Find The Best Digital SLR For You - Part IIWriten by Chris Roberts
In Part I of this article, I talked about the fact that many digital SLR cameras are quite similar in features and price.
It's challenging to evaluate them all and find the best one. In fact, it's a lot like comparing apples to apples.
But faced with a pile of apples at the supermarket you can pick out the exact one you want. How?
- If you love to make apple pie, then you're going to go straight for the tart flavor of a Granny Smith.
- If an apple slice in the morning makes your day, you'll want something mellower like a Fuji.
- If you enjoy pelting others with ripe fruit, you're looking for an apple that is over the hill.
Can you see where I'm going with this?
Here's how to find the best digital SLR camera: decide what photos you love to take FIRST.
Personal Photographic Profile
Before you compare prices or look at a single digital SLR camera, decide how you're going to use it.
Are you a naturalist who loves to go on hikes and take photos of wildflowers?
Or are you more inclined to pull out the camera to take shots of your adrenaline-fueled children rampaging about the living room?
These two people should not get the same digital SLR camera.
Some digital SLRs are ideal to take on hikes, but won't be able to keep up with kids in motion. The super-fast action camera may have way too many features for a budding nature photographer.
This means that the first step to find the best digital SLR is to develop your personal photographic profile.
Photographic Styles
Here are some common styles of photography that might appeal to you.
- Action - you enjoy photographing fast-moving subjects
- Portrait - faces fascinate you, and your subjects are willing to stay still
- Landscape - you want to capture the beauty of nature
- Macro / Closeup - flowers, bugs and other details are common subjects in your photos
- Low Light / Indoors - more often than not, you camera is used inside a house or museum
- Travel / Outdoor - you enjoy taking your camera on short hikes and long vacations
Decide which one of these best describes the photos that you love to take (it's OK to choose several).
Now you're prepared to go out and find the best digital SLR camera.
Instead of sifting though every single camera on the market, just find the one that matches your personal photographic profile.
Even though all digital SLRs are similar, you have a quick and easy way to evaluate them.
Since you know what photos you'd like the camera to capture, you can rest assured that the SLR you choose will help you take the photos that you love.
Chris Roberts dispenses practical plain-English advice and information about digital SLR cameras at the Digital SLR Guide. His 5-week ecourse in digital SLR technique helps beginners get the most out of their digital SLR cameras.