Best digital camera For photography

When should I use it?
Both of these review options can – and should – be used by default, but the highlight warning is best if you need to quickly check the exposure, while the histogram is ideal for checking under- and over-exposure, and for fine-tuning things when the exposure is critical – such as when shooting landscapes, or architecture.

Anything else I need to know?
Both the histogram and highlight-warning displays use information from a JPEG image (even if you are shooting in raw), so if you are shooting in raw, leave any Picture Styles or Controls set to neutral to get the best indication of the exposure of the raw file.

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Best digital camera features: 02 Live View mode

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The viewfinder in most cameras doesn’t show you the entire image area, so your final image will include more of the scene than you can see through the viewfinder – including any distracting details near the very edges of the frame that you thought you’d cropped out!

The Live View image, on the other hand, is taken from the image sensor, so it is often much more accurate for critical framing.

How does it work?
On most models, Live View is activated by pressing a button on the back of the camera, which brings up the scene on the rear LCD. You can then use this view to accurately compose your images.

There are also a range of display options available in Live View: these will vary depending on your camera, but include a virtual horizon or grid to help you to keep the camera level, along with a histogram and shooting information displays.

You can also use the zoom buttons on the camera to zoom in on the Live View image and assess sharpness more accurately.

SEE MORE: First camera crash course – simple solutions for mastering your new DSLR

When should I use it?
Live View is better suited to static or slow-moving subjects rather than fast-moving subjects, as there’s usually a slight lag with the Live View image, and autofocus is slower (see below).

If your camera has a tilting/articulated screen it’s also much easier to use Live View when using high or low viewpoints than the normal viewfinder.

Anything else I need to know?
On most cameras, autofocus in Live View mode is far less responsive than traditional autofocus, and there’s also a longer delay between pressing the shutter release and the camera taking a shot, so it’s often better to use the viewfinder when you need to time the shot perfectly, such as with moving subjects.

Best digital camera features: 03 Manual AF point selection

What’s the feature?
As we all know, placing a subject off-centre will often produce a better composition than having it in the centre of the frame. Your camera has several focus points positioned around the frame to allow you to focus on these off-centre subjects.

But the default setting on most models is for the camera to automatically select one of these focus points, based on what it thinks is the subject, which doesn’t guarantee that it will select the right one.

How does it work?
To select individual focus points you will need to select the single AF point option in the shooting menu of your camera.