What 2 or 3 characteristics are most important in choosing a digital camera?

I don't take very many pictures, so I don't want to spend a lot on a camera, but I also need something that is easy to use, and takes good pictures so I will want to use it. I already know I want something 3-5 megapixels. Most of my pictures are of the family pets, vacations, and low action indoor shots. What features should I look for , or avoid?

Personally, I would look at the brand and size.
If you stick with the popular brands like Sony, Canon, Nikon, etc, you'll get a decent camera no matter the megapixels. Most modern digital cams at 3-5 megapixels anyway.

I like the smaller, compact cameras. They're usually easy to use and definitely easy to carry. The easier you can carry a camera, the more likely you'll have it with you to take that great picture.

Of course price is a factor. Expect to spend between $150-$300 for a good digital camera. Spend the most you can afford because a good digital camera will last you several years as long as you take good care of it.

My personal recommendations: Sony cybershot cameras or Canon digital elph series.

zoom, video, and video with sound. i had an olympia that costed 350 that broke in a year. i now have a samsung i have had for over a year. i bought it in a foreign country so i dont know how much US it would cost, but it is an awesome easy to use camera, the A400

1.) cost 2.) number of megapixels which will determine how many dots per inch are in each of your pictures and how big you can ultimately blow that picture up 3.) features: does the camera have presents like "portrait", "landscapes", "party" etc. so you can use the camera effectively in all sorts of different lighting situations. 4.) large viewing screen on back. the bigger the better so you can look at the shots you've taken 5.) size. i like small cameras so i am more apt to take it with me always and catch the good shots.

I have the Casio Exilim EX-Z55 which is 5MP and I absolutely love it. It was around $260 online.

i would say the pixle depth (DPI). battary life is very important. and zoom.

I'd say that most important thing with any camera is the lens The optic part.

It really is not that relevant that is it 3megapixels or 6megapixels if there is a decent objective. Lens creates the image that camera captures.

And I personally demand that I have to be able to adjust manually zoom, focus, shuttertime and everything.

I don't like cameras that decides to use flashlight everytime.. Most small flashes that are attached to the cameras only spoil them good shots..

For me the most important criteria are as followed:

1. The Battary life
2. Special mode for special condition, eg. night mode, outdoor mode,
3. Pixal
4. Real zoom (not digital zoom)

I highly recommend Casio or Canon. However, I highly unrecommend any DC of SONY due to the following reason.

1. Sony DC always malfunction suddenly.
2. The color of the picture is not as sharp as Canon.
3. The price is too high but the quality is normal
4. The repair centre is always full of people

You should look at the resolution, optical zoom, image processing speed, and the brand. It is well-known that Canon produce the best digital cameras.

* 4 megapixels is more than enough for average users. If you intend to print out large size picture, then you should go with 6-7 megapixels (mp).

I recommend Canon PowerShot SD300 (4 mp), SD400(5mp), SD450 (5mp), or SD500 (7 mp) depending on your budget. Canon Powershot cameras are compact, stable, and have a faster and better image processors than other brands with a similar price. Sharp pictures and good quality movies. And you don't need to worry about buying batteries or a battery charger. A Lithium Ion battery is in the box. Another plus is that Canon SD cameras are made in Japan.

I am also looking for a digital camera too. I have my eye on the Kodak easy-share v530..i think it may be a good camera for beginners. The most sound advice i have gotten on digital cameras is to make sure it has an optical zoom

As someone else said probably the most important thing after or including megapixels is the camera lens! It won't matter how many megapixels you have if you're taking pictures through a crappy lens, you're going to get crappy pictures. That being said, most of your better cameras $300 and up, will have a decent lens.
Aside from that, you may want to consider battery life and the amount of optical zoom the camera has.

1. Price 2. Megapixel 3. Optical Zoom 4. Sensor Size 5. Battery Type 6. Shutter Speed 7. ISO