Buying A New Digital Camera
By Nick Stubbs, Fri Dec 9th

I feel, after visiting so many websites and reading so muchadvice, and also by frequently visiting photography forums, thatI have to speak on this subject.

For the majority of the buying public, there are 2categories that we fall into when getting started or upgradingin digital photography, the "Absolute Beginner" or the "Amateur"(or serious amateur sometimes labelled as semi pro).

Now for the beginner, or someone getting startedin photography itself (not just digital), the choice of camerasnowadays is quite overwhelming! Everywhere you look there arecameras, not just in camera shops like the good old days.You even get given a cheap digital camera as a gift for buyingsomething else in some places. There are reasonably powerfuldigital in the more expensive mobile phones now and theycome in all shapes and sizes.

So where do you possibly start and how do you make that choicefor buying a camera for yourself or someone else. Really it isquite simple and there are 3 criteria you should look at:

1.Quality - If you want the camera to last at least a fewyears and not get bothered by a bit of bashing about, go forquality. A titanium body, not plastic, something that is fairlyheavy and robust in your hands, you can feel quality!

2.Features - Do you want quality video capabilities? Howbig do you want to print the pictures that come from the camerasfiles (how many mega pixels)? Do you want to have at leastsome manual features so you can get a bit creative? Or doyou just want a "Point-and-shoot" digital camera?

3.Price - You will have a budget in mind of how much youwant to spend. Get the best camera and memory you can for yourbudget, worry about extras later! Don't be cheap; if you wantreasonably good quality prints, by spending too little on a verycheap camera, you will waste paper, printer ink and/or goodmoney at your local lab. Get a good make and model of digitalcamera now and it will outlast a cheapie 4 or 5 times.

DO NOT be swayed by digital that have"Non-Photographic" features, gadgets and gizmos. Any of theseunnecessary features added means that some quality has beensacrificed elsewhere. Buy a camera to be a camera, andnothing else. I would also suggest buying one of the top brandssuch as Canon, Nikon, Konica-Minolta, Olympus etc., they maycost a little more, but the difference in quality is worth it.They all make cheaper end too.

Look for decent features such as a good optical zoom, NOTdigital zoom. Digital zoom is an unnecessary marketing tool; itis the same as zooming in on the photo once you get it onto yourPC. 10-20X digital zoom is acceptable but I have seen videocameras with 1000X digital zoom, have you ever tried holding thecamera steady at these kind of magnifications, even witha tripod?!!

Basically, write down exactly what you want andneed from the camera, go to a reputable dealer and buy a goodbranded camera that has what you need for your requirements andbudget, don't be swayed by the salesperson into buying more thanyou need.

Now, the Amateur or Semi Pro. When you start tolook at Semi professional Digital SLR's or Advanced digitalcompact cameras, the choice is a little less but no lessconfusing. The same advice goes here as in the previous section,think about what you need the camera for, how you think you mayprogress in this hobby and your budget.

The "prosumer" advanced digital compact cameras availabletoday are steadily encroaching on the quality of the DSLR,although

in my opinion, they will never catch them. The opticalzooms are fantastic, the sensors, albeit smaller than the DSLRare powerful and produce stunning images, and some even have"built-in" image stabilisers…Great!

Again, my advice would be to go for quality. These aremore expensive anyway and you want one that will last andput up with a bit of knocking from your "getting creative inphotography" moments! Once you have your advanced digitalcompact, don’t be swayed by the latest upgrades, updates orreleases. Get to know what you have, learn how to use iteffectively and learn the photography side ofphotography, not the technical side.

Once you are happy with your progression and feel that you wantto move on, be more in control and maybe even start to earn fromphotography, only then should you splash out and upgrade to aDigital SLR.

The Semi Professional Digital SLR or consumer DSLR is afantastic thing in photography. Many of the "die-hard" filmphotographers are seeing the light and going digital. Manyaspects of film are still widely used and will do for some time,as large format film photography produces the absolute finestdetail I have seen (at the time of writing. In 2020, whoknows?).

However, the latest batch of Digital SLR's have now reached thepoint where they match or out perform 35mm film. It is predictedthat next year (2006) will be "boom time" for the sales ofDSLR's as the quality increases and the prices come down. Therehas never been a better or cheaper way to get into 35mmphotography!

The BIGGEST thing to consider when buying a DSLR kit isto choose your brand loyalty. Look at Canon, Nikon,Konica-Minolta, Olympus, Kodak etc., and make your choice, why?As you progress and become more enthusiastic or serious, youwill want to add more lenses to your kit. Wide angle, telephoto,zoom, macro, standard….there is a massive choice.

With the way technology is going, you are much morelikely to upgrade your camera than you are your lenses and itwill be a lot cheaper to do so once you really get intothis hobby, believe me! One decent lens in my kit cost €2,000(£1400) alone. A decent lens will, with care, last you alifetime. There is only a certain level of quality of the glassyou can obtain with optics so remember this point when buyingyour camera.

My choice? Canon. I used to work for Nikon and had apreference towards them, but nowadays all my kit is Canon. Ifeel they are one step ahead with technology and the lenses(especially the nice white ones) are amazing! Just look at thenext major sporting event on TV, how many "White" lenses yousee. Only Canon makes white lenses.

Again, once you have made your choice, BUY the camera, ENJOY itand LEARN from it! If the sensor (i.e. 8MP or bigger) producesLARGE, high quality prints, why be swayed by the newer,latest upgrades? Photography is about "learning" and enjoyment,DO NOT be intimidated by technological gobbeldy gook, as long asyour camera has the features that you need, quality to match andyou build a nice set of lenses over time, who cares ifthe latest model has 0.1% better white balance control, orflashing lights?

If you are new to Digital SLR's, I have a section on my websitethat explains all the bits and buttons…

DigitalSLR Newbie?

All the best and enjoy yourselves!

Nick Stubbs All Things Photography

About the author:Professional photographer with more than 20 years experience.Started at 13 by building own darkroom, progressed to become anapprentice at 16 and have not looked back since.