• Discover Camera Types

• Evaluate Digital Camera Features

• Find Digital Cameras on eBay Singapore

• Buy With Confidence

• Need More Help?

• Legal Disclaimer

Discover Camera Types

Discover Camera Types

If you're planning on taking occasional snapshots, working on family album projects, or building a personal Web site, you'll probably be happy with a low resolution, entry-level digital camera. However, if you want to make really big prints (beyond 8 x 10) to frame on your wall, you'll want a model with more manual controls and a higher megapixel count.

Basic Point-and-Shoot

Entry-level digital cameras are an ideal solution for those who plan to share small images of medium quality and/or those who want a starter camera to help them become familiar with digital photography. These cameras have limited manual features and a limited image resolution of usually less than 3 megapixels.

Advanced Point & Shoot

If you prefer more control over your photography, then you'll want a more advanced digital camera model with features like manual shooting modes, resolution of 3 to 5 megapixels, LCD, better lens quality, optical zoom and data ports.

Digital SLR

Professionals will enjoy digital SLR cameras in the high-end digital camera category. You'll find greater emphasis on creative control. Lenses tend to be exchangeable, have optical zoom and are of higher quality; image resolution is 5 megapixels and higher; and you'll get more professional-level controls for shooting and manipulating images.

Evaluate Digital Camera Features

Evaluate Digital Camera Features

How you intend to use your digital camera will influence the type you eventually buy. Do you plan on viewing and sharing your pictures on a computer, or do you plan to make a lot of prints? Are you after any specific features such as a powerful zoom for close-ups or even a video-recording mode? Considering the following features will help you determine your needs.

Resolution

The resolution, or image quality is a crucial feature to consider when assessing a digital camera. Camera resolution is measured in millions of pixels, or megapixels. The more pixels, the higher the resolution. The higher the resolution of a digital photo, the more you can enlarge it without losing image quality. Something to remember is that the higher the megapixels, the more pricey your camera will likely be. Digital cameras on eBay Singapore start from 1 megapixel and less, right up to 10 megapixels or more.

If you're looking to simply share pictures online, then cameras with less than 2 megapixels are considered adequate. However, go with higher resolution if you plan to enlarge pictures or want to make a wide variety of prints. Here is a rough guideline that shows how resolution correlates to print size:

Digital Memory

Most digital cameras have external digital memory: a memory card that you can remove when it's full. This type of removable storage allows you to simply insert a memory device card, shoot until the disk is full, download it into your computer, and then resume shooting.

You'll find memory cards in a range of formats such as CompactFlash, Memory Stick, SecureDigital, SmartMedia, and xD Picture Cards. Memory cards are available in various storage capacities, measured in megabytes (MB). Although most digital cameras come with a low capacity card (8MB-16MB), it's worthwhile to invest in additional, higher-capacity memory cards, especially if you're going to be taking a lot of photos.

On average, you will need a 48MB card to capture 24 pictures, if you are shooting at the best quality (high compression). If you reduce the quality of the images (ie. if you compress them less), you can double, or even triple, the amount of pictures you can take at a time.

Batteries

Digital cameras can drain batteries very quickly. Look for a digital camera that accepts rechargeable batteries, and then invest in two sets of them so you'll always have a spare handy. Many cameras work with rechargeable NiMH batteries which are inexpensive and environmentally friendly, while at the same giving you plenty of pictures per charge.

Most cameras generally come with an AC power adapter. Use the adapter if possible when using intensive battery functions such as image viewing and downloading.

Zoom

The zoom (telephoto) function can either be digital or optical. Both types will allow you to get a closer view of your image before you take your picture. Though digital cameras use both digital and optical zoom, it is preferable to have a higher optical zoom to increase the quality of the image. Digital zoom will also do the job right, but more often will enhance the magnification the optical zoom has already done.

It works like this: optical zoom changes the magnification of images with the actual optical glass before the images reach the imaging sensor: a true zoom. Digital zoom is essentially an artificial zoom, whereby a fixed area of pixels is enlarged (either before or after the picture is taken) to appear as though the camera has zoomed in on the subject. It essentially does the same thing as increasing the size of an image using computer software, resulting in a slight loss in resolution.

View Finder

All digital cameras come with at least an optical viewfinder: the kind you look through on traditional film cameras. However many digital cameras also come with a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen (measured in inches) built into the back which you can use as a viewfinder.

The LCD screen permits you to preview and review pictures, and access advanced camera feature menus. While this feature is very appealing, it's important to remember that LCD screens can rapidly consume battery power.

Find Digital Cameras on eBay Singapore

Find Digital Cameras on eBay Singapore

Once you know what type of digital camera you want, go to the Cameras &Photo portal, click on Digital Cameras & Accessories  and start searching for items on eBay Singapore.

• Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you narrow down your listings by item type. You'll find links for Accessories, Cameras and Memory Cards. As you dig deeper into the site you'll also be able to narrow down your choice by brand and resolution.

• Keyword search: Search eBay Singapore listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find a digital SLR camera, type "SLR" (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay Singapore's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, or saving a search on My eBay and eBay Singapore will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy With Confidence

Buy With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay Singapore and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay Singapore (with a bid or Buy It Now). Transactions conducted outside of eBay Singapore are not covered by eBay Singapore protection programmes.

• Never pay for your eBay Singapore item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay Singapore sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay Singapore and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorised payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to US$1,000.

• eBay Singapore Security Centre: Visit the Security Centre to learn how to protect your account and use eBay Singapore's quick and efficient resolution tools.

Need More Help?

Need More Help?

Visit our help pages or start a thread on one of our Community Discussion Boards - If you have a quick question that needs answering, try posting it on our community Answer Centre - there's bound to be a seasoned eBay Singapore veteran with just the information you're looking for!

Legal Disclaimer

Legal Disclaimer

Buying Guides are intended merely as a guide or review for members when considering what products or services they may be interested in bidding on or purchasing. eBay does not make, and nothing in these Buying Guides is intended to constitute, any warranties, guarantees, representations or assurances about the accuracy of the information or content contained in these Buying Guides. Furthermore, eBay does not make, and nothing in these Buying Guides is intended to constitute, any warranties, guarantees, representations or assurances about the nature or performance of the products or services appearing in the Buying Guides. eBay is not affiliated with nor does it endorse the use of any particular product or service.