People all the time ask me for camera recommendations. It is usually a tough question to answer because there are so many variables involved: how you plan on using your camera, where you plan on using it, expectations on handling and results, how much you want to do with your photos after the capture. In this session I will try to cover some of these key points you should consider before deciding on a camera.
There are basically two types of cameras: point and shoot, and d-slr. Point and shoot cameras are noticeably smaller, usually fitting inside your pocket. And typically they are one piece, possibly with a lens that opens and protrudes out. Point and shoot cameras are designed to be simple. Their electronics can be sophisticated, and they are capable of taking very nice images; but they are not particularly versatile, and they are slow. Take a picture, count to ten, then take another picture. D-slr cameras, on the other hand, are designed for expansion and speed. Want to throw on a larger lens? No problem. Want to use an external flash or two? Go ahead. Want to take 10 photos in 10 seconds? Go ahead and take 20. But with these options comes size and bulk. So the question arises: what do you plan to do with your camera?
If you plan to use your camera mostly for travel, photographing sites, and you don't want to carry a load around with you . . get a point and shoot (or iphone 4). If you don't mind the extra weight, and you want more control and options for this once in a lifetime trip, then go with a d-slr. If you plan on photographing kids sports, particularly from the stands, then you will probably need something that can shoot longer and quicker, i.e., a d-slr. If you plan on photographing your family on the beach and just want some casual candids, then perhaps a point and shoot would be adequate.
So, are images coming from a point and shoot any different than images coming from a d-slr? Yes and no. Generally speaking, the sensor chips on point and shoot cameras are smaller than ones used on d-slr cameras. Smaller chips typically translates into more noise, but that can be greatly corrected by getting proper exposures during the capture. Also with point and shoot cameras, you don't have much control over depth of field. If you want to blur out the background for a portrait, there is nothing like using a long lens to narrow that depth of field. So taking the same photo with the two different styles of cameras will give you two different looks. When you look at an image on your camera's screen, it can look great; but put that image on your computer and zoom in and you realize that it is out of focus, or the colors are not quite right, or there is a lot of digital noise in the image. Zooming in on a computer screen is where I can see the biggest differences between many point and shoot images and their d-slr counterparts. The d-slr ones just seem to hold up better. But for many people, they never look at their images close up. Their tolerance level is pretty high. They don't mind if it is slightly out of focus or if there is some noise in the image. So picture quality is not always the biggest concern for many people.
For those who like to play with their images after the capture, having the best quality to work with is very important. It is hard to rescue an image that is in bad shape to begin with. Your best bet for starting out with optimum quality is to use high res images captured with a d-slr. Even better is to start with a raw image, as discussed in Photography 101, session 07. Generally speaking, raw images are only possible in d-slr cameras (there are exceptions to this).
So what do I recommend? For point and shoot, you have two options: the very basic vs. ones that have a d-slr look and feel, but still basically function like a point and shoot. As of January 2011, for the basic, I have heard some great things about he Canon s95. If you want a point and shoot with more options, look at the Canon g12. I have the Canon g9 and it does very well (and it shoots raw images). For d-slr, I would say get the most you can afford. The Canon Rebel line have gotten great revues, and the Nikon D7000 likewise has been well received. I use the Nikon D700 and have been very happy with it. Within the major lines (like Canon and Nikon), they have consumer level cameras and then their pro line. As expected, the consumer line will produce better quality images than point and shoot cameras, but not necessarily as good as the pro line. Again, this is largely due to the kind of sensor chip used. Oftentimes though, what separates the consumer line from the pro line, beyond a few more bells and whistles, is the material used in construction of the body. The pro line is built to hold up longer and under more strenuous conditions.
Of course with d-slr cameras, it is not just the camera body. You have lenses and flash units to purchase as well, and particularly with lenses, they can be expensive. I will say that glass is important, so you want to buy the best lens that you can afford.
Bottom line: you need to decide what you will use your camera for before deciding on which camera to buy. I bought the Canon g9 several years ago so I would have something that I could carry with me on trips or take down to the beach without worrying about carrying it around or being exposed to the elements. For that purpose it works very well. There are times when I have both cameras (using the g9's great video mode while shooting stills with my Nikon D700). I'll shoot some stills with the g9 just to compare them with the D700. There is no comparison. Of course you are comparing a $500 camera with a $2700 camera with a $1500 lens on it, so sure, there better be a difference. But I don't want to always carry around the big stuff, so having the g9 fills the bill well in those situations. I would never photograph a wedding with it though.
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