Just in time for this year’s new crop of spring cameras, Photography Savvy has some things to look out for when purchasing your next compact camera.

More Pixels Are Not Always Better

A common digital camera myth is that a camera with more megapixels takes a better picture. Generally speaking, this is definitely not the case. Even though the pixel count keeps getting higher and higher, this doesn’t directly translate into better pictures. Other features, such as the camera’s processing, the optics, how it handles color and its performance at high ISOs, have a far greater impact than the number of pixels. Unfortunately for us, most manufacturers are content improving the quantity of pixels over the quality of pixels.

Since most compact cameras are using a small sensor, even the highest resolution point and shoot won’t match the quality of a digital SLR. Unless you plan to do a lot of cropping or enlargements bigger than 14″ wide, anything with around 8 megapixels should be more than adequate.

All Zooms Are Not Created Equal

You always want to look for optical zoom in a camera over digital zoom, especially in cameras with a large zoom range. Optical zoom uses the lens to bring the subject closer to you while digital zoom magnifies or crops the image, resulting in a loss of clarity and resolution.

Most manufacturers are much better about not advertising the digital zoom, but it is still something to watch out for. When you do make your camera purchase, you might want to consider disabling the digital zoom so you don’t accidentally use it.

Another thing to watch for is the range that the optical zoom covers. Manufacturers usually designate their zooms with numbers like “3x,” but 3x zoom is not standardized among different models. What this means is that you could have two cameras with a 3x zoom, and they may have different focal lengths.

To differentiate between cameras, try to look for their 35mm equivalent zoom. Typically most compact cameras start at about 35mm, but there are models out there that will go as low as 24mm for a wider field of view. Cameras with a wider field of view will be a little limited on the telephoto side and vice versa.

Image Stabilization

Most of today’s cameras have some form of image stabilization – a function that will allow you to get pictures at shutter speeds slower than normal without camera shake. An important thing to keep in mind is image stabilization will stop your motion, not your subject’s motion.

Another thing to watch out for is the type of image stabilization that the camera has. Cameras have three different types of stabilization: optical, sensor-shifting or electronic. The stabilization is built into the lens or image sensor for optical or sensor-shifting, respectively.

These forms of stabilization are both very effective and will help you reduce camera shake. Electronic stabilization is when the camera boosts the ISO sensitivity up higher in order to reduce camera shake – something most cameras already do anyways. Electronic stabilization should usually be avoided because it is not as effective and results in a grainy picture.

Types of Batteries

Today’s cameras either use AA-type batteries or lithium ion rechargeable batteries. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages. AA-type batteries are extremely convenient in the sense that if your batteries die, you can get replacements just about anywhere you go. Their biggest drawback is they don’t last nearly as long as their lithium ion counterparts and are consumable, meaning you might be using a lot of batteries.

Lithium ion batteries are more and more prevalent in today’s compact cameras. Their biggest benefit is they last a long time on each charge and don’t need to be replaced frequently. Their biggest drawback is once they die, you’re stuck unless you have a backup (which is a must!). Also, they can be very expensive (sometimes as much as $60).

Don’t Skimp on Quality

No matter what type of camera you’re shooting, always shoot on the highest possible resolution. I know I’d mentioned earlier in the article that megapixels are not everything, but there’s no point in buying a 12 megapixel camera if you’re going to lower the resolution down to 3 megapixels.

Memory prices are ridiculously cheap these days so shoot at a high resolution; you never know when that once-in-a-lifetime shot is going to come. The important thing to remember is you can always scale an image down, but you can never add more pixels to an image.

Conclusion

Hopefully these pointers will help you when selecting your new compact camera. Once you get your camera, be sure to take a lot of pictures!

Interested in buying a Digital SLR? Check out our Digital SLR Buying Guide.

Should I spend more on bodies or lenses?

First-time buyers sometimes get “sticker shock” when they see that a lot of lenses cost a lot more than the camera body. This is largely because lenses are a more important investment in any DSLR system. Keep in mind that camera bodies tend to change every year or two, but you can almost always keep using the same lenses.

You’ll find that most high quality lenses tend to hold their value for a very long time. If you look at some of the DSLR bodies from 3 or 4 years ago, you’ll see they are generally selling for a fraction of what they cost brand new. Now, I’m not saying you should buy the most expensive lens out there for your first DSLR, but don’t be afraid to spend money on lenses. Also, don’t think once you get into a system that you always have to have the latest and greatest body; as long as you continue to work on your technique, you’ll get great results with your same camera body and some good glass.

How do I find a reputable dealer?

When you’re ready to buy a DSLR, it’s important that you buy from a reputable dealer. As DSLRs become the hottest segment of the digital camera market, everyone wants a piece of the pie. If you’re looking for the best service and want to talk to someone who is knowledgeable about the product, I’d highly recommend stopping by your local independent camera store. The other advantage of shopping with an independent camera store is these shops generally have a much wider range of accessories available, compared to most big box stores.

