What camera should I buy?

• Tweet
• Sharebar

• Tweet

Like many photographers I get asked this question a lot. Most of the time I answer this question with a question, or two, or 10.

The most important question to ask yourself is what you plan on using the camera for.

Are you looking for a camera to take pictures of friends and family with? Your iPod touch could probably do the job in most instances. But if you want something with a little more image quality and the ability to play with settings that real photographers use, I’d suggest a G series Canon.

(Full disclosure: I’m a Canon shooter)

For its size and sensor power, this is probably a great all around camera for 90% of the public. This is not only a camera that can fit into your jacket pocket, or purse, but it has features like manual control and a hot shoe which will allow you to take your photography to another level if you so choose. Manual settings will allow you to apply newly learned photographic principles, and a hot shoe will allow you to take advantage of on-camera and off-camera flash.

What about DSLRs?

For many photography enthusiasts the the biggest misconception is the idea that Mega-pixels are king. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Suffice it to say that mega-pixels are beyond the scope of this post, but they are not the most important factor to consider when choosing a DSLR.

Image courtesy of DPreview

The camera above above was considered high end when it debuted, in 1998, was perfect for shooting portraits and professional sports, and had a whopping 4 mega-pixels. It also had the ability to blot out the Sun like the arrows of the Persian army.

Check out its Flickr group to see what an average Joe can still do with it http://www.flickr.com/groups/canon1d/

This image was shot on an original 5D

But it could have just as easily been shot on a 4 mega-pixel 1D. What would need to be altered is the lens, and the camera-to-subject distance.

Every DSLR has advantages and limitations. For instance: the Canon 5D MK2 sells like the proverbial hot cake, but couldn’t auto-focus its way out of a wet paper bag. Not all DSLRs are built the same, or for the same purpose. A Paparazzi and a landscape photographer need different tools.

Here are some key terms (Google searches) to familiarize yourself with before selecting a DSLR

Full Frame Vs Crop
Bokeh
ISO
Crop Factor

The simplest advice I could give you is to search Ebay with a budget of $250-$600 for a used Canon or Nikon. Let the camera you choose be the starting point of your education. A tool to apply the fundamentals you learn about. Shoot with that camera until you find its real limits. Hopefully you’ll realize that lenses and light control are at least 80% of the puzzle.