Buyers Guide - DSLR
Armed with a digital imaging sensor, this later version of the SLR camera is what many with a passion for photography lean towards. Yet, DSLRs or digital single-lens reflex cameras don’t come in a one-size-fits-all package. Learn how to get one that’s catered just for you!
By and large, more mega pixels deliver better photos. However, this isn’t always the case. For instance, if you’re taking pictures mainly to upload to your computer and share them online, you can do with a DSLR that has a lower MP. But, if you plan to print large images, the resolution should be able to match up with the print size you want. Higher MP DSLRs also leave more room for cropping images so that you aren’t left with grainy results post-crop. A DSLR with 21 MP and above is what you should look for here.
This mega pixel range can deliver images that are just as good as those taken with 21 MP DSLRS. Again, making the choice depends on what you want to do with your photographs and, of course, your budget.
Ideal for people looking to get decent shots, but who aren’t looking for too high-end DSLRs, 11 – 15.9 MP will serve you just fine if you don’t plan to blow up images to a very large size.
If a large display is not a big issue for you, a DSLR with a display size between 2 and 2.9 inches will serve you well.
A larger display size means you don’t need to zoom in as much to view details and tweak settings. 3 – 3.9 MP is what most DSLRs feature
A 4-inch screen will give you a great view of images and settings.
DSLRs come loaded with features, some of which you may or may not need. Here’s a look at the more prominent ones:
This technology steadies the camera by detecting shaky hands via a gyroscope typically located in the lens.
Where optical stabilisation corrects an image in the process of being captured, digital stabilisation alters the camera’s settings or the image once it’s captured.
DSLRs usually have two of three viewfinders – an optical viewfinder, an electronic viewfinder, and an LCD screen. Optical and electronic viewfinders are both eye-level viewfinders, whereas an LCD screen displays the image on a screen. You want to make sure all viewfinders are bright and clear enough.
A faster shutter speed can help you capture movements so they appear frozen in time. If you plan to do sports photography, you should look for a DSLR with the same.
DSLRs either have an inbuilt flash, an external flash called a hot shoe mount, or both. While an inbuilt flash is convenient, a hot shoe mount delivers higher quality flash photographs.
Burst mode or continuous shooting mode is a nifty feature as it lets you take multiple images rapidly.
Face detection is another handy feature as it locates faces in an image and fine-tunes them.
DSLRs can feature video recording capability, which is ideal if you want to do both using a single device. However, video files are very large so storage space must be factored in.
Higher resolution DSLRs and those with video recording capability output large files. When selecting a camera, make sure you buy several storage cards as well. They should be compatible with your camera.
APS-C is Advanced Photo System type-C (classic), an image sensor format. It’s smaller than a full-frame sensor. What this means is that the image an APS-C DSLR takes has the edges of the frame cropped out while a full-frame sensor is able to capture more of a scene. However, although this would lead one to assume that full-frame sensor DSLRs are better, much depends on what you plan to do with your camera.
DSLRs today are offered as cameras-only or as part of camera kits. With a camera-only, you just get the DSLR and no lens. With the kit, you get the body and a lens. Both have their pros and cons.
Camera-only DSLRs give you the freedom to choose your own lenses. They’re also naturally cheaper. However, you need to make sure that the lenses you purchase are compatible with the DSLR you plan to buy.
A camera kit includes the camera and a lens or two. This saves you from having to pick and choose compatible lenses. However, if you don’t use the lenses provided or feel they aren’t offering what you need, you may consider your purchase a waste of money.