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All photographs copyright Harry Cutting. All rights reserved.
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I'm often asked what camera I
would recommend. I always wince a little. There are a lot of very good
cameras and lenses, and even though it's great fun to try them out,
analyze and research them, you'd be fine choosing almost any brand. All
the major camera makers, Nikon, Canon, Olympus, etc What you need is to find the digital camera that suits you so you can concentrate on improving your photography. Developing your photo skills is what will make you a better photographer, not your equipment. But using photo equipment that's not suited to you can make your photography a complicated mess instead of the elegant form of self-expression that it is. Photo details > picture at right In this tutorial section I'll try to guide you toward a sensible camera choice that's right for you. This section is not meant for professional photographers. It's aimed at beginners and advanced photographers; those either just starting out or those needing to upgrade their equipment. One last thing: for clarity I've tried to keep things simple. Forgive me if it's too much so. I've also included more numbers and specs than I'd like. I hope you can forgive that too. Photo details > picture below
> A Confession
Believe me, during three decades
of photography I've made every equipment mistake in the book. I've
wasted lots of money. I've been needlessly frustrated. I've wasted
time. Mostly this That's what most people need; something simple and suitable. A camera that's right for them. Those of you that aspire to more advanced photography will eventually settle on a more complex digital SLR system, or have already; others who need a camera mostly for family or vacation snapshots will likely be fine with a modern digital Point and Shoot (P&S). But your choice of camera type doesn't necessarily have to work out this way. SLR's can be heavy, bulky, complicated and too inconvenient to lug around; modern P&S's are pocketable, simple and can do amazing work. Keep an open mind. TWO CAMERA TYPES - SLR and POINT AND SHOOT For our purposes, modern day cameras are classified as either SLR's (Single Lens Reflex) or (P&S) Point and Shoot.
On the downside, SLR's and their accessories are heavy to carry. They are bulky. They can be complicated. And they can be quite expensive. Point and shoot cameras are everything SLR's are not: they are small and light, mostly simple to use and inexpensive. Modern digital P&S cameras are rich in features such as exposure compensation, high quality fill flash, white balance settings and metering choices. Lens quality is usually very high. I have used P&S cameras for years, both as family snap cameras and in my professional work. I use several digital Olympus P&S's and a Ricoh film point and shoot. On the minus side, P&S cameras don't allow you to change lenses, have fairly weak on-board flashes and usually do not permit add-on flash. They offer more limited exposure and metering choices than SLR's. You compose through a separate lens resulting in some inaccuracy with close-in subjects; your picture will be slightly to the left/right, or up/down from the way you composed it (with close-in subjects). SO WHICH CAMERA TYPE FOR YOU? First you need to decide whether
you need an SLR or a P&S at this stage of your photography.
Selecting a nice digital SLR camera system might seem like the way to
go at first. You'll have lens and Also, by buying into an SLR system you become entrenched in that system. The lenses and accessories only operate with that manufacturer's system. If later on you change your mind, sure, you can change SLR systems, but that's an expensive switch. Bottom line: if you're seriously interested in nature, sports or close-up photography you'll be well suited with an SLR system. You'll need the SLR's versatility: to change lenses, add flash units, use higher shutter speeds and so on. If you're mostly concerned with family, vacation and personal pictures then a P&S is a good choice. The right P&S will be a joy to use for almost any situation. Light, fast, simple, inexpensive, sharp pictures and you can carry it in your purse or pocket. And finally, if you go the SLR route, make sure you invest in a good P&S also. Having a camera with you at all always trumps having left the "big camera" at home because it's too inconvenient. Features That Matter In a P&S: are a large viewing screen for composing and viewing your photos. High capacity picture storage capabilities. Rechargeable battery and possibly disposable battery capable, too. Enough metering choices. Flash capable to ten feet. Acceptable zoom range and lens speed; a zoom of about 3:1 (widest setting is about one third of the longest setting) is a good range and keeps the lens speed fairly fast. You'll need a wide setting of at least 35-40 mm (film equivalent), wider if possible, for good indoor coverage. A five to eight megapixel model is enough. (See Selection Tips below). Photo details
SLR Lenses: Beware lenses: choose them carefully. Lenses are what really make your pictures - and drain your cash. Generally the faster lenses (lower max f-stop number) are the most worthy, and the most expensive. Their brighter view makes for easier focussing and composing. This is a major benefit over slower optics. Also they are generally sharper at wider apertures than slower glass if for no other reason than they are wider to begin with. Let me explain. Most lenses are sharpest beginning at about two stops from maximum aperture. So a wider lens will be sharper at a wider setting than a slower one. If you're filming wildlife or sports there are huge benefits to using a super-sharp wider aperture: you're able to use faster shutter speeds to freeze action and mitigate camera shake, and you can isolate your subject by adding more out of focus blur to the background with wider apertures. The downside is fast lenses are more costly, especially long lenses, so you may need to hike down to a middle ground depending on your finances. You may be just fine with a relatively slow long optic, a rugged tripod and the widest, sharpest aperture setting for that lens. Slower lenses are often just as sharp (at their optimum aperture settings) as faster ones. I'd recommend at least starting with an affordable slower long lens unless you have a genuine compelling reason to spring for more expensive glass. If later you need a faster lens you'll be all the wiser to make a smart upgrade. It's often possible, and a good idea, to rent or borrow a lens for "pre-purchase" evaluation. Some photo retailers allow customers to try out a lens for no or low charge. Ask nicely. And spend your money there. The key to melting their heart and walking out with a loaner lens is being their customer to begin with. IMPORTANT CAMERA SELECTION TIPS When choosing a camera, whether an SLR or P&S, consider the following qualities; they can be more important than anything else and are frequently overlooked: Good Handling: No
matter what camera you end up with make sure it handles well. Make sure
it fits Clear Controls: Your camera choice should have clear, logical controls. They should operate as intuitively as possible for you. This can vary by model within the same manufacturer. Sometimes you'll find really well thought out controls on one model and such awful controls on a nearly identical model that it's hard to believe it's from the same manufacturer. This is why it's so important to pick up and use the exact model you're considering buying. Spend hours and hours trying them out at the camera store. Photo details Low Shutter Lag:
A big problem with some digital camera models, especially P&S's, is
"shutter lag". That's the time between when you press the shutter and
when the camera actually makes the picture. Several things happen when
you press the shutter button: pressing it halfway starts the focussing
process and sets the exposure; then pressing it all the way "trips the
shutter" and the picture is made. The camera can delay too much for
your taste at each (or all) these stages but the most annoying is the
last stage when, after you've set the focus and exposure, and
recomposed your shot, and you finally press the shutter at the exact
right moment, and - long long pause - the picture is made. Long
shutter lags can be a disaster when filming nearly any subject. To
paraphrase Mark Twain: the difference between the right picture and
almost the right picture is the difference between lightning and a
lightning bug. GO SHOPPING Okay, now you know. The camera brand doesn't matter. How the camera suits you does matter. You need a good point and shoot camera in addition to whatever else you use. Now it's time to do your research and get out the plastic.
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