What kind of camera should I buy?

Cameras are a tool to capture light.  That is all that they do.  Whether the camera is digital or film (which is getting more and more difficult to find these days) the basics are the same.  Aim it, pull the release of the shutter, and the image is recorded on the media for posterity.



I owned a photo lab at the peak of silver and dye based images, that is film for those who do not know.  I have been taking pictures and being paid for them since I was 17, and that is a very long time.  I have worked in retail stores that have photo labs and I have worked with digital imaging retailers.  I have about 35 years of experience in either taking or printing photographs.  I have been asked by people over and over again, “What camera should I buy?”

It took me a very long time before I could bring myself to get a digital camera.  From what I had seen there just wasn’t a camera good enough for me.  Then the price came down and I bought a little digital.  It was a Sony Mavica, and it captured the image on a floppy drive.  Needless to say, the quality was not there, but I could see some potential.  But I still had all of my 35mm cameras, and I preferred to use them.


Gradually digital cameras became my friend.  I would not fight them any more.  I would embrace them, but soon I began to covet them.  And that became bad for my bank account.  I bought cheap ones, I used my bonus money one time to buy a nice one, and then the fun began.  That was only 2 years ago, and now I am fighting the urge to get a better camera.  A single lens reflex camera is now on my wish list.


Here is the criteria that I will use to find my camera:

• P – Purpose.  What kind of pictures will I be taking with this camera?  Will I be doing portraits again, or is this camera just for stuff to put on the web?

• E – Ease of use.  What is the learning curve for the camera that I pick?  Will it be a difficult thing to learn to use?  Do I want to learn that much?

• P – Price.  As much as I would like to say that this is an obvious criteria, it may be more important than just assigning an amount.  Sure you have to have a maximum price you will pay, but don’t go out and find the camera that you can buy for that price.  If you are looking for a camera so that you can grab those spontaneous shots while on a picnic, the high dollar SLR camera may not be your best choice. Sure it will handle the pictures, but is it portable enough to make you want to take it along?

Put a little P.E.P. in your decision when you buy a camera.  It will help you get the right camera, some heartache, save you some money and hopefully let you enjoy photography just that much more.