We all want to take better pictures. It doesn’t matter if you’ve spent thousands of dollars on your photo gear or you’re just using the camera that’s built into your phone. What you need are some tips from the pros, and you too can take great pictures.
The most logical place to start any discussion about photography is with the camera. When I write this next line, it’s going to kill any chance of me getting Nikon to sponsor me: you can take great pictures with any camera. My local newspaper runs regular photo contests. Sometimes the winners are pros, but more often than not, the winners are average people using an inexpensive camera.
Let’s start by making an assumption that we are talking about digital cameras. Film cameras are getting increasingly difficult to find at camera shops – and increasingly easier to find on eBay.
I hate to break this to you but if you still have a film camera, it’s almost worthless... Sorry.
There are three kinds of cameras: DSLR, point-and-shoot and “included”. A DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera is a camera with removable lenses. If you’re a serious hobbyist, or you’re a wannabe, then a DSLR is the way to go. They give you more control with a host of manual settings. Being able to change lenses and filters are critical to high-end photography.
A point-and-shoot camera is one designed to be easy to use. Most have some manual settings but primarily they’re intended to be used in an automatic mode. Focus, shutter speed and all of the other worries are done for the photographer automatically. They also have built-in lenses.
A new category of cameras is the “included” camera. These are cameras built into other things. My phone has two cameras. My computer has a camera. My video game has one. My car even has one. The idea behind these cameras is that the camera you have with you is always better than the camera that you don’t have with you. To date, the one thing that all included cameras have in common is that they don’t take high quality pictures. They’re getting better but they don’t yet compete with stand-alone cameras in terms of quality.
Which model should I buy?
Once you have decided the category that suits you best, the obvious question is which model. A person could go nuts evaluating all of the options and reading all of the reviews that are out there. The options are constantly changing. Rather than trying to make a futile recommendation, let me share some information that will make choosing easier.
First, it’s not a Maytag. My mom has had the same Maytag washer and dryer my whole life. Good for my mom but bad for Maytag. Unlike Maytag, the marketing folks at Canon think of their customers in terms of “lifecycle”. They have designed their product plan around the idea that every 5 years you’re going to buy a new camera. To make that happen, they design obsolescence into their product line. Cool new features will keep coming out and eventually you won’t be able to help yourself and you’ll buy a new camera. It’s inevitable. The best hedge against this is to buy the latest and greatest. Buying last year’s model won’t save you any money because right away, you’re a year closer to obsolescence.
Another decision that you’re going to make is which brand. The two most popular brands are Nikon and Canon. I would stick with one of them because both are very active in their lines. They have the sales volume to justify developing new technology and releasing new models. Competitors like Pentax, Olympus, Panasonic, Sony and Kodak simply don’t have that horsepower.
When you make a choice of brand, you should figure that you will probably stick with it forever. The controls differ so much between brands that once you learn one, it will be hard to learn the other system. If you’ve opted for a DSLR, the other reason for brand loyalty is that you’re going to have accessories that only work on that brand’s cameras.
How to pick a brand? Generally speaking, professional photographers will tell you that Nikon pictures are warmer and Canon pictures are more saturated. The difference is minimal but that’s the feeling. Both take great pictures and you can’t go wrong.
So what do I use? I have two cameras: one for work and one for personal use. Both are DSLRs. The work camera is a Canon 7D. I love it because it’s fast and loaded with features. It’s the top of the consumer line of cameras… a “prosumer” model. My personal camera is a Canon T2i. What I love about it is that it has most of the features of the 7D, it uses the same image sensor, but it’s much lighter which makes it great for carrying around.
Ron J. Miller
My Flickr Photostream