If you plan to buy your camera online, be very careful, as there are a lot of scam artists looking to take advantage of unsuspecting buyers. Some of these online dealers will advertise the camera for radically cheaper than what reputable dealers are selling them for. When you call to “confirm your order,” a pushy salesman tries to up-sell you on all sorts of accessories that should be included with the camera. If you don’t buy the accessories, they won’t sell you the camera. These sites also sell cameras that are not meant to be sold in the US, also known as grey market products. If anything should go wrong with the camera or lens, the manufacturer will not repair the item.

If you’re unsure about an online dealer, a website like Reseller Ratings is a good way to make sure the seller is legit. You can also call the customer service line of the manufacturer of the camera you intend to buy to see if a particular dealer is authorized to sell their product. There are many reputable dealers online and offline, just be sure you are visiting the right one!

That wraps up Photography Savvy’s “Digital SLR Buying Guide.” Hopefully this will help all of you looking to purchase a DSLR. If you have any additional questions, comments, or feedback feel free to contact us.

What should I look for?

Here are some important factors to consider when purchasing a DSLR.

Ergonomics

This is solely based on personal preference, but you should always consider how the camera feels in your hands. Keep in mind, you’ll most likely be carrying this camera around for full days of shooting so you want to make sure it feels right. If you plan to use longer lenses, it might be worthwhile to look at a body that is a little bit bigger or has an optional battery grip to give you a little bit better stability. Also, consider the placement of key controls – the last thing you want is to miss a shot because you were looking for a function button.

Room for Growth

Another consideration should be: how much room for expansion does the camera leave me? If you plan to use the camera in the full auto modes this might not be a consideration. If you start getting into the manual side of the camera then you might outgrow an entry level model. In this case it might be worth it to “buy up” to the next level camera. Even though you may not take full advantage of all of the features when you first get the camera, as you start to learn you may not feel as if you need to upgrade so quickly.

Availability of Accessories

This is perhaps one of the most important things to consider when buying a DSLR. You are not just buying a camera, you are buying into a system. Think of it this way – would you buy a car that had very limited parts available? Then why would you buy into a system where it would be hard to find accessories? When looking into a system, it’s important to make sure the manufacturer makes accessories for the type of applications you want to pursue and that you can readily get those types of accessories. This can apply to anything including lenses, flashes, batteries, chargers, software compatibility, memory, etc. If you are on a budget, it’s probably a good idea to see if third-party manufacturers provide alternatives to some of the more expensive accessories like lenses and flashes.

What may not be important?

While these features are useful, they may not be as important as some manufacturers and retailers make them out to be.

Anti-Dust Systems

Perhaps one of the biggest fears of DSLR users is getting dust on the sensor. Yes, it’s problematic, but it’s not the end of the world like some people make it out to be. Manufacturers have recently implemented anti-dust technology, which shakes the low pass filter over the sensor to remove dust particles. While this certainly helps with regards to dust, it by no means completely eliminates the problem. The biggest problem with these dust systems is when they shake the dust off the sensor, it still stays in the mirror box chamber. From what I’ve found, putting the camera into mirror lock-up and blowing the dust off the sensor with a blower bulb (note: NEVER use canned air or anything of the like to clean your sensor or any internal components) is still far more effective.

Live View

While this is certainly a handy feature in the latest DSLR models, there are a lot of misconceptions as to how it works. First-time users generally associate live view with the live view functionality of digital point and shoot cameras.

Live view in DSLR cameras works much differently than in a point and shoot camera. In order to shoot in live view, a DSLR must flip up the focusing mirror to expose the sensor. In order to autofocus the camera needs to flip the mirror back down, focus the lens, and then flip the mirror back up to take the shot.

Some of the newer cameras have implemented a live view autofocus function that uses contrast detection similar to a point and shoot camera. The contrast detection is even slower and in general is only recommended if the camera is mounted to a tripod. Live view slows down the picture taking process and in my opinion, eliminates the point of having a DSLR. The through-the-lens focusing is not only faster but also provides more stability since you are holding the camera closer to your body.

Missed Part 2? Check it out here.

Check back soon for Part 4 of Photography Savvy’s “Digital SLR Buying Guide.”

How many megapixels are enough?

People often assume in digital cameras that more megapixels (MP) means a better image. While this is true to an extent, all megapixels are not created equal. If you compare a point-and-shoot camera with a DSLR that have the same amount of resolution, the DSLR is going to have superior image quality, especially when you start getting into higher ISOs. Even if the DSLR has a lower resolution, because the sensor is larger, the pixels are also larger. This means you are capturing more information in each pixel and getting a higher quality image.

I’ve personally seen prints as large as 24″x36″ from a 6MP DSLR that look absolutely gorgeous. Even though most of the DSLRs on the market are around 10MP+, I wouldn’t get too worked up on the megapixels because anything at least 6MP should be more than adequate. Of course if you plan to do a lot of cropping or image manipulation, then a higher resolution may pay off so you have more cropping freedom and more data to work with.

Should I shoot JPEG or RAW?

