Selecting a Digital Camera

Go high-tech and save money in the process. Robert Criner, CGR, upgraded from a Polaroid camera to a digital camera. A $.50-disk can save 25 site shots, while a single Polaroid picture costs $1. The digital camera isn’t just cheaper, it allows Criner to do more with the photographs. The digital camera is immensely important when it comes to estimating, because he can zoom in on things he might not have noticed otherwise. Expect to spend about $700 for a quality camera, and check office-equipment mega- stores for better prices. "Skip the bells and whistles," Criner says. His camera features 6402480 dpi and uses 31/4-inch disks. There are cameras available that use smaller disks, he says, but they aren’t as utilitarian.