The first thing to consider is what you'll be using the camera for - portraits, landscapes, sports, etc. And how the images will be used - photo book, small prints, very large prints, wall portraits, etc. Because you never know how large you might want a print to be, and because of advances in camera technology, I would get no less than a 12 megapixel camera, or larger if you can afford it. Once you have a few cameras picked out, run a Google search to compare them (for example, put in the search box "Nikon D610 vs Canon 5D Mk III" if those are your choices). Check things like ISO for photo quality, shutter speeds, perhaps what lenses might be available for the camera, the cost of the camera and the lenses, how many focus points the camera has, what kind of metering, etc.). Is it weather sealed? Have there been any problems reported for the camera? Some cameras are rated for 100,000 actuations, some 150,000, and some for 200,000 before the shutter has to be replaced.
I almost forgot - camera bodies come with either full frame sensors or cropped frame sensors. With full frame sensors, the focal length of your lens will be what the lens says it is. But with a cropped frame sensor, depending on the camera, you will need to multiply your lens focal length by probably 1.5 or 1.6, so, for example, a 50mm lens will become at 75mm or 80mm lens.
With lenses, some of the same questions apply - what will you be photographing? Should you buy the most expensive lenses? Also, zoom or fixed focal length, and what focal length to start with? What price range? If a zoom, look at whether it has vibration reduction (VR), which may be called different things by different companies. If you're doing portraits, you would need to consider how much space you'll have to shoot in. You'll also want the largest f-stop you can afford. Keep in mind that 3rd party lenses can sometimes save you money. Some may be better than the camera's own brand, which may cost you a lot more. For example, a Nikon 50mm f1.8 can be bought for around $120 - $200, while a Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art Lens costs $789 - $949. If you're shooting portraits, you may not need a super sharp lens if you prefer a slightly softer look in your portraits.
You may see some cameras and lenses referred to as professional, prosumer, starter, or some other designation. Depending on what you are going to photograph, a prosumer camera may be fine, even for professional results. However, if you plan to shoot weddings, and you're new and want to shoot for someone else as a second shooter, you will most likely need a professional camera with a full frame sensor. Most photographers will require that, although in my opinion, a cropped frame sensor would do an excellent job, as long as it can shoot in low light and maintain good quality.
Once you've picked out a camera that you think you want, put the name of the camera with the word "review" after it in Google, and go to the listing for dpreview where you can find everything about the camera. You may also want to go to KenRockwell's review.
One option before you buy is to rent the camera and lens combination that you are interested in and try it out.
This sort of just scratched the surface, but will hopefully help you start your search. Now for two sample photos, one shot with a Canon EOS 10D (6mp) and one with a Panasonic FZ30 (8mp) with non interchangeable fixed zoom lens - I had a 24x30 print made from each - both came out very clear and sharp. These have been reduced in size for display here. Both cameras have since had several upgrades, that probably cost less, too, than the originals.
Which was shot with which camera?
What current camera do I recommend? Here is a comparison of two cameras, and I agree with their choice: Nikon D610 vs Canon 5D MKIII - even better, if you can afford it is the Nikon D750 and Nikon D810 (Nikon D750 vs D810) - a toss-up. Again, I agree. I would go with the Nikon D750 if you can could afford it, and if not, then the D610.
No comments:
Post a Comment