Camera choices for enthusiasts

The Samsung NX1000. PHOTO | COURTESY 

Photography is like music; either you have a knack for it or you don't. Sounds a little harsh? Well, with a lot of patience and resolve you can learn. All you need is passion and mastery of a few basic rules to start clicking away.

You'll learn the rest as you go along. "What camera do I buy? I'm just a hobbyist?" Like any other photographer, I get asked that a lot. Naturally, I will ask, "which camera can you afford?" Or "what's your budget?" This usually gives us an indication on how serious the person is, given the photography fad in Nairobi.

For a beginner, Nikon D3000, Nikon 5500, Pentax K-50 or K-S1, Sony Alpha A8, Canon 1000D, Canon Rebel T6i. For an enthusiast, try Canon 70D, Panasonic GX7, Samsung NX 1000 should do.

Then comes the next question, Nikon or Canon?

If primarily for taking pictures, it depends on the type of pictures you will be taking. If landscape, nature or coloured, Nikon is good with colour. Canon can be a little pale sometimes, but not with the new professional gadgets. Again, do you know your settings? You will need to bond with your camera over a considerable period of time to be able to get this right. 

Something worth noting, Canon cameras are starting to get more focused on DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) video-making than their Nikon counterparts.

Canon tends to have more options to choose from. The brand releases more bodies than Nikon. Here is where I confess I am pro-Canon so if my biases seep through, forgive me.

When you go to the shop, you may encounter the new kids on the block; mirrorless cameras like the Samsung or Panasonic I mentioned. They are fancy-looking, yes, but I still think DSLR cameras are the way to go.

Now, how much will this cost you?

Budget for roughly between $500-$1,000 (Sh50,000 to Sh100,000). This will include accessories such as a battery, a memory card and a charger.

When buying a camera body, you might sometimes stumble on a great deal that affords you multiple lenses. It is important to note you can't always walk before crawl, so be patient. Start with the simpler lenses as you slowly grow into using the bigger, more complex ones. It is important to learn about focus, composition and white balance.

To become an expert, shoot away and explore until you get it right. Like musicians say, it's not the violin, it's the violinist. Similarly, it's not the camera, it's you.

dngila@ke.nationmedia.com

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