How To Buy A Camera – Questions You Should Ask Yourself

Just as a picture is worth a thousands words, a camera can cost a pretty penny depending upon what you need. Any person planning on committing to photography for a hobby or profession should be expecting to spend at least a little bit of cash on equipment; new gear is one of the best and worst parts of calling yourself a photographer. You can get started taking pictures for under $100 or you can spend as much as you want as there is a lot of expensive high end gear. Since there are so many options for new photographers, let’s skip all of the cool accessories (filters, lenses, tripods) and break down your most important first purchase:  The Camera.

What Do You Need?
The first step in buying the centerpiece of your equipment is figuring out why you need a camera, and what you expect it to do. For example, an all manual DSLR (like Canon’s Rebel) is great fun for photographers but is likely a major hassle if you’re taking pictures of your friends out having fun.  Here’s a few key questions to ask yourself to help decide what you need:

-Do I want to use film or digital?
-Am I shooting for fun, or for a career?
-How comfortable am I operating a manual SLR?
-Is image quality important to me?

One of the reasons for the wide range of equipment is that every camera works differently and has its own pros and cons; you’ll need to balance these with what you need. Professional photographers or those seeking to become professionals may not want to sacrifice image quality for cost, while the average shooter may not need that extra 0.5% of clarity for their vacation photos. It’s completely up to you.

What Can You Spend?
The sky is the limit when spending money on cameras. You can get a small pocket sized automatic camera for around $100 or you can spend thousands on a high quality SLR or DSLR camera. Even a nice manual SLR that runs on film can still cost a pretty penny, so make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before you buy it.  Before you pull out your wallet, ask yourself these questions:

-Can I really afford this camera?
-Do I really need all of these features?
-Is this camera suitable for the activities I’m buying it for?

Sure, a camera with 13,000 frames per second shooting option and a giant touch screen would be great, but it is overkill for taking a few family photos. This works both ways – if you want to work as a professional, don’t sacrifice on flexibility and results just to get a cheaper camera up front. You’ll end up having to buy a better camera later, so it’s often best to wait a little longer so you can buy exactly what you need. You’ll be glad you did.

If you are honesty with yourself about what you really need and how much you can spend on a new camera, you’re going to be a lot happier with your purchase. If you need help working out what you need or how different cameras perform in different situations, do a little online research, read customer reviews, or talk to the guys and gals at your local photo shop (not the drugstore!).

No matter how much you spend or don’t spend, your camera will probably cover the bases.That’s because most consumer level cameras shoot just fine in 90% of shooting situations. Some of the photos in a recent Swimsuit Edition of Sports Illustrated were taken with an inexpensive disposable camera so don’t think a small budget is a handicap. As always, the most important thing is to have fun and take great pictures.

About the Author

Autumn Lockwood is a writer for Your Picture Frames and loves buying picture frames. Your Picture Frames offers a wide selection of antique gold picture frames and vintage silver picture frames so visit our website or call 1-800-780-0699.

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