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Learning digital photography is fun as you can see your results almost immediately. But if you've been born and raised with regular film photography, there are some differences you'll need to learn about before you can start to make the most of your shiny new digital camera.

Don't worry * they're not major differences. But if you ignore them, you won't be getting the most out of the modern technology that's incorporated into even the simplest of digital cameras.

The first big contrast to the old world of taking a shot is in the time it takes to get results. No more waiting to finish the film, taking it to a photo lab and then waiting for the results. You can see the results instantly on the camera's built in display.

Digital cameras come in all shapes and forms. Everything from the not-so-simple camera built into your cell phone, through to digital SLRs that offer everything you'd expect and more. Most will offer a zoom of some sort, but more of that later.

Unless you have a digital SLR camera, the first thing you'll find is that your camera takes time to think. You press the button and it seems to go through a process of thinking "Oh, they want to take a photo. I'd better do something." You'd expect this from the camera built into your telephone. After all, there are lots of other things you might be doing instead. But it's not just cell phone cameras that exhibit this tendency.

With a purpose built camera, the shutter lag can get annoying. This shutter time lag is getting better with the more modern cameras but it still exists. If you're likely to take shots that aren't landscapes and aren't party piece poses, then check the specification of your intended device. Or test it out in the shop before you buy so that you can see whether or not you'd get freaked by any delay.

The next thing to think about is the zoom. Taking shots with a zoom lens can be a really good way to take candid photos. Most digital cameras have a zoom built in. But the figures quoted are often slightly confusing. You'll often see two different figures quoted: an optical zoom and a digital equivalent. What this means is that the optical figure is the same as you'd expect from a regular camera. But the digital one is the same as you taking a photo and blowing it up to a bigger size with your image editing software. The camera guesses (interpolates if you want the official term) what should go in the gaps where you've asked it to zoom beyond its optical capabilities.

Aside from that, you can get near enough any feature you like on your digital camera. The more features, the more money you'll pay. So decide whether or not you really will be using things like ultra close up shots, night vision and whatever other add-on goodies your camera could potentially offer before spending your cash on them.

And remember to leave some money in your budget for some good photo editing software so you can easily edit your photos after you've taken them.