So you want a new camera but you can't decide what to buy. You don't even know what to look for. But before you get started on the features you want, you begin asking "What is the better camera? Nikon or Canon?"
Stop, think and read on...the best camera is whatever works for you. A camera, no matter what brand, is merely a tool. It does not matter if you have the best and most expensive camera or a simple phonecam. What matters more is the person looking through the viewfinder. I know people with expensive D7000 paperweights, merely for the bragging right of having a great DSLR, but hardly moving out of the green zone. Then there are those that shoot very expressive, almost iconic pictures using just a phone cam.
Surmise it to say that I find it amusing, admittedly short of annoying, people who say "Galing ah! Ganda siguro ng camera mo (Great shot! You must have a great camera)." A camera is a tool, much like a hammer and chisel are for a carpenter - a person able to make door wells, we'd call him a carpenter. But to an inspired person, he'll make sculptures and we'd call him an artist.
Before I begin the rundown, I will be using Nikon as my example. However, what I'll say here applies to all camera brands - whether they be Canon, Pentax, Olympus, Sony, Leica, etc.
So now let us now proceed to the run down on some camera buying tips.
Stop, think and read on...the best camera is whatever works for you. A camera, no matter what brand, is merely a tool. It does not matter if you have the best and most expensive camera or a simple phonecam. What matters more is the person looking through the viewfinder. I know people with expensive D7000 paperweights, merely for the bragging right of having a great DSLR, but hardly moving out of the green zone. Then there are those that shoot very expressive, almost iconic pictures using just a phone cam.
Surmise it to say that I find it amusing, admittedly short of annoying, people who say "Galing ah! Ganda siguro ng camera mo (Great shot! You must have a great camera)." A camera is a tool, much like a hammer and chisel are for a carpenter - a person able to make door wells, we'd call him a carpenter. But to an inspired person, he'll make sculptures and we'd call him an artist.
Before I begin the rundown, I will be using Nikon as my example. However, what I'll say here applies to all camera brands - whether they be Canon, Pentax, Olympus, Sony, Leica, etc.
So now let us now proceed to the run down on some camera buying tips.
- Answer the question: "Why do I want to buy a camera?"
- If your answer is anything but "Because I want to," then congratulations, you're ready to upgrade from a phone cam. I have nothing against phone cams, In fact they are best for those quick shots whenever you don't have your DSLR.
- Point and Shoot (PS) or DSLR or micro four thirds (MFT)? To me, PS are like phone cams. They are great for portability and quick shots. However, the going price of PS are near or sometimes even more expensive than DSLR or MFTs. With their price being almost equal, a DSLR or MFT is a better choice. With a DSLR or MFT, you can actually grow in your photography and have much greater options for creativity. In addition, even a cheap DSLR or MFT will always give you better image quality (IQ) particularly in higher ISO settings (for night shot, low light) than a PS even if it is slightly more expensive. This is because DSLRs and MFTs have bigger sensors, and bigger sensors will always mean better image quality. From here on I will interchangeably use DSLR and MFTs
- Megapixels don't matter. Don't fall for the high megapixel sales talk. Any PS with high megapixels (10MP or higher) is never better than a 6MP DSLR. High MPs in PS will only mean more noise and bigger hard disk space.
- Between DSLRs however, professionals will benefit more from higher MPs. For casual shooters and beginners, a 6MP/10MP DSLR is a good start. At 6MP, you can print a letter size picture without any loss in quality. Others will argue that higher a MP means that you have more leeway for cropping. This is correct. But for beginners, a lower MP will force you to think about composition before shooting instead of shooting then cropping for composition. Also, a low MP DSLR is hard disk friendly.
