For the serious photographer, buying a camera can be a major undertaking. The point-and-shoot set may purchase a camera based on one or two marginally relevant characteristics, such as whether the camera is small enough to tuck into a pocket, or whether it has 7 or 8 megapixels of resolution. You know the type: They want a camera that takes "sharp, clear" pictures and don't care about much else. Because they just want snapshots, evaluating camera features in depth is just not worth the time for them.
Those who see photography as something more than a tool to record vacation pictures have more at stake in their selection of a camera, especially when you consider that digital cameras still command a premium price. If you pay $800 to $1,000 (or a lot more) for a digital camera and find it won't do what you want, you might be stuck with your bad decision for a long time. Not all of us are as lucky as the friend of mine who can afford to buy a new digital camera every six months (nor even as fortunate as his close relatives, who receive the hand-medown cameras on a schedule that they eagerly anticipate).
One way to choose a camera is to read the reviews found in magazines and websites. Unfortunately, such reviews will tell you how a particular camera is suitable for the kinds of photographs the reviewer takes but may not have information that applies directly to you. The reviewer may not even be a photographer. You're best off if you rely on the most highly regarded review sites, such as www.dpreview.com or www.cnet.com.
In general terms, however, this next section should help you, because I'm not going to recommend specific camera models. Instead, I'll provide some perspective on what kind of features you can expect to find, and how (and why) they may be important to you.
You may have purchased your first digital camera before you bought this book. Or, perhaps you're the type who likes to learn everything he can before making a purchase. You may be reading this chapter to make sure that the digital camera selection you make is a wise one, and that your camera will suit your needs for a very long time. In either case, it's very likely that the digital camera you now own or plan to buy in the near future will not be the last one you ever purchase. No matter how feature-laden your current camera is, or how lengthy the feature list of the camera you have your eye on, there will be a better one with more features at a lower price in the future, whether it's six months from now or two years from now.
For most of us, a digital camera isn't a lifetime investment. It's more of a purchase like a computer: a tool we buy now so we can enjoy the advantage of current technology, but with the full expectation of replacing it somewhere down the road with a smaller, better, more powerful, more flexible device—at a lower cost. No matter what type of digital camera buyer you are—veteran, beginner, or someone who hasn't dipped a toe into the digital waters yet—this section will assist you.
Defining Your Expectations
Among my many photography-oriented jobs, I was the manager of a camera store for two years. Saturday was the traditional day when the store was flooded with eager photography fans who poured in, cash in their feverish hands, all posing the same question: What's the best camera to buy? My response was always: What do you plan to do with it? The question "what's the best camera?" is a little like "what's the best car?" Depending on what you plan to do, your needs, like your mileage, may vary. Do you want basic transportation? Do you want an exotic machine that makes your friends drool with envy? Are you looking for a sports utility choice that does everything well once you master its demanding features? You'll find analogs for all these automobile types within the digital camera realm from the economy compact to the luxury model with everything from power steering to power zoom.
Not even the well-heeled with unlimited funds can escape the need to establish a list of needs. Digital photography is one area in which the most expensive equipment may not be the best. You can spend a lot, and still end up with a camera that won't do what you want, or, as is more likely, which is so complicated to use that you'll never figure out how to take the pictures you want to take.
I owned one particular digital camera for more than 18 months and still was unable to remember which menu I needed to switch to manual focus, and even when I managed that, focusing required pressing an odd combination of buttons. Changing from fully automatic exposure to shutter priority mode (necessary for shooting sports pictures when you want to use the highest shutter speed possible) was equally time-consuming. Digital photography was a tough town before the invention of mode dials.
I eventually switched to a newer non-SLR camera that makes manual focus a dream. I press a button labeled AF/MF until an MF (manual focus) indicator appears in the viewfinder and then rotate a focus ring around the base of the lens. A reassuring readout in the viewfinder shows the current focus distance. If I want to change to aperture priority mode, all I need to do is twist a dial to the "exposure mode" position and turn a jog wheel next to the shutter release until "aperture priority" appears in the viewfinder. If a particular camera confuses someone who has used hundreds of different cameras over a span of many years, think how a model like that might confound someone trying to master their first digital camera!
