I have been trying to write out something on Photography related post especially on some guides / tips / suggestions on choosing a camera for beginner or just simply someone that want to get a camera but have failed since they often became a long boring grandmother story. All those are still sitting in my draft folder until now and never get posted.
So, in stead of writing long stories and not get posted, I decided to just post some mini articles when I have something to say… I have no idea how many parts will be posted.. just keep your eyes open.
Part 1 : Which is the BEST, the PERFECT camera to buy ?
If you google for these words, you will probably ending in some Forums’ posting having some newbies throwing these type of questions and get hammered heavilly on the replies (or you eventually get to this posting from google). Honestly, these are the one of those most annoying questions that most photography forumers hated to attend to. Some time, they get smarter and starting to ask, questions like “which are the best compact camera under RM1000 ?, “Which are the best dSLR for biginner under RM2000 ?”.. yet, these are still annoying if you wonder if you are smarter to ask these.
Myself is not different from any others that I actually don’t like to attend to this type of questions but I do most of the time, try to reply them asking them to be more specific on their questions, before I can try to helps in giving some suggestions.
Change your mindset of what is the BEST Camera meant to you ?
I have always agreed that the BEST camera IS the camera you have with you when you need one at that exact moment. To refine it further, the BEST camera IS the camera that you have when you need one and can do the task reasonable well. Giving you a RM40K camera that is high-tech, having fast response, producing great colors and great pictures but having it left at home most of the time will not make it THE BEST camera that capture every moment when you need it… in most cases, the camera phone in your pocket has became the BEST camera for most peoples because that is what they have when they need one most of the time.
So, think about it, do you want a camera that you can have with you most of the moments without the burden, weight, inconveniences ? or you want a camera that is too big, too troublesome to carry with you most of the time or ocation and eventually leave that at home for most of the time ?
Don’t buy the camera just simply because you see someone using it & producing stunning pictures.
It is very frequent that I saw peoples simply make a purchase of the camera because they saw someone with great pictures are using the same camera. I would like to borrow a phrase that used often by one of my friend, “Buying the best Piano available in the market does not make you a great Pianist”… and I also always say “buying the most expensive paintbrush in the world does not make you a great artist.” ( Talking about painting, the reason I take photographs is simply because I cannot paint and hence using the camera as my paintbrush ) I think I don’t needs to further elaborates this and most of you will understand what I am trying to say.. but having say that…. I do agree that having a good, efficient tool could helps a lot on getting those amazing results no matter what you are trying to do. For those that knew Mandarin, 工欲善其事，必先利其器. ( In order to complete a task, we must first have a good tool )
So, if you really understand that camera is what you are looking for, then it is fine to get it. If you only wanted to buy it because you knew someone taking good pictures using it but don’t understand how you can do it or why that camera can do it.. then stop and do more thinking and learning before you cash out the camera. ( If you are loaded with $$$.. then ignore what I just said here )
Try to learn the basic of Painting with Light and make your own decisions.
If you really want to know why there are so many camera models, price ranges and which is the BEST camera you can afford, which camera will be able to do the tasks you want whether the pictures are for competition, blogging or simply snaps and keep for memories / sharing with friends and families… please spend some time to learn the basic. There are not much to learn if you just want to know the basics like what is Aperture ? what is Shutter Speed, what is ISO and what they will affecting your pictures.
For those that want to do more learning, the topics like what is Anti Shakes ? what is Mega Pixels ? What is Depth Of Field ? How to Freeze a moment, what is White balance ? Knowing all these simple theories, it will make you feel comfortable in browsing through the catalog for the camera or even have some time spent looking at the camera’s technical specification and make your own decision without just being the victims of some camera sales persons trying to push the sales for some old models, more gross margin models that they have in the stores.
Ask yourself these questions and get the answers before you want to ask someone for suggestions.
These are exactly the questions I will ask someone that came to me asking for suggestions, recomendation for cameras.. and in fact, they are the same questions I am asking myself before choosing a camera. Hopes they can helps you on knowing what you want for yourself.
- Why do I need a new camera ? ( Especially if I already have other cameras )
- What do I want to use the camera for ?
- What is the budget I have for the camera ?
- Do I have a particular brand / features to look for ? ( This is rather
hard for newbie to answer as it is normal that they do not know what
they need / looking for or why they really need them )
There are other questions that I didn’t list out.. but these are the fundamental that can get the ball rolling.
Next topic, I will try to write something on Compact Vs dSLR… until then.. happy reading & /photo .
跟你讲，我是拍照痴，
不但拍照很屎，而且不知道dlsr是什么 /cry1
有时看见会拍照的人，还会很羡慕 /dance
觉得你很厉害一下！！！
ellie_pi´s lastest post..103岁的friend
迟一些我可能会提到你的问题，因为一幅好的作品不一定是要好的相机或懂得摄影的人才能做到。会摄影的人（好像我）未必就能拍出好作品。不要灰心。
Akira, 你可以看一看我下一篇写的再作打算。
Honestly I also dont know what is DSLR, but the rest I know :p
One thing is I noticed from a friend’s camera (I only remember is Sony brand) . We used his camera to take photo of our wedding. But ended up I have to touch up the color in photoshop myself. On the other hand, I saw many friends in Multiply whom can really take nice photos with nice color (which mean, you dont have to touch up the color in photoshop yourself). I would like to know if it has something to do with the DSLR???
Because I am planning to buy a new camera next year. I would like to have a camera which can produce nice color (maybe I am confused with the camera, maybe it is not because of the camera, it is the skill of the photographer?) Can you help, pls 🙂 Thanks !!!
* Besides, I suppose you mean depth of field not Death Of Field?!?
