Thursday, April 29, 2010
Choosing The Right Camera.
1:56 AM | 
Posted by
V_Khor
A lot of people assumes that in order to take great pictures, one must invest in an expensive Digital SLR (Single Lens Reflect) camera. While having a DSLR will definitely help you to take better pictures, due to mainly the availability of manual controls, and the ability to change lenses, thus giving the photographer a lot of creative flexibility, there are 2 facts that most people are not aware of. They are:
1. Beginner class Digital SLRs are now VERY affordable. In fact there are a few high end compact cameras that are more expensive than the low end DSLRs.
2. Some affordable high end compact comes with manual control features that let's you have more creative control. Most compact has a Program Auto feature that allow SOME form of control.
Before I go on, if you can't tell the difference between digital compact camera and a Digital SLR, there's no point of me going further :P. Well, just look at the pictures below.
Here is the picture of a Digital Compact Camera:
Now that we've got that out of the way. Let's talk about choosing a camera for you. As I said earlier, you don't need to buy expensive Digital SLR cameras to take great pictures, some good digital compacts offer full manual controls. (If you are not sure what I mean by manual controls, don't worry, I will writing a post on it very soon.) However, there are a whole load of digital compacts out in the market, how do you go about choosing one?
Well, for the purpose of this blog, that is to take better pictures, I will strongly recommend you go for higher end digital compact cameras. Two of my favourites are the Canon Powershot S90, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3. Both are very highly rated cameras. They are affordable, maybe a little more expensive than normal digital compacts, but definitely well worth your money. If you think that these are too expensive, feel free to shop around for cheaper digital compact cameras. You can take great pictures even with cheaper cameras if you know how to utilize it's features and controls.
If you are one of those who loves to take photographs, and has been using your digital point and shoot compact cameras for many years, and want to bring your photography up a notch, then you should look into getting an entry level Digital SLR (DSLR). DSLR gives you much greater creative control for a few reasons, such as:
1. Full manual control of exposure
2. Can use different lenses for different purpose
3. No shutter lag (the short pause between pressing the the trigger and the picture being actually recorded).
4. Absolutely no startup time. In other words you can turn on your camera and immediately take pictures. How often have we come across a situation where a great photo opportunity just vanished simply because the camera took a second too long to start?
5. There is no wait between shots.
If you are looking to buy a DSLR, there are affordable and good cameras to choose from, such as the Canon Rebel XS / 1000D or the Nikon D5000. There is only one drawback of a DSLR as compared to a compact camera, which is their size. Unlike compact cameras, which you can easily slip into one of your pockets, a DSLR can't do that and are bulkier to carry around. Alternatively, you can opt for the smaller cousins of the DSLRs, which are the cameras with Micro Four Thirds sensor system. They are smaller than normal DSLRs, almost the size of a compact, and have interchangeable lenses. However, they are not cheap, some may even be more expensive then an entry level DSLR. Also their lens choice is very limited. Examples of cameras with Micro 4/3rds system are the Panasonic Lumix GF1 and the Olympus PEN E-P1
.I know that choosing a camera is a daunting task, but here is the general rule of thumb which I personally find it helpful:
1. For portability, such as people who travels a lot or move around a lot, if you find having a huge expensive camera hanging from your neck or your shoulder is a big no no, then go for compact cameras.
2. If you are serious about taking up photography as a hobby, or even as a future career, then my advice is to buy a Digital SLR. You won't regret it. But be careful, it can be an expensive hobby. Of course, you can go for the micro 4/3rds system, but you might find yourself wanting a DSLR before long. Important note: Some entry level DSLR body does not have a built-in motor, which means you can only use the more expensive lenses with built-in motor for your autofocus to be able to, well, autofocus. For more information about buying a DSLR, check out my DSLR buying guide in my upcoming post.
3. For people who are not looking forward to having photography as a serious hobby or career, but wants a little bit more creative control and portability, then the micro 4/3rds cameras will suit you fine.
I hope this is helpful for you. Often times, budget and the purpose of the camera will be your main considerations when buying a camera. Take some time to read up on reviews online. There are a lot great reviews that go a lot deeper than what I'm writing here so do look it up.
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