Tips from a Photography Beginner on Choosing a New Camera

A few years ago my digital camera broke.  Being a college student at the time, I was too broke to replace it.  After starting my blog, it became obvious that my cell phone camera is awful, and I needed to replace that broken digital camera.  Unfortunately, I knew little about cameras.  Researching cameras was to no avail as I did not understand the terms that distinguished one camera from another: point-and-shoot, SLR, ISO, aperture, metering... the list goes on and on.

After a bit of research on the Nikon website, it seemed I had to first choose if I wanted a point-and-shoot camera, hybrid camera, or DSLR camera.  My father has a passion for photography, so I had him help me distinguish the difference between these three types of cameras.  He had complicated explanations for these, but I made some sense of them in my mind.

To me, a point-and-shoot camera is what I consider a normal digital camera.  It is small and can be easily thrown in a pocket or purse.  It is generally not possible to use ad-ons like other lenses or filters with a point-and-shoot camera.  When taking a picture with a point-and-shoot camera, the image that appears on the digital screen is NOT the image passed through the lens, so you are not seeing what the image sensor (thing that records the picture) sees.  The most inexpensive point-and-shoot cameras can be purchased for less than a few hundred dollars.

My father did not go into much detail about a hybrid camera.  It seems not all camera manufacturers are exploring this type of camera, so I decided not to go with this type.  I preferred a camera that is common and has been on sale for a while.  I figured the longer the camera type has been around, the more documentation about it can be found online, which is very important for me as a beginner.

A SLR/DSLR camera is what I imagine someone wanting more control over the artistic look of their pictures would use.  When you look through the viewfinder, you actually see the image that the image sensor sees.  You can change lenses and add filters.  The price point for the most inexpensive camera is a few hundred dollars though.

After understanding these differences, I started to chat with my coworkers about my intention to buy a camera.  The first thing they asked me was what I was planning on using my camera for.  I was really interested in taking pictures of my jewelry which I was informed I would need a macro lens for.  My dad explained to me that a macro lens allows you to take pictures of small objects up close.  This meant I needed a camera where I could change the lens to a macro lens.  Because of my desire to change the lens on the camera, a point-and-shoot camera was out of the question.  I had also already decided against a hybrid camera.  So, I had narrowed down my options to SLR/DSLR cameras.

Next, I got a couple of recommendations from coworkers on cameras that they were using.  It seemed everyone I work with has the Canon EOS 60D.  With this information, my father and I went to look at cameras at Fry's Electronics to make sure the Canon EOS 60D would be the right camera for me.  With a budget of about $1000, I did not have many options for a DSLR/SLR camera.  My father explained a number of the features on the other cameras available at Fry's Electronics.  I still was incredibly confused, and my dad thought that the Canon EOS 60D would be a good fit for me anyways.  Right when I had decided, the sales associate informed us that Nikon had just released a comparable camera, specifically the Nikon d5200.  My dad looked into the differences (a good comparison can be found here).  With my priorities in a camera, it seemed that the Nikon d5200 was the better fit for me.  I had finally decided on a camera!

Now that I had decided on the camera I wanted, it was time to shop around for the best price.  +Costco has exclusive packages for several Nikon cameras.  It seemed I would get the most bang for my buck if I bought the Nikon d5200 camera from Costco.  After buying my camera from Costco, I could not be happier with my purchase!

Steps to Choosing YOUR New Camera:

1. Decide your budget.
2. Decide what you will be using your camera for.  If you plan to use your camera for outings with friends and concerts and sports games, your best bet may be a point-and-shoot camera.  They are much lighter to carry around.  In addition, some venues do not let you bring SLR/DSLR cameras in.  On the other hand, if you are looking for more artistic control, a SLR/DSLR camera may be better for you.
3. Decide if you have a preference for a certain company.  If you are choosing a DSLR camera, only certain lenses will fit the camera.  Lenses can be expensive!  If you already have easy access to Nikon lenses, for instance, you may want to stick with a Nikon camera to save some money.
4. Ask coworkers, friends, family, store associates - anyone that can help you decide!  Do some research online if you have the time, too.  It can take a while to learn the terms needed to choose the best camera for your needs.  If you plan to use all the functionality of your camera, you will most likely need to know these terms anyways though.
5. After deciding on the model you want, shop around for the lowest price.  +B and H is a good place to look for cameras and accessories, and they offer free shipping.  You may also want to consider purchasing a used camera.