Digital cameras have truly come of age by challenging film on quality and convenience, while boasting unique features such as reusable memory cards, built-in screens and TV slideshows. With no film, you don’t have to worry about developing costs and the images are instantly available for use on websites and for multimedia presentations and projects. The images can also be downloaded on to computer for easy access by teachers and pupils. This survey details the most important things to look out for and showcases six very different models, all ideal for educational markets.

How much to spend?

Digital cameras may be getting cheaper but, as I will explain, most people will want a two-or three-megapixel model which means spending at least pound;200 or pound;350 respectively. Greater control and quality will take you easily beyond pound;500.

Memory

Using the best-quality settings, an average digital camera will store only about 10 pictures on its memory card. If the camera you are using is going to be shared out among a whole class, you will need to budget for a bigger one straight away. 64Mb cards cost between pound;30 and pound;50 depending on format; Compact Flash is cheapest, while Sony’s Memory Stick the most expensive. The IBM MicroDrive is a tiny hard disk which can fit in some wider Type-II Compact Flash slots - the 1Gb model costs pound;250.

Sony’s Mavica cameras uniquely record their images on to floppy discs or rewritable 8cm CDs, which are cheap and can be read in almost any computer without the need for cables or software. This detachable storage system allows individual students to take ownership of their own images.

There are four key elements to think about when buying a digital camera: 1: Quality

The ultimate quality of a digital camera is defined by the resolution of its electronic sensor, measured in megapixels. The more pixels (electronic dots) you have, the more detail is captured, and the bigger the enlargement you can make before you start seeing the dots as blocky squares. The more pixels you have in an image, the more memory it uses. Any digital camera will have more than enough pixels for use on websites, but prints are a different matter. One-megapixel pictures don’t look good larger than postcard size, and lower resolution webcam models are a waste of time for prints. I recommend two-or three-megapixel models, which can print up to 8 x 6in or 10 x 8in. Don’t bother with four or five megapixels for paper-based projects unless you want to print larger than A4 for large-scale presentations.

2: Optics

The most important lens specification is the optical zoom. These normally operate in a 3x range, roughly equivalent to a 34-102mm lens on a 35mm camera. Ignore digital zooms which merely crop the image and enlarge the central portion, thereby losing quality. If you are interested in taking pictures of very small objects, you will need a lens that can focus closer than 5cm.

3: Design

It is easy to become blinded by specifications, but remember you have to actually use the camera. Go for one that looks and feels appropriate for the classroom.

4: Features

All the models here have built-in flashes, colour screens for composing and reviewing pictures, fast USB connections to your PC or Mac, and outputs to make a slideshow on a TV. More sophisticated models feature movie modes which can record short bursts of crude video and sound. Aperture, shutter priority and manual modes provide greater creative control. Some models offer optional lens adapters or even underwater housings.

And finally...

If all you want are cheap prints from your digital camera, consider a high-street lab. Jessops, for example, does a set of 40 6 x 4in prints from a memory card for just pound;5.99.

CAMERA

Nikon Coolpix 5000 Price: pound;999 inc VAT Tel: 0800 230220 www.nikon.co.uk

QUALITY

One of the highest resolution cameras around, boasting five megapixels. This delivers images with enough detail to make 13 x 10in inkjet prints.

3x optical zoom equivalent to 28-85mm on a 35mm camera; 28mm is unusually wide for a digital camera. Focuses closer than other cameras too - as little as 2cm. Excellent auto and manual focusing modes.

DESIGN

Relatively compact camera with a comfortable, chunky grip. It’s the first model from Nikon to feature a flip-out colour screen at the back which can be adjusted to any angle - great for shooting at waist height, above people’s heads, or for sly self-timer shots, not to mention folding inwards for protection.

FEATURES

Nikon has really packed a lot of features into the Coolpix 5000. Along with fully automatic, there are finely adjustable manual, shutter and aperture priority modes. Its noise reduction feature is essential for anyone taking long exposures (anything over two seconds). Powerful metering ensures your pictures are always exposed correctly, allowing students to concentrate on the framing. Images are recorded on to Compact Flash memory cards - the 5000 comes with a 32Mb card (good for 18 best-quality pictures) and its Type-II slot can also handle IBM’s tiny MicroDrive hard disk. An incredibly detailed LCD status panel on the rear provides exposure and mode information, while a fully-featured “hotshoe” supports Nikon’s Speedlight flash guns for when the built-in flash isn’t powerful enough.

There is a movie mode which can capture up to 60 seconds of basic video with audio, while four optional lens attachments offer wider angle or telephoto shots.