There are many other factors to consider in addition to ease of use. Rather than buy the wrong camera, you'll want to think about this checklist before you go shopping.
Do You Plan to Edit Your Images?
For the avid photographer, image editing is usually part of the game plan. You may intend to spice up your digital photos with filters, correct colors, or combine several images to create a whole new picture. For many, that sort of image editing is one of the main reasons for switching to digital photography. The photo shown in Figures 2.14 and 2.15 shows the kind of image editing you can do, although in this case the image is a misguided attempt to remove by retouching a hand-railing that obscures a gargoyle perched on Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. If you're going to be manipulating pictures that extensively, you'll want a camera with the most flexibility, easiest access to manual features, extra resolution, and many bonus capabilities that give you pictures worth editing.
Those who see photography as something more than a tool to record vacation pictures have more at stake in their selection of a camera, especially when you consider that digital cameras still command a premium price. If you pay $800 to $1,000 (or a lot more) for a digital camera and find it won't do what you want, you might be stuck with your bad decision for a long time. Not all of us are as lucky as the friend of mine who can afford to buy a new digital camera every six months (nor even as fortunate as his close relatives, who receive the hand-medown cameras on a schedule that they eagerly anticipate).
One way to choose a camera is to read the reviews found in magazines and websites. Unfortunately, such reviews will tell you how a particular camera is suitable for the kinds of photographs the reviewer takes but may not have information that applies directly to you. The reviewer may not even be a photographer. You're best off if you rely on the most highly regarded review sites, such as www.dpreview.com or www.cnet.com.
In general terms, however, this next section should help you, because I'm not going to recommend specific camera models. Instead, I'll provide some perspective on what kind of features you can expect to find, and how (and why) they may be important to you.
You may have purchased your first digital camera before you bought this book. Or, perhaps you're the type who likes to learn everything he can before making a purchase. You may be reading this chapter to make sure that the digital camera selection you make is a wise one, and that your camera will suit your needs for a very long time. In either case, it's very likely that the digital camera you now own or plan to buy in the near future will not be the last one you ever purchase. No matter how feature-laden your current camera is, or how lengthy the feature list of the camera you have your eye on, there will be a better one with more features at a lower price in the future, whether it's six months from now or two years from now.
For most of us, a digital camera isn't a lifetime investment. It's more of a purchase like a computer: a tool we buy now so we can enjoy the advantage of current technology, but with the full expectation of replacing it somewhere down the road with a smaller, better, more powerful, more flexible device—at a lower cost. No matter what type of digital camera buyer you are—veteran, beginner, or someone who hasn't dipped a toe into the digital waters yet—this section will assist you.
Defining Your Expectations
Among my many photography-oriented jobs, I was the manager of a camera store for two years. Saturday was the traditional day when the store was flooded with eager photography fans who poured in, cash in their feverish hands, all posing the same question: What's the best camera to buy? My response was always: What do you plan to do with it? The question "what's the best camera?" is a little like "what's the best car?" Depending on what you plan to do, your needs, like your mileage, may vary. Do you want basic transportation? Do you want an exotic machine that makes your friends drool with envy? Are you looking for a sports utility choice that does everything well once you master its demanding features? You'll find analogs for all these automobile types within the digital camera realm from the economy compact to the luxury model with everything from power steering to power zoom.
Not even the well-heeled with unlimited funds can escape the need to establish a list of needs. Digital photography is one area in which the most expensive equipment may not be the best. You can spend a lot, and still end up with a camera that won't do what you want, or, as is more likely, which is so complicated to use that you'll never figure out how to take the pictures you want to take.
I owned one particular digital camera for more than 18 months and still was unable to remember which menu I needed to switch to manual focus, and even when I managed that, focusing required pressing an odd combination of buttons. Changing from fully automatic exposure to shutter priority mode (necessary for shooting sports pictures when you want to use the highest shutter speed possible) was equally time-consuming. Digital photography was a tough town before the invention of mode dials.
