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So far, I have not mentioned photo gear. I think there are things that are more important than equipment but there is a time when it needs to be mentioned. So, I will take this time to say a few words and recommendations about photography equipment.
As I said previously, most all digital cameras manufactured and sold today can outperform the photographer who is using them. That is at all levels. That means that any camera you buy or use is probably capable of technically creating better images than you can take. Except when it is not and that is the exception, not the rule. "Technically creating" means that the computer with a lens you call a camera, can do wonders with exposure, focus, etc., but it can't point itself in the right direction or decide just the right time to push the shutter button. You will have to do that to make a technically good image an aesthetically good one. That seems to be the tricky part for most people. And rightly so.
Who is this post for? I am writing this for the individual who wants to enjoy the photography hobby at a low cost with a camera that is easy to use. But I will address those individuals who want to make professional looking images with a lower cost camera also. This post is not directed toward the advanced amateur or advanced enthusiast who currently uses expensive DSLRs. You should already know everything I will write. Just so everyone knows from where I am coming.
If you haven't yet purchased a camera, or you have an old one and you want to update it to a newer one, or you have a camera that no longer suits your needs, I have some recommendations.
1) Before you make any purchase, determine what you want to photograph. That will dictate, for the most part, what kind of camera to buy. Do you want to shoot sports? If so, you need a camera with a longer zoom lens, the capability to shoot at a higher ISO (with good results), high shutter speeds to stop action and one that focuses as quickly as possible. That just may not be possible in most circumstances with a point-and-shoot. But they are getting better and some may now meet those criteria. That being said, if you want to shoot sports, I would recommend you invest in a DSLR. Do you want to shoot landscapes? If you do, you may want to purchase a camera that has a wider-angle lens and the capability to photograph at a low ISO. The lower the ISO usually the better the quality of the image. Do you want to shoot vacations, events, family or otherwise? If so, you may want to purchase a camera that is good at high ISOs to be used without a flash (sometimes natural light is better than using a flash) as well as have a good flash, or even will take a removable flash. Do you intend to use the camera for all kinds of situations? Then you may want one that compromises in some areas and is made up in others.
So, it is important to identify what types of photographs you primarily want to make, then look for a camera that is best for that. DPReview (www.dpreview.com) is one of the best places to read camera reviews. Also, there are many other sites to read reviews as well as forums for each camera brand. Google can be your best friend here. Read several. Don't take any one as definitive. Especially watch what is written in the forums as there are individuals who write things they have no business writing, especially if they have never owned and used the particular camera. Some of the national magazines have good reviews also.
2) How much do you want to spend? That also can determine what is available to you in your price range. I recommend you spend $250-$400 to get a high quality, up to date instrument. You can spend less, but you may mean that you purchase last year's model. Remember, technology marches on and improvements are made every year in these little cameras. Buying or using an old one may work for bright, sunny days when everything is still, but may not serve your identified needs.
3) What do you intend to do with the images after you take them? Are you going to just look at them on your computer, iPad, or tablet? Will you just post them on Facebook? Are you going to make small prints to frame for a tabletop or desk? Do you wish to make big enlargements to have framed and hung on your wall? Each may require a different camera based upon what you want to do with the final image.
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| Glasses, Colorado Springs, CO |
Here is what I think you should have at hand, at the least:
a) A camera carefully chosen to fit your needs as outlined above. I think Canon, Nikon, Sony and Panasonic make the best point-and-shoot cameras out there. I make that judgment from the many reviews and articles I have read. Yes, Sony and Panasonic are not traditional camera manufacturers, but they make some high quality, cutting edge products. I have Canon point-and-shoot cameras and I like them and am satisfied with the images I make with them. Each one of those manufacturers has an extensive line of point-and-shoot cameras, one or more of which will fit your needs. If you are advanced and want to spend a bit more money, the Sony RX100 or Fujifilm X20 are excellent cameras, but cost a bit more.
b) Buy 2 memory cards. I recommend only buying the name brand manufacturers as they have been proven to be the most reliable. I only buy Sandisk and Lexar. I recommend having two with you for two reasons. First, you may run out of room on one and second, your card may fail. In either case if you only have the card in the camera, you are out of luck.
You don't need to buy the fastest, most expensive cards unless you are shooting rapid fire for many shots, like trying to capture an athlete in sports. I would buy 8gb cards as you will probably be shooting in the jpeg image mode which doesn't take up a lot of room on the card. However, I would shoot at the L (large), F (fine) jpeg mode to give yourself the best possible quality and maximize the options you have to make enlargements, etc. afterwards. If you shoot small jpegs, you may not be able to make a decent 8X10" enlargement later, even if you think you won't want to when you are taking the photographs. You never know. It is always better to extract the highest quality out of your camera and, later if you need to downsize the image, you don't lose any quality. But you can't get more quality if you shoot low resolution images.
c) Buy and carry an extra battery. You never know when your battery will run out of juice. I was with a friend recently and halfway through an event I hear, "My battery is dead!" And this was an experienced photographer who should have known better. He had to just stand there and watch me photograph.
d) Buy a couple of lens cleaning cloths. They are cheap, made from micro fiber and necessary to keep your lenses clean. I would also buy an inexpensive blower brush to blow off the debris before cleaning the lens. You don't want to be rubbing grit into the face of the glass element. You can buy them from the Internet, or maybe Target or Wal-Mart has them in what's left of their photo accessories section. If you don't have a brush, blow gently (without saliva) on the lens surface to try to remove any debris before using the cloth. If you can't ensure the debris is gone, let the lens be until you can. In almost all cases, it won't make a difference in your photographs.
e) Buy a decent tripod. You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars, unless you plan on getting much more serious about this hobby. I normally recommend to others to spend a few hundred dollars on a good aluminum or carbon fiber tripod, but if you are just going to be a casual shooter, you don't need to spend that much. But buy something that is sturdy from a mainline manufacturer, not some Chinese knockoff with flimsy legs & loose fittings. If you are a casual shooter, a tripod with a built-in head is fine. If you are more advanced, your tripod will come without a head and I recommend a good ball head for you.
If you plan on spending about $300-$400 on a good point-and-shoot camera that will do everything you want it to do, as well as $25 for an extra battery, 2 memory cards for about $20 each, a $100 tripod as well as $15 for lens cleaning materials, you should be good to go for a long time.
Enjoy!
Thanks for looking.
Dennis Mook
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