameras using SLR technology, a throw-back to the film photography age.

A single lens reflex camera lets you see the picture exactly as the camera lens sees it. It is basically a situation of what you see if what you get and highly regarded by professionals and most advanced amateurs. Many of the highest rated digital cameras offer SLR capabilities and may include the ability to change lenses to allow for a variety of photo opportunities without losing resolution in the pictures.

However, SLR cameras and all the optional lenses are bigger and heavier than the smaller, more-compact cameras made to fit in your pocket. If you opt for one of the highest rated digital cameras in SLR format, you will be sacrificing convenience for the ability to take photographs with more control of the outcome. The smaller cameras usually can take excellent pictures, providing the resolution is at least three mega-pixels and you don't normally shoot items, or people, from long distances.