Looking for a new hobby? Perhaps, you should look at getting into photography. It can be relaxing and rewarding at the same time and with all of the technological advances, digital photography keeps getting better. Higher resolution, more sophisticated controls, and better technology all make taking great pictures easier than ever.

When buying a digital camera you may feel like you are drowning in specifications and other confusing numbers. By the time you figure out the difference between an mp and a ppi, your head can be spinning. You'll be pleasantly surprised to find though, it isn't as puzzling as you may think.

It seems like there are hundreds of different cameras available with each having a dozen or so diverse features, which change everyday it seems. When searching for a digital camera there are a few factors that you should keep in mind. So, we're here to help you with a breakdown of some of those features.

Appreciate dpi quality - Dots per inch or dpi, measures the printer resolution in terms of dots of ink placed on a page as an image is printed. Photo-quality ink jet printers range normally from 1200 to 4800 dpi.

Understand ppi - Pixels per inch, also referred to as ppi, measures the image's resolution which determines the size an image and how good of a quality it will print. The more ppi the better, but it is possible to have too much. You won't want a camera above 300ppi since that usually is the highest value that ink jet printers can handle.

Think megapixels - One megapixel, mp, equals one million pixels. The megapixels of your camera measures how many pixels it will capture. No amount of editing can change this once the picture is taken even if you are a Photoshop master. It is pretty easy to think of it this way: The more megapixels, the better the quality. Also, the more you start with, the more you can afford to throw away when you crop the image.

What are your needs - Mainly, you need to know what you will be using your pictures for. If you are going to be printing them, what size? Are you going to be editing them with digital software for online website use?

Will a higher end 5MP camera be too much? - These are for big boys of the photography world. These are the cameras used by professional photographers with very high-end equipment. You may want to consider a higher end camera if you are going to be doing a lot of cropping in digital editing programs.

Know about quality output - Most cameras range from 2MP to 5MP. A 3MP yields excellent quality 4 inch by 6 inch prints and good quality five inches by seven inch prints. A 4MP or 5MP camera is best for prints larger than 8 inches by 10 inches, although a lower megapixel camera is capable of producing acceptable but not great quality prints.

Finish your homework - There is nothing wrong with doing a little studying up beforehand. Read some reviews in digital camera magazines or online to help you narrow down the field.