Thousands of us will have unwrapped a digital camera last week, but few will use their full potential. Today’s cameras are high-tech marvels boasting a wealth of features. The trouble is they come with manuals seemingly written by rocket scientists. First you’re told that taking great pictures has never been simpler; next you’re dumped with enough jargon and technical flummery to fill the Library of Congress.

Relax. Help is at hand on the web. Choosing and mastering your camera is only the first step and there are plenty of sites that can help develop your artistic side, with shooting tips and creative insights. And when you’re ready to share your photographic masterpieces with the world, the internet is the perfect digital showcase.

Mintel, the market researcher, claims that just over a third of the UK population has a digital camera and sales in 2006 are expected to hit 6.3m. Technology has opened up a new world of possibilities for amateur photographers, and there’s no reason why you can’t use it to your advantage.

1 FINDING THE GEAR

If you’re heading for the January sales clutching a fistful of fivers, you’ll need to familiarise yourself with a little jargon (see below) plus advice about what to look for. Your first choice is between a digital SLR and a compact camera.

The “buying cameras” section at www.photographymags.co.uk helps by telling you how many megapixels (Mp) to aim for — maybe not as many as you think. Compacts offering 5Mp are fine for snaps, but for pro features and creative control you will need a digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera.

Other factors influence your buying decision. A printer can output your photos, and new models offer high quality prints. The tiny HP Photosmart A516 printer (£50 from www.jessops.com) can produce postcard-sized prints direct from your memory card without plugging your camera into a computer.

You’ll need a bigger memory card, too. The minuscule cards supplied with cameras hold only a handful of shots. Shooting at 5Mp you can squeeze approximately 150 photos on to a 256MB card but only 90 at 8Mp.

How will you carry your camera? The £45 Lowepro Slingshot 100 bag is built for quick access, worn over the shoulder or like a backpack. Even if your camera has an image stabiliser, you’ll still need a tripod for longer time exposures and night shots. The £65 Manfrotto 718 Digi Tripod is light and comes in its own backpack/bag. Both are available at www.amazon.co.uk.

2 PUSH THE RIGHT BUTTONS

Even the simplest cameras are stuffed with buttons, dials and menus. What’s going on? You’re trying to take a picture, not land a stricken 747. Reading the “digital camera features” section at www.digicamhelp.com will restore a note of calm. For basic shots, choose the full auto mode. This takes care of the settings automatically. When you’re ready to learn more, switch to the “advanced settings” section to discover what ISO means and what a “histogram” is.

You don’t have to understand every little trick your camera does to take great pictures, but a little technical knowledge can help you avoid some classic failures. It’s also the first step towards achieving more creative effects. The “camera basics” section at photography.about.com explains what white balance does, for example, and how to lock the focus and exposure by half pressing the shutter button. This can get round exposure and focus problems and cuts shutter lag — the delay between pressing the shutter and the moment the picture is taken, a common cause of mistimed snaps.

3 SHOOT SMARTER