How to Buy a Camera
So, you're starting to shop for a DSLR? What should you look for? Well, let me just tell you. I have no special qualifications, and I too am new to this whole world. So why would you want to read what I have to say? You might not, but I was recently in this boat, and I did a lot -- a LOT -- of research before I made my decision. And that decision was... (*drumroll*)... ... to buy a Nikon D80. This is a wonderful mid-level DSLR from arguably the top camera maker in the world. Canon users just closed this browser window. But if you have an open mind, read on.
So... let's see, why did I pick this camera? I am indecisive by nature, so this was immensely difficult for me. First, and most important: The thing fits in my hand. Like a spandex glove. Like a teddy bear in a toddler's hand.
The DSLR market is as crowded as a New York tunnel on a Friday rush hour. This oversaturation has led to great competition amongst the Big 5 makers: Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, and Sony. As a result, you'll find very comparable models across those brands at a given price point, and it's hard to go wrong feature-wise no matter which brand or model you choose these days, even with the so-called "entry-level" DSLR's. Differences in resolution, shooting modes, sharpness, contrast, low-light performance, and overall feature set will be negligible, if even measurable at all. This will cause you to go insane. Trust me. If you're at all like me, you shop carefully and use as many resources as you can to compare products right down to the screws before you make the absolute perfect purchase. The problem is, you can get so consumed with feature crunching that you begin to miss the proverbial forest for the trees. It's a sickness. Megapixels, shutter lag, maximum flash sync speed, metering modes, autofocus points, image stabilization, and on and on and on it goes. Before long, you're nitpicking so closely, that you begin to lose sight of the overall product you are buying. It is important not to get caught up in this mindset. At least for you and me, people just beginning to enter the realm of serious photography. That sort of scrutinty is for the pros who really need to squeeze every last drop out of their equipment.
However, there is one big thing that does change noticeably as you change brands. Ergonomics. Say it with me now, "er-go-NOM-ics". For me, the Nikon just felt right. This is not to say that it would feel right for you. The mottled finish, while not especially attractive, is easy to grip and feels quite durable. The buttons and dials are all very responsive and also feel quite solidly-built. The only slight exception is the "delete" button, which is just marginally more difficult to fully depress than the other soft buttons. It is the same with every different D80 I've held, so I am certain it's not unique to my camera. This may be a feature which was designed in, or it may just be a quirk; either way, it's not even a big enough issue to be considered an issue at all. I looked at the D40 first, and it was just a touch small for my gargantuan hands. So I grabbed a D80, and found that it was easy to grip, comfortable to hold, and convenient to operate.
This was not at all my impression of the Canon models. In particular, the four-way button on the back felt cheap and prone to wear. And the jog dials for shutter speed and aperture were easy to use -- too easy to use. They felt loose and disconnected from the mechanical workings of the camera. I must say, Canon's exterior fit and finish is more attractive to look at than Nikon's. But, what are you doing looking at your camera? When you grab hold of it, the smooth, shiny plastic feels sort of generic and amateurish.
Remember this: The most important thing you can do when buying a DSLR is to hold each model you are considering in your own two hands. Look at them. Feel them. Fondle, caress them. Run through the menus a few times. How does it feel? You're about to spend a good chunk of cash for a little piece of technology, so it better feel right. As I mentioned, features and abilities are a virtual dead heat between all of the major brands. And you can have all the features you want, but if the camera is not comfortable to hold and use, not ergonomically friendly, well guess what. You're not going to use it. You're just not. It's going to sit right there in its lonely bag all the time, like a neglected pair of plaid bell-bottoms. You won't even bother pulling it out, unless you have no other options. And you'll certainly never get around to exploring its full range of features and how best to make use of them. Not a good investment of your money. Pick the right camera for your hands though, and you'll actively look for any excuse you can find to bring it out, even if it's only for 1 or 2 quick shots. It will be your comfortable little trinket. Like your favorite pair of well-worn blue jeans. I can't stress this enough, buy the camera that fits best in your hands, and you simply can not go wrong.
So... let's see, why did I pick this camera? I am indecisive by nature, so this was immensely difficult for me. First, and most important: The thing fits in my hand. Like a spandex glove. Like a teddy bear in a toddler's hand.
The DSLR market is as crowded as a New York tunnel on a Friday rush hour. This oversaturation has led to great competition amongst the Big 5 makers: Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, and Sony. As a result, you'll find very comparable models across those brands at a given price point, and it's hard to go wrong feature-wise no matter which brand or model you choose these days, even with the so-called "entry-level" DSLR's. Differences in resolution, shooting modes, sharpness, contrast, low-light performance, and overall feature set will be negligible, if even measurable at all. This will cause you to go insane. Trust me. If you're at all like me, you shop carefully and use as many resources as you can to compare products right down to the screws before you make the absolute perfect purchase. The problem is, you can get so consumed with feature crunching that you begin to miss the proverbial forest for the trees. It's a sickness. Megapixels, shutter lag, maximum flash sync speed, metering modes, autofocus points, image stabilization, and on and on and on it goes. Before long, you're nitpicking so closely, that you begin to lose sight of the overall product you are buying. It is important not to get caught up in this mindset. At least for you and me, people just beginning to enter the realm of serious photography. That sort of scrutinty is for the pros who really need to squeeze every last drop out of their equipment.
However, there is one big thing that does change noticeably as you change brands. Ergonomics. Say it with me now, "er-go-NOM-ics". For me, the Nikon just felt right. This is not to say that it would feel right for you. The mottled finish, while not especially attractive, is easy to grip and feels quite durable. The buttons and dials are all very responsive and also feel quite solidly-built. The only slight exception is the "delete" button, which is just marginally more difficult to fully depress than the other soft buttons. It is the same with every different D80 I've held, so I am certain it's not unique to my camera. This may be a feature which was designed in, or it may just be a quirk; either way, it's not even a big enough issue to be considered an issue at all. I looked at the D40 first, and it was just a touch small for my gargantuan hands. So I grabbed a D80, and found that it was easy to grip, comfortable to hold, and convenient to operate.
This was not at all my impression of the Canon models. In particular, the four-way button on the back felt cheap and prone to wear. And the jog dials for shutter speed and aperture were easy to use -- too easy to use. They felt loose and disconnected from the mechanical workings of the camera. I must say, Canon's exterior fit and finish is more attractive to look at than Nikon's. But, what are you doing looking at your camera? When you grab hold of it, the smooth, shiny plastic feels sort of generic and amateurish.
Remember this: The most important thing you can do when buying a DSLR is to hold each model you are considering in your own two hands. Look at them. Feel them. Fondle, caress them. Run through the menus a few times. How does it feel? You're about to spend a good chunk of cash for a little piece of technology, so it better feel right. As I mentioned, features and abilities are a virtual dead heat between all of the major brands. And you can have all the features you want, but if the camera is not comfortable to hold and use, not ergonomically friendly, well guess what. You're not going to use it. You're just not. It's going to sit right there in its lonely bag all the time, like a neglected pair of plaid bell-bottoms. You won't even bother pulling it out, unless you have no other options. And you'll certainly never get around to exploring its full range of features and how best to make use of them. Not a good investment of your money. Pick the right camera for your hands though, and you'll actively look for any excuse you can find to bring it out, even if it's only for 1 or 2 quick shots. It will be your comfortable little trinket. Like your favorite pair of well-worn blue jeans. I can't stress this enough, buy the camera that fits best in your hands, and you simply can not go wrong.
posted by Eric at
10:58 PM
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