Which camera is right for you? DSLR, point and shoot, mirrorless? Before you buy your first camera, we suggest reading: You’re Ready to Buy Your First Camera, Are You Sure?
I’m a Nikon user and highly recommend their cameras, lenses and customer support. However, my decision on a camera was based on the best lenses for what I was planning to photograph.
Your camera and lenses should produce solid image quality. And, over time, have room for your growth and expansion as an artist. After all, photography is an art!
Given that there’s a huge selection vying for your business, which camera is right for you and your photography? We’re sharing info on camera types, lenses, suggestions to assist in the decision process. Exciting times!
To see my idea and supplies list on my Amazon Storefront: Camera Gear, Technology and Accessories
When You Buy Your Camera, You’re also Buying a Lens, or Two
As cameras and lenses are expensive, diving in full tilt is not an option for most of us. Our first suggestion ties in to the detailed camera and lens information below. Yes, it’s almost a spoiler alert.
When you buy your first camera, you’re making a decision on lenses. Starting out, buying a bundle set may be an efficient way to get started. Bundles offer a less costly way to have a few, solid quality kit lenses at the beginning.
Bundle sets include a camera, battery, a couple of zoom lenses and potentially other accessories. For example, filters, tripods, camera bags and more. Taking the time to read the descriptions on accessories will ensure you you’re not paying for items you won’t use.
My first set was a Nikon Camera with 2 lenses. Today, the equivalent camera bundle is Nikon’s 5600 (Amazon) with an 18-55mm lens and a 70-300mm lens.
Knowing what I know today, I highly recommend this type of bundle (Nikon, Canon, etc). The shorter lens takes terrific landscape, street and all purpose photography. The 70-300 offers quality images with birds, wildlife along with other midrange and long range uses.How to Buy Your First Camera? Start with choosing lens type and needed focal distance!
Next consideration? Do you need multiple lenses? Depends.
The best tool for the job is the lens that’s currently in your hand. Yes, there are lenses and focal lengths that are optimal for given situations.
If you’re planning to photograph people, landscapes, street photography, gardens, and walk-around photography, then shorter focal distances may be all you need.
But, if you need the flexibility of the above in addition to, let’s say, bird photography, multiple lenses may be your best options.
Zoom or Prime Lenses?
The following lens descriptions share focal distances and their typical uses. However, there’s two lens types: Zoom and Prime lenses.
Zoom lenses offer a focal distance range (i.e. 24 – 70mm) where you zoom in and out by rotating the lens barrel. The flexibility with ranges make zoom’s a top choice for many photographers.
Prime lenses are fixed in focal length. The primary benefits? They’re fast, super sharp, light in weight and are typically less expensive than zooms. However, to ‘zoom’ in or out from your subject requires moving your feet. Or, you may need to change lenses for the desired length. Examples of primes include: 14mm, 20mm, 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 105mm, etc.
Lens Focal Length Choices:
Wide and Extra Wide:
If you”re aiming for big landscapes, wide angle and extra wide focal distance lenses capture big scenes and depth. The focal distance of wide angles is 35mm or less. An ultra-wide is 24mm or less.
When working with extra wide angles, images up close appear larger in scale against their far subjects. Ultra wide angles create interesting, creative and distorted perspectives. They also excel in night photography with big, big skies.
Mid Range:
The workhorse, general purpose lens for many photographers. Midrange zoom lenses start from a wide angle focal length to the shorter end of the telephoto range. This flexibility makes it useful as an every day, general purpose lens. There are many different focal length ranges and quality available from Nikon, Canon and other manufacturers.
Zooms are heavier and more costly than primes. However, the zooming flexibility combined with image quality (depending on the lens) wins out over prime lenses for some photographers.
Telephoto:
These lenses are the must have lenses for wildlife and bird photographers. The more reach, the more of the bird or other wildlife in your frame.
Telephoto zooms are very helpful in wildlife photography as quickly changing the focal length may be necessary to photograph a bird or animal as it darts in and out. With example ranges of 70-200mm, 70-300mm, 100-400, 150-600 across camera manufacturers, telephotos bring wildlife and other subjects up close.
Macro:
Macro’s typically have a magnification ratio of 1:1 which allows photographers to capture up close, detailed images of small subjects. Bees, butterflies, flowers. The majority of macro lenses are fixed in their focal length (ex. 40mm, 60mm, 100mm, 105mm)
How to Buy Your First Camera? Know Your Choices:
New and current photographer’s camera choices cover a wide spectrum. We’ll cover a quick recap of DSLR’s, Mirrorless and Point & Shoot.
DSLR – Digital Single Lens Reflex
DSLR’s and their technology offer a wide array of purchasing options. From enthusiasts to professional cameras, these well-oiled machines deliver many times over.
How they work: DSLR’s work via the use of a mirror that sends the light away from the sensor into the viewfinder. As a result, the photographer sees live views of their composition. By pressing the shutter, the mirror flips up and light passes through to the sensor to digitally record the image.
DSLR’s use interchangeable lenses. Lenses include super wide, telephoto, fisheye and art lenses. Many DLSRs are sold in bundles with kit lenses as mentioned above. This offers an efficient and fast way to get started across multiple focal lengths.
DSLR’s are categorized by one of two sensor sizes. Full Frame camera’s sensor size is equivalent to 35mm film. Cropped cameras’ sensor is smaller and the phrase ‘crop factor’ is commonly used. Crop factor describes the image size difference between a 35mm film frame and your camera’s sensor (Nikon 1.5, Canon 1.6).
What does that look like? The two images below show a house taken with a full frame camera and a 50mm lens. Then using the same lens, in the exact same spot, with a cropped sensor camera.
Full Frame Overview
There are advantages to full frame sensors. The field of view is wider (think big landscapes as an example).
