Attention shutterbugs: It's time to go digital.

Byline: TECHNOBUDDY By Bill Husted The Register-Guard

ATLANTA - A vacation I took in 2003 serves as the best argument for using a digital camera instead of film.

That was the last time I took a film camera on vacation. I shot 10 rolls of 36-exposure film. Since it was a cruise starting in San Diego, I mailed a huge box of film ahead to avoid subjecting the film to the fog of airport X-rays. Then, when I got off the boat in San Diego, I shipped the exposed rolls off to a processor before heading to the airport for the return trip.

Nowadays, I happily carry my camera through airport security with no fear that X-rays or other security devices will harm my digital memory cards. When I return from the trip, there is no film to develop, no images to scan. Instead of carrying around bags full of film, I use a 2-gigabyte memory card that easily holds 700 or so high-resolution images.

I save hundreds of dollars and a lot of hassle. The pictures are sharp and clear. I make my own enlargements using a semiprofessional inkjet printer.

Unless those boxes of film stir your heart with such nostalgia that you just can't give them up, move to digital now.

You don't have to be a digital photography buff to pick a good camera. But there are ways to make the purchase sure-fire.

Start with a budget and a notion of how elaborate you want the camera to be. Digital cameras come in models that almost perfectly duplicate what was available in film cameras.

But today I'm talking to birthday party and vacation snapshooters.

For ordinary snaphooters, the sweet spot in digital hovers around the $300 mark. It's really shocking what $300 can buy. For instance, the Canon PowerShot A700 offers 6 megapixels, a zoom lens and even the ability to shoot wide-screen stills for your HDTV, with a suggested retail price of $316.

I'm not suggesting that you rush out and buy this specific camera. Instead, it is a good example of a name-brand camera that will produce fine pictures for that sort of a budget. Also, consider that with the price of a digital camera you're getting a lifetime supply of film and free developing.

For shoppers who want to be more discriminating, there are other things to keep in mind.

Megapixels: Digital photos are created using pixels, little points of light. The larger the megapixel number, the better. Five megapixels or over is fine.

Viewfinder: Some digital cameras use an optical viewfinder, some use an electronic one, others use the big LCD panel in the back to frame the picture you plan to take. The important thing is to make sure you are comfortable with how the camera you select works for you. So do your best to actually handle the camera in the store to make sure it suits you.

Sturdiness: In general, digital cameras are not as sturdy as film cameras. You can do a good job of judging how a camera is built by simply holding it.

Prices: This can vary wildly from store to store, and there are some unbelievable prices online. Unfortunately, many of the very cheapest online prices come from cameras that are gray market models. These cameras do not carry U.S. warranties. Most manufacturers will refuse to work on them.

It's vacation time for many of you. If you have a film camera, do yourself a digital favor.