Don't know what camera to buy or what to look for? Our range of guides can help you decide what camera to buy for your needs

Need advice on what camera to buy, or what to look out for when buying a camera?

There’s a huge variety of digital cameras currently on the market, ranging from the affordable compact right up to the high-end professional level DSLR, with the ground in between catering for every want and need.

While the amount of choice is good for the consumer, it also means deciding on the right camera is now more difficult than ever before, as the competition means that the more important camera ranges are frequently updated, with older models soon dropping in price.

Further more, the range of functionality in current cameras is leaps and bounds ahead of where it once was, giving the consumer photographer access to better image quality than ever before.

Still baffled by the range of choice? Fret not, as here on whatdigitalcamera.com we’ve got a host of different guides aimed at helping you find the camera you’re looking for.

Click on the statement that best describes you.

I don’t know what type of camera I want

I want to buy a compact camera

I want to buy a digital SLR

I want to buy a compact system camera, or find out more about these cameras

I’m on a tight budget

I want to buy a camera accessory

I’ve read all this advice and am still confused

I don’t know what type of camera I want!

Read the article: Choosing a camera type

Article summary: Advice on how to choose a camera type. We describe the difference between a compact camera, a superzoom camera, DSLR camera and Compact System (hybrid) cameras.

Watch the video: Video guide to buying the best camera

Video summary: Are you perplexed by all the different types of cameras and unsure of what’s best for your needs? In these videos, What Digital Camera’s Editor, Nigel Atherton, explains what to look for and which style of camera might be best for you.

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I want to buy a compact camera

Read the article: Guide to choosing a compact camera

Article summary: Everything you need to know to help you make the right choice when choosing a compact camera. The compact camera market certainly can’t be accused of lacking both variety and options of where to direct your hard-earned cash, but what should you be looking for?

Read the article: Best compact cameras

Article summary: Which is the best compact cameras for your needs? Here’s our pick of the best on the market at the moment.

Read the article: Best mid-zoom travel compacts

Article summary: Looking for a new mid-zoom compact? Here’s our pick of the top 5 best mid-zoom compact cameras (also known as ‘travel zooms’) on the market right now.

Read the article: The best advanced compact cameras

Article summary: Looking for a new advanced compact camera? Here’s our pick of the top 5 advanced compact cameras on the market.

Read the article: The best underwater cameras

Article summary: Looking for a tough camera that you can use underwater? We pit 6 tough compacts against each other to find the best underwater camera on the market.

Read the reviews: Compact camera reviews

Summary: We’ve reviewed the compact cameras on the market today, and you can find them all listed in their own section on the website, together with details and reviews.

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I want to buy a digital SLR

Read the article: Guide to choosing a digital SLR 

Article summary: DSLRs may seem complex, expensive and bulky, but there are good reasons for novices to choose them over other types of camera. Find out more in our guide to choosing a DSLR.

Read the article: Best digital SLR cameras

Article summary: Looking to bag yourself a new digital SLR – or DSLR as they’re more commonly referred to – but confused by the options? Let us guide you through the market with our selection of the best DSLRs of 2013.

Read the article: Best entry level DSLRs

Article summary: ‘Entry-level’ DSLR cameras, as they’re so often called, are ideally suited towards first-time DSLR users looking to take the step up from a regular compact camera and gain more control over their image making. Here’s our pick of the best entry-level DSLRs.

Read the article: Best mid-range DSLRs

Article summary: Mid-range compacts costs a little more than their entry-level cousins, however for the extra expenditure you can expect to get slightly better hardware and more in the way of features. Here’s our pick of the best mid-range DSLRs on the market.

Read the article: Best enthusiast DSLRs

Article summary: If you already own an entry-level or even mid-range DSLR and have learned how to use it properly, then chances are you may well want something that offers a more advanced feature set and more in-camera customisation options – this is exactly where enthusiast DSLRs step in. Here’s our pick of the best enthusiast DSLRs on the market.

Read the article: Best full frame DSLRs

Article summary: The term ‘full-frame’ refers to the type of sensor found almost exclusively in professional-grade DSLRs. Here’s our pick of the best full-frame DSLRs of 2013.

Read the reviews: DSLR reviews

Summary: We’ve reviewed the DSLRs on the market today, and you can find them all listed in their own section on the website, together with details and reviews.

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I want to buy a Compact System (hybrid) camera

Read the article: Guide to choosing a compact system camera

Article summary: Also known as Micro System Cameras, the newest system to enter the digital camera market, the compact system camera, offers an impressive combination of compact size and removable lenses. We offer advice on choosing a compact system camera.

Read the article: Best Compact System Cameras

Article summary: The Compact System Camera has been around since 2008. Since then the market is has grown to such an extent that it’s now one of the most camera-laden in all of photography, thus making it difficult to separate the good from the truly special.

Read the reviews: Compact System Camera reviews

Summary: We’ve reviewed the Compact System cameras on the market today, and you can find them all listed in their own section on the website, together with details and reviews.

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I’m on a tight budget

Read the article: Best camera deals of the week

Article summary: We all love a bargain, and in the current economic climate it certainly pays to make your money go as far as you can. With this in mind we’ve scoured the web, looking for all the best camera deals online.

Read the article: Best compact cameras for less than £100

Article
summary: We’re often asked what is the best budget compact camera you
can buy for under £100. With that in mind here’s our top 5 budget
compact cameras for less than £100.

Read the article: Best camera under £500

Article summary: Both DSLRs and CSCs can lay claim to being the best camera under £500. We’ve picked out a selection of each that represent the best value for money

Read the article: Best free photography software packages

Article summary: In our article: Best free photography software packages we look at several free software programs.

Read the article: Choosing a second hand camera

Article summary: If you’d happy to purchase a camera that’s had one or more previous owners you could well pick up a bargain. Take a look at our guide to choosing a second hand camera help you pick out a gem.

Read the article: Camera price buster: guide for getting a bargain

Article summary: Tips to getting the most for your money when spending on photography equipment with our camera price buster guide to buying photography equipment.

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I want to buy a camera accessory

Read our guide to tripods

Read our guide to lenses

Read our guide to flashguns

Read our guide to camera bags

Read our guide to memory cards

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I’m still confused

Ask a question in the buying advice forum

If none of these articles help answer your questions, ask our friendly forum members for help.

See our full list of buying advice

See the full range of our buying advice articles. We’re regularly adding new advice, on topical issues, and round ups of new cameras and equipment.

Take a look through our reviews

Scroll through our reviews of digtal cameras. Reviews include price, our scores and verdict, so you can read full details of how the camera tested, or skip to our summary at the end.

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