Many hobby photographers have what’s referred to as a point and shoot camera. These types of cameras are usually quite small and lightweight, allow you to view the picture on a digital screen instead of looking through the viewfinder, and do not have complicated accessories like interchangable lenses.

A point and shoot camera is an excellent type of digital camera for beginners to start with, and they make fantastic gifts too. These days they can be purchased for as little as $100 in some cases, and prices range upwards from there to around $500. The difference in pricing usually indicates the quality of the camera, how many features it might have, and how big the pictures turn out too.

The size of your pictures is usually determined in megapixels. A camera that offers 10 megapixels will turn out larger, more detailed photos than a 4 megapixel camera will. The megapixel size of a camera should not be the only criteria you have when shopping around though, because there are many more things that should be taken into consideration.

If you’re buying a camera for someone who is brand new to photography, you’ll want to choose a camera that has easy to use preset controls. With preset camera controls, the photographer doesn’t have to understand the details of what the camera’s doing, they simply select the mode they want, point the cameraat what they intend to take a picture of, and push the button.

Most cameras have preset controls these days, but some have more than others. Here are the most common settings you’ll find:

1. Sunlight mode – When the user sets their camera to this mode, it will automatically configure itself to take a picture in bright sunlight.

2. Night time mode – If you want to take a picture outside at night, set your camera to this option.

3. Indoors – This is usually indicated by a little lightbulb on the control dial. When you’re taking pictures inside, set the camera to this and it should do a better job handling the dimmer lights.

4. Sports mode – This is indicated by a little running man icon. When you want to take pictures of sports, or any kind of fast action such as little kids chasing each other in the backyard – turn the camera to this mode and it will do a better job of catching the fast movements.

5. Flash mode – This is used most often when you’re taking pictures indoors. If you don’t have enough light to get a good picture, then turn on your camera’s flash and set it to flash mode.

Now you don’t have to actually use these modes if you don’t want to. A brand new digital camera user for instance, might prefer to simply leave the camera in automatic mode all the time. Leaving it set to automatic will usually ensure the camera adjusts itself based on where you’re taking pictures at. If you’re indoors for instance, and you don’t have enough light for a good picture, the camera will automatically turn the flash on for you.

So there are some tips for you to use when buying your own digital camera, or buying one as a gift for someone you love.

Buying the best digital camera for family use can be tricky. There are a lot of choices available in the market today and you have to know what specific features to look out for in order to get your money’s worth as well as your family’s nod of approval. Don’t fret, though, as you can never go wrong when you buy a Canon-made unit.

With budget and value for money in check, here are some of the best Canon digital cameras that you can purchase for family use:

Canon PowerShot A710 IS

The fact that it’s eye candy is just the icing on the cake. The A710’s superior 6x zoom, 7.1 megapixels, 2.5 inch LCD, autofocus and manual focus modes, 4x digital zoom and excellent glass lens make it a great buy. Everyone in your family will also love the Canon PowerShot A710 IS’ clean user interface, red eye reduction option and the fact that it only uses two AA batteries.

Canon PowerShot A640

This tasteful, 10 megapixel thing of beauty is a great investment. With a 2.5 inch LCD you can swivel, an easy-to-understand user interface, accurate viewfinder and good lens which can spur attractive color and the right skin tones, the Canon A640 is just what you need for family reunions.

Canon PowerShot A570 IS

If you’re looking for a camera that you can also use to take quick movie clips, the Canon PowerShot A570 is a steal. Its movie mode can deliver quality video and you can easily review that recently captured clip of your baby’s first steps. This 7.1 megapixel camera has a face detection focus mode, adjustable flash power and optical viewfinder. You can also customize the Print/Share button, giving you the upper hand on how to control your digital camera.

Canon PowerShot SD40 Digital ELPH

Don’t let the long name distract you. This one’s a favorite especially among families that have teenagers. The compact, 7 megapixel SD40 comes in 4 attractive colors — “Twilight Sepia”, “Precious Rose”, “Noble Blue” and “Olive Grey” — which will certainly appeal to the young ones. Features include the DIGIC III processor function, which means that less battery power is drained and shutter lag is reduced. It also uses the Face Detection technology so if you want to take portraits on a lazy Sunday, this camera will do the trick.