Batteries
Digital cameras are brilliant in many ways; however, they are powered by batteries.
Some cameras seem to 'eat' batteries: so it is a good idea to look to see what sort of batteries are used and how long they last when the camera is being used under 'normal conditions'.
Many cameras work with normal AA batteries or their rechargeable equivalents. If the camera works on this type of battery, it is probably a good idea to buy a spare set of rechargeable batteries and a kit for recharging them. This way, you can have one set in the camera and another set being recharged ready for use.
Other cameras come with what are called lithium ion batteries and a charging kit. These have the advantage that they tend to last longer than AA batteries, but you lose the flexibility of being able to buy them anywhere (should your camera suddenly run out of energy!) If the camera comes with this type of battery, it might be worth considering buying a spare (on the same principle as above; one in the camera, one recharging).
Whatever type of battery your camera uses, you can 'prolong' its life by reducing the time that you use the LCD (liquid crystal display) screen. This is the screen at the back of the camera that you can use to frame photos before you take them and also view them after shooting. If however, you use the viewfinder on the camera to frame your shot and only use the LCD to check on the photo that you have just taken, then in general your battery life will be considerably longer.
