What Should I Look For In A New Camera?
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This article is filed in the Photography Cameras and Equipment category
Looking for a new camera? Do you want good pictures without having to have a college degree in photography and light theory? You are not alone. I often have people ask me to make recommendations for what type of camera to purchase. I’ll attempt to keep my answer brief and not too technical.
Your first decision should be how much do you want to be able to control the picture? Do you simply want to point at a scene and shoot a basic picture? Or do you want some control, so you can experiment and play with exposure settings, or zoom in and get close-ups? The more control you have with your camera’s exposure settings (shutter speed, ISO, and aperture) and lens settings the better your photos will look. The price of DSLRs (Digital, Single Lens Reflex – The ones where you can interchange the lenses…) have dropped and become much more in the reach of the average digital photographer’s budget. Many great DSLRs can be purchased for $400 to $700.
If you simply want a camera that’s portable and always at your disposal, you probably want a simple point-and-shoot. Because they are so automated, they are easy to use and get relatively good results. However, even if you are aren’t a pro you should consider a DSLR. DSLRs are typically more expensive than Point-and-Shoot style cameras, but for good reason. DSLRs have many more optional settings and flexibility with exchangeable lenses and exposure settings. Generally speaking, DSLRs are worth the money… If you want the extra horsepower or control over your photos, and would like to take your picture quality to a higher level. And, if you are interested in shooting sports, you’ll definitely want a DSLR. You’ll be very disappointed trying to shoot your kids’ sporting events with a pocket point-and-shoot.
Are Megapixels Everything?
Most people think that the higher the megapixel rating, the better the camera. This is one of the most commonly mis-perceived notions with digital photography. The fact is that megapixels are NOT everything. Despite point and shoot cameras now coming with up to 10 megapixels their quality level is not necessarily as good as a DSLR with only 6 or 8 megapixels. But, it’s difficult to advertise the nuances of megapixel ratings, so marketers point stick to the easy numbers. Just remember that megapixels are not everything.
There are many reason for this fact. The main reason is the size of the image sensor. The image sensor used in point and shoot digital cameras is generally much smaller than the image sensor used in a DSLR (the difference is often as much as 25 times). This means that the smaller pixels on a point and shoot camera collect fewer photons (they are less sensitive to light). Because of this, point and shoot cameras need to work at higher ISO levels which means that they produce ‘noisier’ (or more grainy) shots. A lot more could be said on sensor size – but trust me, smaller sensors significantly reduce the quality of an image. I’d much rather have a camera with less megapixels and a larger image sensor than the other way around.
So, since a DSLR will take better pictures, does that mean I hate point-and-shoot cameras? On the contrary. I think point-and-shoot cameras have a definite place. I actually own both a point-and-shoot, and DSLR cameras. It’s nice to have the point-and-shoot camera in the glove box so that when I don’t feel like dragging along the big camera bag, I still have an option. But, for higher quality photos, I always bring along my DSLR camera.
So what DSLR do I recommend?
I am a Nikon fan myself but Canon currently has a little better high-end DSLR in their line-up. This is not to say that Canon is better than Nikon. Down in the regular, “Average Joe” user range, it’s about a wash. And, there are many other great DSLR cameras made by manufacturers such as Sony, Minolta, and Kodak. Here are a few specific models that are rated very well. These cameras are all in the $400-$600 range:
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi
Nikon D3000
Pentax K2000 Digital SLR
Sony Alpha A230 Digital SLR
Olympus E-System E-520 SLR Digital Camera
When shopping for a camera, look beyond the megapixel rating, and try the camera out at the store before you purchase it. Don’t be afraid to ask the salesperson questions, and have fun!
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