Below, you'll find a lot of thoughts about what to look out for when getting started with photography. If you just want recommendations on cameras & lenses, please refer to the Equipment Reviews page for a set of links to other sites. A few cameras have been noted below, but the linked sites offer a more comprehensive listing: Equipment Reviews
Which Camera Should I Buy?
- The short answer to this question is: The one that feels the best in your hands!
- The long answer is...we really can't tell you which camera to buy, but we can offer you some tips to consider before you make a big purchase:
- Don’t too caught up in all of the specs. The key thing is to try the cameras out in person. Best Buy is fine to check them out at. There are pro shops locally which will be very helpful also.
- All major brands of Digital SLRs will probably be perfectly fine for you, however Canon & Nikon have the biggest user base so it can be easier to trade lenses & other equipment with friends. If your family and friends all have a certain brand it might be a good idea to stick to that brand for that reason alone. You can all learn together and collectively share better equipment than you would otherwise purchase alone.
- Kits are low priced, but not always great value. The lenses that come with the kits tend to suck. This is definitely true of the Canon consumer kits, however the Nikon kits seem to have somewhat better lenses included.
- Getting a separate body and a decent all around lens may be a good way to start if you don’t know where your photography passion lies. Once you use that combo you can figure if you want to get a nice wide-angle lens or telephoto lens.
- Many people recommend starting with a prime lens such a 50mm f/1.8 which is very cheap but which will force you to think through your composition more since there’s no zoom. It's a way to learn about your photography rather than just use your SLR as a big point-and-shoot.
- Is a new camera really the right choice for you?:
- If you already have a digital SLR, then what's so wrong with it that you want to get a new one? What does your current camera specifically prevent you from doing? The limitations of your current camera will help you find specs for your new one. Some specific needs you might have:
- Fast Action - Most SLRs are very capable of capturing action, but your lens may not cooperate (more on that below). Think about a new lens rather than a new body.
- Night - Newer SLRs have MUCH better sensors for low light and low noise.
- Vacation - You've seen the travel photographers and want to take awesome photos like that too! That may be well and good, but are you ready to carry a ton of equipment like them? Maybe a mid-range all-in-one camera might be a better choice than an SLR (more on that below)
- Kids & Family - A quick shutter release is key for getting shots at home. Most SLRs are more than capable, but so are many all-in-one cameras.
- If you can't really say what's wrong with your current camera, then maybe you shouldn't actually get another one! Learn to use your existing equipment to its fullest before you jump to the latest model.
- What are other options besides an SLR?
- Many experienced photographers will have smaller cameras in addition to their SLR gear. This can be really useful for when you want a small point-and-shoot in your pants pocket or if you don't want to carry a bag full of heavy lenses when travelling.
- Besides the "party" point-and-shoots like Canon's SD940IS or Nikon's Coolpix S4000, there are some other great options:
- Consumer All-in-One's that generally have great zoom range, video capability, built-in flash, and lots of manual options. These can be great for vacations since one device can cover most needs and you don't need to lug around a bag full of accessories. The downside is that these cameras don't always have every manual option you'd like and when they do, the functions can be buried in menus so it's tough to adjust settings quickly. Here are some options to think about: Canon S100 (pocketable), Canon G1X (SLR Quality), Canon SX 40 (longer zoom), Sony DSC-HX1, Olympus SP-800
- "Photojournalist" All-in-Ones that focus more on the experience photographer's needs with lots of manual settings directly on the body, great lenses, and better sensors than in the consumer all-in-ones. These can be more expensive and they don't always have the bells & whistles like video, "scene mode", etc but can allow you to take very professional photographs in a small-ish body. Here are some options to think about: Canon G11, Panasonic LX3
- Non-SLR Interchangeable Lens Bodies are an interesting new segment since they have high-end features from SLRs, but don't have mirrors like SLRs. So they're typically much smaller than SLRs, provide lots of manual features, offer high image quality, and do video to boot. The Micro-Four-Thirds model seems to be what's taking hold here. Here are some options: Olympus PEN 1 & 2, Panasonic GF1, Samsung NX10
What Lenses Should I Buy?
- Your lens choice is really dictated by what you want to photograph. You can refer to the Lens section of this site to learn more about your options
- Basic things you should keep in mind though:
- No SINGLE lens is perfect for every situation. This is why so
many pros have TONS of equipment. If you want a one-shot "perfect for
everything" lens, perhaps you should consider the All-In-Ones listed
above ;)
- Your lenses will typically last a lot longer than your camera body, so pick wisely!
- The quality of your lenses will generally have a higher impact on the quality of your photos than the body itself. So it's better to save up for a great lens than to get the latest & greatest SLR body.
- The lenses included in SLR kits are usually not great. Read up on the lenses including in those kits before deciding on what to get.
- There tend to be 3 variables which affect lens price:
- Maximum Lens Aperture (f-stop) - the wider the lens goes, the more it light it lets in, but the more it costs
- Zoom Range - The more range a lens has, the more difficult it is to maintain quality photos. So a high quality lenses typically don't have huge zoom range (eg, 70-200 or 16-35 is common for pro lenses). Don't get caught up in having the most zoom range possible when buying your lens; typically the lenses with such ranges are much lower quality and you'll end up being disappointed in the results
- Glass - High quality glass is typically used in only the highest end lenses, but you can also find it in good prime lenses.
With all this being said, you may be concerned that you'll make a bad purchase and waste your money.
- If you're really not sure what will meet your needs, try reading up on the Tips section of this site to see where your photographic passions lie. Based on that, you may figure out what combination of camera body & lens you should get.
- Before committing to a big purchase, you can also consider renting some equipment from a place like Borrow Lenses. This is a great way to try our really great equipment without spending more than $100.
- You can always ask specific questions to us on the email alias as well! We try to be as helpful as possible, so ask away!
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