In an earnest effort to get your hard earned money, camera manufacturers try to outdo each other by coming up with nifty new features that promise to make your life easier, more fun, and more rewarding.
Whether you need all those bells and whistles really depends on how you want to put your camera to use which is why camera manufacturers know how to appeal to your impulse-buying tendencies.
In order for you to get a better understanding about which options are a must-have and which ones are not, let's take a look at the most common features being offered by some of the most popular cameras on the market today.
For starters, there are two basic design types in the world of digital cameras - the point-and-shoot model and the digital SLR model.
Digital SLR models are often referred to as dSLRs, which is an acronym that stands for digital single-lens reflex.
Essentially, SLR cameras allow you to switch and swap out different lenses while the point-and-shoot model does not offer this option.
Also, both camera models carry with them their own advantages and disadvantages: Point-and-shoot Advantages:

• Convenience / ease of use
• Autofocus
• Multiple auto features
• Less expensive

Point-and-shoot Disadvantages: Size is not as compact as the dSLR, they won't fit in your shirt pocket.
dSLR Advantages:

• Interchangeable lenses
• Larger image sensors
• Work well with external flashes
• Can connect to external lighting systems
• Can shoot upto 10 frames per second

dSLR Disadvantages:

• Expensive
• Cannot use the monitor as a viewfinder
• Difficult for beginners to use