The larger sensor holds larger pixels. Larger pixels offers a wider dynamic range and lower noise at high ISO levels. Digital noise is less. As a result, we’re able to leverage higher ISO for faster shutter speeds without as much digital noise.
Full-frame DSLRs may produce better quality images in high contrast or low light situations.
They are also typically more expensive than cropped sensor cameras.
Cropped Sensor (APS-C)
With a smaller sensor, cropped sensor cameras are less expensive than full frame cameras. The crop factor is a desired feature for many wildlife photographers.
With Nikon as an example, the crop factor is 1.5. A 300mm lens gives the view amount of a 450mm lens on a crop sensor camera. Even though you are technically not any closer to the animal, there’s more of the subject in the frame because it captured a smaller area.
Note: There are high quality lenses designed specifically for cropped sensor cameras. If you know you’re staying this direction, these are terrific and less expensive than lenses for full frames.
However, if you add a full frame camera, lenses designed for cropped sensor cameras will not take advantage of the full frame.
Full frame cameras require FX lenses. FX lenses work great on both cropped sensor cameras too. For this reason, I typically suggest investing in full frame lenses for long term use.
The top manufacturing brands for DSLRs in alphabetical order: Canon, Nikon, Olympus and Sony.
Mirrorless
Many novice and professional photographers choose mirrorless as image quality is solid, there’s less weight due to no mirror, and the lenses are lighter.
Features and functionality enhancements come frequently with software updates to current cameras. Plus, new features and significant technology enhancements have closed the gap between DSLRs.
Mirrorless cameras create an electronic view of the image from the actual sensor. The smaller scale and feel of the camera is a deterrent for some, a benefit for others.
Others hold steadfast to their DSLRs (I’m in this camp today. Will I add mirrorless? At some point, yes).
If I were starting out today, this option would be strongly considered. Mirrorless cameras and their technologies continue evolving at a steady pace. Today, many who’ve made the switch swear by mirrorless. With image quality, increasing lens choices, cropped sensor and full frame options, they’ve come a long way in a relatively short amount of time.
For a detailed recap of Mirrorless Cameras in 2020 including brands check out, The best mirrorless camera in 2020 for beginners, vloggers, enthusiasts and pros from Digital World.
Point & Shoot Cameras
For those seeking a portable, small camera to tote in your purse or pocket, point and shoots are a fun choice.
These cameras cover the gamut in technology, image quality and use. Small, compact with functions ranging from basic to those found on DSLR and Mirrorless cameras, the world is your oyster if choosing this route.
However, the flexibility, reach and image quality differs greatly on many models across a lot of price points. Researching, reading reviews and looking at the images produced by those cameras in your prices range helps validate and sway decisions.
Check out PC Mags’ The Best Point and Shoots for 2020.
What’s in my Gear Bag?
My camera bags today include both cropped and full frame cameras. The backpacks shown below are the equivalents to the ones I use regularly.
Camera Bags are Necessary
A couple of camera bag buying tips: 1) if using a shoulder bag, a sling version reduces strain versus resting on one shoulder, 2) large camera bags fully loaded are efficient when working from the car, not on hikes. Too much weight and too bulky slows down time spent shooting, 3) smaller backpacks offer flexibility and comfort for walks and hikes. Plus, they force you not to overpack!
My Camera Bodies & Lenses
Initially, I started with a cropped sensor camera with zoom lenses as part of a bundle set (Amazon). For telephoto work, the 70-300mm performed well and served as a launching pad into bird photography. Over time I added a 150 – 600mm until I could acquire 300mm and 500mm prime lenses. Later, Both the 70-300 and 150-600mm lenses were sold to other wildlife enthusiasts.
Today for wildlife, it’s Nikon’s D500 for birds, wildlife and general purpose nature photography. The two lenses are Nikon 300mm f/4E PF VR AF-S ED-IF Telephoto (Amazon) with a 1.4III teleconverter (Amazon) or my 500mm f/4 prime (Amazon) (with teleconverter). Great reach and image quality.
The switch to primes for telephoto came from years of working with zooms and my shooting style. My Nikon 300mm f/4E PF VR (Amazon) is super light and used with a 1.4III teleconverter (Amazon). The reach is great reach in tighter situations and for large animals, large birds, birds in flight. Terrific for hikes and when trekking a good distance.
The 500mm with a teleconverter requires a tripod as it’s heavy over time. The reach for small birds and animals in the distance pays off.
For full frame work, the Nikon D850 (Amazon) (and Nikon’s D810) are my workhorses. I shoot big landscapes, including night skies along with general photography. Both the 850 and 810’s performance is outstanding.
Today, my landscape and general purpose lenses cover the range of : 14-24, 24-70 & 70-200mm.
Note: Other accessories, tripods, filters were added over time too as my horizons changed. Look for an upcoming overview of the most used accessories in the field. My idea and supplies list on my Amazon Storefront: Camera Gear, Technology and Accessories
How to Buy Your First Camera?
Artistry and creativity are a camera snap away. With today’s diverse options, it boils down to your type of photography and personal choices.
- Based on what you’re looking to photograph, identify the optimal focal distance range/ranges for your style. New lenses can always be added later.
- Let the lens choices for your photography style guide your camera body decision.
- Start with a solid base of a camera and lens or lenses (bundle set) to maximize the budget.
- Buy the best lenses you can afford. Good lenses hold a high % of their value at resale.
- Don’t overbuy! Many blogs and articles share awesome tools, gadgets, supplies that work for many photographers. We all acquire stashes of gadgets in our other hobbies that rarely get used. The same easily applies here too.
- The other important tip? Take it out of the box, learn your camera and go play!
Taking the time to research pays off with the right gear and a ton of great photography moments. Enjoy the journey!
