Digital Cameras and the College Student

College is arguably the best time in many peoples' lives. This is often the first time many people leave the nest and begin their own life away from the familiarity and comfort of home. It is the beginning of a new life! Naturally, there will be many new experiences, new people and places, too. Who wouldn't want to preserve these memories to look back on for the rest of their life? One great way to preserve these moments is through a digital camera.

Many of the digital cameras today have plenty of different functions and designs that suit the college lifestyle perfectly. They make great high school graduation gifts and are relatively inexpensive. There are three things that you want to keep in mind when purchasing a camera that is college-bound: The first is its size, the second is the camera's functions, and finally, the climate where the camera will be used.

The first thing to keep in mind when purchasing a camera is its size. Chances are a college student will be on the go, and will not have a lot of extra space to store a bulky camera. A few compact models that you might want to consider are the Nikon Coolpix series as well as the Canon Powershot. These are very compact, accessible and stylish cameras. They can be easily stowed away in a back pocket, purse, backpack compartment or even a shirt pocket.

The second thing you should keep in mind when purchasing a digital camera is finding one with functions that will match your needs. Sometimes still pictures are not enough to capture a special moment. College students are in the prime of their youth, they are active and have an excess of energy. This typically calls for a mini video capture function. This video capture is standard on most digital cameras, but some models allow longer lengths, some include sound, and others will allow you to shoot in color or black and white.

Another function you might like to look into is if the camera includes a rechargeable battery, or if the batteries need to be replaced. While on the go, it is easier to have a rechargeable battery than fumbling around to constantly change them, or to run out of juice just when the perfect picture presents itself. Something you would also want to check out is how many megapixels the camera has. The higher number of megapixels, the finer and more detailed picture you are going to get.

The third thing you want to consider when purchasing a camera is what type of climate the camera will be used in. If the college student is moving to a school that is near a body of water, or if it rains or snows a lot, you might want to invest in is a waterproof or weather resistant digital camera. These tend to be a little more expensive than a digital camera without this feature, but they allow you to shoot pictures and videos completely emerged in water, in rain or during a snow storm. Many times we are not able to take pictures of special moments simply because the weather could damage our camera. If a college student is living in a wet climate, it is well worth it to spend a little extra to ensure that you'll keep the camera functioning while still being able to capture some of life's greatest memories