One of the most common questions asked by first time camera buyers is “What type of camera should I buy?” and this is one question that is not that straight forward to answer.

In order to establish what type of camera should I buy, you first we need to establish what you want to use it for. Almost everyone today owns a digital camera; even if it just their mobile phone.

Point & Shoot or Digital Compact Camera is another option. These are ideal for those people who want to take the occasional photograph of family and friends or holiday snaps. There big advantage, is their small size and weight.

But if you want to take your photography to the next level you will need to consider an DSLR

This quick flowchart from Optics Central may help you decide between a DSLR, Point & Shoot and a Camera Phone based on your shooting requirements.

You can then use Flickr’s Camera Finder tool to compare sample shots and relative popularity of various cameras in the market.