VERDICT

Nikon’s Coolpix 5000 is expensive, but you get what you pay for. Very high fivemegapixel resolution, coupled with precise focusing and superb exposure controls means great pictures. Equally at home in fully automatic or totally manual modes, it is one of the best digital cameras available.

CAMERA

Sony Mavica FD-200 Price: pound;499 inc VAT Tel: 08705 111999 www.sony.co.uk

QUALITY

With two-megapixel resolution, the FD-200 is the best quality FD Mavica camera yet. The largest images have enough detail to make an 8 x 6in inkjet print.

OPTICS

The FD-200 has a 3x optical zoom lens equivalent to a 37-111mm lens on a 35mm camera. The closest focusing distance is a decent 3cm, but there’s no manual focusing.

QUALITY

The FD-200 may be Sony’s most compact FD Mavica yet, but it is still relatively large compared with conventional digital cameras - understandable though when you consider there is a 3.5in floppy disk drive inside. On the plus side, there is a 2.5in colour screen on the back - much bigger than the 1.8in average on most cameras.

FEATURES

Sony’s FD Mavica digital cameras are unique in that they record their pictures on to normal 3.5in floppy disks. This may sound rather prehistoric, but there are three advantages. First, the disks can be removed and instantly read on almost any PC. Second, there is no software to install or cables to connect. Third, floppy disks are cheap and disposable, so you don’t need to worry about buying or losing expensive memory cards.

Of course you will only get a couple of best quality pictures on each floppy, so Sony has also fitted a Memory Stick slot into the FD-200. This gives you the flexibility of floppy disk mode for general use, or access to Memory Sticks when you want to store more pictures - you can even copy pictures from Stick to floppy within the camera.

VERDICT

The FD Mavicas may not be as aesthetically desirable as many cameras, but the advantages of using floppy disks cannot be underestimated for school use: they are disposably cheap, easily shared and there is no software to install. With two megapixels, the FD-200 offers decent quality too. Recommended, but consider the CD Mavicas.

CAMERA

Sony Mavica CD-400 Price: pound;899 inc VAT Tel: 08705 111999 www.sony.co.uk

QUALITY

This is Sony’s highest resolution CD Mavica so far, with four-megapixel resolution. You will be able to make inkjet prints measuring up to 11 x 9in.

OPTICS

The CD-400 sports a 3x optical zoom lens equivalent in coverage to a 34-102mm lens on a 35mm camera. The closest focusing distance is a reasonable 4cm, but there is no manual focusing.

DESIGN

Like other Mavicas, the CD-400 is fairly hefty, but this is instantly forgivable once you realise there is a CD-rewriting drive inside. It is comfortable to hold and the CD loading hinge feels pretty solid. Also like the FD Mavicas, there is a large 2.5in colour screen on the back.

FEATURES

Sony’s Mavica range makes sense to educational markets. The recording media are cheap, can be read on almost any PC, and there is no software to install or cables to worry about. The only problem with FD Mavicas is the limited capacity of a floppy disk. Sony’s answer is the CD Mavica range which amazingly feature internal CD-rewriter drives which write on to tiny 8cm blank discs; a supplied adapter lets the 8cm discs be inserted into any CD-Rom or DVD-Rom drive. Each blank disk stores 156Mb, which is enough for about 80 best-quality pictures; you can even connect the CD-400 to a PC with the supplied USB cable and use it as an external CD-RW drive.

The CD-400 additionally features aperture and shutter priority modes along with the ability to capture up to six minutes of basic-quality video with sound.

VERDICT

The CD-400 stores 80 pictures on to pound;5 discs - much cheaper than memory cards. Like other Mavicas, the media can be read on almost any PC, and there are no software or cables to worry about. It is pricey at pound;900, but ideal for schools and you get 1Gb of media included. Note the two- and three-megapixel versions are now discounted.

CAMERA

Kodak DX 3900 Price: pound;349 inc VAT Tel: 0870 243 0270 www.kodak.co.uk

QUALITY

The DX 3900 employs a 3.1 megapixel chip which produces images with enough pixels to make an 11 x 7in inkjet print. This is a wider shape than most three-megapixel cameras.

OPTICS

Kodak has kept the price low on the DX 3900 by fitting only a 2x optical zoom lens, equivalent in coverage to a 35-70mm lens on a 35mm camera. Closest focusing distance is an average 7cm.

DESIGN

Unremarkable looks, but compatible with Kodak’s EasyShare system. This employs a docking base into which the camera is placed. The dock then transfers images to the PC while recharging the camera batteries. Note that the dock may not be included in the cheapest packages, but images can still be transferred using a supplied USB cable.