Carol´s lastest post..不好意思，朋友！
Carol, thanks for pointing out the typo.. was rushing over the lunch break to write that. SLR is Single Lens Reflect camera where d just indicates it is a Digital SLR. Dragon said it out on the next comment very well that what he said is true… you will needs certain knowledge to handle the camera well if you want the out of camera photo is good enough without touch up. dSLR is definitely has its advantage on producing greater quality images if you know how to work it but at the same time, it can delivers very bad / normal pictures if you rely on auto with certain challenging scenario or not knowing what to do with it. Since you only planning to get one next year, maybe I will still have enough time to write up few more pages and see if those could helps you in making a selection that you will happy with.
Dragon, very well said and I totally agreed with what you said.
Both cameras’ on paper specification looks alike for me. I think if you are serious on these 2, it is a good idea to visit a shop and get your hands on them, feel it in your hands to see which you like more on handling, including which Menu systems / settings will suits you more… then try a few pictures with it seeing which one you like more.
绮绮, 你好像有些功课还没交。
我最想拥有DSLR相机咯…
Akira´s lastest post..Sexy Poses by Supermodels
I am also agree on Drogan, you must have good skill to handle any camera 🙂
I have another question :p … When I was in Uni 2003, I bought a Nikon brand camera for my study. I dont remember which module, I think something F6 or F60 or maybe N, I didnt use it for so long (you know those use for study? We cannot use the digital camera). I bought it in 2003. I was just wondering, if I can trade this and add money to buy a new digital one? I really have no ideas on the market nowadays 🙁 But for sure I know I will end up “rugi” for this camera 🙁
Is it still a “trend” to trade in the old camera and buy a new one? Because nowadays almost everybody use digital and mine is not 🙁 Maybe nobody want it?!? Do you know anything about that?!?
*I want to buy a new one because I want a digital. This one is still using film roll 🙁 I just went google but I cannot find back my module, everything is digital !
Carol´s lastest post..不好意思，朋友！
previously, i really think of getting a better camera like DSLR. but i have changed my mind. to me, if you own a DSLR camera but you don’t know how to use it to take great photo, the DSLR is useless. I saw some people who own a DSLR and the photos quality is worse than mine.
if you have a camera and know all the features and master it, i think u can take great photos than a person who owns a DSLR who knows nothing.
just my thought.
Dragon´s lastest post..Fun Tea Garden
Nikon CoolPix P80 and Panasonic Lumix FZ28, which one is better? need some advice here…
Vincent Cho´s lastest post..Sweet Chat Café
我最近也很想买相机~
可是就是不知道要买拿架 /heh
绮绮´s lastest post..小男孩::许愿::
Your film camera will be Priceless now ( really meant no price ).. you can try to trades in but I doubt it has much value and I recommending you to keep it. I still keep my film camera and believe or not.. a lot of peoples with Digital will eventually try to shoot with film some of the time. Shooting with Film has it benefit and you should try to shoot with it from time to time. If i were you, i will keep the film camera and just get a digital cam since trading it does not help much. I also believe you do not have much accessories or premium lenses that you have with your Nikon and that should not be the factor for you to decides which brand of camera you will go for… kind of think of it, you are funny girl.. you have a SLR but does not know what is dSLR :p
another thing on if i can handle any camera .. i also not sure… don’t have chance to try out too many camera but i believe with some little time spend on them to find out what they can do.. getting a reasonable photo should not be a big problem.. just the camera itself has to be able to do some neat stuffs to begin with. e.g. No one said you cannot build a wooden house entirely with a swiss army knife.. but then.. don’t expect the house built with it will be easy and nice.
Not sure how many peoples think of this.. beside shooting RAW, all camera that shooting and recording in JPG and finally resize to let say 800 x 600 pixels @72dpi to shows on monitor.. they are exactly having the same 8 bits RGB color resolutions ( 24bits color resolutions ).. so.. why there are a big different with the pictures coming out from different camera ?
Thanks for sharing…
If directly printing from a digital SLR vs direct printing of a Velvia film, both without touch up and with proper settings, the film’s version should be better.. but I may be wrong. Technologies improved a lot now a days and digital may do better then films.
Aiyo … I know what is SLR but I didnt think about D stand for digital ma… I am quite stubborn one. One something twist a bit, I wont get it. Especially when it comes to Maths, I will die!
But anyway, My husband also said is beter to keep it since will rugi.
Is any lens fit on any camera? Or should have the same brand? For instance, if I bought a new Canon camera, can I used my Nikon camera lens?
Carol´s lastest post..不好意思，朋友！
大家都說菲林的 SLR 所拍出來的照片 /photo /photo /photo 比 DSLR 來的漂亮????? 不知是不是???? /sweat /sweat /sweat
非常感激额你这一篇
在我购买 DSLR 前可以慢慢的阅读
（很可能最后仍然放弃 ＤＳＬＲ， 哈哈， 因为带出门实在太重了， 还要拖两个永远在跑的瓜）
燕仔´s lastest post..“虚拟”路程
I didn’t notice your question earlier on. In general, you normally use the same brand’s lenses. There are 3rd party Lens manufacturers that manufactured lens to work with some popular brands but it is not usual to mix and match main company brand bodies + lenses. There are some lens adapter that allows you use certain brand’s lenses with certain brand’s bodies.
Vincent, I hopes I am not too late to try my 2nd attempt on your question. Another friend of mine asking for the same questions and drawn my curiosity to read more about these camera.. I have to change my mine now that if you haven’t make up your choice, I do advise you test it out further. The P80’s performance seems not that good compares to the others camera in the same class. All of these are just my assumption made after reading more review sites. You can try considering the FZ28 more or if you interested, the Fujifilm seems performing pretty well also. The full review on dpreview.com for the S8000fd is at http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilms8000fd/
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