Compare the Best Digital CamerasAugust 2019

Megapixels are a quick and easy way of measuring the level of detail that you can expect from a camera. One megapixel means 1,000,000 pixels and refers to the number of individual pixels that the camera's sensor can capture.

Whilst megapixels are a quick guide to the camera's performance, equally important is the physical size of the camera sensor. Larger sensors are able to capture more light which produces images with less noise and better dynamic range. Because they capture more light they can also take superior photos in low light conditions without flash.

Many cameras have incredible zoom capabilities which let you get really close to the action. However when checking a camera's zoom capability it's important to check whether it has an optical zoom, a digital zoom or a combination of both.

Digital zooms let you zoom in by effectively cropping the photo. They do produce a zoom effect, but the quality of the image will be reduced because it has been cropped. Most mobile phones use a digital zoom.

Optical zooms work by physically moving the lenses that capture the image. The zoomed in photo is still captured using the full extent of the camera's sensor so there is no loss in image quality as you soom in.

Almost every digital camera has a built in screen which lets you frame the shot you are taking, review and edit photos that you have taken, and also adjust the camera settings. Some cameras have fold out screens which make it easy to take self portraits and allow you to take photos when the camera is not at eye level such as in a crowd.

Touchscreen camera displays offer very intuitive control systems similar to those found on a mobile phone. Touch allows you to choose which part of the picture you want to be in focus or to be exposed correctly simply by touching it.

As digital screens have become more advanced many camera manufacturers have dispensed with the traditional camera viewfinder. However there are many advantages to a traditional viewfinder. Firstly it is much easier to see what you are photographing in bright sunlight conditions through a viewfinder. Holding the camera to your face also steadies the camera giving you sharper photos. Finally a viewfinder uses much less power than a screen so you can switch the screen off when taking photos to make your battery last longer.

Premium compact cameras and above have manual focus as well as autofocus. Manual focus lets you control which part of the image is sharp by either twisting a focus ring or on touchscreen cameras, touching the part of the image that you want to be sharp. This is particularly useful when the subject is not in the centre of the image.

Cameras with viewfinders such as DSLRs often have multiple focus points which can be seen through the viewfinder. You can preselect which focus point is going to be used, which is great if you know that your subject will definitely be in a particular part of the picture. High end DSLRs also have predictive focus which will track the subject that you are taking, such as a fast moving car, and predict the position of the subject at the exact moment the photo is taken to give the sharpest possible image.

With the exception of budget compact cameras most cameras allow you to manually set the exposure settings. Primarily this means setting the ISO level, the lens aperture and the shutter speed. Manual control is useful for capturing images in difficult light conditions such as at dusk, or for controlling creative effects such as depth of field (which parts of the image are in focus and which aren't).

The ISO level is particularly important as it effectively sets the sensitivity of the image sensor. Look for the maximum ISO level that the camera can support. A higher maximum ISO means that the camera's sensor is more sensitive to light which is very useful for taking photos in low light conditions