I eventually switched to a newer non-SLR camera that makes manual focus a dream. I press a button labeled AF/MF until an MF (manual focus) indicator appears in the viewfinder and then rotate a focus ring around the base of the lens. A reassuring readout in the viewfinder shows the current focus distance. If I want to change to aperture priority mode, all I need to do is twist a dial to the "exposure mode" position and turn a jog wheel next to the shutter release until "aperture priority" appears in the viewfinder. If a particular camera confuses someone who has used hundreds of different cameras over a span of many years, think how a model like that might confound someone trying to master their first digital camera!
There are many other factors to consider in addition to ease of use. Rather than buy the wrong camera, you'll want to think about this checklist before you go shopping.
Do You Plan to Edit Your Images?
For the avid photographer, image editing is usually part of the game plan. You may intend to spice up your digital photos with filters, correct colors, or combine several images to create a whole new picture. For many, that sort of image editing is one of the main reasons for switching to digital photography. The photo shown in Figures 2.14 and 2.15 shows the kind of image editing you can do, although in this case the image is a misguided attempt to remove by retouching a hand-railing that obscures a gargoyle perched on Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. If you're going to be manipulating pictures that extensively, you'll want a camera with the most flexibility, easiest access to manual features, extra resolution, and many bonus capabilities that give you pictures worth editing.
Figure 2.14. Go ahead and snap this photo with your digital camera—you can fix it in your image editor!
However, other digital photographers are part of a second group which intends to do little or no editing. Maybe you're shooting home exteriors and interiors for a real-estate firm. Or, you might need pictures of items for your eBay auctions and will be doing nothing more than cropping your images. Perhaps you require some quickie product shots for an online catalog. In all these cases, the best camera for the job may be one with the widest-angle lens (for those home interiors) or the best close-up capabilities (for those eBay auctions). A less expensive camera may be in order, or, at least, one with different capabilities than the one a devoted Photoshop freak will be considering.
What Are Your Resolution Requirements?
Some types of photography demand higher resolutions. If you want to create large prints (anything larger than 8 x 10 inches), you'll need multimegapixels. If you want to crop out small sections of an image, you'll want a camera with 6 to 8 megapixels or more.
On the other hand, if your primary application will be taking pictures for display on a web page, or you need thumbnail-sized photos for ID cards or for a catalog with small illustrations, you may get along just fine with a 4-megapixel camera (if you can still find one!).
When choosing a camera's resolution, remember to consider not only the top resolution, but all the optional resolution and compression options the camera provides. For example, a 5-megapixel camera that can capture 2560 x 1920 pixel images will also include controls that let you choose other resolutions, such as 1600 x 1200 or 1280 x 960. Compression ratios can also be user selected and can range from ultra-high quality (and ultra-large) TIF (on a diminishing number of cameras) and RAW files to several levels of JPEG squeezing that trade some image quality for smaller file sizes. These options can come in handy when you need a lower resolution so you can shoot at a faster frame rate for "motor drive" picture sequences, need to cram more images onto a film card, or simply don't need the higher resolution.
We'll take a closer look at resolution and compression in Chapter 4, "Dealing with Digital Camera File Formats."
Figure 2.15. Retouching can sometimes work miracles, as in this attempt at removing the handrail from the photo above.
However, other digital photographers are part of a second group which intends to do little or no editing. Maybe you're shooting home exteriors and interiors for a real-estate firm. Or, you might need pictures of items for your eBay auctions and will be doing nothing more than cropping your images. Perhaps you require some quickie product shots for an online catalog. In all these cases, the best camera for the job may be one with the widest-angle lens (for those home interiors) or the best close-up capabilities (for those eBay auctions). A less expensive camera may be in order, or, at least, one with different capabilities than the one a devoted Photoshop freak will be considering.
What Are Your Resolution Requirements?
Some types of photography demand higher resolutions. If you want to create large prints (anything larger than 8 x 10 inches), you'll need multimegapixels. If you want to crop out small sections of an image, you'll want a camera with 6 to 8 megapixels or more.
