Digital cameras have come a long way in the last few years, and right now you might be looking at your current camera and thinking, “I really should replace this thing.” How do you know it is time to buy a new camera or upgrade the camera you already own? Here are a few hints:

1. Your camera doesn’t work anymore. Okay, that one was sort of obvious; here are a few more subtle clues that it is time for a new digital camera in your home:

2. The camera doesn’t take the pictures you want. This was my pet peeve with my old digital camera, a point-and-shoot Nikon. I would push the button to take a picture, and then the camera would take a few seconds to “think” about taking the picture. By the time the shutter actually snapped, the image I was trying to capture no longer existed—the person had moved, the light had shifted, etc. It was incredibly annoying.

3. The camera doesn’t have the megapixels you need. If you are using an older digital camera, chances are the clarity you once had isn’t the clarity you want now. 2.3 megapixels is now considered “low quality”, and six or seven mega pixels is the norm. The difference is in the detail of the picture. A 2.3 megapixel camera will take a perfectly adequate snapshot, but if you really want your photos to be clear, it might be time for an upgrade.

4. You’ve outgrown your old camera. This happens frequently in the world of digital photography. Because you don’t have to worry about film development costs, you are free to explore and try new things with your camera. Before too long, you’ll have exhausted your cameras options and be craving for something that gives you even better control over the images you are trying to capture.