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Whether you're professional photographer or a tourist looking to record a few good memories, the first step to great photographs is a finding a decent camera.

One of the first decisions you need to make is whether to go with a quick and convenient digital camera, or stick with trusty old film.

The main benefit of going digital include the ability to see pictures instantly on an LCD screen, saving the ones you like and erasing the ones you don't. Another advantage is the versatility of being able to edit and perfect your photos on a computer, using a program like PhotoShop.

There are also immense economic advantages to using a digital camera. Being able to review each picture you take, and print only the ones you really like saves a lot of money that would have gone into buying film and developing poor-quality pictures.

Despite these tempting benefits, however, there is still a case for sticking with good old fashioned film photography.

The image resolution, for example, is generally better with a cheap traditional camera than a mid-range digital camera. In order to achieve true film-quality resolution on a digital camera, one must pay several hundred dollars for a 7+ megapixel device.

Another advantage of film is its distance from the world of computing technology; even a person who is totally computer-illiterate should be able to use a traditional camera to its full potential with no problems whatsoever. Furthermore, many photographers prefer the simple challenge of taking a good picture on film to the much less artistic process of 'cheating,' and editing pictures on a computer.

Overall, the right type of camera depends almost entirely upon the photographer. Each person must choose for themselves which kind of photography they like better.

Another option, of course, is to buy both digital and film cameras, and alternate depending on situation. This is often the best choice for a serious photographer who can afford the additional expense.