If you're planning to buy your first DSLR camera, or upgrading to a more feature-rich model, I want to give you some helpful ideas on choosing the right SLR cameras for beginners. One or two of the points in this article may seem obvious, but I want to explain my decision making process when I consider getting a new camera.
You have to weigh up your budget, needs and desires to make a decision. At the end of the day, the camera is just a piece of kit we use for our hobby.
1. Know what your budget is. When you're thinking about the camera itself, start at the bottom of the price range and work your way up. You already know what the features are that you want. If you're not looking for any specific features, you should start by considering a simple point and shoot. Check the reviews then decide if you should consider a more expensive model.
2. Think about the following:
* Auto focus
* HD video features
* How heavy or how light do you want it to be?
* How many frames per second (fps) do you want?
* The number of memory cards the camera can hold at once
* How decent is the sensor?
* Do you want a full frame or not?
Any extra cash you have left in your budget after the camera can go towards lenses, which can get very expensive very quickly. Remember, you don't need to spend lots of money to take pictures.
3. What kind of photography do you want to do? What kinds of photos do you plan on taking? Everyone has different needs. Some people want to do landscapes, others want to do sports, some want to do all of it. You get buy kits that come with the camera body, lenses, flash and a bag. It is a good idea to see how it feels in your hands. Beginner level DSLRs are getting more and more powerful, meaning you can do almost anything you want with them, so save money for the lenses.
4. Consider going with a 2nd hand body to save some money on the camera and have more money to spend on lenses.
5. The advantage of getting an entry level body over a more advanced one is obviously cost, but you also get the choice over auto mode or scene modes which you don't get in the more expensive professional lines. You can learn more from the camera this way to see how it sets itself up for different shots.
6. A popular camera kit choice is a body with an intermediate lens like an 18 - 55mm lens, which will come with the Nikon D3100 kit. This lens is also a macro lens (or a micro lens as Nikon calls it). You should also get a photo lens like the55 to 200 which comes with many D3100 kits. If you're just starting out, these two lenses will be an excellent choice, however if you're looking for something extra, try getting a lens that will enable you to shoot in low light. The aperture will open up very wide to F1.8 or 1.4.
7. Be sure to check whether the lens is DX or FX. The entry level Nikon DSLRs come with DX format sensors. This type of sensor is a crop sensor. The FX sensors are in the most expensive Nikon DSLRs and are bigger. You can use both DX and FX lens types on all Nikon DSLRs.
8. If you are getting a camera with an auto focus feature, make sure the lenses are also able to auto focus.
9. You also might want to invest in some quite cheap UV filters, which screw onto the end of the lens and will provide some more protection. You can get them in different sizes, so take a look when you make your purchase.
10. Think about what flashesyou want. They are branded as Speedlites by Nikon. Many digital DLR cameras include pop up flashes. A Speedlite has more power and will attach to the hot shoe of your camera. Some flashes let you control the direction of the light to some degree by tilting them. Some let you control the output.
11. You'll also have to get a memory card for your camera. There is a huge range out there.
12. A bag is something else to think about. Bags are included with most kits. There are lots of bags to choose from and everyone has their own preferences.
13. Another consideration is photo editing software. Picasa is a free download from Google which is great to experiment with before getting something like Apple Aperture, or Photoshop Elements or Adobe Lightroom.
So as you can see, there's a lot of information to take in. There are a lot of options when you're first starting out. Take some time to learn the technical stuff and find out where your equipment is falling short for you. From there you'll be able to expand out.
You have to weigh up your budget, needs and desires to make a decision. At the end of the day, the camera is just a piece of kit we use for our hobby.
1. Know what your budget is. When you're thinking about the camera itself, start at the bottom of the price range and work your way up. You already know what the features are that you want. If you're not looking for any specific features, you should start by considering a simple point and shoot. Check the reviews then decide if you should consider a more expensive model.
2. Think about the following:
* Auto focus
* HD video features
* How heavy or how light do you want it to be?
* How many frames per second (fps) do you want?
* The number of memory cards the camera can hold at once
* How decent is the sensor?
* Do you want a full frame or not?
Any extra cash you have left in your budget after the camera can go towards lenses, which can get very expensive very quickly. Remember, you don't need to spend lots of money to take pictures.
3. What kind of photography do you want to do? What kinds of photos do you plan on taking? Everyone has different needs. Some people want to do landscapes, others want to do sports, some want to do all of it. You get buy kits that come with the camera body, lenses, flash and a bag. It is a good idea to see how it feels in your hands. Beginner level DSLRs are getting more and more powerful, meaning you can do almost anything you want with them, so save money for the lenses.
4. Consider going with a 2nd hand body to save some money on the camera and have more money to spend on lenses.
5. The advantage of getting an entry level body over a more advanced one is obviously cost, but you also get the choice over auto mode or scene modes which you don't get in the more expensive professional lines. You can learn more from the camera this way to see how it sets itself up for different shots.
6. A popular camera kit choice is a body with an intermediate lens like an 18 - 55mm lens, which will come with the Nikon D3100 kit. This lens is also a macro lens (or a micro lens as Nikon calls it). You should also get a photo lens like the55 to 200 which comes with many D3100 kits. If you're just starting out, these two lenses will be an excellent choice, however if you're looking for something extra, try getting a lens that will enable you to shoot in low light. The aperture will open up very wide to F1.8 or 1.4.
7. Be sure to check whether the lens is DX or FX. The entry level Nikon DSLRs come with DX format sensors. This type of sensor is a crop sensor. The FX sensors are in the most expensive Nikon DSLRs and are bigger. You can use both DX and FX lens types on all Nikon DSLRs.
8. If you are getting a camera with an auto focus feature, make sure the lenses are also able to auto focus.
9. You also might want to invest in some quite cheap UV filters, which screw onto the end of the lens and will provide some more protection. You can get them in different sizes, so take a look when you make your purchase.
10. Think about what flashesyou want. They are branded as Speedlites by Nikon. Many digital DLR cameras include pop up flashes. A Speedlite has more power and will attach to the hot shoe of your camera. Some flashes let you control the direction of the light to some degree by tilting them. Some let you control the output.
11. You'll also have to get a memory card for your camera. There is a huge range out there.
12. A bag is something else to think about. Bags are included with most kits. There are lots of bags to choose from and everyone has their own preferences.
13. Another consideration is photo editing software. Picasa is a free download from Google which is great to experiment with before getting something like Apple Aperture, or Photoshop Elements or Adobe Lightroom.
So as you can see, there's a lot of information to take in. There are a lot of options when you're first starting out. Take some time to learn the technical stuff and find out where your equipment is falling short for you. From there you'll be able to expand out.
About the Author:
If you're thinking about upgrading or buying your very first SLR body camera please visit my blog to learn tons of awesome tips and tricks to help you get better at your hobbytoday.