Digital cameras aren’t cheap. To help you prevent buyer’s remorse at wfphoto.biz, I’ve compiled a few tips to help you find the camera that is right for you.
■ What is the maximum size you can imagine you’ll print from the files?
For an 8 × 10, a 5-6-10 megapixel camera should easily suffice. If you love printing images in the 16 × 20 size, you should be looking for equipment in the 8 megapixel range. Be aware of Photoshop’s ability to upsample images well. This means that the software takes your smaller file and uses algorithms to sharpen the photo for larger prints.
■ What will you be shooting primarily? If you’ll be shooting the
family vacation and documenting the life of your brood, a Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III (a 22 megapixel, expensive body) would be a major case of overkill. Look at the Olympus E-520, which is a step down from that company’s top-of-the-line camera, at a considerable cost savings. Not quite as rugged, as it does not have the weather resistance of the Olympus E-3, but that may not be an issue if you don’t plan on shooting regularly in rain.
■ How does the camera feel? Is it an extension of your hand, heart, and eye? The camera should never get in the way and should enable the process of picture taking.
■ Will the camera grow with you? Does the system you are looking into have the expandability for your future growth
as a photographer? A point-and-shoot will not accept much in the area of an
expanded system of lenses. If photography is a passion, this is an important consideration.