If you have the slightest technical bend or inclination to know and measure the equipment specs. stop now. You should buy a DSLR. But if you just want to buy a camera that shoots good photographs on the press of a button keep reading. Though cameras come is a wide range and variety, there are two broad kinds – consumer cameras and the professional cameras. The professional cameras are meant for the pros who make a living out of their photography work while consumer cameras have a different story. Consumer cameras are the ones that you feel comfortable handing to your kids to shoot your portrait. They have quite some intelligence built into them and if all you need is a colorful photograph of your or your family’s or holidays or just your cat it’s time to take a look at consumer cameras. Without going into the fine details, the consumer cameras are further divided into small categories; point and shoot are the entry level cameras – losing one won’t hurt. Compacts are slightly larger and bulkier but have more functions while the prosumer cameras allow more control with more features while being bulkier or all. Depending on your budget and your requirements you’ll want to choose one. Here’s what you should look for.
- Image Stabilization: One of the most common faults in everyday photographs is the blur that is introduced by the camera or the hand shake. Don’t trust on your camera holding techniques. Make sure your camera features an image stabilization technique because that’s one thing that will make a big difference to your pictures.
- ISO: This is the sensitivity of the camera or the sensor. A good camera should feature a good range of ISO starting from ISO-100 to maybe ISO-800 or beyond. In a point and shoot you’ll have a night mode instead of an ISO so that you can shoot night scenes instead of fiddling with the ISO.
- Zoom: Zoom is one of the favorite controls which always comes handy. When you want to take a close-up this is what you will need. Cameras rate zoom range in multiples of the original. Eg. 4x means you can zoom in four times. It is common to find cameras which have a 12x zoom good enough to shoot the large moon or a big sun during the sunset.
- Picture transfer: All digital cameras come with USB port so you can transfer pictures to the printer or the computer. Go a step ahead and look for WiFi and get rid of the cable.
- LCD Screen: The larger the better though you should never trust the LCD screen. You’ll always be disappointed by the dirty details you’ll get to see when the picture is seen full size on the computer.
- Red Eye Reduction: At night when you use the flash, it reflects back from the subjects eyes and comes out red. The final picture looks horrible. Your camera should feature red eye reduction (a common feature nowadays but do check).
- Manual Control: This is a bit like asking for too much but it’s a good-to-have thing. If you can turn a control and take control of the shutter-speed and aperture and ISO nothing like it. Comes very hands when you have learnt the basics (the day won’t be far off) and if you have these you’ll want to hold on to your camera rather than willing to dump it and buy a DSLR.
- Battery: Very important – half the trips turn into disasters when your only battery runs out. Make sure it’s rechargable or an AA size so that you can get one from the roadside. Always carry backup.
- Movie mode: Just when you were convinced freezing and framing and immortalizing the sweet moments in life was a good idea that good old friend will ask you “Does your camera shoot movies?” Prepare for that day, and either ways you’ll want to record the moments when your newborn stands for the first time and takes his first stroll – doesn’t happen everyday and you don’t want to miss it.
- Fancy Features: Check what else the camera can do beyond the above. New features like face detection and smile detection are getting common. You may never use them but they are good to have and brag about – you never know who asks.
What else would you like to see in your camera? I’m a DSLR user but I find a consumer camera handy for casual trips so I’m buying one. Which one do you own?
Photo by Christine ™
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Redeye reduction is a gimmick. It just does not work. Turn off the flash and use natural lighting – or room lighting. If you have to use the flash and you get redeye there are tools to remove it in computer photo programs. Don’t fall for the gimmick.
I’ve also see this. Happens in some of the low end cameras.
The way it works is that the camera fires a focused light on the person (subject) which contracts the iris. The camera then takes the actual shot and there is little or no reflection from the iris thus less red eye effect. Again it’s the strength of the pre-flash light that plays the role. The low end cameras may not have that powerful a pre-flash.
How is the Canon SX100IS for starters?
I am frequently asked, “What sort of camera should I buy?”
I normally surprise them by asking, “What do you like to shoot ?”
This normal results in a blank look as they are not sure what they want to shoot.
So my advice is – find out about local night classes and take what ever camera you have along to a beginner’s class. If you don’t have one, then borrow one from a friend.
Once you know more about the basics of photography and get a better idea of what you want to shoot you can make more informed decisions on what camera to buy.
If Joe Bloggs wants to shoot his child’s birthday parties and the odd BBQ he will be a fool to spend $1000+ on a Digital SLR when q $300 point and shoot will be better.
If Joe wants to shoot wind surfers, close-ups of his favourite football player scoring, the smile on a spider’s face – then spend the big dollars for the SLR and lens/lenses
Decide how much you can afford to spend, and then spend it! If you budget is $600 then spend $600. Buying a $150 camera because it’s on special and you saved $450 is usually a foolish buy. You are likely to become annoyed with in a few months and be buying another one.
Agreed with your last point “consumer camera handy for casual trips”. I have a d40 DSLR and find it a troublesome to carry it every now and then, have to find me one consumer camera as a substitute for a short trip I guess..
i travel the world a lot with my job and see some amazing sights. i am always taking pictures of Scenery, magnificant views and sunsets. all these i can do with my current camera the Nikon coolpix P5100 but get annoyed with the fact that i cant do any wide angle shots for my landscape shots. i am joining lots of pics together at the moment using panorama maker software but i would prefer to see hwat im taking in a wide angle pic whil talking it.
Should i get a SLR camera for this? if so which model would you suggest? i am going to stick with Nikon as i am familiar with their cameras and have always used them.
I will confess that I am not that knowledgeable with the Nikon range. However I would advise you work out how much you can afford and spend it !
You maybe able to get a ‘good deal’ and save $600 of your budget, BUT you are likely to be kicking yourself in 6 months for not spending that $600.
I have heard that some of the entry level twin lens kits for Nikon and Canon are not that good a deal as they sound. The qualities of the lenses are apparently dubious – made for that market.
So back at the buy what you can afford … Some stores will cut you a deal on a camera body and a lens so ask. It sounds like you may need a wide angle to moderate zoom, (16mm – 70mm or something like that, perhaps even wider) to get you started. Talk to your dealer and explain you frustration and what you like to do. They should be able to help you get the body and lens you need to start. You can invest in better lenses later after you have tucked away enough $ and have a better idea of what you need.
Don’t be scared to ask about third party lenses like Sigma. They do have good quality lenses and can be a little less expensive as they don’t have ‘NIKON’ splattered all over them.
Good luck and good shooting.
Paul