How to choose a good camera

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

There are no universal criteria. Everything will depend on why you need a camera.

First of all, you need to decide why you need a camera. Do you travel a lot? Do you want to record how your child is growing? Can't imagine life without extreme and want to revisit the moments that were breathtaking? Or did you realize that photography is your calling?

Anyway, there is no camera that would be ideal for all these purposes. Therefore, the camera must be selected in accordance with your requests.

But first, let's understand the types of cameras and incomprehensible terms.

What are cameras

Compact Cameras

Quite a large class of cameras from simple soap boxes to almost professional equipment.

Budget compact cameras. Today, one of the simplest and most affordable options. The cameras are very small, so they can easily fit into a woman's handbag or even a jacket pocket. Mastering them is also easy, but the pros end there.

They have one minus, but very significant: low quality of shooting. The latest models of smartphones shoot just as well, and sometimes even better. Therefore, if you dream of professional shots, leave your compact camera on the store shelf.

Ultrasounds. They are also called superzums or hyperzums. In fact, the same compact, only equipped with a lens that allows you to take good shots from a long distance. Well, the price of such cameras is much higher.

Professional compact cameras. These are versatile cameras that have taken a little bit from each type of camera. As a rule, they have a good fixed lens, and due to the large matrix, the image is quite high quality. They can also be equipped with a large zoom lens, which will allow you to take pictures from a long distance.

What can I say about the dimensions? Of course, you can't put such a camera in your pocket, but it doesn't look too bulky either. However, the fees for such versatility are quite high.

SLR Cameras

The camera got its name from the built-in mirror, through which the future frame, being refracted, goes straight into the viewfinder.

It is generally accepted that excellent pictures on DSLRs are obtained precisely because of this feature. In fact, the first and main component of an ideal photograph is the size of the matrix.

The matrix is the part of the camera on which the photograph is formed. The larger the matrix, the clearer and better the image will be.

It is thanks to the large matrix that the DSLRs produce high quality images. Another feature is removable lenses. There are a lot of them.

Familiarity with a DSLR usually begins with a standard set: the actual body of the camera and the lens. Such a kit is called a Kit or whale kit.

Professionals prefer to purchase a camera without a lens in order to equip it according to their needs. This type is called Body. In Russia, with someone's light hand, he long ago became a carcass.

DSLRs have two disadvantages: large dimensions and a high price even for mid-range cameras. Therefore, not everyone can afford them.

Mirrorless Cameras

Mirrorless cameras have appeared on the digital market relatively recently. They are also equipped with a large sensor, which allows you to take pictures of excellent quality. The dimensions of this technique are much smaller than that of SLR cameras. However, the camera cannot be called completely compact, and you still need a separate bag to carry it.

The disadvantages of a mirrorless camera include a rather fast battery consumption and a high price.

Action Cameras

The name speaks for itself. Such cameras are designed for photography and video shooting in extreme conditions: during skydiving, scuba diving, skiing or fast driving.

Modern action cameras produce a good quality picture, but in low light it practically disappears.

Nevertheless, the price for such devices is quite high.

Which camera to choose

Amateur photography

A compact professional camera is ideal for you. It has everything to get great quality photos. For the very first shots, use the automatic mode, and when you realize that this is no longer enough, delve into the settings. Such devices are equipped with more than one installation for shooting in various conditions.

If you plan to photograph children, choose a camera with the fastest autofocus possible. Otherwise, the child will have time to turn away, look away, or even run away from the frame.

Looking towards DSLRs? Get an entry-level whale camera: its capabilities are more than enough for home shots. Do not be afraid of the word "initial": it does not mean at all that you will get poor quality pictures. It's just that such cameras lack additional functions that you are unlikely to ever need.

Professional photography

If your dream is to conquer the world with perfect shots or you are already thinking about opening your own photography studio, pay attention to mid-range and high-end DSLRs. These are reliable tools that will not only take high-quality pictures, but also prove to be very convenient.

The whale assembly capabilities will quickly become insufficient, and it's time to experiment with filters and lenses. Don't worry about the big size: a small camera in the hands of a professional will look frivolous.

When choosing a future camera, keep in mind the main features of professional photography: a large matrix and the possibility of replacing the lens.

A mirrorless camera will also be useful for your purposes. They shoot as well as their mirror sisters.

Do not forget that such a technique will require considerable financial investments.

Trips

Everyone dreams of bringing great pictures from vacation, so a smartphone camera is often not enough.

A travel camera should not be bulky or heavy, because most often the most beautiful places come across on excursions. And it is not very convenient to carry large equipment for several hours in a row, especially if you have chosen a hot country for your vacation.

Therefore, for travel, choose a professional compact or ultrazoom. As you remember, in the first case the pictures will be of better quality. But the price is also higher.

Try to choose a camera with a viewfinder. On a sunny day, it is very difficult to see the future frame on the built-in screen. Don't forget about filters for shooting in bright conditions. They are compact and inexpensive. And if you plan to shoot from the window of a train or car, make sure that the future camera has a good stabilizer, otherwise you risk getting fuzzy blurry frames.

Those who like extreme relaxation should purchase an action camera. It should be lightweight, waterproof, and ideally also indestructible.

How not to overpay for a camera

1. Do not go to the store without having decided on a specific model. The choice is huge, and asking for help from sellers is a disastrous job. They will pick up a camera for you, do not hesitate, only you will pay for it twice as much as you planned.
2. Don't get hung up on a specific manufacturer. Everyone has both successful models and downright failures.
3. Look for camera reviews on the internet. Use services to compare different models and types of cameras. For example, Digital Photography Review or DxOMark.
4. Don't chase the number of pixels. Many believe that the quality of photographs directly depends on this parameter. In fact, it only affects the maximum size of pictures (this is important if you want to print a poster from a photo). 16-20 megapixels for home photography and travel will be enough.
5. Consider if you need features like Wi-Fi, NFC (wireless technology) and GPS. As practice has shown, few people use them. So why overpay?
6. The lens for the camera must have the highest aperture: the quality of shooting in low light directly depends on this. The optimal value is f2.8–4.0.
7. Pay attention to the quality of the video. The 4K format is rapidly gaining popularity, so a rare manufacturer does not equip new models with it, but to fully view such a video, you need a 4K TV, projector or monitor. To shoot excellent quality videos, Full HD is enough.

What to look at in the store

1. Take the time to hold the camera: it should fit comfortably in your hands.
2. Examine the lens carefully: it shouldn't be scratched.
3. Check the matrix for broken or problem pixels. To do this, you need to remove a solid background, preferably gray, and ask to demonstrate the resulting photo on the monitor screen. Enlarge the image to the maximum: all dots should be the same color.
4. Take multiple shots in different modes. Check out how the zoom works.
5. Examine the appearance of the camera, check the functionality of the buttons.

Remember that the key to good shots is not only a good camera, but also a good handling of it. So read the guides, don't be afraid to experiment with the settings, try different modes … Another tip: shoot as much as possible. So you will quickly understand the functions of the camera, and the quantity, no matter how trite it may sound, will very soon turn into quality.