Photography - Things to Consider Before Buying a Camera
Before you are able to take the kind of photos you want to take,
it is important to think about the equipment you would like to
start out with. Probably the most important decision you will
have to make is what kind of camera to buy. There are so many
options and brands now that the whole process can seem quite
overwhelming.
Shopping for Cameras:
If you are planning to become a serious photographer you should
probably buy an SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera. The term single
lens reflex comes from the fact that the camera has a view of
the subject through a single lens and that view is reflected to
the viewfinder so the photographer can see exactly what is going
to be in the picture. The Digital SLR’s are getting so advanced
that it’s very hard to choose a film camera over a digital. The
main advantage of an SLR camera over a point-and-shoot digital
camera is the fact that you can change lenses and filters
whenever you want to, although new point-and-shoot cameras have
increasing optical zoom and similar capabilities.
Point-and-shoot cameras are also a great idea if you just want
something simple and small that is convenient to carry wherever
you go.
What to Look for in Lenses:
Lenses are what your camera uses to focus on the world. All
lenses are defined by their focal length and aperture. The focal
length tells you what the angle of view is and how far it
magnifies. The aperture is the amount of light that the camera
is letting into the sensor. Any lens lower than 50 mm focal
length is considered wide-angle. Any at 50 mm is considered
normal. And any lens above 50 mm is considered a telephoto. But
there are also zoom lenses that have a variable focal length.
With a zoom lens you can cover a wide range such as 28 mm to 105
mm or 80 mm to 210 mm.
Lenses can be very expensive and very cheap and it is usually
the faster lenses or the ones with the wider apertures that are
the highest priced. The faster lenses are more appealing
primarily because they can produce better pictures in dim light
without a tripod. But it is quite possible to find great lenses
at low prices. Probably the first lens you buy should be broad
range zoom lens such as a 28 mm to 105 mm. The slight drawback
of zoom lenses is that they are slower and they don’t quite
match the sharpness and contrast of a fixed focal length lens.
Do You Need any Filters?
Another very important item that you should definitely acquire
is an ultra-violet filter (UV filter). It is a simple piece of
glass that screws on to the end of your lens and protects it
from scratches, dust, dirt, moisture and fingerprints while
reducing unwanted ultra-violet light.
But when you buy a UV filter you might as well get a polarizer
filter as well. A polarizer filter is most commonly used for
darkening the sky by cutting through atmospheric haze. This
affect can also dramatically improve the results of black and
white photography. Polarizer filters are also good for removing
reflections from glass or water.
Get a Tripod:
We would also strongly recommend that you buy a tripod of some
kind which is vital when there is not enough light to handhold a
picture. Some of the best pictures you’ve seen at dusk, night,
or just when it’s cloudy have almost certainly been taken using
a tripod. Tripods allow you to use your camera’s full range of
shutter speed and aperture combinations which can sometimes
creating amazing unexpected results.
You should pick a tripod that is plenty sturdy but also
convenient enough to carry wherever you might want it. You also
might want it tall enough so you can look through your camera at
eye level.
Some Memory Card Details:
Memory cards are extremely convenient with digital cameras but
you need to make sure you have all the space on them that you
want. It is always a good feeling to know that you can take all
the pictures that you want when you think you have a good
opportunity. Most SLR’s take Compact Flash memory cards, smaller
cameras usually either take Secure Digital memory cards or Sony
memory sticks.
It is convenient to have only one format of memory card if you
have multiple cameras because then you can interchange them even
between a big SLR and a small point and shoot camera. The
smaller cameras usually use secure digital cards and Sony memory
sticks but some very nice ones use compact flash cards. One
thing you must always do is remember to format the card after
you unload pictures and put it back into the camera or else you
won’t have the full capacity of the card.
If you are looking to buy a new digital camera you should
consider these things or you might have regrets later.
About the author:
Richard Schneider is a digital photography enthusiast and
founder of http://www.picturecorrect.com/ which offers tips and
news about digital photography, digital camera reviews,
photoshop tutorials and computer wallpaper.