One of the most frustrating aspects of photo taking is not knowing how a picture turns out until you get the film developed. More often than not, some part of a picture is awry and would have benefited with another go. Digital cameras allow you to view and retake photos to your heart's content without wasting a single roll of film.One of the most frustrating aspects of photo taking is not knowing how a picture turns out until you get the film developed. More often than not, some part of a picture is awry and would have benefited with another go. Digital cameras allow you to view and retake photos to your heart's content without wasting a single roll of film.

While earlier models often produced grainy photos due to low resolution, today's models produce images that are virtually indistinguishable from regular film cameras.

The most important decision to make when choosing a digital camera is to determine the number of megapixels you will need. Megapixels simply refer to the number of "dots" that are used to record what your picture looks like. Higher megapixel cameras use more dots so they can capture more detailed information about the picture.

If you plan to use the camera as if were like a point and shoot camera, get a two-megapixel digital camera. This type of camera is appropriate if you want to take pictures for documentation purposes, for informal internal photos, to post on a web site, or to e-mail clients pictures of work in progress. With this type of camera, you will be able to take your images and blow them up to 8 x 10 photos without a noticeable degradation in picture quality.

If you intend to take photos for more professional purposes, look for a four-megapixel or higher camera. Cameras of this quality can be used to take photos for marketing collateral or to enlarge photos to show a particular detail.

Other features to consider when comparing cameras include the zoom, size and weight, and LCD screen. When it comes to zoom, focus on the optical, rather than digital, zoom specification. For photo taking flexibility, look for one with a minimum 3X optical zoom capability. If you tend to take close-up photos, look for a digital camera that has a macro feature with the minimum focus of less than six inches. A tripod mount can also be useful if you take many still photos.

Prices for digital cameras have dropped significantly. Expect to pay $300 to $450 for two megapixel camera at about twice the amount for a 4-megapixel camera. Expect to spend an additional $50 to $150 for accessories like more memory, a spare battery and a memory card reader. Camera prices can climb into the thousands of dollars for professional-quality models.

If you want to create print versions of your photos, turn to an online photo developing service like Ofoto, Shutterfly or Snapfish. These services charge about 50 cents per photo ordered. Although this may seem pricey, when compared to the cost of developing film where you pay for pictures that you do not like, it can be quite cost-effective.

Where words fail, a picture can easily fill the breach. Having a digital camera in your office can be a very effective way to enhance your communications with both clients and employees.