Dear Sun Spots: We are interested in purchasing a digital camera but don’t know where to start. They range in price from $39 to $1,000 and I can’t seem to find out how to choose one or where to go to get professional help. We need a camera that takes great, clear, family photos. Can you give a digital camera lesson and some places to get help? Thanks. – No Name, No Town.

Answer: In addition to responses from readers, Sun Spots checked in with photography editor Doug Van Reeth who provided the following tips courtesy of the PC World Web site:

• Match megapixels to your use. A 2-megapixel camera is fine for snapshots, though models with that resolution are becoming less common. If you want to produce 8-by-10-inch prints, you’ll need at least a 3-megapixel camera. Four- or 5-megapixel cameras will yield even larger prints and allow you to enlarge part of an image with less likelihood that a print will be blurry.

• Look for rechargeable batteries and a charger. The cost of disposable batteries adds up over the long run.

• Get at least 2X optical zoom. Nearly all cameras offer digital zoom, but it results in photos that aren’t nearly as good as those produced with an optical zoom.

• Look for a low-light focusing aid. Some cameras have auxiliary lights that help them focus in dim settings. That’s important for many indoor shots.

• Make sure you can use removable storage media. While the camera may have onboard memory, a memory card allows you to expand the storage capacity.

• Avoid cameras that use floppy disks or compact discs. Floppy disks are inexpensive, but don’t hold many images, and the cameras that use them typically take relatively low-resolution photos. Cameras that use compact discs are typically bulky and slow.

• Try the camera before you buy. Some cameras have commands and menus that are easier to use than others, a comparison you can only make with a hands-on trial. Also evaluate the lag time between when you press the shutter button and when the camera actually takes the picture. Try out the zoom lens – does it operate quickly and smoothly? Find out how long you must wait between taking pictures. And try the LCD viewfinder – in the sun if possible – to determine how easy it is to read.

• Give extra consideration to a camera with image-editing software. Look for useful packages like Adobe Photoshop Elements and Ulead PhotoImpact.

• Insist on a camera with an LCD display. It allows you to review your photos on the spot and delete the ones you want.

• Don’t base your decision on video capability. Any still camera’s ability to take moving pictures is extremely limited. If you want to shoot video, invest in a camera dedicated to the job.

• Consider investing in a memory card reader. These readers act like an external hard drive attached to your PC or laptop, allowing you to download pictures directly from the storage media your camera uses.

Dear Sun Spots: Thank you for all your helpful information. Could anyone please tell me why my mail is delivered at night? I live on Sabattus Street and usually my mail arrives around 10 a.m. Then there are times I get no mail in the daytime, but when I pick up my morning paper at 6 a.m., there is mail in my box. I am just curious. – No Name, No Town.

Answer: Sun Spots spoke with Tom Rizzo at the Portland Post Office who says a variety of things could account for this. Mail flow is not a static thing, he says, but the U.S. Postal Service attempts to deliver the mail at the same time every day. There’s an ebb and flow to it. It depends on weather, time of day, labor strikes, breakdowns, anything that could impact the flow of mail to your mailbox.

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