How To Choose The Right Camera

How To Choose The Right Camera

by William Lulow

Choosing the right camera for your photographic efforts requires some thinking. You need to decide several things:

• What kinds of images do you like to shoot?
• What is your “shooting style”?
• Do you like to travel? Do you travel often by yourself?
• Are you physically strong enough to carry a heavy camera bag?
• How do you envision using your pictures?
• Do you plan to sell your pictures? Who will buy them?
• If you photograph professionally, who are your clients?

The kinds of pictures you will make will usually dictate the kinds of equipment you will need.  So, let’s take each question one at a time.

1. If you like to shoot action pictures, you will need a camera that lets you control the speed of the shutter.
2. If you like to shoot nature pictures, you will need a camera that has a feature that lets you shoot close-ups as well as distant shots.
3. If you often travel by yourself, you will need a camera that is very light in weight.
4. If you wish to make big prints to hang on your wall, you will need a camera that has great resolution (18MP or better).
5. If you wish to sell your pictures, you will need a camera capable of great resolution and of sufficient quality to produce salable images.
6. If you wish to be a professional photographer, you need to know the genre of photography in which you will want to concentrate. There are many:
   1. Portraits (You need a good camera with a moderate telephoto lens)
   2. Weddings (You would need probably two cameras and a few portable speedlights)
   3. Still Life (You would need a macro lens capable of making images at 1:1 magnification)
   4. Stock (You would need a camera light enough to perhaps fit in your pocket).
   5. Events (You would need a camera that has a long telephoto lens)
   6. Photojournalism (You would need a camera that lets you change lenses quickly).
   7. Advertising
   8. Fine Art
   9. Medical
   10. Sports
   11. Studio

So, once you’ve considered the kinds of pictures you want to make, then you need to research the types of cameras and other equipment you would need. Most people who are thinking about buying camera gear already know the types of images they intend to create. They will, most likely, need a camera that will perform several different functions. If you are an amateur, and enjoy making pictures of your family, a high quality point-and-shoot camera will probably do the job. They are small, light in weight and easy to operate. They have automatic functions that will take most of the guesswork out of normal, everyday shooting.  If you are a semi-professional, you will probably need a camera of a little higher quality such as a middle line DSLR. These cameras have lens interchangeability and other features which are a step or so up from the point-and-shoot variety.  They also have greater resolution which enables really high quality images. If you are a professional (someone who makes their living taking pictures), you will need a top-of-the-line camera with even greater resolution (18MP or higher), interchangeable lenses, extra battery power, and maybe an extra body,  etc.  If you like to shoot sports, you will need a good telephoto lens in your arsenal (200mm or more). If you are a still life, product photographer, you will need a macro lens (one that allows you to make images at 1:1 magnification).  If you are a wedding or event photographer, you will need a fast (f/2.8 or better) wide-angle lens to be able to shoot groups of people.  If you want to shoot portraits in a studio setting, you will need a medium telephoto (80mm to 105mm) in order to make your portraits reproduce your subjects in correct proportions.

Notice that I haven’t talked much about any brand names. That’s because, these days, the quality of most cameras is so good that it really doesn’t matter which brand you use. Each has its own particular pluses and minuses. You just have to get used to one brand and make sure you master it. And, you have to consider your preferences for certain brands. That may make the decision easier.

When you answer all the questions, you will know what kinds of cameras and accessories you will need. But above all, these days, I think photographers need an overall ease with their equipment. They need to know their equipment so well that operating the camera should be done even without thinking about it. (I have said many times that you need to think about the images you make all the time), but the use of your camera should become second nature. I know my cameras and lights so well that if my exposures are off, I can tell even before I begin to shoot the actual final images. I know where all the controls are and can almost operate them blindfolded. That should be the result of whatever learning and practice you do. As in most things, the more you do it, the better you get at it!