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Consider the size and weight of the camera. You may want a
compact digital camera that’s small enough and light enough to easily slip into your shirt or pants pocket, so that you’ll always have it at the ready when a photo opportunity arises.
Decide how many megapixels you need.
(as of September 2009, 10mp cameras are in the $100-$150 range. In general,
digital cameras
that offer more megapixels produce pictures that will be of higher quality. If you plan to enlarge and print your hiking photos, you’ll need a
camera that offers more megapixels. If you only want standard-size prints, you may be able to save money by buying a digital camera with fewer megapixels.
 For example, take a look at
the Canon PowerShot A800
with Smart AUTO that intelligently chooses just the right camera settings using one of 19 predefined shooting conditions.
Just set the A800 on Smart AUTO and you'll be good to go for absolute pleasure on your picture-taking adventures each and every time. You can relax and be
satisfied when you shoot as you can totally pay attention your subject when you know your camera has covered the technical details. There's advanced Canon technology that takes an intelligent look at your circumstances and shooting environment. Then it selects a suitable setting automatically from 19
uniquely delineate settings. So no matter if you're shooting flowers, a entrancing sunrise, or at the park with your family, you can be assured that you're getting striking, memorable photos.
Find out how long the batteries last, and how much extra batteries cost. You don’t want to run out of battery power halfway through your hike. If you’re going on extended hiking trips, you might want to purchase a compact battery charger that hooks up to your car, or even uses solar
 power.
Find out if the LCD display can be turned off. Some digital cameras allow you to look through the
viewfinder, without using the LCD screen. This can save battery power, especially when the lighting conditions don’t give you a good view on the LCD screen anyway.
Choose a memory card large enough to store all of your hiking pictures, or find out if you can purchase a larger memory card as an accessory for a reasonable price. Memory space can be especially important if you’re taking high resolution photos to print or enlarge later.
Consider other features you need or want in a digital camera, such as
zoom capabilities, automatic settings or ease of use.
Find out if the digital camera is compatible with any accessories you need, such as camera case to protect and carry the camera, a
monopod (similar to a tripod that doubles as walking stick) if you need to hold the camera stable, or extra lenses (such as a
wide-angle or
telephoto lens) for specialty
photography. This is not
the time or place for the Sigma 50-500 5 pound monster lens.
Nikon 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 G. Weighs just 7.2oz. (205g)
You may also want to consider the manufacturer's kit lenses: They do a
reasonably good job while keeping the weight down. Most camera makers have an
18-50mm something and a 50-200mm something light weight kit lens.
AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED Lens -
Weighs just 9oz. (255g)
Nikon's lightest DSLR is the D40 weighs 522 g
(1.2 lb), the Nikon 18-55 Kit lens weighs just
(205g) 7.2oz. and the Nikon
55-200 lens weighs (255g) 18oz + 9.2oz. + 7.2oz = 34.4 ounces.
Or consider the Canon Power Shot SD880 IS.
10MP, 3" LCD, 4x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer with a wide-angle 28mm lens
(28-112mm equivalent) and it weighs just 5.4 ounces
My personal choice when I'm out walking or hiking is my Canon A1000 IS 10MP
digital camera. It weighs just 5.57 ounces, fits in my pocket and takes regular
AA batteries or rechargeable NIMH AA batteries and has a bright viewfinder in
addition to the LCD screen.
See the article on hiking photography.
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