Choosing a Camera

When you're in the market for a camera there are oodles of things to consider and questions to ask yourself before investing in such an expensive tool. Ask yourself why you want a camera, what kind of moments are you trying to capture. Are you a world traveller? A live music enthusiast? A DIY blogger? ;)

I encourage you to do lots of research about the cameras you are interested in. Read reviews, even watch some unboxing videos. One of my favorite resources for gear reviews is DPReview - I'm pretty sure there isn't a camera, lens, flash, or battery under the sun that they haven't reviewed. There can be a lot of variation in user experience depending on how the camera is trying to be used, so pay attention to how others have used the camera you are researching, and what kind of images reviewers have made with that camera.

Here is a guided list to help you decide what kind of camera is best for you.

Level of commitment

Are you new to photography? Unsure what kind of photographs you want to make? If you're just getting started, breaking the bank for a camera probably isn't worth it. I didn't buy a DSLR until my third year of art school, it wasn't until then that IKNEW that I was going to make photographs forever, thus was ready to embark upon that level of investment for storytelling and image making. Albeit, DSLRs are a lot less expensive than they were 12 years ago, but a DSLR is a commitment to learning how to use the camera as a tool. Not ready to take that kind of plunge? There are some amazing point and shoot cameras available, with loads of settings to explore to get you started with digital photography.

In recent years, I have become a bigger and bigger fan of mirrorless camera systems. Mirrorless cameras are a good middle of the road camera that can be very capable. You get the compactness of a point and shoot camera, but with some of the custom functionality of a larger DSLR. Most of these cameras even have an interchangeable lens system that doesn't break the bank!

Where are you making your photographs?

If you are planning a rafting trip, you probably don't want to use a super expensive camera, with custom underwater housing to protect it from the probable droplets of water that will get on it, potentially shorting the electronics in your camera. Instead, maybe opt for an affordable underwater camera. Underwater cameras are pretty unbeatable, you have to sacrifice sensor size for rugged durability, but for a camera that can stand up to the elements, underwater point-and-shoots are the way to go.

Alternatively, if you are setting up a location with controlled lighting to take pictures of retail goods, and want a consistent and controllable aesthetic, you're probably better off working with a tripod-mounted Mirrorless or DSLR camera.

The lens and battery are the heaviest parts of your camera, so if you are going on a hike, and don't want to lug your big camera in your pack opt for a point-and-shoot or mirrorless camera to lighten your load. My go-to on-the-go rig is a mirrorless camera with a pancake lens. This means it has a slim profile and is super lightweight.

MegaPixels vs. Sensor Size

Understanding megapixels and image resolution can be a huge benefit to your decision to buy a camera. What is a megapixel anyways? Megapixels refer to the camera's ability to render images of different dimensions, and how many pixels per inch you will be able to print. For example, your average smartphone camera has an 8-megapixel camera. This means that the image dimension has a surface area of about 8 million pixels that have interpreted light into a photograph. Megapixels are calculated by multiplying the width and height of the image rendered. An 8MP photo is 3264 pixels wide and 2448 pixels high contains an area of 7,990,272 pixels of light-data interpreted into a photograph.

This chart demonstrates how megapixels and resolution scale in correlation to printing.

Camera sensors are advertised to have anywhere from 3-50 megapixels, and while you may think that a high megapixel count is better, that is not always the case.

Images with a small sensor and a high megapixel count won't render as nice of a high-quality image as a camera with a larger sensor size and lower megapixels. When using a camera with a smaller sensor, like with a smartphone, the photo-sensing pixels can't capture as much light, and your details become 'noisy'. When a sensor is larger, the image details are captured more accurately because there is literally more physical space on the sensor to interpret the light.

Where do you want your images to go?

If you are hoping to buy a camera so that you may print your photos to give as gifts, or enlarge as art pieces, it is imperative to use a camera that has some advanced control over file size and color in the camera. Point-and-shoots are great for quick snaps that will just be published to the web, but if you are hoping to share your images as high-quality prints look towards a mirrorless or prosumer DSLR.

Video

Some cameras have a dedicated video mode, so if you would like to capture video footage as well as photographs, look for a camera that is video-capable.

Source: Choosing a Camera