CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAMERA

If you are thinking of buying a digital camera, there are several things you should consider.  Read our advice to give you all the information you need.

Which digital camera should I choose?

Your choice of camera will depend on three factors:

• the types of photograph to be taken
• how much you can afford to spend
• the portability of the camera

If you read on you will be able to decide what type of camera will give the best results.  It's then up to you to decide how much you would like to spend and whether carrying heavy equipment is an option.

Compact Camera with Scene Modes

These cameras don't allow you to take full control of your photography, instead they offer you a huge range of Scene modes, from Party to Snow.

Advantages

• Small enough to fit in a pocket

Disadvantages

• You may have to use the screen on the back of the camera to see what you're photographing.  The disadvantages of this are: it’s harder to keep the camera still while looking at this screen, than using a viewfinder; on a bright day the screen can be hard to see; it’s difficult to judge if the part of the photo you’re interested in is clearly in focus, you can only tell after you have take the photo by zooming in on it.
• This type of camera allows very little control over the final image, except through the often huge range of Scene modes, which are often confusing to use.
• Due to the small optical zoom it’s difficult to get a blurred background in portrait photos. 
• Most of the features are only accessible by going into menus which is time-consuming and fiddly.
• Be aware that some models only take AA type batteries.  They use a lot of batteries and some of the rechargeable AA's are just not powerful enough, so the camera won't function correctly.  Much better are models that take Lithium-ion batteries.  These are usually supplied with the camera and come with their own charger.

Summary

If you only plan to point and shoot, these cameras are fine, but you're likely to get unpredictable results because the camera will choose many settings for you.

Mirrorless Compact System Cameras

These cameras allow you to take full control of your photography by setting Aperture and/or Shutter Speed.  Some produce images on a par with many SLR cameras.  They have no mirror, hence the smaller size.

Advantages

• Smaller and lighter than a DSLR
• Have most of the features of a DSLR
• You can buy a range of lenses as well as fitting existing four-thirds lenses by using an adaptor
• As with DSLR's, depending upon the quality of the lens, most take very good quality images
• Many offer high resolution in the region of 12MP upwards.
• You can attach separate flash units, which give much better results than built in flashes.
• Some shoot very high quality video.

Disadvantages

• Only the more expensive models have autofocus systems on a par with low to mid-priced SLR's, so they're not all suited to action photography
• Because what you see through the viewfinder is generated digitally, it takes a fraction of a second to appear - long enough to make it difficult to follow an unpredictably moving subject
• Whereas DSLR's have buttons on the body of the camera for quick, easy adjustment of many features, on some compact system cameras you may have to access features through menus
• As with DSLR's you may need different lenses for different subjects
• Existing four-thirds lenses can be very heavy compared to the camera, so they feel unbalanced

Summary

These are great cameras to have on hand at all times.  To get professional looking images every time, it's essential to take control by setting Aperture or Shutter Speed.  Look out for models where most of the features are accessible through buttons on the camera body, not hidden away in menus.

Compact & Large Compact (Bridge) Cameras with Aperture Priority Mode

These cameras allow you to take full control of your photography by setting Aperture and/or Shutter Speed.  Some produce images on a par with many SLR cameras.

Advantages

• Usually small enough to fit in a pocket, they can have almost as many features as an SLR, and allow the photographer to take control for predictable results.
• Great for landscape photography and some are very good at close-ups.
• Some will take a hot-shoe mounted flash.
• Many offer high resolution in the region of 12MP.
• Come with lenses that zoom from wide-angle to telephoto (up to 30x optical zoom in some cases)

Disadvantages

• The main disadvantage of some of these compacts is that you look through a viewfinder that is separate to the lens, so what you see is not exactly what you’re about to photograph. 
• The alternative is to use the preview screen on the back of the camera (some cameras don't have a viewfinder, just this screen), where you see exactly what’s in the photograph.  The disadvantages of this are: it’s harder to keep the camera still while looking at this screen; on a bright day the screen can be hard to see; it’s difficult to judge if the part of the photo you’re interested in is clearly in focus, you can only tell after you have take the photo by zooming in on it.
• At around 3x optical zoom, it’s difficult to get a blurred background in portrait photos, models with 6x or greater optical zoom however give very acceptable blurring 
• The built in flash on these cameras is good as a fill-in flash outdoors, but does not produce good indoor shots, so look out for models with a hot-shoe so that you can add an external flash. 
• Be aware that some models only take AA type batteries.  They use a lot of batteries and some of the rechargeable AA's are just not powerful enough, so the camera won't function correctly.  Much better are models that take Lithium-ion batteries.  These are usually supplied with the camera and come with their own charger.

Summary

These are great cameras to have on hand at all times.  To get professional looking images every time, it's essential to take control by setting Aperture or Shutter Speed.  Look out for models where most of the features are accessible through buttons on the camera body, not hidden away in menus.  Great for landscape and close-up photographs.

DSLR

Ironically, DSLR cameras are often much easier to use than compacts, with little reason to fiddle around in menus for most adjustments and standard modes which are easy to understand and use.

Canon and Nikon are the two major manufacturers and they offer a vast range of lenses and other accessories.

SLR’s come in two types: 
1)  full-frame sensor (like 35mm SLR’s), which are better for photographing large areas such as landscapes, but are currently very expensive and usually used by professional photographers and
2)  smaller sensor, the effect is like using a telephoto lens, so your photos will not cover such a wide angle - of course this doesn't matter at all unless you want to shoot with very wide-angle lenses.  Prices start at around £400 and they produce good photos of all types, with the right lens.

Advantages

• You can buy a lens for every purpose. 
• Most DSLR’s are also much faster to focus than other cameras, and often take far more shots per second, which makes them great for action photos. 
• You can attach separate flash units, which give much better results than built in flashes. 
• Most of the controls are found on buttons on the camera body, so making adjustments is quick and easy. 
• Some shoot very high quality video.
• Because of the large sensor size, they produce better quality images at high ISO settings (which can be required when shooting in low light)

Disadvantages

• Cost (although you can now buy an entry-level SLR for around £400).
• Size.
• Weight.
• The cost of additional lenses, from a few hundred to a few thousand pounds.
• The temptation to buy other accessories.

Lenses for DSLR Cameras

The two dominant camera manufacturers, Canon and Nikon, offer a vast range of lenses for their digital cameras.  Other compatible lenses are made by Sigma and Tamron, usually at more affordable prices - the main disadvantage of these compatible lenses is that they often do not autofocus as quickly as the camera manufacturer's own lenses.   

Prime lenses

These have a fixed focal length.  Generally they produce marginally better quality images, but are best suited to photography in controlled conditions, so they can easily be used in a studio or outdoors, for example, where you are photographing animals at a feeding station, from a hide.

Zoom lenses

These have a range of focal lengths, e.g. 75mm to 300mm, giving you much more flexibility in your photography, by offering a wide range of magnification.
Keep in mind that it is very difficult to hand-hold a lens at 300mm or greater, even with image stabilisation (vibration reduction), so blurred images can be a problem.

Macro lenses

Both prime and zoom lenses can also be used for macro (close-up) work, but do check the minimum focusing distance of a lens before buying - some lenses will not focus closer than 1.5m (4.5 feet) from the subject.

High-speed action  & low light photography

All SLR's will give you the opportunity to take great photos of most stationary or slow-moving subjects.  If you wish to photograph high-speed action however, you may have to consider spending more money on lenses with faster autofocus speeds and wider apertures.  These lenses will also give you a much better performance in low light.