How to buy a new digital camera

The time has arrived. You are either going to purchase your first digital camera, or update to a new or better model than the one you have. If you a first time digital camera buyer it can be intimidating. If you are updating your current camera, it can still be confusing. There are so many different digital cameras available, and they all basically do the same thing. The least expensive might not be the best buy for the kind of pictures you want to create, and the most expensive could be over kill for your type of photography. And the all features on today’s digital cameras can be mind boggling.
You can pick up a basic no frills digital camera in a convenience store for less than fifty dollars. Or you could go to a high end retail store and spend several thousand dollars. Some of the professional digital SLR bodies alone could cost over five thousand dollars. How do you know what to buy, or which camera is best for you. Research!

Make a list of the features you want your new camera to have. For example:

Does it have a viewfinder or do you use the LCD screen as a viewfinder?
What kind of memory card does it require?
How many white balances are available, and does it allow for custom white balance?
What’s the zoom range of the lens?
Does it have shutter lag, or is the shutter instantaneous?
Does it have a built in flash? If so, how powerful is it.
What is the ISO range?
What kind of batteries does it require?
What all is included with the camera?
What’s the price range for the camera?

If you’re thinking of buying a digital camera, or you already have a digital camera, there is a good chance you have access to a computer. Go to Google or Bing and start searching. You will end up with an overload of information. Would I purchase the camera on line? Maybe? It would depend on whether I have had successful dealings with company before, or I have good reports about the company for reliable sources. After the research you should have enough knowledge to know the type of camera you are will suite your needs.
An easier approach is to go to a local camera store and let a knowledgeable salesman help you with your decision. When I say local camera store, I don’t mean a big box department store with a camera and video section. I mean a locally owned camera store that will give you personal service, and backup what they sell. The only one I know of around the Dayton area is Fairborn Camera, in Fairborn, Ohio.

https://fairborncamera.net/

The first thing they will ask you when you tell them you’re interested in a digital camera is: how do you intend to use the camera, and what type pictures do you want to create? They will guide you from there and help you select the digital camera that is best for you.
If you go to Fairborn Camera, tell them Bob Clayton sent you.

The photograph included with this article was created with a less than $100 digital camera.

If there is anything special you want me to cover, or anything you want me to cover in more detail please let me know.

A Few Digital Photography Basics!

A few days ago I photographed a family of four at Cox Arboretum. I arrived about 30 minutes early, as usual, and it gave me the opportunity to watch other photographers at work. Cox Arboretum is a Mecca for local photographers, amateur and professional. It offers great locations and backgrounds for any type of photographs at any time of day. You can always find a location with great lighting if you know what to look for. There must have been at least a dozen photographers of all skill levels working in the park. All were using digital cameras of a wide variety. From point and shoot to mega SLRs. Only two or three were creating good images. The rest were not paying attention to the light, using the wrong lens, not finding the best location for their subject, or not paying attention to detail.

While it’s hard to help in print with lighting, posing, locations, and detail, I can help with the camera and how to use it. So here are a few tips to get started, and more will follow in later articles.

It’s not about the pixels! When two people with digitals cameras meet, the first question they ask is: “How many megapixels are you shooting?” It’s not about the pixels; it’s how they’re used. I have seen beautiful images created with 2 and 3 megapixel cameras, and lousy images created with 12 megapixel cameras. The camera is a tool. It is only as good as the person using it. Most people make prints that are 8x10 or smaller. Actually, 4x6 is the most popular size. Why? Because they’re cheap! About nineteen cents apiece. If you want to make large prints, 11x14 and larger, that’s when you need the high megapixel cameras for the best possible print. Think of a pixel as a piece of information for your image. The more information you have, the better your image. You do not need as much information for a small print as you need for a large print.

Exposure! Most cameras do a good job of setting the correct exposure. You have to learn when the meter is not setting the correct exposure. Is there something in the scene that is affecting the meter to give the wrong exposure? You need to learn what to look for and how to compensate for it. One thing about digital exposure: Never over expose if you can help it. Once you blow out the highlights, you will never get them back. Photoshop can only do so much. The owner’s manual / instruction book is your best resource. Most people never get past the first two pages. Read it from cover to cover. It will help you take better pictures.

Hold the camera steady! The average person has trouble holding a camera steady: Especially at shutter speeds slower than 1/125 of a second. Think of taking a picture with your camera as if you are firing a rifle. Take a deep breath, let a little out and hold it, and gentle squeeze the shutter release. Not like you’re typing at the keyboard. Gentle squeeze the release button. Keep your elbow in and your body balanced. Lean against a wall or a tree for support if necessary. Use a tripod. That’s the easiest way to hold a camera steady. With a tripod holding the camera steady and where you want it, you can concentrate on your subject and taking the picture.

That evening at Cox Arboretum amongst all those other photographers, I was the only one using a tripod.

These few tips should be enough to get you started on your way to better digital pictures –more to come. If there is anything specific or special you would like me to cover, please let me know. I’m off for a few days in the Smokey Mountains. May be the next article will be on how to take better vacation pictures.