Today, most people if they want to take a picture will probably use their Smart Phone, IPad or tablet. It’s handy, quick and the photo can be sent immediately to anyone – anywhere. After all the picture quality is good and it’s so easy.
Well someday, sooner or later, some of you out there may start wanting more: Higher resolution; A good zoom lens; Interchangeable lens; Manual functions and the ability to upload your pictures into your computer so that you can make prints or edit video.
What you now need is a “real” camera. If so, then you have two types of cameras to choose from:
Group one – The digital point and shoot camera.
Group two – The DSLR ( Digital single Lens Reflex ) camera.
The Digital Point and Shoot Camera
The Point and Shoot camera is a no brainer, just as easy as your Smart Phone. They have auto focus and auto exposure, so all you have to do is zoom in or out to compose how you want your picture to look and press the button – picture taken!
These cameras have a resolution of 15 to 20 MP (megapixels) and fixed lens with optical zoom ranges of 32 to 50 times. These cameras don’t have view finders to see the picture. You have instead a small LCD screen on the back of the camera. They all do have a built in flash and many have Wi-Fi.
The two most popular camera manufactures are Canon and Nikon. Popular Point and Shoot models by Canon are: The Powershot SX510 and the SX710. Similar models by Nikon are: the Coolpix P610 and the P900.
The DSLR Camera
The Digital Single Lens Reflex camera is unique because you are now able to actually see exactly what the camera sees, thru the lens via the view finder. And with these cameras you are also able to change the lens, from an ultra-wide angle, to a normal aspect lens, to a portrait telephoto to a lens strong enough to take surfing or skiing pictures. There are also several zoom lenses you can choose from.
These cameras also have many other features for the serious picture taker. Many cameras can be switched from manual focus to auto focus, as well as:
Aperture Priority – so you can set the F/stop for depth of focus.
Shutter Priority – so you can set the shutter speed to freeze action.
Program setting – so the camera acts like a point and shoot, it sets both the shutter speed and the F/stop automatically.
DSLRs have a resolution from 18mp to 50mp. Many models have Wi-Fi, but only a very few have built in flash. Popular models by Canon are the Rebel T5 and the Rebel T6i. Popular models by Nikon are the D3200 and the D5300. Both the Canon and the Nikon cameras can be packaged with an 18 to 55mm zoom lens. You can look them up on B&H Photo Video to find out all of their capabilities and prices.
But you say “my Smart Phone can also shoot video”. Well some of the Point and Shoot cameras and most all of the DSLRs can also shoot 1080 HD video. Both your pictures and video are recorded onto an SD or SDHC card or cards. This card can then be removed from the camera and with a USB card reader, inserted into your computer. To edit the pictures you can use iPhoto or Photoshop Elements and to edit the video you can use iVideo or Adobe Premiere.
This may all sound much more complicated then just using your Smart Phone. There are books available online at Barnes and Noble and Amazon that will help you with the process. Once you get into it, it really is fun and very rewarding to see your enlarged photos on the wall, or see your video on your television.
The effort is worth it.