Look for a digicam with at least 2MP of true optical resolution. Here’s a rough rule of thumb: 2MP will give you film-quality photos up to 6x9 inches, 3MP up to 8x10 4MP up to 11x14 inches, and 5MP up to 14 x 17 inches. And that even allows for some cropping (excluding parts of the image you don’t want) without degrading the image quality.

Look for a digicam that operate most like the film camera you’re used to. This means fast start-up and fast shot-to-shot time and an optical zoom lens (optical plus digital is OK, but not digital only). Don’t be taken in by bells and whistles you never used on a film camera and probably won’t on a digicam.

If possible, check out the camera’s menus. Some digicams make menu navigation tougher than diving for pearls. Others festoon menu items haphazardly around the LCD monitor. Menus should be intuitive for easy to go through.

Pass on any potential digicam that has only an LCD monitor for pre-viewing. They are notorious for washing out in sunlight and you usually have to hold the camera in an uncomfortable position to use them. A well-designed digicam has an optical viewfinder in addition to the LCD monitor for easy, eye-leveling viewing.

Your first purchase after the camera should be extra batteries. Be prepared to buy a couple of sets of rechargeable AA NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries and a good charger if your camera uses AA batteries. Alkaline AA’s just wont cut it. Eight Quest batteries and their premium charger will set you back about US$60. If your camera uses Lithium Ion batteries, check with Quest to see if they make the same type. They’ll usually be more powerful and cost less.

Transferring images to your computer can be a pain if you have a hook up your camera each time. Get an inexpensive USB or Firewire memory card reader and leave it attached to your computer.

Your pictures will only be as good as the printer they’re output on. So plan to buy a decent photo-quality printer. Printers are like speakers in your stereo system. It does little good to have the finest electronic components pushing sound through a set of bargain speakers. Epson and Canon make the best photo printers around.

Speed on playback is more important then you may first think. Most modern digicams will give you an adequate shot-to-shot time (even if it’s not blazing fast) but some will make you wait forever to go through a "roll" of pictures. Check that out before you buy.

Get a good imaging program. Even though one may be bundled with your camera, it may not always be as easy to use or as versatile as a top-of-the-line product. For a street price of about US $89 you can get Adobe’s Photoshop Elements 3.0, a knockout program. While you’re at it, get Mikkel Aaland’s book, Photoshop Elements 3 Solutions.

If you’re faced with a choice between buying a expensive digicam without the extra peripherals (batteries, car reader, printer, etc.) or a less expensive digicam with them, go for the lower-priced camera and buy all the goodies. Why? Because you’ll eventually by buying another camera based on what you’ve learned from your first digicam. But in the meantime, you’ll get the best results and have the most fun with the digicam and accessories you’ve bought.