On the other hand, if your primary application will be taking pictures for display on a web page, or you need thumbnail-sized photos for ID cards or for a catalog with small illustrations, you may get along just fine with a 4-megapixel camera (if you can still find one!).
When choosing a camera's resolution, remember to consider not only the top resolution, but all the optional resolution and compression options the camera provides. For example, a 5-megapixel camera that can capture 2560 x 1920 pixel images will also include controls that let you choose other resolutions, such as 1600 x 1200 or 1280 x 960. Compression ratios can also be user selected and can range from ultra-high quality (and ultra-large) TIF (on a diminishing number of cameras) and RAW files to several levels of JPEG squeezing that trade some image quality for smaller file sizes. These options can come in handy when you need a lower resolution so you can shoot at a faster frame rate for "motor drive" picture sequences, need to cram more images onto a film card, or simply don't need the higher resolution.
We'll take a closer look at resolution and compression in Chapter 4, "Dealing with Digital Camera File Formats."
Do You See Photography as a Creative Outlet?
Like those who plan to make Photoshop their second home, creative photographers will want cameras with the most convenient manual controls, accurate viewfinders, and other options. Perhaps you need a model that can be adapted for infrared photography. Would you like to take time-lapse photos of a flower opening or the moon setting? Are you interested in photography of fireworks? Do you have a special yen to specialize in black-and-white photography? There are cameras that are more suited to each of these pursuits than other models, so if creative flexibility is high on your list, you'll want to choose your camera carefully.
How Many Pictures Do You Take in One Session?
If you often find yourself shooting pictures far from easy access to your computer, you'll want a camera and accessories that cater to the needs of the high-volume photographer. Some types of media have capacities of a gigabyte or more. If you take many photos, or need to use the highest resolution settings and file formats of your camera, storage capabilities will be a major consideration.
Should your plans include taking lots of photos at one time, or over the course of a trip, buy a camera that uses high capacity media that's priced low enough so you can afford to stock up. Also consider buying one of those stand-alone hard disk drives that can download all the images from your digital camera. If you have a 40GB or 60GB iPod, you're all set: there's a simple add-on for the iPod that lets you download images. You don't even need an iPod Photo. As a bonus, you can also listen to music!
Another alternative is taking along a laptop to hold your images, or to serve as a gateway to upload images to your Internet web space. All you need is a PC Card to Compact Flash (or SD card) adapter for your laptop, like the one shown in Figure 2.16. Or, you can connect a card reader, like the one shown in Figure 2.17, to your laptop using a USB or FireWire cable.
Figure 2.16. A laptop equipped with a PC Card slot and an adapter can serve as a home away from home for your digital photos.
Figure 2.17. Or, use a portable card reader that can be powered by your laptop's USB connector.
Will Your Camera Be a Long-Term Investment?
Photography is one field populated by large numbers of technomaniacs who simply must have the latest and best equipment at all times. The digital photography realm rarely disappoints these gadget nuts, because newer, more sophisticated models are introduced every few months.
If you want to remain on the bleeding edge of technology, a digital camera can't be a long-term investment. You'll have to count on buying a new camera at least once a year. Keep in mind that you'll be duplicating your investment in the near future, and your old camera will be worth more as a hand me down to another user than as a trade-in. Don't spend $5,000 for a 12-megapixel digital SLR today if you'll be unhappy and unable to afford the upgrade next year when 16-megapixel models cost $4,000. (Hey, it could happen!)
On the other hand, many digital camera buyers aren't looking for a shiny new gadget: They want pictures. Once they acquire a camera that does the job for them, they're not likely to upgrade until they develop an important job their current model can't handle.
If you're in the anti-upgrade camp, you should get a camera that does the job for you at a price you can afford. If your desires are large but your pocketbook is limited, you may want to scale back your purchase to make those inevitable frequent upgrades feasible.
Is Size Important?
Some intermediate or advanced cameras are small enough to slip into a pocket so you can carry them everywhere. You can even find 5-megapixel models that verge on the tiny, although they probably don't offer the degree of manual control a photo enthusiast requires. Other cameras with roughly similar features and comparable price tags may be so chunky you'll need a camera bag, perhaps with wheels, to carry them around. On closer inspection, you'll find there are some differences (say, in storage media or zoom lens range), so you'll need to decide if the tradeoffs are worth the smaller size.
