When the unwrapping is done, and the snaps begin, I want you or that gift recipient to get the most out of that new DSLR. But if you haven't purchased yet, I can help you separate marketing from substance, figure out what's important and navigate the shopping experience to not only get the right DSLR but save money.

In the early days of DSLRs, megapixels -- the building blocks of digital images -- were more important because there were so few. Now, with typical DSLRs ranging from 12 to 23 megapixels or more, worries over enlargement quality don't even apply to the average consumer or even pro. As a consumer or advanced amateur, you'll likely never encounter situations where more megapixels will give you an edge, so don't fall for a sales pitch that tells you otherwise.

To elaborate, a 6-megapixel DSLR will produce better files than a 10-megapixel pocket camera. It's because the DSLR starts with a larger sensor, so the information isn't crunched into a tiny rectangle, and to enlarge it the pixels don't undergo as much stretching or "interpolation," when the computer fills in information between pixels.

File quality has more to do with the quality of information in each building block, and that's due in large part to algorithms built into the camera's computer -- how it processes colors, gradations, noise from the data recorded. Today's DSLRs have very powerful computers, many times more advanced than the first DSLRs.

So, bigger sensors, not necessarily more megapixels, equal better files, and any DSLR has this advantage. Note I said better files, not better images. Photographic value comes from the photographer. On a bigger sensor, yes, more megapixels is technically better, enabling larger prints. But 12 to 16 megapixels in today's high-powered DSLRs is more than adequate for stunning prints up to 20x30, which you'll almost never make. Case in point, I've made 16x24 canvases with images from my 10.2-megapixel D200, which is from around 2007.

Now let's go shopping. Any camera sold in stores is likely the latest model, so you don't have to worry about its processor being a generation behind. However, study the differences between models of the same brand. There might be an older generation among them, or there might be one with a different processing engine. For example, the Nikon D4 has the Expeed 3 engine, while the D3x has Expeed -- both top cameras.

People at Best Buy and even at some camera stores not imaging professionals. Don't rely on salespeople to tell you what the best camera is, and don't ever let them tell you a camera takes "better pictures." The camera affects only the quality of the digital file, not the photographic value of the image. Engineers designed a computer that could beat Garry Kaspirov at chess, but they haven't designed a camera that can take better pictures than a photographer.

Pick up cameras and play with them. Think about how the features apply to you. Consumer cameras are filled with gimmicks that people try to sell you, and while they may improve your snapshots, the overall quality of the camera and how you can grow into it is more important. Figure out which has the best options and controls for what you or the recipient wants to accomplish. Controls are very important as the camera should become an extension of the mind.

As for brand, most pros, including me, agree that Nikon and Canon are the best two brands. This is because of advancements in tech and glass and their resources to continue developing the best imaging devices, not to mention their selections of hundreds of lenses and accessories. It's not about which brand is better; it's about which works best for you. If you're buying for someone who already uses a certain brand, then the choice is moot. Nikon and Canon lenses and accessories are not compatible between brands.

One last important thing -- if you're serious about photography, approach the camera the way a painter approaches a brush. Literally any DSLR of any reputable brand can yield amazing images. The world of photography didn't crumble because the original D1 had only 2.7 megapixels. It was the pros who used it who created great images, not the camera. Explore your camera's capabilities and make use of all it has to offer you.

That's the gist. If you have any specific questions, please comment or email me and I'll be glad to help.