This is a question that could take up an entire article itself, so I’ll try to keep it simple. For someone who is just starting out, especially if you’ve never used an SLR, I would strongly recommend shooting JPEG. With JPEG you can immediately print the image or e-mail it to friends and family without having to go through any processing software. As long as you had the camera set the way you wanted (or let the camera take care of the settings), JPEG will be fine. The other reason JPEG makes more sense for a first-time user is you can get a lot more images per card, so you have more freedom to shoot and familiarize yourself with the camera.

To put it simply, a RAW image contains the original uncompressed data from the sensor along with metadata containing information such as the camera settings. When you import the RAW image into your manufacturer’s conversion software, you have the ability to change some of these settings after the fact. For example: say you went from shooting inside to outside and forgot to change your white balance from the tungsten setting. Or let’s say you were taking some family pictures but left the color settings in the vivid setting. In JPEG you would be forever stuck with images that had a horrendous blue cast or very yellow skin tones. With RAW you could go into your software, open the image, and simply change the white balance or color mode after the fact.

The biggest advantage to RAW is you can make changes like these as many times as you want and never affect the original image. With most RAW conversion programs, any changes you make to the original settings are applied as an “instruction set.” This means the changes you make are non-destructive, and you can always revert back to the original image you shot. For a lot of photographers, this can be an extremely powerful tool.

RAW does provide a lot of advantages, but it also requires a lot more work. In order to share or print your photos, you have to open and convert them through RAW editing software. Generally your camera manufacturer provides you with the software to do so but sometimes only provides basic controls. There are a number of third-party conversion programs (Adobe Camera RAW/Lightroom, Aperture, Phase One Capture One, Bibble, etc.) but a lot of these ignore the in-camera color settings and provide their own default conversions. Also, RAW images generally take up about double the amount of space compared to JPEG files. This means you not only need more memory cards, but also more space on your hard drive. As you familiarize yourself more with the camera and post processing, RAW can easily become your best friend. For someone just starting with a DSLR, JPEG should suit all of your needs.

Missed Part 1? Check it out here.

Check back soon for Part 3 of Photography Savvy’s “Digital SLR Buying Guide.”

Is it easy to use?

A common misconception about a DSLR is that there is a much higher learning curve. Most of today’s entry level to advanced amateur DSLRs offer the same amount of automation found in a compact point and shoot camera. In other words, if you are the type of user who only uses the fully automatic modes then you can continue to do so. Most first time users will find that DSLRs are not only easy to use but they get rid of that annoying delay between pictures found in compact cameras.

Some 35mm SLR users are also reluctant to make the switch because they fear that they will have to re-learn everything for digital. The core functions of exposure (aperture, shutter, and ISO) are exactly the same as they were on film. Even though there are some “new” functions, most of them are designed to make it easier to get the shot you want. A perfect example is white balance: instead of having to buy color correction filters or film, you can simply tell the camera the type of light you’re in and it will correct it. Users may be intimidated by the different file formats (more on that later) and having to edit everything but to put it simply: if you don’t want to edit the images you don’t have to. You can shoot everything in the camera and then take it to your lab to get processed just as you would with 35mm film. The best part is you only have to print the ones you want.

Will my 35mm lenses work?

If you own an autofocus 35mm SLR then it is very likely that your lenses will work. Canon, Nikon, Pentax, and Minolta (now under the Sony brand) all use the same mount for their DSLRs as they did for their 35mm autofocus camera. In the case of Pentax and Nikon you might be able to use some of the manual focus lenses with some restrictions depending on the model. The easiest way to find out if your lenses work is to bring them down to your local dealer and mount them on the camera.

There is going to be a slight change to your 35mm lenses when using them on a DSLR body. When using your lenses the field of view will be 1.5 times (1.6 in the case of Canon) the given focal length. The reason for this is the size of the sensors in most DSLRs are smaller than a piece of 35mm film. These sensors are called “APS-C sensors” because their size is approximately that of a piece of APS film. What this means is if you are using a 50mm lens on a DSLR body, the equivalent field of view of that lens in 35mm terms would be 75mm. There are some cameras on the market that offer a chip that is the size of a piece of 35mm film called a “full frame sensor.” This size sensor is only found in professional cameras like the Canon EOS 1Ds (not 1D) and 5D series, and the Nikon D3.

An important thing to keep in mind is having an APS-C sensor size does not make your lenses longer. You are simply seeing the center portion of the image circle which narrows your field of view. This will help you on the telephoto side but hurt you on the wide side. That means if you have a wide angle lens, you might need to buy a new lens to get that same field of view. Below is an example of what a wide angle lens would look like on a full frame camera vs. an APS-C sized sensor.

14mm Lens: Full Frame Sensor Field of View vs APS-C Sensor Field of View.

If you have lenses, I recommend bringing them to a local dealer to evaluate whether or not it is worth your money to keep using those lenses or to upgrade them. If you just have the kit lens from your 35mm camera (usually a 28-XXmm), I would recommend upgrading it to the kit lens included with the DSLR because it’s most likely going to be designed to give you a better starting range than what your old lens would provide. Lens choice will be discussed further in the guide.

Check back soon for Part 2 of Photography Savvy’s “Digital SLR Buying Guide.”