> I want to take pictures at cemeteries and wondering what kind of > resolution I should look for in a digicam, as well as any other > features that would be good for genealogical purposes. I realize > that more pixels gives better pictures, but it makes for larger > pictures, more space taken up etc. > > "Zev Griner" <[email protected]> Zev, The resolution you need will be determined by what you plan to do with the digital photos. If you are planning to display them only on the web, then a camera with lower resolution will probably do (1-3 megapixels or so). If you need to print them at the quality of a commercial printing press (unlikely, but you never know), I'd say 7-8 megapixels is needed for a full page image. For home printing of snapshots something in the mid-range would be fine (I've even had decent results with a cheap 2 megapixel camera printing to my Epson R300-a great photo printer, BTW). With a high-end camera you can always step-down the resolution of the images you shoot if storage space is an issue, but coming from a graphic arts background I prefer to shoot the best possible image with the best camera and lenses I can afford. I've had great results with my Canon EOS 10-D and the fact that its an SLR means I can easily swap on and off specialized lenses -- good for cemetery shooting where catching inscriptions well can be tricky. Digital SLRs, while more expensive than the typical pocket-sized, fixed-lens, point-and-shoot models, have the advantage of letting you get familiar with a basic lens and then add more to your arsenal as needs grow/change and budget allows. Stay away from digital zoom features if you can -- they can introduce ugly image artifacts and noise. An optical zoom is the way to go. The most important thing to remember is that a good camera does not guarantee good pictures -- study up on lighting, exposure, and other aspects of photography and take lots of different shots of the same subject with different settings to ensure you haven't wasted a trip when you take them home and download the pics to your computer. You can't always trust the tiny color LCD screen digicams provide to be sure you've got a good shot. Regards, Joe Joseph Mann <[email protected]>