Buying a Digital Camera - Professional Vs Consumer Cameras

With the enormous amount of models, manufacturers and features out there, it’s usually a tremendous task to do the research and buy a digital camera. Moreover, the responsibility is quite big: if you chose wrong, you end up paying for a gadget you don’t need!

Let’s start off by demoting a myth: it’s not always that the most expensive camera is the best for you. We have put up a few characteristics of point-and-shoot and professional cameras that will help you assess your needs and get the right one.

Point and shoots

If you are a newcomer in the art of photography, you should go for one of these. For a newbie, these gadgets have lots to offer:

- They are lightweight and can fit in your jacket pocket or purse and you can carry them around daily without any effort. They are great for spotting candid moments at parties, on vacation or even at the office.
- You can use the inbuilt LCD screen to frame your shot. I bet you missed that on old film cameras!
- Photos taken on AUTO mode are of good quality if you only plan on sharing them with your friends.
- They are cheap. You won’t ruin your family budget with one of these $200 cameras.

However, point and shoots are slow, they have a rather large shutter lag, and you will have a hard time shooting a picture of something in motion. Also, manual control is usually quite limited, and a seasoned photographer will look for more control over the picture.

DSLR Cameras

DSLR is an acronym from “Digital Single Lens Reflex”. These cameras are equipped with a live digital viewing mechanism through the lenses that focus on the image. Experienced photographers prefer them over point and shoots because:

- they produce larger pixel sizes which translates into a better image quality
- they can be equipped with interchangeable lenses, filters and flashes
- there is no shutter lag: with proper accessories, you can catch a clear image of a Formula 1 car moving at 300kmph
- the lenses and other accessories are interchangeable with other cameras

Still, DSLR’s are heavier than their “baby” consumer competitors and more difficult to manipulate, the shutter click sound can be quite annoying, and are difficult to operate by an inexperienced photographer.

Getting the perfect camera, is never an easy thing, especially with the way digital technology is constantly changing. Fortunately, there are plenty of helpful websites online, that can narrow down your search and help you find the camera with all the features important to you.