If you check out the camera reviews, news, features and forums at Tech2.com, they're filled with queries about the best camera users can buy. With the kind of options available in the market today, it gets a bit hard to simply name a camera and label it as a great buy. Now it all depends on the user's requirements, on how serious the person is about photography and what exactly is the purpose for buying the camera and what kind of features is he look for. So here I have compiled a guide that will help you answer the "Which camera should I buy?" question all by yourself.

This guide is, of course, aimed at users starter-level users, casual users, prosumers and amateur photographers. The professionals obviously don't need a guide to tell them what camera to buy. I've listed the points that you need to consider before you buy a camera in the form of questions that you should ask yourself before making a buying decision. Without further delay, let's move on to the first question.

Question 1: What do I need it for?

It may be the most basic question one can ask before making any buying decision, but it's surprising how many people don't really think that through, especially when buying digital cameras. Getting a clear idea of what you would want to use the digital camera for can make the rest of your buying decision a lot easier. I've made a general list of the most common uses that come in mind when buying a digital camera.

General purpose/Family camera
This is obviously the most common reason that comes to mind. Everyone wants to have a digital camera lying around the house for general purpose shooting, like during family occasions, outings, or basically a camera that just about anyone at home can pick up and use. Cameras in this category, don't really require much specialization in anything, and they can be anything from starter level to mid-range cameras as long as they have a good point-and-shoot mode. Size isn't much of a criteria here, but considering the category they belong to, these cameras are usually in the compact or ultra-compact range.

Vacation cam
With vacation cameras, your requirement gets a little more concise. To begin with if you want a camera that will accompany you in your vacations, then you definitely don't want too much bulk. Ultra-compacts are usually the best choice for this use. Moreover, you would require more than just the basic point and shoot. Basic shooting modes like portrait, landscape, night and macro modes are there in just about all cameras, but more specialized presets like snow, beach, fireworks, candle light, etc. can really be an added bonus. If you're more inclined towards adventure then you may want to look at a waterproof/dust proof camera or just make sure that the camera you're buying allows underwater photography using an additional housing.