Is the Camera Likely to Be Lost, Stolen, or Damaged?
Will you be taking your digital camera on your boat for some exciting regatta photos? Planning on toting along a camera during your next free climb up Terror Cliff? Will your 9 year old be taking the camera to school? Don't spend a lot for a digital camera that will be used under perilous conditions unless you can afford to write off the camera if it's lost, stolen, or damaged. Certainly, your homeowners or other insurance policy may pay for the camera—once—but it's always a good idea not to try to shift the responsibility off on the nice folks you may rely on to replace your home the next time it burns to the ground. It's more prudent to avoid that kind of exposure in the first place and purchase a less expensive camera for hazardous duty.
Do You Want to Share Lenses and Accessories with a Conventional Film Camera?
Do you already own a Nikon, Canon, Pentax, or Minolta film SLR camera with lots of lenses and other accessories? You may be able to justify a digital camera built around a camera body similar to the one used by your film camera. The camera need not come from Nikon or Canon, either. Other vendors, such as Kodak (until recently) and Fuji build cameras based on models from the two market leaders.
The list of compatible gadgets that can be shared is long, ranging from electronic flash units through filters, close-up attachments, tripods, and so forth. I have a zillion glass filters and accessories in 52mm size to fit my existing 35mm cameras. I was happy to discover a digital camera that used 49mm accessories, because a simple 49 to 52mm step-up ring let me use my existing accessories with the newer camera. Figure 2.18 shows a more drastic adaptation, from 28mm up to 52mm. Check compatibility now, before you purchase your digital camera.
Figure 2.18. Adapter rings let you get double duty from your filters and other lens accessories.
Choosing a Camera Category
Until recently, digital cameras fell into a few neat categories, defined by the resolution of the sensor. Beginner cameras had about 4 megapixels; intermediate cameras were those with around 5 megapixels, while advanced cameras topped out in the neighborhood of 7-8 megapixels. For more resolution than that, you had to spend big bucks for a professional camera.
The reason for the neatly defined categories is that sensors were easily the most expensive component of the camera, accounting for a large percentage of the vendor's cost. So, you never saw a 7-megapixel model with nothing but point-and-shoot capabilities; the manufacturer would still have to charge $1,000 for the camera because of the sensor's cost, and who would pay $1,000 for a camera not loaded down with other features?
The prices for sensors have dropped dramatically, so today we're seeing compact, fully automated cameras at relatively low prices with 7- and 8-megapixel sensors, but with a limited feature set that allows them to be sold at bargain prices. These are sold side by side with more fully featured cameras with longer zooms, electronic viewfinders, and other goodies, but basically the same 7- to 8-megapixel resolution. You'll see 6–8 megapixel SLRs selling for $1,000 from the same vendors who offer a $4,000 version with the same resolution but capabilities that have been beefed up in other areas. The lines between digital camera categories are blurring. Even so, it's useful to describe the various categories as they still exist, because your digital camera will probably fit into one of them, one way or another.
Basic Point-and-Shoot Models
Aside from webcams and a few "toy" digital cameras, any model that falls roughly into the $100–$150 price range is probably a point-and-shoot camera. These will have a top resolution in the 4 to 5-megapixel neighborhood. There will be a builtin flash good for shots from 5 to about 11 feet, and either a non-zooming, fixed focal length lens or a very modest 3:1 ratio zoom lens. Focusing may be fixed or limited, and there will be few, if any, manual controls. You'll frame your picture through a simple optical viewfinder and view it on a 1.5- to 2.5-inch LCD. In point-and-shoot tradition, you simply press the button and everything else is taken care of for you.
