If you are reading this, then you are probably new to Digital photography and looking for information to get you started on the road to the perfect pictures. And have probably already asked or at least thought of the 3 most common questions asked by newcomers (and indeed old timers!) to photography.
- Which camera is right for me?
- Which camera should I buy then?
- Which is the best camera?
Well let us start with the first two questions they are pretty much the same question, and whenever I am asked these questions I always counter them with more questions, I know it’s annoying, but hey you want to get the right camera don’t you?
So let’s take a look at the questions I would ask you after you asked me what camera I should buy?
Question and Answer time
Question – What do you want to do with it or more precisely what type of pictures will you be taking?
Explanation – Snapshots, Portraits, Nature, Landscapes, Macro, Sports? These can all influence your camera choice as a simple point and shoot will not be much good if you”re serious about getting into Nature photography, but equally a DSLR with 600mm lens is a tad overkill for some holiday snaps.
Question – How important is size and portability to you?
Explanation – Cameras come in all shapes and sizes, well OK maybe not all shapes but definitely come in different sizes and more importantly weight. Do you really want to carry around a pro DSLR with a bag full of lenses if you are just popping out with friends for a few drinks?
Question – What experience level do you have with cameras?
Explanation – Are you a beginner, amateur, semi pro, professional? This will influence the type and features you will want from your camera and also the price. So as a beginner, for instance, you would probably be better off with a lower end DSLR rather than the top pro model, it will be easier to use, be a lot less confusing and be a hell of a lot cheaper too.
Question – Do you want or need a certain type of feature?
Explanation – Modern cameras have tonnes of features literally, and these will affect the price sometimes quite considerably so if you know you’ll never need that Long Zoom, Image Stabilisation, Large LCD Display, etc. then you can go for a cheaper model.
Question – What type of light conditions will you mainly be shooting?
Explanation – Photography is all about capturing light and as a rule of thumb the more expensive the camera the better it will be at capturing that light so will you be mainly shooting indoors, outdoors, low light or bright light etc.
Question – Will you primarily stay in auto mode or do you want to learn the art of photography?
Explanation – If you are not interested in learning how to adjust your ISO, f-stop and shutter speed to get the effect you’re after then buying a top of the range DSLR is overkill when a simple point and shoot would fit your needs better.
Question – What is your budget?
Explanation – Photography in general is a VERY expensive hobby and buying a camera a major part of it so set your budget to something you are comfortable with and can afford!
As you can see “What camera should I buy” is not a straight forward question! But hopefully, you are now thinking about your answers to my questions which will help guide you to the right camera for you.
Thanks for reading please feel free to leave your comments and questions.