[Part nine of the Photography Fundamentals series, be sure to check out all 10 posts!]
I hate telling people what camera to buy. I always feel like a salesman, and I’m a horrible salesman.
There are so many different details that factor into choosing the right camera and so many different needs for camera users that I’m pretty much not going to bother trying to tell you which model to buy. I will make some broad suggestions, however.
Experiment
Go to Best Buy (or wherever) and try out some of the display models. You don’t even have to buy your camera there. But experiment with the different camera settings, shutter speed and aperture controls as well as the different focal lengths. Take some pictures in the store. How about a super close-up shallow depth of field shot of the camera in the next display?
How does it handle the light in the store? Does the auto-focus seem to work? See how long you can stand around testing out cameras before you’re kicked out.
There are a billion different sites on camera research and they will all tell you a different camera is the best in its category. It’s much better to figure out which one you like using the most.
Ignore the gimmicks
I have a camcorder I use for home movies that says it records in 5.1 surround sound. Seriously. That’s just about the stupidest gimmick I’ve ever come across. Every year camera companies try to out-do each other by creating useless features.
It’s a marketing technique and should be ignored when you’re trying to find the best camera for you. Just pretend like you’ve never seen the TV ads with Taylor Swift and can’t read what’s written on the box.
Talk to an expert, not a salesman
My favorite method for deciding what camera to buy is finding an expert I trust. This is someone in the field who actually uses a camera on a regular basis. If you’re lucky, they will even let your try out some of their stuff. A friend of mine got to try out Philip Bloom’s Leica M9. All he had to do was ask.
The bottom line is, if someone you trust uses a certain camera to take great pictures, it’s a good bet you could use it to take great pictures too. So much of good photography is about the skill of the photographer, not the gear that he or she is using.
Make sure you can return it
This isn’t an option at some places, but it’s ideal for a photographer trying to find his or her camera soul-mate. If you buy a camera that frustrates you to pieces, take it back if you can.
In the end, your time is much better spent refining your skills as a photographer, not pondering which camera you should buy. Use the tools you have to make great images.
[Part nine of the Photography Fundamentals series, be sure to check out all 10 posts!]
