Not All Cameras Are Created Equal

Tremendous advances in digital photography have taken place during the first decade of this millennium. I remember buying a Nikon D1 DSLR camera in the spring of 2000. It was 2.74 megapixel and cost around $7200. Only ten years later, you can buy a Canon 7D with 18 megapixels for under $2000. Aside from the pixel count, the image quality is superb, low light capabilities is better than film and it also can record HD video. Those are just some of the highlights. Advances have been made in the point & shoot camera line and in the dedicated HD video cameras. While the majority of the still cameras are produced by Canon, Nikon and Pentax, you can also find cameras by Sony, Olympus, Panasonic, Samsung, etc. There is no end of advertisements extolling the virtues of each and every one of them. How do you go about selecting the right one for you? I’ve been buying photographic equipment off and on for the last 38 years being a professional photographer. I firmly believe that if you invest in good equipment at the start, you will have more enjoyment and less aggravation in the future.

The first step is to make a list of all the possible photographs you might take with this camera. For instance, you might like to photograph wildlife or sports. Then again, you might want to photograph your kids in indoor sports arenas. Maybe the biggest print you intend to make is 4x6 inches. Then again, maybe it’s panoramas that are 48 inches long. You might be interested in gear to allow you to shoot in available light without a flash. You might be happy with one zoom lens or down the road you might need a variety of lenses for different purposes. Camera ads try to sell cameras. They do not know what your intended use is for it. And quite often, it looks like the engineers that design some of the current cameras have never actually picked one up to photograph anything because if they did, they would realize how ineffective the final product is. This same point can apply to car manufacturers as well.

To me, the prime concerns I had when I purchased my last vehicle was first and foremost, safety, handling, and comfort. If I test drove a vehicle that failed in any of these categories, it was eliminated from the selection process. I really didn’t care what color the upholstery was, what other bells and whistles were included or how many cup holders were available. If the car was underpowered, it was gone. If there were blind spots trying to see out of the back window, it was gone. If it was uncomfortable to sit in, there was no way I could see spending any time in there. Quite often, I just had to sit in the car in the showroom to realize the downfalls. In the car commercials on TV, they all looked great. Maybe for someone else, not for me though. When I look for photography equipment, I shop the same way. The criteria that matters includes image quality, ease of adjustment of camera settings and availability of accessories. If a camera does not have the following five features, it is a deal breaker for me. Almost all cameras have CMOS sensors now for improved low light, high ISO photography. If you like shooting photos indoors without flash, you need a CMOS sensor. Secondly, auto-focus points need to be visible in the viewfinder. Otherwise, you don’t know where the camera has decided to focus. Thirdly, a menu system that is extremely logical and easy to scroll though. In a hurry, there is nothing worse than having to travel three levels deep in the menu tabs trying to locate a particular feature you need to turn on. Fourth, I need to know there is a good selection of lenses and accessories available if I so desire.

Down to road, I might decide to adapt my camera to a telescope, for instance. Adapter rings are usually made to fit Canon, Nikon or Pentax and then sometimes the other brands. If I need a particular focal length lens, I need to know it’s available. And fifth, the camera has to feel comfortable to hold. The controls have to be logically set up and very user friendly. The more you can adjust camera settings on the exterior of the body instead of through the menu system, the better it is.When you have to react quickly to a situation, you don’t want the camera layout to be the stumbling block. Before you purchase your camera, do your homework.

Check out www.dpreview.com for a camera report, see how it stacks up with others of the same price bracket, and read the pros and cons in the conclusions. Don’t rely solely on a recommendation from a friend. They will usually recommend the equipment they bought. That’s just human nature. And like everything else, you get what you pay for. Unless you’re buying a disposable camera, invest enough to get the best camera that you can afford so that you will be able to create personal masterpieces for several years to come. If you need help in choosing a camera that is right for you, come see me at The Camera Store from Thursday to Saturday.