FEATURES

Kodak’s latest digital cameras are among the cheapest around and you would certainly be hard pushed to find a three-megapixel model for less money. At this price, there is unsurprisingly little manual control, although like all digital cameras, you can apply exposure compensation to make the picture lighter or darker. The screen is also quite small at 1.5in, but still easy to use.

The DX 3900 takes Compact Flash Type-I memory cards and is supplied with a modest 8Mb card which will store about 10 best quality pictures. Having a Type-I slot means it won’t take the IBM MicroDrive mini hard disk.

Unlike most digital cameras, the DX 3900 runs from a pair of standard AA batteries. These may not last as long as the more common Lithium Ion packs, but spares are much cheaper and more widely available.

VERDICT

At around pound;349, Kodak’s DX 3900 is a bit of a bargain. Sure, it only has a 2x optical zoom and basic features, but the three-megapixel pictures look great. With its user-friendly on-screen interface and a docking base that makes downloading images a cinch, the DX 3900 is definitely the easiest to use for those with little experience of digital cameras.

CAMERA

Canon PowerShot A40 Price: pound;299 inc VAT Tel: 0800 616417 www.canon.co.uk

QUALITY

Like the A20 it succeeds, the Canon A40 has two-megapixel resolution. This produces files with enough detail to make 8 x 6in inkjet prints.

OPTICS

The A40 has a 3x optical zoom, equivalent to a 35-105mm lens on a 35mm camera. Closest focusing distance is an unremarkable 16cm and there is no manual focusing either.

DESIGN

Stylish looks, not dissimilar to a compact 35mm camera, and comfortable to hold and use too. Budget price means a relatively small 1.5in colour screen round the back, but it’s clear and sufficiently large for normal use.

FEATURES

The PowerShot A40 may be low-priced, but Canon has included many more features than rock bottom two-megapixel models; it is also much improved from the A20 model that it replaces. Beyond the 3x optical zoom lens, there are both manual and automatic exposure modes, superior metering and a movie mode with sound. Borrowing from much more expensive cameras, there is even electronic noise reduction on long exposures and a high quality 50 ISO mode for when there is plenty of light.

There are loads of optional accessories too, including wide-angle and telephoto lens attachments, along with an underwater housing good to 30m. The A40 also supports direct printing without a PC to Canon’s CP-100 and CP-10 printers.

Images are stored onto Type-I Compact Flash cards (the IBM MicroDrive is not supported); Canon supplies an 8Mb card which can store up to seven best-quality pictures.

VERDICT

The PowerShot A40 is the best value for money overall. It only costs pound;299, but boasts features normally found on more expensive models. There is good exposure and metering control, video with sound facilities and plenty of accessories. If two-megapixel resolution is sufficient, but you want a little more control, the A40 is a great choice.

CAMERA

Hewlett Packard Photosmart 318 Price: pound;179 inc VAT Tel: 08705 474747 www.hp.comphotosmart

QUALITY

The HP 318 is one of the cheapest 2.3-megapixel cameras around. This allows you to produce 9 x 6in inkjet prints (a wider shape than most two- megapixel cameras).

OPTICS

At this price, you sacrifice an optical zoom altogether. Instead the HP 318 is fitted with a fixed lens equivalent to a 43mm lens on a 35mm camera. Closest focusing distance is a poor 20cm.

DESIGN

The HP 318 is an incredibly plain camera to look at. It slightly widens at one end to make it easier to hold, but it is hardly a decent hand grip. On the plus side, HP has at least fitted a colour screen on the back, measuring a reasonable 1.75in.

FEATURES

For this kind of money, you are not going to get many features. Exposure and focusing are pretty much an automatic affair, although like all digital cameras there is exposure compensation to make pictures darker or lighter. Despite its budget background, the 318 fortunately still has a USB connection to PCs and Macs.

The 318 runs off four AA batteries, and while a set of alkalines are supplied, you will need to buy a set of rechargables and a recharger ASAP.

Interestingly, this is the only camera here that features built-in memory for storing images: 8Mb in all, which can handle about seven best-quality pictures. One advantage of built-in memory is no one can lose or steal an expensive memory card. There is also a Type-I Compact Flash slot should you want to employ an additional memory card, although it won’t handle the IBM MicroDrive.

VERDICT

HP’s Photosmart 318 is not the world’s most exciting digital camera, but it is one of the cheapest models worth having. I wouldn’t recommend a digital camera below two-megapixel resolution, and you are currently not going to find one much cheaper than this.

Gordon Laing is a freelance writer, broadcaster and former editor of Personal Computer World magazine. He can be heard presenting The Lab every Thursday night, 7-9pm on LBC Radio, 1152AM, www.lbc.co.ukthelab