Pixiq

Deciding which camera to use or purchase can be a daunting task. Sometimes, this task is taken care of for you as a gift or a hand-me-down (that’s how I got my first camera) or perhaps you’re searching the web looking for advice on giving a camera to someone as a gift. If you’re looking to purchase a camera (especially your first one) that decision will most likely affect your photography for years to come.

Before you go on I would suggest reading yesterday’s article: The Most Important Feature In Your Camera

Film or Digital?

This question doesn’t seem to get debated these days as much as it used to but it’s still worth taking a look into. While film and digital cameras work in similar ways the differences between the two formats is huge.

Both types of cameras record images through the lens as light is bounced off of the subject. In a film camera the shutter opens for a set amount of time and the light burns the image onto the film inside your camera. Digital cameras work in a similar fashion in that a shutter controls the time that light hits the sensor. The difference is that the light is recorded on a sensor that is readable by a computer. Each has it’s advantages over the other.

Film is still generally known for its superior quality and ability to capture detail with higher precision when comparing cameras at similar price points. Film adds a nostalgia to the process of photography and is seeing a resurgence in the photography community for it’s aesthetic appeal to both it’s quality of print and the overall photographic process. Film makes you slow down and really think about your photography because each click of the shutter has a monetary cost.

Digital images are composed of pixels. Basically they’re small color samples or dots that, when put together, make up a photograph. Like a mosaic. Megapixels = one million pixels. Camera manufacturers use the megapixel (MP) count of a camera to tout it’s higher resolution or it’s ability to capture fine detail. Camera manufacturers would have you believe that the more MPs a digital camera has the larger you can blow up a print. That’s true in a vacuum, but we don’t live in a vacuum. The size of the sensor on the camera has much to do with the quality of the image. Today’s digital cameras are advancing in technological leaps and bounds. There are many 8/10/12 MP cameras that can be found at very reasonable prices. These cameras would allow you to print images at fairly large sizes depending on the make and model.

Film cameras limit you to 36 photos per roll and require you to buy, develop, and print each roll. A digital camera, however, allows you to shoot a seemingly limitless amount of images depending on the size of the image in relation to the size of your memory card. Run out of space and you dump those images to the hard drive of your computer. Run out of hard drive space and you can purchase an additional hard drive at a fraction of the cost you would have paid a year ago (this will be true whether you read this when this article is published or years from now). Conversely, the cost of developing film will most likely continue to increase.

Perhaps the biggest advantage digital cameras have over their film counterparts is the instant gratification of seeing what you just shot. You’ll be able to recompose, if necessary, and check your exposure on the fly.

Another advantage is that digital photographers tend to only print the photographs they like best (if any at all!) as opposed to printing every negative off of a roll of film. This can greatly decrease the overall costs of a photography hobby.

Most people will end up buying a digital camera.

How Many Megapixels?

The first question to ask yourself is; what do I want to do with my pictures after I’ve captured them? If you’re just going to share them online to friends and family and maybe print out some 5″x7″s for scapbooking you don’t need much at all. An 8 or 10 megapixel camera like this Kodak EasyShare C180 10MP [Amazon] should meet your needs. You could go with less megapixels but at the prices that today’s cameras have dropped to you’ll be hard pressed to find a better deal than a year old 8 or 10 MP camera. However, if you are thinking of printing images at larger than 5″x7″ I highly recommend nothing smaller than 10 megapixels.

How Much Will I Spend?

The cost of digital cameras rises with the number of megapixels, the size of the sensor, and the number of “features” included. Digital cameras have features like face detection and image stabilization as well as automated shooting modes like sports and night photography. Think of a price range and look at the best options within that price range. Don’t forget to factor in extra costs like memory cards, camera bags, lenses, etc.

What Zoom Range is Right For Me?

How wide and close up can you get for the type of photography you will be doing? In digital cameras there are two zoom modes built into the lenses. Digital zooms and optical zooms. Only one of those should be used. The optical zoom is the real ability of that camera’s lens to zoom in and out. It’s the number your looking for. The digital zoom is what happens when your lens reaches it’s physical limits. Then a computer inside the camera takes over to crop inside your image. This is bad. You’re effectively making your image smaller giving the appearance of added zoom. You’ll end up with images that are of much lesser quality.

Here’s a good hint at knowing what kind of zoom range you need. Pay attention to the kind of photography that you like to look at. If you enjoy “street photography” or landscapes your going to want a wide angle zoom like the one found on this Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 10MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle [Amazon]. If you like sports or wildlife photography you’ll need more of a telephoto zoom like this Olympus SP-550UZ 7.1MP Digital Camera with Dual Image Stabilized 18x Optical Zoom [Amazon]. Most people will end up shooting in the same style that they like to look at.

What Size Camera Do I Need?

If portability is important to you then you’ll want to look at some of the slimmer point and shoots that will easily fit inside your pocket. If you’re into higher quality your options open up but the price goes up as well. You won’t get better quality than a good SLR or DSLR but they can be rather bulky. There are compromises in-between like Fujifilm’s FinePix S1500 10MP [Amazon] which is like a cross between a point and shoot and a DSLR. More portable than a DSLR but it won’t fit in a pocket unless your wearing Army pants.

Test Drive

If at all possible I always suggest heading to a store and getting your hands on the cameras your comparing.  The “feel” of the camera is important.  Play with the menus.  Do they make sense?  Sometimes, if you’re lucky, your camera will find you.