{"id":2014,"date":"2013-05-27T07:43:07","date_gmt":"2013-05-27T07:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/arjunkarthaphotography.com\/?p=2014"},"modified":"2020-05-09T02:20:47","modified_gmt":"2020-05-08T20:50:47","slug":"which-camera-do-i-buy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arjunkarthaphotography.com\/which-camera-do-i-buy\/","title":{"rendered":"Which camera do I buy: the amateur camera buying guide"},"content":{"rendered":"
No need for extra accessories like lenses, filters etc.<\/span><\/li>\n
SLIGHTLY more durable and resistance to shock<\/span><\/li>\n
Some cameras are built waterproof and are great for underwater photography<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Cons:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n
Small Sensor: never acheive DLR level quality<\/span><\/li>\n
Restrictions begin when you consider what different lenses do for DSLRs: wide lenses for landscapes, tele lenses for wildlife and so on.<\/span><\/li>\n
Performance degrades at night — ISO capabilities not on par with DSLRs (again because of the sensor size)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/td>\n
Pros:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n
Obvious advantage in quality — the larger sensor size in most cases gives you files @300dpi. Full frame cameras mimic the 35mm sensor size of yore.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
Interchangeable lenses: switch from extreme wide angles to huge zooms very quickly\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
Ability to shoot RAW in all DSLRs: even the entry level ones\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
Full manual control, or semi manual control\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
Better performance at night\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
Ability to shoot full HD 1080i video with a variety of lenses.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Cons:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n
Heavy. Big. Needs special bags and cases. Additional lenses add to the weight.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
Expensive. Additional lenses to expand your capabilities are much more so.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
<\/p>\n
\u00a0Step 4: Now choose.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
You’ve gone through the pre-requsities. Chances are, you’re already swinging one way or the other. Before I recommend which cameras I think are the best out there, here’s some advice on how to choose:<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\n
\n
Buy a point and shoot if you said:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n
Buy a D-SLR if you said:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
\n\n
I want a camera which I’ll use occasionally, mostly for travel\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
I want something LIGHT! I hate lugging extra weight along\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
I want a serious camera — but I can’t be bothered to buy extra lenses etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
I’m on a budget\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
I want something that’s a little better than my camera phone, but can’t handle the extra weight\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/td>\n
\n\n
I want to learn photography, and be able to have manual control over my camera.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
That’s it! Your decision is ready! You’ll note that there’s ONLY one reason why you should buy a DSLR. It’s sad, but I know of a lot of people who bought a DSLR and never take it out of their cupboard. DSLRs need commitment. You need to get used to packing an extra bag for every holiday. You need to remember that you need to sink in extra money on lenses. And don’t even get me started on full-frame and crop-sensor lenses! That’s for another blog post! \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n
So at the end of the day, consider your decision seriously. It’s not a casual investment — a good camera if the chosen right can give you years of good service. There’s absolutely no need to fall prey to camera company hype and upgrade your camera every two years. It’s not a washing machine — once you buy it, it should be yours for life. Or at least a very long time! (As I write this, my 2001-era Nikon D70s still works fine. It’s 13 years old, has been with me to the mountains of Ladakh and to the beaches of South India, and still serves me faithfully).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n