The steps below will guide you on selecting the perfect camera for dad whether he is a shutterbug or just wants to have a camera on hand for those special moments.

What type of photographer is dad?
The first step towards knowing what type of digital camera to buy dad is to determine what type of photographer he is. The camera you would buy a hobbyist would be totally different from the type you would buy a professional photographer or "pro-sumer".

Also important is whether dad is an outdoorsy type, or water lover who goes fishing or boating. I know these seem simple but they will help determine what type of camera to choose.

For the dad who is an amateur photographer consider getting him a nice point-and-shoot camera. These are easy to use and, as the description says, you just point and shoot. These cameras are great for capturing those family moments you don't want to forget.

There are two types of point-and-shoot cameras, however, the first is automatic, the other manual. The manual is a good buy for the dad who will want a little more; it gives the flexibility of experimentation. The automatic point-and-shoot camera is the choice for the dad who is "a little techno" or who is a little more than an amateur.

The professional photographer will want a digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera. These gems come with both automatic and manual controls.

One great midrange cameras has been the Canon Powershot SD40, shown in Figure A. It's a nice, little 7.4 megapixel wonder, and even though it's been around for a few years, it's still selling for about $350 -- although it's available in a lot of colors.

FIGURE A

If you're dad's into designer colors, this might be the camera for him. Click picture for a larger image.

But one of the reasons you might want to shop around is that newer cameras often do more and cost less. A good example of this is the Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital ELPH, shown in Figure B, is brand new, out only since February, and it's got 7.4 megapixels. It's got a bigger screen and a better optical zoom. Best of all, you can generally get the SD1000 for even less than the SD40. We've seen prices under $250.