The Digital Future - A Guide to Digital Camera Reviewing

Slowly but surely digital devices have made their way into our homes as well as our lives. Some seemingly archaic devices were easy to replace with a better electronic equivalents, such as records and analog stopwatches. However, for every success story there are those devices have been slow to be adopted. Be it due to lack of technology or hesitation on the consumer's part, some think that digital equipment may never replace their analog counterparts. Take the 35mm camera for example. Ever since the release of the first batch of digital cameras, it was thought that the silver halide method of recording images would remain the choice medium for amateurs and professionals alike. Surely, a technology brought to the main stream a few short years ago could not rival an art that has been in use and constantly improved in over 160 years.

Well, as we see time and time again in the constantly changing field of electronics, digital photography has evolved in leaps in bounds since its introduction. The past 4 years have seen the digital camera grow from being a toy for most to nearly a 35mm replacement. Once again, it seems that the electronic way of doing things is destined to replace the conventional way of doing things for all but a select few.

We are not quite at this point in time yet, where conventional cameras seem archaic. While digital cameras offer features and usability never before seen in any type of camera, nearly every digital camera lacks some features and qualities that are found in well made conventional cameras. Be it in lens quality, image quality, or battery life, most digital cameras have at least one downside compared to conventional cameras. Throw these downsides in along with lack of advanced features, the inability to reproduce some colors accurately, and an utter lack of printing options, and one finds that the digital camera is still a step or two away from high quality 35mm cameras.

The vast quantity of digital cameras out there show that there is not only fierce competition but also a strong market for these expensive gadgets. With everyone from Agfa to Umax producing many different models of digital cameras, it is often hard to choose which digital camera is best for your needs. Each camera promises to appeal to different crowds, with each attempting to solve at least one if not all the problems associated with digital photography.

By introducing a new digital camera section into our ever growing list of review topics, we are expanding into an area that few have gone before. Putting to use our extensive knowledge of both computers as well as digital photography, AnandTech's digital camera reviews set out to take a very objective look at a very subject art: digital photography

This article is meant to serve as an introduction to future digital camera reviews. Reviewing key camera terms as well as testing methodology, this review guide will help the understanding of how AnandTech reviews digital cameras.