On Buying a Camera

One question that is inevitably asked is "what camera should I buy?" Well, the answer is different for everyone. I'm not going to get into debates of megapixels or brands since these are changing constantly, but I can still offer some advice. I worked for a year in a camera store/one hour photo and had the interesting perspective of seeing new photographers come in, buy a camera, and then develop photos that they took. Here are some basic guidelines that I've found to hold true.

For the question of how many megapixels you need, it's a simple matter of math. Your average photo printer prints between 200 and 300 pixels per inch (not to be confused with dots per inch, or dpi). Figure out the largest size photo you'd frequently want printed (usually 8x10). Add some wiggle room if you like to crop your images (although it's generally better to "crop with your feet"). Let's say 11x14 will give us plenty of size to work with. That means we need a file that is 3300x4200 pixels. Multiply those and you get 13,860,000 pixels, or 13.8 megapixels. Anything higher than that is wasted because the printer can't handle anything higher. If we take that same 3300x4200 image and print it at 200ppi (which is still fantastic quality), we'll get a 16.5x21" image, a poster print. Posters are usually viewed at a distance of 5 feet or more, so really, you can get away with 72ppi without a noticeable degradation. At that resolution, you can print a 45.8x58.3" poster.

Now that you know how many megapixels to look for, start looking at what type of camera you want. There are point-and-shoot cameras that are compact and mostly automatic. These are great for people who don't want to have to concentrate on the technical aspects and just want to take photos for fun or to remember something. Then, there are the "prosumer" compacts. These cameras are still all-in-one and have a lot of automatic functions, but usually have a lot of manual overrides, creative options, and often a hotshoe for a dedicated flash. These are great for people that want some creative control, but don't want to carry a heavy camera. Since these cameras are generally the same price as entry-level dSLRs, it really comes down to portability.

Digital SLRs, or dSLRs come in a variety of target audiences too. There are consumer dSLRs that have a the larger format sensor (even APS-C format is significantly larger than what you see in compacts). There are prosumer dSLRs that give lots of creative options, but still have a user-friendly interface and automatic functions. There are low-end professional cameras that use a "pro" user interface (usually marked by putting manual overrides as dedicated buttons so that a photographer can have complete control over their exposure and other settings without going into menus) and a steeper learning curve. Then there are the high-ticket cameras that only high-end professional photographers should look at.

Film cameras are still a viable option since film will almost always out-perform a digital camera of the same size format in low ISO ranges when it comes to resolution and color rendition. Film cameras are particularly useful in studio and landscape work since time is not as much of an issue, and the film offers much more bang for the buck. There are also digital cameras out there like the 4/3rds system and digital rangefinder cameras, but if you don't know what they are or why you need them, they're probably not for you.

With this plethora of camera types, which does one choose? The answer is surprisingly simple. Go into a camera store, pick one up, and if it makes sense in your hands and does what you want it to do, pick that one. I have been a Nikon user for quite some time now, but it's not because Nikon has superior quality. The Hasselblad 500c that I own would run circles around even my best Nikon in terms of image quality. I use Nikon because it makes sense to me. I don't have to think about the camera when I'm taking photos. I know where the settings I need are; I know how to manipulate its focus and exposure to fit my needs; I know how the sensor reacts to light so I can get the best image possible. I have a good friend who would say the same thing about Canon cameras. It's not a question of which camera is better, but rather which camera is best for YOU.

One pitfall I keep seeing all over the place is people who get a pro camera when they should have gone with a prosumer camera. They become infinitely frustrated with the controls and end up spending half their time trying to figure out the camera when they could be shooting great imagery. In the end, the camera ends up on a shelf and they take most of their photos with a point and shoot. Why buy a camera you're not going to use. Unless you're buying a camera with intentions of immediately taking a photography course, go with one that makes sense to you right from day one. You'll enjoy taking photos more and will get far more use out of it.

There is another side to this pitfall as well. People who buy camera equipment at the edge of their financial budget (usually the same people who have bought a camera that's out of their league), end up not using it for fear of loosing or damaging it. Again, why buy a camera you're not going to use? If it's so expensive that you're going to be afraid to go out to that ledge, or get too close to that sea spray, you're never going to get the amazing images the camera is built for. This applies to lenses as well, but that's a topic for another blog since I could write for hours just on that subject alone.

As a last note, be prudent with features. Sure, it sounds great in the store, and the entire point of marketing is to make you think you can't live without a certain feature. Be honest with yourself though. If you don't see yourself using it on a regular basis, you don't need it. Fast autofocus is irrelevant for nature photography. High ISO sensitivity is not a concern if you are shooting during the day. High resolution is a waste if you're only ever going to put the photos on facebook or make 4x6 prints. Food for thought.