How to Choose the Best dslr Camera for you. In a previous article I was talking about some parameters that had to be configured just buy a camera. Today I will take a step back and I will comment on a number of tips to keep in mind when buying a camera.
The majority of students who come to my classes already have a camera. Some have even bought it specially to take the course. In some cases, as the class’s progress, the student himself realizes that his camera does not meet his expectations.
That is why, if you are thinking of buying a camera or switching to another model, I recommend you read these tips, so that you yourself will answer all the questions that I will explain, in order to get the one that best meets your needs.
Currently, there are more and more brands that are bringing new models of great quality and multitude of functionalities, such as Sony (manufactures sensors that Nikon mounts), Olympus, Fujifilm, etc…
The longest-running brands on the market have a very wide range of objectives.
How to Choose the Best dslr Camera for you
Almost always, the limiting factor when deciding one model or another is the budget. Normally we only contemplate the option of acquiring a new camera, when in fact, there is a very wide second-hand market that can allow us to accede to superior models. In this case, it must be recognized that the brands with the largest market share are Canon and Nikon.
What Types of Cameras Are on the Market?
Compact cameras are the smallest, have a built-in non-interchangeable lens and are the worst quality.
They do not usually have options for manual exposure control, so we can simply use them in automatic. It’s the typical camera that we can take anywhere, although with the rise of mobile phones and their increasingly better cameras, it seems that every time have less sense.
SLR
The philosophy of SLR cameras is the same, they have the same design and the size is due to both the mirror and the pentaprism that reverses the image so that we can see it well through the viewfinder.
The philosophy of SLR cameras is the same, they have the same design and the size is due to both the mirror and the pentaprism that reverses the image so that we can see it well through the viewfinder.
Known by everyone, they give very good quality due to the sensors they incorporate.
How to Choose the Best dslr Camera for you
They allow us to exchange different objectives, we can shoot in RAW format, and they have more and more functionalities.
One of its strong points is the ergonomics, since they are adapted to the hands, and the buttons are placed strategically in the most suitable position. There are also many accessories and range of objectives.
Its size can be a problem for someone who is not used to carrying the camera with them.
SLR system, gets its name thanks to the mirror that reflects the light.
From € 300 or € 350 we can get basic reflex cameras. If we want more quality we will go from 800 € upwards.
CSC (Compact System Camera)
They are the last type of camera that has come on the market, and are a mixture between compact camera and SLR, since its size is reduced by not wearing a mirror or pentaprism, but allows you to exchange targets.
The picture quality is very good, compared to the large models of SLR cameras. At first, there were several reasons why many photographers did not take the step, although little by little the new models are solving.
The focus speed is slower than SLRs, so it’s something they’re trying to improve.
The subject of ergonomics is something that some people do not convince, first because being so small they do not have the sensation of good grip. Also, because in order to modify a parameter, it is necessary to access menus due to the lack of buttons, which delays the triggering.
They have a digital viewfinder instead of an optical viewfinder, which, perhaps, is hard to get used to. Although in favor has that we can see multitude of options directly in the viewfinder screen.
Being 100% electronic, they consume more battery. In addition, the batteries are smaller, so they last less.
Some models are sensitive to low temperatures, so it is another aspect to consider.
On the other hand, they also have many advantages, such as reduced size, which allows to go unnoticed and carry them almost anywhere. The objectives are in line with the bodies, taking up little space, although the range is still somewhat reduced in some brands.
Brands like Fujifilm or Sony have more and more lenses for their cameras.
In addition, the goals that sell these brands are quality, unlike the goals that usually go in the SLR kit.
Weight is another aspect to keep in mind, especially if your thing is to walk with the equipment on its back.
Regarding the prices, models can be found from € 400, however, if we want the models that offer the highest quality, we are going from € 1,200 upwards.
When the budget is not a problem, the imperative need to buy the “best” of the market, thinking that in this way, our photographs will be better. This is the first mistake, since the one who makes the photographs is you. The camera is only a medium, a tool that facilitates life in certain situations, which helps us to capture what we have in our head.
I always recommend buying a camera that has a basic performance to make the photographs that we want to do, and later, if we bite the image worm and want more quality or new features, sell it and buy another camera.
What type of photography do you like?
I know this you have heard it countless times, but it is the most important of all, since depending on the type of photography we do, we will need the camera to have specific functionalities.
Here are some things to keep in mind.
We must look at the size of the sensor and the results of your photos if we are looking for quality.
When we talk about quality in photography, we are not talking about the number of megapixels that a photograph has. The megapixels only indicate the size that will have that photograph, that is, width by height.
For example, if we have a sensor that produces photos with a side greater than 5760 pixels, and a smaller side of 3840 pixels, the resolution of the camera will be approximately 22.1MB, as is the case of the Canon 5D Mark 3.
The megapixels determine the size to which we can print a photograph without losing quality. Quality is related to the sensor and its technology. Currently the most widespread are CCD and CMOS (give better quality) sensors. Without going into too many technical concepts I will say that, in theory, the sensor that has a larger size will have more quality (Full Frame will be better than APS-C).
Related to the size of the sensor is the multiplication factor, which will affect the focal length of the targets. Remember that a 35mm lens in a Full Frame sensor is equivalent to 35mm, but in a sensor with a factor of 1.6x it is equivalent to 56mm.
When we talk about quality we must also think about the objectives. If we buy a camera we have to think that we are linked to the brand in one way or another, especially when it comes to acquiring new targets , so it is interesting to see if they have variety, quality objectives, and that we can afford to buy .
Spending Unnoticed Can Make a Difference
The difference in size is obvious.
For many photographers, the size is very important, since it helps to go unnoticed, it allows to transport the camera in any place, and also supposes to carry less weight, something that for me is fundamental.
Smaller bodies also involve smaller targets.
Both by size and by reduced weight, more and more photojournalists, travel photographers, and even some other nature photographer are opting for CSC cameras.
If yours is the Night Photography, ISO Manda
When I started taking night photography, I realized that my camera had a limiting ISO of 800. From there, the noise was too obvious, even after performing a good process. So, if I wanted to be able to photograph the Milky Way, or stars as dots, my new camera had to perform well at high ISO’s.
Do not confuse with the maximum ISO that allows you to configure a camera, which are useless values, and they are useless, since the photographs will have so much noise that we will have to erase them.
The Blast for Action Photography
The number of focus points is increasing, facilitating focus on moving subjects
At times, when I was covering a tennis match, I realized most of the pictures would have been lost if the blast from my camera had been slower. And for the same reason, if he had been even faster he would have caught fleeting moments.
This is when you realize the importance of the number of photographs that can shoot one camera per second.
Another important aspect for this type of photography are the focus points, the more the better, because we can place the closest focus point on our subject without having to reframe.
The focus type is important, since it must be in continuous mode (Servo, AF-C) to be able to follow up while the camera maintains the focus. There are even cameras that you can select focus points by groups for easy tracking.
It is also important to know the maximum shutter speed, which can be at 1/2000, 1/4000 or 1/8000, depending on the model. The faster you are, the more likely you are to freeze a moving subject.
With this I mean that sometimes we want our camera to have one or several specific functionalities, so we have to focus on finding models that meet these requirements, instead of looking for the camera that has more functionality, without even knowing why they serve, and if ever we will give them use.
Among the many functionalities or aspects that can make us decide for a camera or another are:
- Video recording
- Live view
- Folding screen
- Multiple Exposure
- HDR
- Connectivity over WIFI or Bluetooth
- Ergonomics
- Built-in flash
- GPS
And you? What aspects or functionalities of a camera are essential for you when buying a camera?
