If you're thinking about buying your first DSLR camera, or getting a more feature-rich model, I want to share some useful tips on how to choose SLR cameras for beginners. One or two of the things I mention might seem obvious, but I want to explain my decision making process when I consider buying a new camera.
It depends on what your budget is, what your needs are and what your desires are. Photography is a hobby and the equipment is part of the hobby.
1. Know what your budget is. Consider the most affordable cameras first, then work your way up from there. You already know what the features are that you want. If you're not looking for any specific features, start off with a $100 point & shoot camera. Read the reviews then decide if you should consider a more expensive model.
2. Think about the following:
* Auto focus
* Video capabilities
* How heavy or how light do you want it to be?
* How many frames per second (fps) do you want?
* How many memory cards can it hold at one time?
* The quality of the sensor
* Do you want a full frame or not?
If you set your budget to $1000, you have saved some money if you choose a $600 camera, which you can use on lenses. It isn't necessary to spend a great deal of money to get great shots
3. What kind of photography do you want to do? What kinds of photos do you plan on taking? Everyone has different needs. Some people want to do landscapes, others want to do sports, some want to do all of it. You get buy kits that come with the camera body, lenses, flash and a bag. It is a good idea to see how it feels in your hands. Beginner level DSLRs are getting more and more powerful, meaning you can do almost anything you want with them, so save money for the lenses.
4. You may want to get a second hand camera body to have money cash available for the lenses.
5. The advantage of getting an entry level body over a more advanced one is obviously cost, but you also get the choice over auto mode or scene modes which you don't get in the more expensive professional lines. You can learn more from the camera this way to see how it sets itself up for different shots.
6. A popular camera kit choice is a body with an intermediate lens like an 18 - 55mm lens, which will come with the Nikon D3100 kit. This lens is also a macro lens (or a micro lens as Nikon calls it). You should also get a photo lens like the55 to 200 which comes with many D3100 kits. If you're just starting out, these two lenses will be an excellent choice, however if you're looking for something extra, try getting a lens that will enable you to shoot in low light. The aperture will open up very wide to F1.8 or 1.4.
7. Be sure to check whether the lens is DX or FX. The entry level Nikon DSLRs come with DX format sensors. This type of sensor is a crop sensor. The FX sensors are in the most expensive Nikon DSLRs and are bigger. You can use both DX and FX lens types on all Nikon DSLRs.
8. If you are getting a camera with an auto focus feature, make sure the lenses are also able to auto focus.
9. You also might want to invest in some inexpensive UV filters, which attach to the end of the lens and will provide a little extra protection. You can get them in different sizes, so take a look when you make your purchase.
10. Think about what flashes to get. These are called Speedlites in the Nikon system. Many digital DLR cameras include pop up flashes. A Speedlite has more power and will attach to the hot shoe of your camera. Some flashes let you control the direction of the light to some degree by tilting them. You can also control the power of some.
11. You'll also have to get a memory card for your camera. There is a huge range out there.
12. A bag is something else to think about. Bags are included with most kits. There are lots of bags to choose from and everyone has their own preferences.
13. You'll also need think about editing software. Google has a freeware called Picasa which is great to experiment with before getting something more powerful, such as Apple Aperture, or Photoshop Elements or Adobe Lightroom.
So just as you probably imagined, there's a lot of stuff to consider. There are a lot of options when you're first starting out. Spend the time to work out what technical features you want to have the most. After that you'll be in a better position to make the right decision for you.
It depends on what your budget is, what your needs are and what your desires are. Photography is a hobby and the equipment is part of the hobby.
1. Know what your budget is. Consider the most affordable cameras first, then work your way up from there. You already know what the features are that you want. If you're not looking for any specific features, start off with a $100 point & shoot camera. Read the reviews then decide if you should consider a more expensive model.
2. Think about the following:
* Auto focus
* Video capabilities
* How heavy or how light do you want it to be?
* How many frames per second (fps) do you want?
* How many memory cards can it hold at one time?
* The quality of the sensor
* Do you want a full frame or not?
If you set your budget to $1000, you have saved some money if you choose a $600 camera, which you can use on lenses. It isn't necessary to spend a great deal of money to get great shots
3. What kind of photography do you want to do? What kinds of photos do you plan on taking? Everyone has different needs. Some people want to do landscapes, others want to do sports, some want to do all of it. You get buy kits that come with the camera body, lenses, flash and a bag. It is a good idea to see how it feels in your hands. Beginner level DSLRs are getting more and more powerful, meaning you can do almost anything you want with them, so save money for the lenses.
4. You may want to get a second hand camera body to have money cash available for the lenses.
5. The advantage of getting an entry level body over a more advanced one is obviously cost, but you also get the choice over auto mode or scene modes which you don't get in the more expensive professional lines. You can learn more from the camera this way to see how it sets itself up for different shots.
6. A popular camera kit choice is a body with an intermediate lens like an 18 - 55mm lens, which will come with the Nikon D3100 kit. This lens is also a macro lens (or a micro lens as Nikon calls it). You should also get a photo lens like the55 to 200 which comes with many D3100 kits. If you're just starting out, these two lenses will be an excellent choice, however if you're looking for something extra, try getting a lens that will enable you to shoot in low light. The aperture will open up very wide to F1.8 or 1.4.
7. Be sure to check whether the lens is DX or FX. The entry level Nikon DSLRs come with DX format sensors. This type of sensor is a crop sensor. The FX sensors are in the most expensive Nikon DSLRs and are bigger. You can use both DX and FX lens types on all Nikon DSLRs.
8. If you are getting a camera with an auto focus feature, make sure the lenses are also able to auto focus.
9. You also might want to invest in some inexpensive UV filters, which attach to the end of the lens and will provide a little extra protection. You can get them in different sizes, so take a look when you make your purchase.
10. Think about what flashes to get. These are called Speedlites in the Nikon system. Many digital DLR cameras include pop up flashes. A Speedlite has more power and will attach to the hot shoe of your camera. Some flashes let you control the direction of the light to some degree by tilting them. You can also control the power of some.
11. You'll also have to get a memory card for your camera. There is a huge range out there.
12. A bag is something else to think about. Bags are included with most kits. There are lots of bags to choose from and everyone has their own preferences.
13. You'll also need think about editing software. Google has a freeware called Picasa which is great to experiment with before getting something more powerful, such as Apple Aperture, or Photoshop Elements or Adobe Lightroom.
So just as you probably imagined, there's a lot of stuff to consider. There are a lot of options when you're first starting out. Spend the time to work out what technical features you want to have the most. After that you'll be in a better position to make the right decision for you.
About the Author:
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