Intermediate Models
The largest number of digital camera models fall into the intermediate category, because cameras of this type appeal to casual snapshooters who want sharp, clear pictures and a bit of versatility in their pixel grabber. Most of these cameras have from 5 to 7 megapixels and cost $200 to $600. They have more powerful builtin flash units, automatic focus and exposure, and zoom lenses with 6:1 or greater ratios. There may even be a few manual settings, such as exposure compensation for backlight (photos taken toward the sun) or full manual control, including shutterpriority and aperture-priority options. Anyone who is not a photo buff can probably take any picture they care to create with a camera of this sort.
Advanced Models
While intermediate cameras are numerically more common, slightly more advanced models have become a hotbed of interest as prices have dropped. Your $500 to $600 can buy an 8-megapixel (or more) camera with a 6:1 to 12:1 or longer zoom range, more manual control options, and other bonus features. These cameras appeal to those who aren't yet photo hobbyists, but who realize they can take better and more interesting pictures with a digital camera that has a little more horsepower. These models are liberally studded with multifunction buttons and dials, lots of modes, dozens of menus, and thick manuals. They're often sold with a rich bundle of image-editing software. Those who need, or think they need, the features these cameras boast, should prepare to spend some time learning to use them. A whole new category of advanced models is likely to be spurred by the introduction of the Canon Digital Rebel XT, which boasts 8 megapixels of resolution, but is a true SLR camera, even though aimed at consumers rather than the "prosumers" discussed in the next section.
Prosumer Models
What's a "prosumer" camera? This particular kind of camera has been around since before the digital age—a model with truly sophisticated features, offering a knowledgeable photographer lots of control, but lacking in some of the features and ruggedness that a professional absolutely must have. These are the cameras that advanced amateur photographers favor, because their lower cost frees up money to purchase extra accessories. They are also the cameras that pros use on weekends for their personal photography, or which they purchase as cheap, extra cameras to supplement their "good" equipment. Today, most prosumer cameras are digital SLRs, like the one shown in Figure 2.19, or EVF models.
Figure 2.19. Serious photographers are turning to digital SLRs.
For about $1,000 to $5,000 (and prices are dropping all the time), you can buy a 6- to 14-megapixel camera with enough precision optical glass to detect life on Jupiter. Some of these are based on existing SLR models from Nikon or Canon, or are designed from the ground up as a digital SLR camera.
What do you get for the extra cash? Prosumer cameras either have interchangeable lenses or have fixed zoom lenses with 7:1 to 10:1 ratios that practically eliminate the need for removable lenses in the first place. They'll have through-the-lens viewing or, at the low end, an electronic viewfinder. There will be enough builtin memory buffer to let you snap off five or six frames individually or in motor drive mode without pausing for breath.
What's the downside? Some of these cameras are a little like conversion vans, offering the disadvantages of both the conventional photographic worlds without all the advantages of the digital dominion. For example, they may be heavier than most digital cameras, yet not as flexible as a traditional film camera in some ways. Because the digital sensors are smaller than the 24 x 36mm size of the standard 35mm film frame, a given lens's field of view may not be what you expect. Your 55mm normal lens becomes a short telephoto lens, and your 105mm portrait lens becomes a longer telephoto. The price of a prosumer camera is a lot to spend on a device that will certainly be obsolete (from a technological viewpoint; not in practice) alarmingly soon. However, if you've got the bucks and need the features, go for it.
Professional Models
For $5,000 to $30,000 or so, you can get yourself a camera that is in virtually all respects the equal of a professional film camera. If you need one of these, you don't need me to tell you so. However, if you're not ready to venture into this territory, you may wonder exactly what all the fuss is about. Why does Nikon, for example, offer both pricey professional digital cameras as well as a seemingly similar "amateur" model with roughly the same resolution for one-third the price?
A few hours with these stablemates and you'll know the reason. Professional digital cameras are built with stronger, more rugged bodies, often made of titanium or some other metal, rather than the lighter polycarbonate frames found in prosumer models. Pro cameras may be quicker to start up, allow snapping longer sequences of photos at the camera's full resolution, use faster and more accurate automatic focus and exposure mechanisms, or have beefier power sources. They also may have full-frame sensors so you don't have to calculate in your head the "true" focal length of the lens you are using. If your living depends on getting a photo, you'll want one of these (actually three of these) in your camera bag.
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