LENS CAPTURE

Vol. 1 No. 58

So, if you accept the responsibility of owning a dSLR (see previous post), or you are looking to buy someone else one this holiday season, read on.

Before running out to the camera dealer and plopping down a bunch of cash, there are some important questions to consider. Here goes:

• What are you looking to photograph?

Depending on whether you are focusing on landscapes, people, wildlife, sports, travel, special events can help in the decision-making process. Today's dSLR cameras come in cropped APS-C and full frame sensors sizes. While landscape photographers really benefit from the full frame sensors because very wide lenses such as a 12mm will yield extremely wide fields of view (122º horizontal). On the other hand, sports and wildlife photographers can benefit from the cropped sensor's tighter field of view. A 300mm lens mounted on a camera with a Nikon APS-C sensor with a multiplier of 1.5x (1.6x on some Canons) would have the same field of view as a 450mm lens on a full frame body.

• What are you looking to do with the images?

Post photos to your blog, making 8" x 10" prints, or producing huge billboards for advertising can both determine and limit your camera choices. The majority of cameras available today will all meet the first two requirements, but only a few are truly well suited to handle the latter.

• What's your budget?

This is probably the easiest to answer and the largest determining factor. There are dSLR cameras starting below $500 with prices ranging as high as $7,500. There are entry-level cameras, prosumer models and top-of-the-line professional dSLR bodies.

When determining your choices, keep in mind all the other stuff you need to purchase with the camera body. You'll need, at minimum, one lens. You'll need memory cards to record your images, a card reader to transfer them to your computer, a camera case to protect your investment, a tripod to provide a steady base, and a tripod head to accommodate the camera atop the tripod. And the list doesn't stop there. You should definitely consider purchasing a spare battery to extend your shooting time, or maybe even a vertical/extended battery grip. Some cleaning items like a microfiber lens cloth, and bulb blower are indispensible. Then there's the UV filter to protect the front of your lens. Starting out, I recommend you purchase one for each lens you own. Shooting outdoors calls for a circular polarizing filter to handle reflections and help darken a blue sky. What about a flash? Your camera choice may be equipped with a built-in pop-up flash. While they might not be as wimpy as the one found on your old point-and-shoot, they are not much better. If you're serious about this ________ (hobby, passion, profession - fill-in the blank), then you will definitely want a shoe-mounted external flash.

• Ready to invest the time?

I talked about the commitment of owning a dSLR in the previous post. You need to invest time before the purchase to research the various offerings available. This is part of the investment in owning a dSLR. There are numerous sources online to help you in your probe to find the best fit. A great place to start is the Digital Photography Review. DPReview has been around for more than a decade providing independent in-depth reviews and digital imaging news coverage. When you begin to narrow down your choices to a handful of cameras, I find their "Buying Guide: Digital Cameras Side-by-Side" application extremely helpful.

Shopping wisely

Now that you have identified the camera you want, you need to move cautiously. Deal with legitimate suppliers. Buy only product with USA manufacturer warranties. Be wary of prices that are way below the major resellers. Some unscrupulous vendors will remove manufacturer-included accessories in an attempt to sell them back to you at inflated prices.

I choose to stick with the vendors that I know will back the product they sell. My local favorites, in no particular order are B&H, Adorama, Berger Brothers, J&R, Armato's and Unique Photo. I have had excellent experiences with these retailers. Most will work with you to match legitimate competitor's pricing.

If you have any specific questions, do not hesitate posting it in the comments. I'll do my best to answer them.

Happy shopping!



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