What you should focus on when shopping is the optical zoom. Optical zoom uses a combination of lenses to focus in on a small area and augment the image quality.

Digital zooms don't offer any additional image detail. However it is important to note that a higher optical zoom usually means a higher price for the digital camera.

A dual memory card slot is another excellent feature to consider. It allows the user different card formats, which can aid compatibility with other devices such as the PDAs, printers and personal computers.

   It doesn't matter if you are a professional photographer, a keen amateur or a weekend and holiday snapper you want to shoot the best pictures that you can. It is all a matter of approach so here is how I suggest you try to take pictures.

1. There are a number of things that a professional photographer knows long before he or she starts to take pictures. The pro knows who the client is, what the end use of the pictures will be and what they will be taking pictures of. This enables the photographer to "focus" on the job ahead, an approach that can easily be translated into the type of photography you do.

2. The pictures might be of a nice street in your neighbourhood. Already you are starting to think in a far more focused manner and you can concentrate on getting that range of images that would fit across a double page in the album - making a mental list of the important images. You need a shot of the the street - maybe a nice tight one. You need some pictures of the stores - perhaps a wider picture with three or four merchants in it. Some smaller images of a store and other shoppers and something with a bit of humour. A total of five or six images, shot from different heights and some tight, some wide.
3. To get five or six good images you will need to shoot at least thirty pictures and on a digital you have wasted nothing by trying different things. You can print images to different sizes and edit on screen adding captions as you go.
4. By deciding what your goals are in advance you will actually spend less time just snapping and hoping. Next time you will know how well you did and what worked in the framework and adjust accordingly. I have never been able to just "go and take photographs", but if I am looking for a something specific I nearly always get what I want. As you become a better photographer you can learn to recognise what you like about certain images and trying to shoot in a given style becomes a great way of finding your own.