Confused About Which Camera To Buy? Well, You Should Be

There is a web of danger out there in world of camera buying.  You really have to do you own research and trust yourself when it comes to buying a new camera. (click to enlarge)
This is the first image I’ve made in 3 weeks!  Ugghhh!  Lots going on here.  I need to get out more.
Fujifilm X-T4; 16-55mm f/2.8 lens @ 55mm; !/900th sec. @ f/5.6; ISO 320

So...

You've decided to buy a new (or newer) camera for still photography passion.  You're not sure which camera would best suit your needs.  You consult with the "experts" on YouTube and the Internet.  What do they say about the various cameras?  Here are some of things you might find.

Canon cameras are great.  They are reliable, full featured and give great image quality.

Canon cameras have terrible color science.  Don't buy a Canon camera.

Nikon cameras feel the best in your hands.  They just got it right.  Nikon cameras' color science is terrific.

Nikon cameras have a terrible feel when you pick them up.  I don't like Nikon's colors.

I hate Fujifilm menus.  I don't like the dials or aperture ring on the lens.  I wouldn't buy one.

I love Fujifilm cameras.  The dials are perfect, the Q-Menu puts the right information in front of me at the press of a button and the menus are laid out logically and are easy to use.

Olympus cameras are okay.  They have a lot of features other cameras do not have but the micro4/3 format will never be sufficient for high quality work.  Don't buy Olympus as they are leaving the camera business.

Olympus cameras are great.  Even though the sensor is smaller than full frame, you'll never see the difference.  Olympus's features will blow you away and even though they are leaving the camera business, they will still be involved as partners in their newly formed company with JIP.

Sony camera feel really crappy in your hand.  They are poorly engineered and you will scrape your knuckles on the side of the lens because there is little room between the camera body and lens.  Sony menus are the worst in the industry.

Sony cameras are great!  They feel good in your hand and once you go through and configure your menu, you won't have to worry about it again.  They have the fastest focusing system among all the manufacturers.

Panasonic has really nailed it with their cameras.  They feel great, the give good image quality and the menu systems are the best in the business.

Don't buy a Panasonic camera.  They are overpriced, the contrast based focusing is lacking and the electronic viewfinders are funky.

Pentax cameras are the underdog and they give exceptional value for the money.  The image quality is excellent and they have a history of excellent lenses that will still work with their current cameras.

Pentax cameras are dinosaurs.  They will be out of business in a year or two so don't buy into a system which will be extinct like T-Rex.

By now you get my point. You will get a lot of opinions about every camera.  You will get opinion disguised as fact.  You need to be able to tell the difference.  Everyone has a bit of confirmation bias built into whatever they say and what they want you to believe.  It serves them well psychologically if they can make the case for their favorite camera system as that confirms their purchasing decisions.  The opinions you read and view may not be fully free of bias or be accurate.

It is incumbent upon you to exercise your due diligence and research a number of cameras you are considering.  Here are some thoughts about that.

The overall least expensive camera purchase will probably be the one that is the same brand as the one you currently use.  You can continue to use the same lenses, the menus will be familiar and its similar operation will make the transition much quicker.

Buy the same camera brand as your friends with whom you photograph.  That way, if they have lenses that you would like to try or borrow before buying one for yourself, you have a built-in "rental" store close at hand.  Additionally, they have experience with the same or similar model cameras you are considering and that can be very helpful in you learning your new camera.

If there is a camera store within 100 miles, make a day trip and look at what they offer.  A quick day trip may save you a lot of money in the future by preventing the mistake of "thinking" a certain camera is perfect only to find out that it doesn't work for you.  Hold each camera you are considering to feel for yourself.  Work the dials and knobs.  Press the buttons.  Play in the menu system.  Which one seems the most intuitive to you?  All cameras today provide excellent image quality.  In my opinion, it comes down to which feels best in my hand, which has knobs, dials, buttons and menus that seem to fit the way my brain works.  You would be surprised how differently different cameras work and feel.

If no camera store is within a half day's driving distance, go online and rent the camera (or two) that you think will most work for you along with an inexpensive prime lens and take it out for three days.  This is another way to avoid a mistake in buying something you will regret.

The upshot is you want a camera that will do what you need it to do in the ways you photograph.  Most will do that.  Every camera has its positives and negatives.  Every cameras is a compromise of some sort.  You just have to find which compromises best fit your needs.  You want a camera that just "fits" you, in the way it feels in your hand, the way it works, how everything is laid out and is a pleasure to use.  You want to pick up the camera everyday and take it out with you.  You don't want to make the mistake of buying the newest, fastest and "best" camera on the market based upon someone who you don't even know's opinion only to find out you hate using it.

Good luck!

Join me over at my website, www.dennismook.com.  

Thanks for looking. Enjoy!  

Dennis A. Mook  

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