Beginner’s Guide To Choosing a DSLR
When choosing which D-SLR (digital single lens reflex) camera to buy you will be faced with a confusing and difficult conundrum and it is not something that can be done lightly. First time purchasers frequently haven’t got a clue what to look for and your choice will depend on so many factors, not least how much money you have to spend, what will you mainly be photographing and what do you intend to do with the end results? If you already own a film SLR camera then this can narrow your choice because many of the lenses already in your camera bag may be compatible if you buy a digital camera body of the same brand.
Horses for courses
Today we are faced with a bewildering choice and each camera will offer a wide (and sometimes unnecessary) range of features (or gimmicks) that you may find confusing. These will include different shooting modes (fully automatic or manual, aperture or shutter priority) complex metering systems (matrix, spot, average) and a range of ISO settings that can add to a novice’s confusion. There may be other considerations that need to be balanced including the weight, handling ability and the size of the preview screen. The latest cameras, such as the Nikon D5000 and Canon EOS Rebel T1i can now also shoot high resolution movies. I doubt if this will be a feature welcomed by hard-core professionals but it is certainly a useful consideration for lightening your load when travelling. If your only desire is having the means to take good, well exposed snapshot images, the list of features on most cameras can be like wading through a minefield and you may never have a need to use some of them. So, with this in mind, let’s make a start by deciding what you really need the camera to do.
If you are a pure amateur and need nothing more complicated than something to produce simple family snapshots like those you once took with your compact film camera, then you may not need the gizmos offered by a digital SLR at all. In this case you might be perfectly happy with a low cost compact camera that comes with a fixed lens and built in flash that you can slip easily into your pocket. This will allow you to turn out good quality prints as long as you don’t want them too large. On the other hand, if you are an avid landscape, nature or sports photographer or you want to photograph low flying fast jets at air displays for publication or to enlarge to put on your walls, you will need something rather more sophisticated. If you particular penchant is photographing bands under stage lighting conditions, then a camera that allows you to shoot at very high ISO settings (up to 6400) may be optimum.
Having decided that you are in the market for a D-SLR your next consideration could be the speed and versatility the camera offers. If you are looking at capturing fast moving action, despite claims otherwise, some cameras are more suitable than others. The Canon EOS range has always been a particular favourite with sports photographers and for good reason. This still rings true with their top-of-the-range digital models such as the EOS ID and 1DS that can shoot several frames per second with ultra-fast accurate auto focussing capabilities. The Nikon D3 is a worthy competitor and also performs superbly in this category. The downside is that the really high-end cameras are extremely expensive (from around £2500-£4800 and that’s just for the body). But this is small change compared to the cost of medium format digital cameras from Hasselblad, Leaf and Mamiya that will set you back from around £4,300 to £26,300 putting them beyond the means of most. Add a few fast (wide aperture) lenses to the equation and you will need to take out a mortgage to pay for them. However, if you have been used to shooting hundreds of rolls of film, it is worth considering that by switching to digital will save you the considerable amount you once spent on films and processing. Multiply this by the number of years you expect your new D-SLR to last and the total might come as a surprise. Nevertheless, unless you really can justify spending a lot on your hardware you may have to compromise by choosing something more in the middle-of-the-road category that is in keeping with your bank balance.
You will find that you are spoilt for choice. The great thing is that all the major manufacturers; Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Olympus, Fuji, Sony, Samsung and Leica all produce some outstanding cameras. These mostly offer fantastic value with camera body prices ranging from as little as £300 up to £1800. You won’t be skimping either, because most will be packed with features … most of them useful … some less so. As stated, your choice may be influenced by whether or not you already have a camera system that includes an assortment of lenses. Although these may not have been made specifically for digital cameras, it is worth checking whether the D-SLR camera you have your heart set on will accommodate your old lenses, and if it does this will save you a further heap of money.
