I’ve thrown around the idea for a while of offering photography classes to moms, dads and anyone else interested in taking better photos of their kids, dogs and family. When it comes to photography, I’m primarily self-taught with a few photography classes and workshops thrown in over the years. I’ve studied books, internet sites, participated in photography forums and mentored with some professional photographers. I’ve found the best experience is just to shoot … and keep shooting. A couple of years ago I was asked to join Valencia Community College’s adjunct team and teach a basic digital photography class. Each semester I have 18 students who are all eager to learn the basics of digital photography.
For the next week I’m going to share some basic tips on how to take better pictures. It doesn’t matter what style of camera you have … how expensive that camera is … or what brand of camera it is. These tips are for anyone looking to take better photos. Stop by each day and learn something new.
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Speaking of cameras … Today I’m going to start with the basics: the camera. As many of you have found, there are so many different camera brands, models and styles. They range from very inexpensive, to a bit more pricey. I’m going to focus solely on digital cameras, not film cameras. (Although film cameras are definitely not obsolete and making a small comeback.) I’m going to go through the differences between digital SLR cameras and point-and-shoot cameras and then make some observations within each of those categories.
Point and Shoot Cameras
A point and shoot camera is designed primarily for simple operation. Most offer autofocus, automatic systems for setting the exposure, and have flash units built in. They are small and compact and fit easily in a pocket, purse or bag. Point and shoot cameras are relatively easy to use and are perfect for taking your everyday photos.
Example of a "typical" point and shoot camera
Most point and shoot cameras do not have manual controls, which makes it a selling point for most consumers. What this means is that the camera will have “pre set” functions that allow you to just take a photo and not have to think about “how” to take that photo. On the downside, if you are really interested in learning more about photography — like how to take the photo you want — you may be somewhat unsatisfied with a point and shoot camera.
- Pros: small, compact and easy to use
- Cons: don’t allow manual functionality (for the most part); limited in what you can do; cannot change lenses
Digital SLR Cameras
A digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera uses a mirror system to direct light through a lens to an optical viewfinder on the back of the camera. With a DSLR you have the ability to change lenses. While some DSLRs do come with automatic functionality, it also has a true manual ability, allowing the photographer full control over the camera. If you are serious about photography, a DSLR is the type of camera you want to be using. DSLRs are larger and bulkier than a point and shoot camera.
Example of a "typical" Digital SLR camera
- Pros: Manual control gives you, the photographer, more control over your images; interchangeable lens system
- Cons: large and bulky; more expensive
Megapixels
Let’s talk about megapixels for a second. It is my personal opinion that camera manufacturer have used megapixels as a marketing feature for selling cameras. Here is the truth: megapixels are only ONE of the features that determines camera quality. Megapixels tell you how many pixels are in each image you take; and the more pixels, the finer the detail in your image. However, how many megapixels you absolutely need depends on what you are doing with your images. If you are uploading your images to a website (Facebook, Flickr, your blog), you don’t need that many megapixels because your images are not sized that large. If you are printing out 4×6″ prints or 5×7″ prints to put in albums, or send to family & friends, you need a medium amount of megapixels (3 megapixels will be sufficient). However, if you plan on printing very large images (16×20, 30×40), you will need a large amount of megapixels. So, for most people who are printing small images (5×7″ and smaller) and uploading to websites, a camera with 3-4 megapixels is just fine.
Recommendations
When I’m looking for recommendations on electronic equipment, I like to consult review websites such as www.cnet.com or even the consumer reviews at www.amazon.com. My personal favorites in the two categories above include:
Point and Shoot:
Panasonic Lumix (there are several different sub brands of this camera and you can pick and choose the features you want). What I like about this camera is their use of the Leica lenses.
Canon Powershot SD1200 IS I’ve had a previous generation of this camera and it was incredibly reliable. Good pictures. Very small and compact. The IS (image stabilization) feature is really nice.
Canon G11 This little camera has kind of the best of both worlds: its small and compact, but also has manual functionality on it so you can do more with the camera as a photographer.
Digital SLR:
For this category of camera, I recommend starting with the entry level camera in any of the different brands that offer SLRs: Canon, Nikon, Sony, etc. If you are just starting out, the entry level models will give you the functionality that you need. Once you’ve mastered the functionality, you can then decide whether you want to upgrade the body of your camera, or put your money into more lenses. My theory always has been to buy the camera body that you can afford and put your money into good lenses. Entry level cameras for Canon and Nikon include…
Canon Digital Rebel XSi
Nikon D3000
When you purchase a DSLR, you also have to purchase a lens (or two or three). There are “kit” cameras that come with the camera body and a lens that is typically called a kit lens. Most often, the kit lens is one of their lower level zoom lenses. You can certainly go that route if you are just starting out so you can see what you might like about that lens. One lens that I always recommend to purchase because it is both inexpensive as well as decently good is a 50mm f/1.8 lens. Both Canon and Nikon make this lens. On the Canon side it is about $100. Nikon is about the same.
Note that I’ve provided purchasing links to amazon.com. I have purchased several cameras and lenses from Amazon and have been happy with my purchase. There are also local camera shops in town like Colonial Photo and Hobby and Harmon Photo. Those are good resources if you want to see the camera in person before buying it. You can also go to camera-specific websites like B&H Photo and Video and Adorama. Those are also well known and reputable websites.
I hope this gave you a good overview of different types of cameras. In the next week I’ll be specifically referring to point and shoot cameras and digital SLRs. I wanted you to know the differences in both before starting into the rest of the series. Some of the topics I’ll be covering this week include: taking better photos of your kids, seeing the light, technical aspects of photography, and more.
If you like what you see in this week long series, you might be interested in taking one of my workshops. Stay tuned for more details on the workshops as the week goes on.
