Students often ask what we require in a camera for our courses, and which camera model would be best for them. Here’s our best advice from years of experience
PHOTO 101 REQUIREMENTS: Digital SLR / Mirrorless Digital Camera / Any camera with manual mode functions
MORE ADVANCED CLASSES: Digital SLR / Mirrorless Digital Camera
Why buy a DSLR (“Digital Single Lens Reflex”) or Mirrorless Camera with an interchangeable lens?
For beginners light, pocket-sized point-and-shoot cameras may seem like the way to go because they’re inexpensive and convenient. Having worked with hundreds of students with different camera models, we can tell you why a DSLR or Mirrorless Camera with an interchangeable lens is a much better investment.
Here are some of the reasons why:
- They allow you to interchange lenses for different purposes (longer zooms, macro photography, etc). These lenses are also much higher quality and will produce sharper images.
- They have a larger image sensor and therefore produce higher quality images.
- Allow you creative control. You can change settings such as aperture and shutter speed to create a desired effect, like getting a blurry background and freezing movement. These techniques will take your photographs to the next level, but they take some time to master – that’s why Photo 101 focuses on teaching you these functions with an emphasis on lots of practice time!
Image copyrights by Chiu Kang | https://flic.kr/p/brAcD
Examples of some good DSLR starter cameras:Canon – Rebel T6i, T5i or T5
Nikon – D3300, D3200 or D5500
Pentax – K50, K-S1
Sony – Alpha a58
And some examples of smaller Mirrorless Cameras:
Olympus – OM-D
Fuji – X-T10
Tips when purchasing a camera:
First and foremost, get an understanding of what you will be using it for. Are you planning on taking a lot of pictures of your new born baby? Or are you planning on starting a career in wedding photography? You have to understand what you want from your camera before you can pick the right one.- Do your homework: understand the key features before you approach the salesman.
- A great website to read about camera reviews and do comparisons: www.dpreview.com
Tips to save some bucks:
- Look for a discontinued model. Camera stores will heavily discount models that are being replaced in the near future. If you hear that they are coming out with a new Canon Rebel T__i for example, take a look at the old models; they are likely discounted.
Buy yourself a better lens instead of spending money on more megapixels, more focusing points or a ridiculously high ISO. Lenses account for much of the sharpness of your photographs and lend to that nice blurry background look.- Once you have settled on the model – search different stores for the best price. Most of them will price match. Some other stores that you may not think of: Downtown Camera, Vistek and Best Buy.