What Camera should I get? Part IV (and final)
A couple of weeks ago I started composing my first ever blog post. After I sat down and looked at what I had written I saw a long boring, uninteresting article that lacked any quality at all. At that point I was asking myself what I was getting into. I had just started a blog and dang it, I needed content.
The reason was that I glazed over important topics. When I started re-writing with my girlfriend/editor looking at each article, I took her suggestions and the article got longer; a lot longer. Those edits became the previous posts. This is where I wanted to be: DSLRs.
With DSLRs there are many manufacturers. We can discuss the greatness of each, but why? All that will do is create more ‘camera wars’ (for those that are not familiar, camera wars are much like computer wars. PC or Mac? Nikon or Canon or Sony or Pentax or…? Same fight, same result; none.
What Camera should I get? Part III
Ah yes, the wonderful mystery of the megapixel. Cameras come in all sizes, and all amounts of megapixels. So how much do you need? Is ‘more’ better? Size does count, but not the way you think. If you are printing just the standard 4×6 inch (10×15 cm), almost all cameras will be fine; the standard is fast becoming about 5mp (megapixels). You can get up to 34mp for about $35,000 if you want it, but do you need it? Probably not. You can print up to an 8×10 inch photo with little or no pixel distortion (depending on the subject of the shot, maybe a little larger).
The question actually comes down to the size of the sensor, not how many megapixels. If you want to print larger than 8×10 you want to consider more pixels, but if you want to print sharper at any size you want to go with a bigger sensor.
What Camera should I get? Part II
In my last post I wrote about the first three questions you needed to ask yourself when thinking about what camera to buy.
Cost or what can I afford. Types of images or what am I going to photograph. Convenience or how do I want the camera to work.
When looking at cost you have to first estimate how long you think you will have your camera. Back when I got my first camera, a Kodak Instamatic 104, everyone assumed the technology was so advanced that you could keep using it for 10 or more years. With today’s technology it seems like something new comes out every 6 months! Are you going to want the next greatest thing? Perhaps you are willing to buy “old” technology, you know something that came out last Holiday Season? (Even if you’re reading this in January)
What Camera should I get? Part I
As a professional photographer I am often approached by someone asking me, “What camera should I get?” or “I saw this camera on sale. Is it a good deal?” Well that depends on a lot of things. Certainly you aren’t going to buy a DSLR for an 8 year old! But then does the average 30 year old even want a DSLR or even a prosumer (one step below pro but above consumer) camera? To decide what camera is best for you, you need to ask yourself a few questions.
The very first question you want to ask is, “How much do I want to spend can I spend without my partner freaking out?” The amount you spend isn’t as important as it used to be. Cameras are coming down in price and yet adding features that didn’t even exist 15 years ago.