- "There are no more 6MP DSLRs!" Yes, most new DSLRs start out at 12MPs (D90, yes they are still available new). Which leads me to the next tip - brand new or secondhand? I took the secondhand route simply because I can't afford a new camera. New cameras are expensive, and they depreciate fast. Consider that a D7000 when it first came out cost some Php75000 in the gray market. Today, a new D7000 costs around half of the price two years ago. Second hand D40/x (one of the best entry-level DSLR), D60, D3000, D3100, D5000, and D5100 can be had for less than 20,000, with kit lens! Before buying however, whether it is Nikon or Canon, check the item thoroughly. Ideally, it should have low actuation, no fungus, dents and cracks. Google the camera you want to purchase and read feedback from owners. This is the advantage of older DSLRs, there is already a wealth of information and reviews. Don't fear secondhand cameras, DSLRs are high quality electronics and most owners love their DSLRS so they take care of them. Be on the look out for owners who love to upgrade.
- Before buying a camera body, hold and feel it. The best camera for you is the most comfortable and intuitive camera on your hand.
- If money is not a problem, go ahead and buy a new cam.
- Kit lenses are great for learning. They are cheap and gets the usual jobs done. Using the kit lens allow you to determine your style - landscape, portrait macro, etc. As you grow in you photography, you will find that you need more than the kit lens.
- Invest in lenses instead of aping for newer bodies. Camera bodies depreciate fast as new technologies are unveiled every two years. However, lenses retain their value. Furthermore, lenses have greater impact on image quality and creativity than the body. Depending on your camera body, some lenses may not auto-focus (AF). Your choice of camera body may or may not have an impact on your choice of lenses. So do your homework. Nevertheless, invest in lenses. Entry level Nikon DSLRs usually don't have in-body motor, which means that old lenses will not AF. However, there are plenty of new lenses with motors already available. Even if you start your lens collection with these new lenses, they are all compatible and usable should you grow in your photography and decide to go beyond the entry level camera.
- Decide on a lens line-up. Some take the easy route - an all-around lens. An 18-200mm or 18-105mm zoom lens let you go wide for landscapes and zoom in for portrait shots. These are great walk around lenses. However, zoom lenses are often slow which limits your creativity. An option is to get a "trinity" lens line-up. The trinity line-up is usually made up of prime lenses that cover the wide, normal, and tele focal lengths. Primes are usually fast fixed focal length lenses. My personal trinity is a Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 to cover the wide, Nikkkor 35mm f/1.8 for the normal, and Nikkor 70-300mm f/3.5-5.6 for the tele. The wide and normal allows me to take landscapes and indoor shots even in low light. On the other hand, the 70-300 zoom is great for portrait shots and also a decent zoom in bright light (think beach). I focus manually when I use the Tokina 11-16. Manual focus is not as hard as it seems specially that my camera (D5100) has a built-in range finder which helps in focusing. The 35mm f/1.8 is a great companion to the D5100 as it is light as well as fast. Having a light set-up is often overlooked by many as they are often pre-occupied with bells and whistles.
- Primes are great companion for your kit lens. While saving-up for your trinity line-up, get a normal prime like the 35mm f/1.8 for available light/low-light situations.
- Study, read, join a forum. Joining a forum lets you participate in discussions to improve your photography. When I began photography as a hobby, I didn't have money to pay for lessons and workshops. To make up for formal training, I read up and joined forums. I asked. Joining a forum also lets you look at the work of other photographers. Use them as an inspiration, and try to take similar shots. Through trial and error, you will soon find yourself taking pictures similar in quality to the ones you are looking at.
- Shoot intelligently. Others may say keep shooting, its digital anyway, you can select your best shot later. But shooting without thinking is a waste of time and keeps you away from learning. Think first of your composition, shoot, evaluate your exposure, shoot again, evaluate your shot, shoot again, try other composition, shoot, evaluate, shoot. In other words, create the picture in your mind then take a shot of it.
- The best photographer is the one with the camera. The best photograph is the one that was shot. In order to be good at what you do, always bring a camera and practice, practice, and practice. With a phone cam you can shoot unexpected moments. With your DSLR you can refine your techniques. Having the ability to capture a moments is always better than imagining them.