With all of the digital camera models on the market today it can be easy to get confused about which of them will be best for your needs. There are four major classes of digital cameras and they are compacts, subcompacts, advanced compacts, and SLRs(single lens reflex). Let's discuss each of these classes and their characteristics to help you decide which will best suit your needs.

The smallest of all the classes are the subcompact digital cameras, and they are tiny wonders to behold. They can easily fit into a pocket or purse and go almost anywhere with you. If you like to have a camera with you at all times, this class can fit the bill, and provide very simple operation features that make taking pictures a snap. The tradeoff is that they can be even more expensive than their larger counterparts to buy, and for some people the controls are so small that they are difficult to use. So try one before you decide to buy it.

The compact camera field is probably the most popular type of digital camera as they are still small enough to go lots of places with you, and yet powerful enough to handle almost any photographic situation very easily. Usually they are almost fully automatic making them a good choice for folks who like to take snapshots of family and friends, and perhaps a few special events too. Some models do have limited manual controls available too.

The advanced compact is a digital camera that simply adds more manual control features that can even rival some digital SLRs. The tradeoff for that extra control is added size and bulk though, although none of them could be considered unwieldy. They can be a good choice for photographers who like to have more exposure control than most compact cameras afford, but don't really need to step up to the SLR class of cameras.

The most versatile, flexible and also often the most expensive digital camera option is the digital single lens reflex camera. They are very similar to their film cousins in size and design and can permit the use of interchangeable lenses for the most creativity in shot composition. The plethora of exposure options that they offer helps make these cameras very suitable for both serious hobbyists and pros alike. Another advantage they can offer to current film SLR owners is that many brands can use the lenses that were bought for their film SLRs with no adaptation, helping them save money on the total camera cost due to not having to buy new lenses for their digital SLR body. Just check to see if your brand of SLR supports this kind of lens migration.

As you can see, there is no shortage of options when it comes to digital cameras, but hopefully the tips and suggestions given in this article can help you know more about what to expect from each camera type so you can decide which digital camera will work best for you.